Battle of Pea Ridge

Battle of Pea Ridge
Part of the American Civil War
Harper's Weekly sketch of the battle by J.F. Gookins
Date March 7–8, 1862 Location Near Leetown, northeast of Fayetteville, Arkansas 36°27′16″N 94°02′05″W / 36.45444°N 94.03472°W / 36.45444; -94.03472 Result Union victory
Belligerents
United States Oneida	Confederate States Cherokee Missouri (Confederate)
Commanders and leaders
Samuel R. Curtis Franz Sigel	Earl Van Dorn Benjamin McCulloch † Albert Pike Sterling Price (WIA)
Units involved
Army of the Southwest	Trans-Mississippi District
Strength
10,500[1]	16,500[2]
Casualties and losses
203 killed 980 wounded 201 missing[1]	~2,000 casualties[3]
Pea Ridge, Arkansas class=notpageimage| Location within Arkansas

The Battle of Pea Ridge (March 7–8, 1862), also known as the Battle of Elkhorn Tavern, took place during the American Civil War near Leetown, northeast of Fayetteville, Arkansas.^[4] Federal forces, led by Brig. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis, moved south from central Missouri, driving Confederate forces into northwestern Arkansas. Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn had launched a Confederate counteroffensive, hoping to recapture northern Arkansas and Missouri. Confederate forces met at Bentonville and became the most substantial Rebel force, by way of guns and men, to assemble in the Trans-Mississippi. Against the odds, Curtis held off the Confederate attack on the first day and drove Van Dorn's force off the battlefield on the second. By defeating the Confederates, the Union forces established Federal control of most of Missouri and northern Arkansas.^[5]