Prairie Grove, Arkansas

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

We left Blue Sky RV this morning under cloudy skies and bit of drizzle.  We headed northwest to Fayetteville, home of the University of Arkansas (go hogs!).  It feels odd to be in such a large city after the smaller cities and towns we've been staying in.  Haven't seen this many cars, or traffic tie-ups in a long time!! Yes, the traffic is worse here than on the "strip" in Branson!

We're only here for two nights; we're staying at Southgate RV Park. Our purpose in coming here is to visit the Civil War Battlefield in Prairie Grove as well as the Confederate Cemetery in Fayetteville.

Recognized nationally as one of America's most intact Civil War battlefields, Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park protects the battle site and interprets the Battle of Prairie Grove.  On December 7, 1862 the Confederate Army of the Trans-Mississippi clashed with the Union Army of the Frontier in a fierce day of fighting resulting in about 2,700 casualties.  The battle resulted in a tactical stalemate but essentially secured northwest Arkansas for the Union.  This battle marked the last major Civil War engagement in northwest Arkansas.

entrance to the park. these gates were erected by the Daughters of the
Confederacy in 1924

the visitors center is named after Confederate General Hindman

Generals Hindman (Confederate) & Herron (Union)

Ammunition of War...

There were four family structures located on the ridge where the Confederates waited for the Federals. Warned of the approaching conflict, Mrs. Borden took her three children west along the ridge, stopping at the homes of Dr. Hugh Rogers and William Rogers before reaching the William Morton House with the other families. When the fighting got near, twenty men, women and children hid in the Morton cellar, similar to the one west of the Latta house.

Latta house

The heaviest fighting of the day took place around the Borden house & orchard. After the battle General Herron (Union) reported 250 dead within a 100-yard radius of the house.

Borden House

view from front porch of Borden house

another view from front porch

Borden Orchard

osage orange. not really an orange. more closely related to the mulberry
family

osage orange tree. look closely & you can see the osage orange (mid-right)

sunflowers growing on the battlefield

The heaviest fighting on the western end of the battlefield took place in the Morton hayfield. The Southern troops suffered heavy casualties from the Union artillery before withdrawing to the wooded ridge. Robert West and his family sat on the hill to the north and watched the entire battle.

Morton hayfield, west overlook

site of Morton House

In 1862 there was no town of Prairie Grove, but there was the Prairie Grove Cumberland Presbyterian Church which gave the battle its name. (The town of Prairie Grove, established in 1888, got its name from the Civil War battle).  General Hindman (Confederate) chose the church for his headquarters, but was soon booted out by the army medical doctor who wanted it for a hospital.  The original one-room log building stood in almost the same spot as this church...

site of the original Prairie Grove Cumberland Presbyterian Church

cemetery attached to the church. some of the graves belong to those who died
in this battle, as well as other battles

Hindman knew that if the battle resumed the next day, his chances of winning were slim.  His men were exhausted and starved; him ammunition was depleted.  Regardless of the fact that the Confederates held their ground, Hindman decided to withdraw during the night.  They covered their wagon and artillery wheels with blankets so the sounds of their withdrawal would be muffled. Hindman's army was well on its way back over the Boston Mountains before the Federals knew the battle was finished.

The Battle of Prairie Grove was the last major Civil War engagement in northwest Arkansas.  However, the absence of armies did not mean a return to normal life for the people of northwest Arkansas.

The population of Arkansas was devastated.  Thousands of soldiers died and thousands more were left crippled, blind or diseased.  Tens of thousands of women and children were left widowed and orphaned.

Society broke down and civilians were terrorized by guerrilla associations.  Violent raids,  ambushes, massacres and murders were rampant. Thousands of people fled their homes in fear, clustering in overcrowded, unsanitary refugee camps marked by disease and hunger. In total, two-thirds of Washington County's citizens died or fled the anarchy of Civil War Arkansas

this chimney was erected to the men who fought in the Battle of Prairie
Grove 

Following our visit to the battlefield, we headed back into Fayetteville to the Confederate Cemetery.  The cemetery is located fairly close to the downtown area of Fayetteville...

this 35' tall monument was erected to honor those Confederate soldiers
from Texas, Louisania, Missouri & Arkansas who fought & died at the
Battle of Prairie Grove 

looking off in the distance you can see downtown Fayetteville

the remains of over 600 men are interred in this cemetery

Arkansas champion sugar maple tree

love this rock wall of Ozarks sandstone that encloses the cemetety

After a great day learning about history and spending some time on holy ground, we headed home.  The weather was perfect for us today.  Storms are a comin' tonight...

Til next time,

Dawn, Ron & Cooper, the RV dog