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Pea Ridge National Military Park :-
Pea Ridge National Military Park is a 4,300 acre Civil War Battlefield
that preserves the site of the March 1862 battle that saved Missouri for
the Union. On March 7 & 8, nearly 26,000 soldiers fought to determine
whether Missouri would remain under Union control, and whether or not Federal
armies could continue their offensive south through the Mississippi River
Valley. Major General Earl Van Dorn led 16,000 Confederates against 10,250
Union soldiers, under the command of Brigadier General Samuel R. Curtis.
Van Dorn's command consisted of regular Confederate troops commanded by
Brigadier General Benjamin McCulloch, and Missouri State Guard Forces commanded
by Major General Sterling Price. The Confederate force also included some
800 Cherokees fighting for the Confederacy. The Union army consisted of
soldiers from Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri and Ohio. Half of the Federals
were German immigrants. The park also includes a two and one half mile segment
of the Trail of Tears. The Elkhorn Tavern, site of bitter fighting on both
days, is a NPS reconstruction on the site of the original. The park is one
of the most well preserved battlefields in the United States.
Location: Pea Ridge National Military Park is located 80 miles
southwest of Springfield, Missouri, off US 62.
Description: The park represents what might be the most
well preserved Civil War battlefield in the United States. The Union victory
here on March 7-8, 1862, in one of the major engagements of the Civil
War west of the Mississippi, led to the Union's total control of Missouri.
The park also includes a 2.5-mile segment of the Trail of Tears National
Historic Site.
Activities: A good place to begin your trip is at the
visitor center, where the museum and a 28-minute movie entitled "Thunder
In the Ozarks" are designed to provide background and orientation
to the story of the battle. The drive through the battlefield and its
ten stops are designed to provide information relative to battle action
and significant features in each area of the park. The hiking trail is
a pleasurable day hike, which takes you into the more natural areas of
the park, and the horse trail offers a rugged ride into the back country.
The park is an excellent place for viewing wildlife especially white tailed
deer, wild turkey, and bobcat. The park has a picnic area at the visitor
center.
Operating Hours: The park is open on a year-round basis,
from 8:00am to - 5:00pm daily. The park closes Thanksgiving, Christmas,
and New Year's Day.
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