It started in Missouri and It started in Missouri and ended in Arkansasended in Arkansas

The Battle of Pea RidgeThe Battle of Pea Ridge

By D. Morgan, OCWRTBy D. Morgan, OCWRTOct 27, 2011Oct 27, 2011

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OutlineOutline

BackgroundBackground BelligerentsBelligerents Day 0Day 0 Day 1Day 1 Day 2Day 2 AnalysisAnalysis AftermathAftermath

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Map of the Division of the Map of the Division of the StatesStates

during the Civil Warduring the Civil War

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Trans-Mississippi TheatreTrans-Mississippi Theatre

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BackgroundBackground

Trans-Mississippi CampaignTrans-Mississippi Campaign MissouriMissouri Lincoln’s strategyLincoln’s strategy Confederate strategyConfederate strategy LeadupLeadup

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BelligerentsBelligerents

Army of the West – 16,000Army of the West – 16,000 Maj Gen Earl Van DornMaj Gen Earl Van Dorn

Brig Gen Sterling PriceBrig Gen Sterling Price Brig Gen Ben McCullochBrig Gen Ben McCulloch Brig Gen Albert Pike Brig Gen Albert Pike

Army of the Southwest – 10,500Army of the Southwest – 10,500 Brig Gen Samuel CurtisBrig Gen Samuel Curtis

Brig Gen Franz SiegelBrig Gen Franz Siegel

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Southern Missouri and Northern Southern Missouri and Northern ArkansasArkansas

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Maj Gen Earl Van Dorn

Brig Gen Ben McCulloch

Brig Gen Sterling Price

Brig Gen Albert Pike

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Brig Gen Samuel Curtis

Brig Gen Franz Siegel

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Asboth

Osterhaus

Davis

Carr

Dodge

1111Maj Gen Henry Halleck Capt Philip Sheridan

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Day 0Day 0

• Curtis digs in at Little Sugar Curtis digs in at Little Sugar CreekCreek• Van Dorn decides to envelopVan Dorn decides to envelop

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Pea Ridge Night of March 6Pea Ridge Night of March 6

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Day 1 - LeetownDay 1 - Leetown

McCulloch runs into troubleMcCulloch runs into trouble Fed Maj Eli Weston’s pickets detect large rebel Fed Maj Eli Weston’s pickets detect large rebel

force on Bentonville Detourforce on Bentonville Detour Curtis sends Osterhaus’s division to intercedeCurtis sends Osterhaus’s division to intercede Both McCulloch and McIntosh killedBoth McCulloch and McIntosh killed Confed Hebert makes unsupported attackConfed Hebert makes unsupported attack Fed Davis Division moved up to stop himFed Davis Division moved up to stop him Confed Pike does little as rest of Division Confed Pike does little as rest of Division

awaits orders which never comeawaits orders which never come Hebert and Pike withdrawHebert and Pike withdraw

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Map 5-3: Battle of LeetownMap 5-3: Battle of Leetown

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Day 1 – Elkhorn TavernDay 1 – Elkhorn Tavern

Curtis Curtis Grenville Dodge had also detected Confed movement at Three Grenville Dodge had also detected Confed movement at Three

Corner Church; reasons Confeds have also come down Telegraph Corner Church; reasons Confeds have also come down Telegraph RdRd

Curtis slowly figures out is being envelopedCurtis slowly figures out is being enveloped Sends Carr’s Division to Elkhorn Tavern who runs smack into Van Sends Carr’s Division to Elkhorn Tavern who runs smack into Van

DornDorn Dodge on his own initiative moves up his brigade to Curtis HQDodge on his own initiative moves up his brigade to Curtis HQ Curtis sends Dodge to reinforce Carr and then redeploys his whole Curtis sends Dodge to reinforce Carr and then redeploys his whole

army to face North rather than Southarmy to face North rather than South Van DornVan Dorn

Uncharacteristically pauses coming out of Cross Timber HollowUncharacteristically pauses coming out of Cross Timber Hollow Loses communications with McCullough, looses track of ordinance Loses communications with McCullough, looses track of ordinance

wagonswagons Assumes role of brigade commander and directs accurate artilleryAssumes role of brigade commander and directs accurate artillery His infantry eventually push federals back at Elkhorn Tavern but His infantry eventually push federals back at Elkhorn Tavern but

use up a lot of ammunition use up a lot of ammunition

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Day 2 – Elkhorn TavernDay 2 – Elkhorn Tavern

Van DornVan Dorn Concentrates forces for attackConcentrates forces for attack Then realizes artillery and troops will run out of Then realizes artillery and troops will run out of

ordinanceordinance Decides to withdraw even as battle beginsDecides to withdraw even as battle begins Slips away to the south east on Huntsville RdSlips away to the south east on Huntsville Rd

CurtisCurtis Sets up for the kill with deadly accurate artillery barrageSets up for the kill with deadly accurate artillery barrage Sigel carries out tremendous right wheelSigel carries out tremendous right wheel Whole Fed Army charges at the same timeWhole Fed Army charges at the same time ““Dot was lofely”Dot was lofely”

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Reasons for Confederate Reasons for Confederate lossloss

VanVan Dorn in overdrive, ignored logisticsDorn in overdrive, ignored logistics Obsession with speed wore down his troops Obsession with speed wore down his troops Did not assemble efficient staffDid not assemble efficient staff Assumed role of brigade commander in battleAssumed role of brigade commander in battle No communications with division commandersNo communications with division commanders Not well served by subordinatesNot well served by subordinates Loosing track of ordinance wagons was criminalLoosing track of ordinance wagons was criminal Mistakenly though Curtis would not fight, so Mistakenly though Curtis would not fight, so

tried to enveloptried to envelop Could have just done flanking manoeuvre and Could have just done flanking manoeuvre and

come in from Leetown against Curtis rearcome in from Leetown against Curtis rear

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Reasons for Federal WinReasons for Federal Win

Curtis generally made the right decisionCurtis generally made the right decision Decided to stand and fight rather than runDecided to stand and fight rather than run Counterattacks kept Confed army dividedCounterattacks kept Confed army divided Kept forces in reserve until threat clearKept forces in reserve until threat clear Well served by subordinates and staff except Well served by subordinates and staff except

for erratic Siegelfor erratic Siegel Left tactical matters to division commanders Left tactical matters to division commanders

and remained in controland remained in control Used interior lines to deploy forcesUsed interior lines to deploy forces Timely communications with Div Timely communications with Div

commanderscommanders

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AftermathAftermath LossesLosses

Fed 1384 (203 killed, 980 wounded, 201 missing) Fed 1384 (203 killed, 980 wounded, 201 missing) 13%; Confed 2000, (15%)13%; Confed 2000, (15%)

Missouri is saved for the UnionMissouri is saved for the Union Army of the Southwest marched all the way thru Ark Army of the Southwest marched all the way thru Ark

to Helena on Mississippi subsisting on the landto Helena on Mississippi subsisting on the land Curtis never got the recognition he deservedCurtis never got the recognition he deserved Army of the West withdrew into Mississippi and never Army of the West withdrew into Mississippi and never

fought againfought again Van Dorn decides to join P.T. Beuregard but can’ t get Van Dorn decides to join P.T. Beuregard but can’ t get

to Shilo in timeto Shilo in time Loses at Corinth, filanders and is shot by enraged Loses at Corinth, filanders and is shot by enraged

husband husband

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What Could Have BeenWhat Could Have Been

If Confeds had won, would have rampaged If Confeds had won, would have rampaged around Missouri doing a lot of damagearound Missouri doing a lot of damage

Likely would have reached St Louis, and Likely would have reached St Louis, and then Illinoisthen Illinois

Halleck would have had to pull thousands Halleck would have had to pull thousands of troops and supplies off the river of troops and supplies off the river campaigncampaign

Grant would likely have not been as Grant would likely have not been as successful…successful…

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