Jesse James and the Civil War in Missouri

The Battle of Pea Ridge

The Battle of Pea Ridge When General Henry Halleck took command of Union troops west of the Mississippi River, he decided to drive Price out of southern Missouri. He ordered one of the main Union gen, erals under his command, Samuel R. Curtis, to go after Price. Curtis was able to push Price into Arkansas. He also forced General Ben McCulloch's Arkansas and Louisiana Confeder, ates to retreat from their winter camp near the Missouri, Arkansas border. Price's five thousand men then joined with McCulloch's fifteen thousand men and with five thousand Native Ameri, cans, mostly from the Cherokee tribe, who were led by Gen, eral Albert Pike. They met near a place called Pea Ridge in Arkansas, not far from the Missouri border. Confederate Gen, eral Earl Van Dorn was placed in command of this combined army of twenty,five thousand men, and a plan was made to attack the fifteen thousand men under the command of Gen, eral Curtis. The battle began on March 7, 1862, and at first the Con, federate forces were able to push the Union army back. But General McCulloch was killed on the first day of the battle, and General Pike's Cherokee troops decided not to fight any more after making one wild charge into Union lines. General Price's Missourians made a good show of strength against Union troops near a place called Elkhorn Tavern, but Confed, 30 The Battle of Pea Ridge 31 The Battle of Pea Ridge in northwest Arkansas. (State Historical Society of Missouri) erate troops suffered heavy losses during the first day's fighting . They were also running low on ammunition and supplies. On the second day of fighting the Union army attacked the weakened Confederate army and drove it from the field. It took the Confederate army nearly two weeks to get reorganized after this battle, and General Price was no longer able to seriously consider driving the Union anny out of Missouri. Price had another problem. Although he and his men were now part of the regular Confederate army, they got few supplies and very little support from the Confederate government. Price also learned that his men would probably be ordered to help Confederate troops east of the Mississippi River. When Price's men heard they might be taken away from the defense of their home state, many of them decided to go back to their homes so they could help protect their families and friends. Most of the returning soldiers soon joined the gangs of guerrillas, like the one formed by Quantrill, that were roaming around central and western Missouri at this time. The war in Missouri became a "guerrilla" war after the Confederate defeat at Pea Ridge. ...