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.
Operating Hours & Seasons
The park is open year
round 8-5 daily. The park closes Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's
Day.
Communities
Surrounding Pea Ridge National Military Park
Note: The times listed below are approximate driving times to the park.