On March 7-8, 1862, more than 23,000 Union and Confederate troops clashed at the battle of Pea Ridge near modern-day Rogers in the largest Civil War battle in Arkansas history. The battle decided the fate of Missouri and was the turning point of the war in the Trans-Mississippi Theater. Most Civil War historians agree that Pea Ridge was the most pivotal battle west of the Mississippi River.
The Union forces at Pea Ridge were commanded by Brig. Gen. Samuel Curtis, while Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn led the Confederates. Van Dorn and his men launched a counteroffensive in which they attempted to recapture northern Arkansas and Missouri for the Confederacy. But against all odds, Curtis and his troops held off the Confederate attack, and on the second day drove Van Dorn's forces completely off the Pea Ridge battlefield. By handily defeating the Confederates, Curtis and his soldiers established federal control of Missouri and much of north Arkansas.
Arkansas lawyer, educator and prominent Freemason Albert Pike served as a senior officer in the Confederate Army at the battle of Pea Ridge and commanded the Indian Territory District (present-day Oklahoma). After the battle, allegations were made claiming that Indian soldiers under Pike’s command scalped enemy soldiers. Official records related to the investigation show Pike "regarded [the incident] with horror," and that he was personally "angry and disgusted.”
In the aftermath of the Civil War, Union and Confederate veterans held several reunions at the Pea Ridge battlefield, the first taking place in 1887. The reunions helped keep the memory of the dead alive and facilitate healing between the once-opposing soldiers of each army. At the early reunions, money was raised to help buy monuments to honor the dead, which still stand.
In 1956, the Arkansas’ congressional delegation pushed for legislation to make the Pea Ridge battlefield a national military park under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service. On July 20, 1956, the U.S. Congress voted to accept a 5,000-acre donation of land from the state. As a result of the donation, the 4,300-acre Pea Ridge National Military Park was officially created by an act of the Congress and was dedicated as a national park in 1963.
To acquire land for the park, the government purchased or used eminent domain on farms and homes in the area. Many houses and other structures were sold and moved off of park property. The National Park Service demolished all other remaining structures except for the Elkhorn Tavern.
The Pea Ridge battlefield was listed on the Department of the Interior’s National Register of Historic Places on Oct. 15, 1966.
Pea Ridge National Military Park is considered by experts as one of the best-preserved Civil War battlefields in the nation. Some of the park’s amenities include a visitor center and a state-of-the-art museum that houses numerous battlefield artifacts. The park also features hiking trails, a self-guided driving tour and the restored Elkhorn Tavern. A 2.5-mile section of the Trail of Tears is located within the park’s boundaries.
Elkhorn Tavern, the park's centerpiece, is a two-story, wood-frame structure that was built in 1833 and served as ground zero at the battle of Pea Ridge. In fact, the battle of Pea Ridge is often referred to as the battle of Elkhorn Tavern. The building is actually a replica built in 1865, as the original Elkhorn Tavern was set ablaze by bushwhackers in January 1863. The replica was built on the original building's foundation and includes the original chimney.
For more information on the park and battle, visit the National Park Service’s website at www.nps.gov/peri/index.htm.
While Pea Ridge may not be as famous as other Civil War battlefields as Gettysburg or Vicksburg, it’s definitely worth visiting if you’re a Civil War buff.
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