Camp Stephens marker between Bentonville and Pea Ridge near Little Flock

LtTBReeves

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Aug 10, 2018
Location
Pea Ridge, AR
Camp Stephens was established by Confederate Brig. Gen. Nicholas Bartlett Pearce (reassigned to serve in the Arkansas Confederate Commissary Department as a major after battle of Wilson's Creek) in July, 1861 and named after Confederate VP Alexander Stephens. This camp was the one that the Confederates accidentally sent their ammunition and supply wagons to during the battle of Pea Ridge. This was a major factor contributing to the Confederate loss there.
 
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Camp Stephens was established by Confederate Brig. Gen. Nicholas Bartlett Pearce (reassigned to serve in the Arkansas Confederate Commissary Department as a major after battle of Wilson's Creek) in July, 1861 and named after Confederate VP Alexander Stephens. This camp was the one that the Confederates accidentally sent their ammunition and supply wagons to during the battle of Pea Ridge. This was a major factor contributing to the Confederate loss there.
Interesting little fact, Camp Stephens was built on land that was previously owned by John Henry, Doc Holliday’s father’.
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Link...http://lat34north.com/HistoricMarke...fix=&MarkerTitle=Doc Holliday - Camp Stephens
 
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I just came across an interesting tidbit from the March 14, 1862 report on the Battle of Pea Ridge from Union then-Colonel Peter J. Osterhaus (6 days after the battle):
"Cavalry flankers and infantry skirmishers having thoroughly scoured the ground where the battle had raged for hours, reported the enemy gone, and his train [of wagons] could be seen in the distance moving towards Bentonville."

These Union soldiers were witnessing the great error of miscommunication by Confederate Gen. Van Dorn and his officers in sending the rebels' ammunition and supplies away to Camp Stephens (which lay along the road between Pea Ridge and Bentonville) when they needed it most.
 
I’d be interested to hear more about how the Confederate wagons were sent to Camp Stephens instead of Pea Ridge. What kind of miscommunication & who’s fault was it?
 
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