Battle of Pea Ridge 1862: Van Dorn's Freezing March and Sigel's 21 Guns

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The Battle of Pea Ridge was fought on March 7 and 8, 1862, in northwestern Arkansas, as Earl Van Dorn tried to destroy Samuel R. Curtis's Union Army of the Southwest and retake Missouri. Curtis had about 10,250 men and 50 guns, more than half of them German immigrants grouped under Franz Sigel, who had threatened to resign over not getting the command. Van Dorn brought 16,000 men, including an 800-man Native American cavalry brigade, and planned to swing around Curtis's defenses at Little Sugar Creek. He ordered his men to carry three days' rations, 40 rounds and one blanket, left his supply trains behind, and marched through a winter storm on roads blocked by felled trees, until he split his army at dawn.

At Leetown, Benjamin McCulloch was shot dead while scouting alone, his staff concealed his death, James McIntosh was killed leading a cavalry charge, and Louis Hébert was captured after getting lost in the woods, leaving the wing leaderless. At Elkhorn Tavern, Van Dorn and Sterling Price faced Eugene Carr, who was wounded three times and later received the Medal of Honor, until Henry Little's charge pushed the Union back to Ruddick's Field. Overnight the Confederates found their reserve ammunition had been sent six hours away. On March 8 Sigel massed 21 guns against 12 and fired into the limestone of Big Mountain, raining rock on the Confederate line, and Van Dorn retreated, later saying he had only failed in his intentions.

• Reports that Union wounded were killed and mutilated after an early clash permanently tarnished the reputation of Albert Pike.
• Elkanah Greer was not told for several hours that he had taken command of the Confederate right wing.
• Union General Alexander Asboth urged a retreat after the first day, and Curtis refused.
• After the victory, Sigel marched his infantry in the wrong direction toward Missouri.
• The Union lost over 1,300 men and the Confederates about 2,000, and Missouri stayed in Union hands for the rest of the war.