Battle of Pea Ridge / Elkhorn Tavern

Lazy Bayou

1st Lieutenant
Joined
Apr 17, 2011
Location
Mississippi
Location: Benton County, ARkansas

Campaign: Pea Ridge Campaign (1862)

Dates: March 6-8, 1862

Principal Commanders: Maj. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis [US]; Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn [CS]

Forces Engaged: Army of the Southwest [US]; Army of the West [CS]

Estimated Casualties: 5,949 total (US 1,349; CS 4,600)

On the night of March 6, Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn set out to outflank the Union position near Pea Ridge, dividing his army into two columns. Learning of Van Dorn’s approach, the Federals marched north to meet his advance on March 7. This movement—compounded by the killing of two generals, Brig. Gen. Ben McCulloch and Brig. Gen. James McQueen McIntosh, and the capture of their ranking colonel—halted the Rebel attack. Van Dorn led a second column to meet the Federals in the Elkhorn Tavern and Tanyard area. By nightfall, the Confederates controlled Elkhorn Tavern and Telegraph Road. The next day, Maj. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis, having regrouped and consolidated his army, counterattacked near the tavern and, by successfully employing his artillery, slowly forced the Rebels back. Running short of ammunition, Van Dorn abandoned the battlefield. The Union controlled Missouri for the next two years.
Result: Union victory

http://www.nps.gov/hps/abpp/battles/ar001.htm
 
Missouri was a key state for both sides at the start of the Civil War. Its governor, Claiborne Fox Jackson, wanted secession. However, like Kentucky, Missouri declared neutrality, meaning it would not leave the Union—yet would not supply men or arms to either side. With a population of 1.2 million, Missouri would have been the most populous state in the Confederacy, with the exception of Virginia, if it had seceded. It had a well-developed industrial base in St. Louis, and controlled the Missouri River and an important stretch of the Mississippi River. As a Confederate state it would have blocked off Kansas and threatened southern Illinois. It was a prize the Confederates dearly wanted.

Missouri men loyal to the South had rallied under Maj. Gen. Sterling Price, known affectionately as “Old Pap.” Throughout 1861 there had been a series of skirmishes in Missouri, with the Confederates winning the most important clash (the Battle of Wilson’s Creek), defeating a Federal army of 6,000 men and killing its commander, Brig. Gen. Nathaniel Lyon. Price and his men sporadically occupied Springfield and other areas in southwestern Missouri, but by early 1862 had retreated into northwestern Arkansas.

In its comprehensive report following the fateful Battle of Pea Ridge, the Cincinnati Times included a preface to the battle recounting the Missouri skirmishes and the movements of Price’s army preceding the battle. That article was reprinted by the Wooster Republican (Wooster, Ohio) in its March 27, 1862, issue:

Camp Sigel, Pea Ridge, Benton Co., Ark.
Monday evening, March 10.

First Movement toward Arkansas

Some six weeks ago the first Federal movement was made from Rolla, the present terminus of the Southwestern branch of the Pacific Railway, toward Springfield, at which well known town Sterling Price was then encamped, with a body of Missouri State troops estimated at eight to ten thousand. Immediately after the evacuation of Fremont’s splendid army, Price marched into Springfield and made his headquarters there, declaring, with the huge oaths for which he is remarkable, that he would never again leave it without a fight. Acting Brigadier General Carr left Rolla with some twenty-four hundred cavalry, as an advance, about the 1st of February, followed by several regiments under Gen. Sigel, for the purpose of engaging the troublesome rebel, and driving him out of the State, which for nine or ten months he had kept in perpetual trouble and alarm, retreating and returning to overrun, ravage and destroy.

Price violated his word once more, and before half his own force was collected in the vicinity of Springfield, evacuated the town, marching down the Cassville road toward Bentonville, Ark., and daily expecting reinforcements from McCulloch, McIntosh, Van Dorn and Albert Pike, with two or three thousand Cherokee, Choctaw, Creek and Seminole Indians.

Various skirmishes occurred on the march, between our forces and those of the enemy, and a small engagement near the State line, resulting in the repulse of Price, and his crossing over into Arkansas, followed by our army.

Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn took over command of the Confederate Army of the West’s 16,000 men, a combination of Price’s Missouri army, Maj. Gen. Ben McCulloch’s Arkansas army, and a force of 800 Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, and Seminole Indian troops under the command of Brig. Gen. Albert Pike. Van Dorn issued a plea for loyal Southerners in Texas, Arkansas, Missouri and Louisiana to rally to his support—a proclamation the Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) gleefully satirized in its March 4, 1862, issue:


Van Dorn’s Proclamation

General Earl Van Dorn is a double traitor—faithless as a citizen to his country, and as a soldier to his flag; but it cannot be denied that he is a practical fighting man, quite unequal to the grand rhetoric which characterizes his recent proclamation. To judge from analogy, it was written in Richmond, by the editor of the Examiner or Dispatch, and sent to him for publication and dissemination. It beats Price all to pieces. It not only calls upon the young men of Arkansas to arm, but upon the “beautiful maidens of Louisiana” to drive them to the field! Perhaps he caps the climax when he appeals to the “Texas chivalry,” to prove that “a glorious epitaph is better than a vassaled land, with honor lost and a people sunk in infamy!”

Like Cottle, he should be conjured:
“…for a moment think
What meagre profits spring from pen and ink.”

We propose to Van Dorn a dilemma of easy solution. If the youth of Arkansas, maidens of Louisiana, and Texas chivalry, need such appeals, they are already lost to Secession; if they are moved by such bathos, they will not be hard to beat, for they are fools. Conclusion, as in the old rhyme: “Van, Van, is a used up man!” in spite of help from Richmond editors.

A new Union commander, Brig. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis, had replaced the slain Lyon as head of the Army of the Southwest. Though he only had 10,500 men, Curtis was determined to chase and defeat the larger Confederate Army of the West, removing forever the threat to Missouri and permanently securing Grant’s right flank. To reach them in northwestern Arkansas, Curtis would have to march his men over 120 miles from their supply base in Rolla, Mo., a risky endeavor. On they came, and in early March established a fortified position entrenched on the north side of Sugar Creek in Benton County, Ark. There Curtis waited, expecting the Confederates to march north up Telegraph Road and assault his defensive position.

Van Dorn had other ideas, however. He had made his name leading quick strikes against Indians in Texas, and preferred speed and boldness. He decided upon a daring plan. Not wishing to be slowed down by his supply wagons, he ordered his men to stuff their knapsacks with three days’ rations and set off on a forced march to circle around the enemy and surprise them from the rear. During this march they ran smack into a freezing storm, and by the time his men reached the rear of the Federal forces on March 6, 1862, Van Dorn’s army was miserable, exhausted and hungry. Also, most ominously, their extra ammunition and rations were now three days away. Van Dorn was betting everything that his larger army would either defeat or drive away the Union army and then re-supply themselves from the Federals’ cut-off supply wagons.


http://www.newsinhistory.com/feature/battle-pea-ridge-missouri-lost-confederate-cause
 
Sterling Price’s victory at Lexington on September 20, 1861, had important consequences for the war in Missouri. Though Union reinforcements forced Price to abandon his position on the Missouri River and retreat back to Springfield, his campaign proved the Missouri State Guard was still an effective fighting force. Union commanders wanted to use St. Louis as a base to conduct operations down the Mississippi River in the spring of 1862. Price and his command threatened these plans and the Federals worried they would have to detain troops for the defense of Missouri.1

Inclement weather and primitive roads usually kept Civil War armies in camp during the winter months. In Missouri however, the Union army wanted to alter the strategic situation before spring arrived. Thus, General Samuel R. Curtis was ordered to risk a winter campaign for control of Missouri. Curtis’ army would face more than the normal dangers while operating in the Ozarks. The rugged, remote region had a relatively small population and a limited food supply that had already been depleted by previous campaigns. Still, taking at least some food from the countryside would be essential since the railroad ended at Rolla, 100 miles from Springfield. Curtis would have to rely on wagons to transport supplies beyond that point. This lengthy supply line would be an inviting target for the Confederates, who could easily force the Federals into a desperate battle for their logistical lifeline.2

The survival of Curtis’ army depended on two crucial factors. The soldiers had to travel light. Each man carried only what was absolutely necessary. Secondly, an aggressive supply officer would have to ensure provisions kept up with the army, regardless of the roads or weather. Fortunately, Curtis made an excellent choice for this all important assignment: Captain Phillip Sheridan. In 1864, Sheridan earned fame and infamy for his destruction of Confederate resources in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. Sheridan’s service as a Trans-Mississippi supply officer was valuable experience for his later exploits.3


http://www.ozarkscivilwar.org/archives/339

http://www.ozarkscivilwar.org/category/battles/battle-of-pea-ridge

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I am looking for a relative (Thomas Connor/Conner) who was in the 3rd MO Vol Inf. Company D which then consolidated into Company K. I found his muster rolls on Fold3 and on Jul/Aug muster it notes he was left at a hospital in Elk Horn; then the Sep/Oct muster says he had since been transferred. After the Battle of Elk Horn's Tavern (Pea Ridge) did the Confederate Army stay in Arkansas? We cannot find any more information on him and have been advised to read the Guide to MO Confederate Units by Jim McGhee but the StL library will not let me check out the book. I would like to know more about the 3rd MO Vol Inf; where and when they were formed; what battles they took part in and when; and hopefully a list of the soldiers. Thanks so much for any help you can give, nellybstl
 
I visited Pea Ridge thes past September and fell in love with the neighborhood! It is as pretty as Shiloh and just about as pristine, only much smaller. The park does not get a lot of money and it shows, but they have done a lot with what they get. We were there on Bikers, blues and BBQ weekend and there were bikers everywhere..
i am still amazed at the tactics used by Van Dorn.... Ya don't need ammo, ya don't need food, and ya don't need blankets.. hurry up lets go... Yea I know I am ridin and you are walkin, but hurry up...
And predictibly, the weather turned nasty, and they used up their ammo and of curse the ammo, food and blanket wagons were no where around... At that point, the result became somewhat predictible. There are plenty of rocks in the area, but battles are not won by throwing rocks at the enemy.
 
The Union army had the logistics advantage in Missouri, although it was nearly the number one essential to do battle by both, in that state.
The Union would control St. Louis for the entire war, and therefore control the steamboats that came there with supplies, from as far away as Pittsburgh. The Confederate army found its supply lines on the wrong side of the river. The Union could not only bring supplies up the Mississippi River from the Ohio River, it could supply troops in Western Missouri and Kansas, by its control of the Missouri River. Not only did it affect Missouri, steamboat control of that river meant the Union could send supplies to its army in New Mexico over the Santa Fe trail. The Confederacy had an inadequate supply route to New Mexico from San Antonio to El Paso, a route which proved far inadequate to hold New Mexico and Arizona.
 
there was a series of books a number of years ago that was a generational saga. The First, Elk Horn Tavern, gave a pretty fair account of the battle.
 
I am looking for a relative (Thomas Connor/Conner) who was in the 3rd MO Vol Inf. Company D which then consolidated into Company K. I found his muster rolls on Fold3 and on Jul/Aug muster it notes he was left at a hospital in Elk Horn; then the Sep/Oct muster says he had since been transferred. After the Battle of Elk Horn's Tavern (Pea Ridge) did the Confederate Army stay in Arkansas? We cannot find any more information on him and have been advised to read the Guide to MO Confederate Units by Jim McGhee but the StL library will not let me check out the book. I would like to know more about the 3rd MO Vol Inf; where and when they were formed; what battles they took part in and when; and hopefully a list of the soldiers. Thanks so much for any help you can give, nellybstl

Hope I can help Nelly.

After Pea Ridge, Van Dorn attended a meeting in Memphis to coordinate the movement of the Army of the West into Tennessee/Mississippi and coordinate with A.S. Johnston and Beauregard. The Army of the West did abandoned Arkansas, taking much of the military material and means of production with it, much to the dismay of the Missouri and Arkansas governors. The Army of the West did not arrive in time to fight at Shiloh but did fight in many battles. The army, over time was broken up and its units distributed.

The First Missouri Regiment was raised in Memphis by John S. Bowen, who later became the most famous commander of the Missouri Brigade and later a Division commander. He received his commission to Colonel in the Confederate army for raising that regiment and that unit fought at Shiloh.

If I am not mistaken, the 3rd Missouri Vol. refers to the Missouri soldiers that had declared their intention to volunteer for Regular Confederate Service and were formed separate from the other Missouri units that remained in the Missouri State Guard during the Pea Ridge campaign. They were meant to be employed as seen fit by the Confederate authorities. They formally entered Confederate service when Sterling Price obtained his Confederate commission at Des Arc, Arkansas. About 5,000 men entered service at this time.

The Missouri State Guard aligned with the Confederacy but their employment beyond the borders of Missouri were subject to their discretion. They remained under the command of General Rains.

The 3rd Missouri Infantry was part of the 1st Missouri Brigade and it looks like Company D was raised mainly in Barry, Clay, Livingston, Platte and Ray counties.

http://www.civilwarstlouis.com/History2/1stMoConfederate.htm

As for your ancestor, it sounds like he was seriously injured to have stayed in a hospital in Arkansas at least until August. When the Army of the West retreated from Pea Ridge, they left many wounded on the field. The retreat was miserable with the weather wet and cold and no formal arrangement for food/clothing made. They lived off of the land. At War Eagle Creek more wounded Confederates were left as there was no means to care for them and they became too much of a burden for an army that was starving and without medical supplies. They were very bitter about that decision (see the book about Pea Ridge by Shea/Hess below).

The Missouri Brigade fought at Iuka/Corinth, Grand Gulf, Port Gibson, Champion Hill, Vicksburg, Kennesaw, Atlanta, Allatoona, Franklin and Blakely. Check my avatar for the unit flag.

http://books.google.com/books?id=0aj_pTcwHdYC&printsec=frontcover&dq=missouri confederate brigade#v=onepage&q&f=true

See also:

"In Deadly Earnest" by Phil Gottschalk (lived in Columbia but passed away about 10 years ago)
"The South's Finest" by Phillip T. Tucker
"Wilson's Creek" by Piston and Hatcher
"Pea Ridge" by Shea and Hess
"Gray Ghosts of the Confederacy" by Brownlee
"Vicksburg" by Ballard and another by Winston Groom
"General Sterling Price and the Civil War in the West" by Albert Castel

All excellent books and give a great education on the War in the West and all include ample information on the Missouri units/commanders.

That is a very brief, general answer that I hope helps. I may not be 100% correct, but I think I have the gist of it. I'm sure Borderruffian, Lazy Bayou, NathanB, Robtweb and many others can correct and/or add to my little narrative.

I am in St. Louis as well. Send me a note.

Mark
 
My g g grandfather was in the 4th Iowa Cav. and was in the Battle of Pea Ridge so a few years ago I visited the Military Park there and just loved it. If you get the chance to go it is well worth it.
 
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