Western Theater & Pea Ridge

[bethcobb98]

Pea Ridge was a great Battle that seems to get little recognition. It was one of the few battles where the Confederates out numbered the Union Soldiers. I was intriqued by this battle when we visited for our research for the book "Ambrose" how pristine this National Park has remained. It seemed to be as it would have been 150 yrs ago. Our Journey, like "Ambrose's, took us there because it was the first battle that many of the men from the 4th Iowa would fight (but not the last) They were fierce Warriors. It is disheartening that the Battles of the Western Theater get little recognition but were very pivital in the Union's Victory. We followed Ambrose and his fellow soldiers from Pea Ridge to Chickasaw Bluffs to Vicksburg to Chattanooga to Atlanta and to the March to the Sea. What a journey they had leaving their homes 1000 men strong and 200+/- original men coming back home. But those like Ambrose faught to make it back home again. Those battes seem to get little recognition compared to those in the Eastern Theater. Any Ideas why?????

At any rate, we unlike Ambrose and his men, enjoyed our Battlefield tours over the years (Thank God we had cars and planes for ours) enough to complete the book "Ambrose, Civil War Journey" and get it published. We are very proud that both National Research Libraries that we donated a copy to has seen fit to include it in their already unparrelled collections at the US Army Heritage Education Center as well as West Point. We will be donating it to other National Sites since it was met with such vigior.

I am so happy to have followed Ambrose and the 4th Iowa b/c it gave me great insight to the trials and tribulations that all te soldiers endured of the years. I thank Veterns whenever Ise tem not just on the holidays for what they have done for me. SO THANK YOU TO ALL THAT SERVED FOR MY RIGHTS!!!!!! I am also very proud that our book hs turned out as well to serve as a reminder for those of us who sometimes forget!!! Richard chose to make this book more than "just" fighting and Battles he showed the human side of the CW and Beyond by including other related events like his time on the Set of Gettysburg and Gods & Generals , a dinner benifit with Jeff Shaara, and some past and current military names and events that crossed our Journey. Thank you to those who have already picked up their copies !!! (A woman @ Amazon told me they have been very popular) In the two short months that they have carried them they have had to keep reordering the hard copies to keep them stocked.

 

[johan_steele]

Less press, reporters had to travel a bit farther to be w/in earshot of the cannon... less healthy for the delicate disposition.

 

[ole]

One of the great anomalies of the Civil War, Beth. Mr. Steele nailed it. All the news was in the east. While the war was being won in the west. Until Grant took Vicksburg, there was little note of the war in the west in the major newspapers.

It probably didn't help that Sherman was quite hostile to reporters.

 

[Missouri 1st]

Pea Ridge is indeed a beautiful park. Very impressive and fairly remote much like Shiloh. The battle itself is also a very interesting battle. Complete with General Van Dorn, an attempt to "steal a march" and attack the Union army from the rear, two Confederate Generals killed within minutes, Indian regiments, etc...

The Western/Trans-Mississippi Theater get short shrift because R.E. Lee, JEB Stuart and Stonewall Jackson were not there, the numbers were not there and until more recently, historians have focused on the East. In my humble opinion, you can argue that these battles secured Missouri, knocked out Arkansas and cut-off Louisiana, Texas and most of Mississippi at the battle of Vicksburg in one long "campaign" and arguably sealed the fate of the Confederacy.

 

[rpkennedy]

Probably the biggest reason why the Western theaters were/are overlooked is that the Eastern theater took place between the two capitals. All eyes were on the eastern armies which were, almost always, threatening the capital cities. In the West and Trans-Mississippi, one could travel hundreds of miles and be nowhere near an opponent.

R