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History
• Arkansas Battlefields (A Timeline) |
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An unusual battle in that the Confederate forces were attacking the from the North and the Union forces had to change their front to face the North and not the South. The confederate defeat here ensured that the state of Missouri would remain in the Union.
2. Battle of Prairie Grove, December 7, 1862:
A rare winter battle, since most campaigns in the Civil War took place during the other seasons of the year. The site of this Union victory is now an Arkansas State Park.
3. Battle of Arkansas Post, January 10-11, 1863:
After his failure to take Vicksburg via the Yazoo River, General Sherman took his Union forces up the Arkansas River and overwhelmed the Confederate garrison at Arkansas Post.
4. Battle of Fayetteville, April 17, 1863:
Confederate forces attempted to retake Fayetteville, but were met with stiff resistance from the Union garrison. The Confederate attack disintegrated following an unsuccessful cavalry charge down a city street which was enfiladed by Union fire. This Fayetteville location is now known as "Bloody Corner."
5. Battle of Helena, July 4, 1863:
Confederate forces under the command of Missouri General Sterling Price attacked unsuccessfully the entrenched Union forces at Helena on this day. The attack was an attempt by the Confederate forces to relieve the stranglehold on Vicksburg further down river. It is interesting to note that even if the Confederate attack on Helena had been successful, it came too late to save Vicksburg. Vicksburg had surrendered to U.S. Grant on the same day.
6. The Little Rock Campaign, August-September, 1863:
The Confederates were compelled to relocate the site of the state capitol after Little Rock fell to Union forces (following a month of maneuvering and skirmishing). Union forces occupied the city on September 10, 1863.
(continued above right)
| Above, a mural excerpt by Ozark artist, George Kieffer. Any pastoral calm of the Ozarks — such as that noted by the above painting — was destroyed when war came to the hills. It would be many years before a sense of social structure and justice was to return. Ralph Foster Article reprint — The staff of College of the Ozarks' Ralph Foster Museum has graciously allowed the reprint of the article at left from their archive. From the editor: There is, I believe, a common misconception that nothing of critical importance to Civil War history occurred west of the Mississippi River. This excellent timeline published at the Ralph Foster Museum proves otherwise. |
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7. Battle of Poison Springs, April 18, 1864:
A Union foraging expedition, composed primarily of the 1st Kansas Colored Infantry Regiment was attacked with little warning by a force of Confederates. Following the Confederate victory here, reports of atrocities began to surface.
8. Battle of Marks Mill, April 25, 1864:
A Union wagon train was attacked by Confederate cavalry and overwhelmed in a three-hour fight. The Confederates captured 211 wagons and killed, wounded or captured 450 Union troops, while losing only 293 of their own.
9. Battle of Jenkin's Ferry, April 30, 1864:
Union forces were attacked here during their retreat from Camden by Kirby Smith's Confederate command. The Union forces were astride the Saline River when attacked. Although they were able to avoid annihilation, the Unio forces lost 523 (killed missing, or wounded) and their pontoon train, while only inflicting 443 casualties on the Confederates.
10. Battle of Fayetteville, November 3, 1864:
The battle was initiated with an attack by Confederates under General Sterling Price, who was retreating out of Missouri following his abortive expedition into that state. As with the battle a year and a half earlier, the Confederates were repulsed by the Union garrison. The Union commander was later honored by having the town of Harrison, Arkansas, named after him.
April 10, 2008
Article reprinted with grateful permission from the Ralph Foster Museum.