Prairie Grove Battlefield

Prairie Grove Battlefield is a tranquil, quiet, even peaceful environment today and in sharp contrast to its violent history. Tourist and local school children rest beneath the parks shady picnic areas seemingly oblivious to the harsh reality that took place here so many years ago. I also find it difficult to reconcile this warm fall day we are visiting the park to December 7, 1862 when North and South met with bloody consequences.
Today the Prairie Grove Battlefield is a beautiful park just outside the town of Prairie Grove, Arkansas. Trees shade the entrance and the visitors center just to the left. Directly in front of you as you drive through the rock entry is the Morrow House, a museum today and originally located on Cove Creek nearby.
After an informative stop at the visitor's center we set off on a driving tour of the battlefield area which take us past a picnic area right behind the Morrow House. Here is also the beginning of the one mile Battlefield Walking Trail. As we loop around the narrow road to our left are several 1800's structures moved to this location from various locations throughout Washington County to give the visitors a real insight into a village at that particular time in history.

Using our driving tour guide the points of interest are laid out in Stop numbers.
Stop #4 is the Borden House and Orchard. Borden House was built about 1868 to replace the one destroyed by fire the day after the historic battle. Today it is the only structure in the park located on its original site. It is also where we get our first true impressions of the battlefield.
Borden House is on a ridge overlooking open fields below. From this location Confederate infantry and artillery forces positioned themselves overlooking the Illinois River valley. According to the trail guide we read some of the heaviest fight of the day took place around the house and orchard. On that fateful day General Herron reported 250 dead within a 100-yard radius of the house.
Again silence struck me except for the breeze ruffling through the large oak trees causing fall colored leaves to scatter the ground. Only the sound of chirping birds breaks the solitude at this site of so much suffering.

Stop #5 is Carnage in the Orchard where the Union charges the apple orchard (it is still an orchard, by the way). The 19th Iowa, 37th Illinois Infantry and 26th Indiana Infantry all charged this area but all suffered heavy losses and forced to retreat down the ridge.

Stop #6 is the Confederate Right Flank and the point where the Missouri Calvary positioned themselves at the edge of the ridge. This unit composed the only rifled cannons in the Southern Army and withstood heavy bombardment from the Union guns.

Stop #7 Borden Wheat Field is probably the safest (if that is possible) point for the entire battle. Here the 94th Illinois Infantry were ordered to lie down in the field,their soldiers saw the Confederate bullets and shells go over their heads, resulting in very light casualties for the regiment.

Stop #8 the Illinois River Ford and near where General Herron crossed with a small number of troops only to be forced back. Only after pounding the ridge from Crawford Hill to the north were the Union soldiers able to cross.

Stop #9 Borden Cornfield was attempted to be crossed by first the Union army without success and later the Confederate forces who were themselves beaten back by cannon fire. One soldier commented after the battle that you could walk a good distance without touching the ground because of all the dead bodies in the field.

Stop #10 Position of the 20th Iowa and right flank of Herron's Union Army. The Confederates had planned to attack and overwhelm this regiment and offer a swift victory over Herron's command, but before the attack could begin General Blunt's Federals arrived on the battle and advanced up the ridge to the west. This forced the Confederates to move their troops to face the threat on their left flank. An interesting tidbit to this was the 20th Iowa included members of the Cherokee and Creek Nations in the 1st and 3rd Indian Home Guard.

Stop #11 Morton Hayfield (west overlook)held the heaviest fighting on the western end of the battlefield.

Stop #12 Morton House Site was near this location where men of the 10th and 13th Kansas Infantry attempted to break through the Confederate lines. They were forced to withdraw into the valley late in the day.

Stop #13 Confederate Left Flank was guarded and held by a brigade of dismounted Texas cavalry and Texas Partisan Cavalry.

Stop #14 Prairie Grove Church stood in almost the same spot as the church today. General Hindman used the church as his headquarters during the battle. It was later used by both sides as a hospital. The battle got its name from this church and later the town established in 1888, got its name from the battle.

For all the dead and wounded at days end with darkness falling there was no clear advantage by either side. Casualties were about equal with a total of 2,700 men killed, mounded, and missing. With ammunition and food running low, General Hindman orders a Confederate withdrawal leaving the bloody ground to a Union Army claiming a strategic victory.
The self-guided tour manual is a must so be sure to pick up one from the visitor's center before embarking on the tour. There is also an audio CD available for a small cost.
The state park protects over 800 acres of the 3,200 acre battlefield and through the years many ammunitions and articles from the battle have been discovered in and around the battlefield areas.

Prairie Grove was the last major battle in northwest Arkansas but the region continued to suffer as guerilla warfare destroyed homes, businesses and lives for the remainder of the war.
Entry into the park is free with a modest charge to visit the museum. Bring a picnic and be prepared to spend several hours exploring and retracing the historic points of interest. There are many!
The Prairie Grove Battlefield Historic State Park is located from 540 in Fayetteville, trail west on U.S. 62, 8 miles to the park and the east side of Prairie Grove.
Park is open year round 8:00 a.m. to sunset. Closing on major holidays. For further information email: prairiegrove@arkansas.com or call (479) 846-2990.

RV parking is available behind the Morton House.Trust us you won't be sorry for taking the time to visit. You also want to be sure to visit the Pea Ridge Battlefield just a short distance away. This battlefield is even larger than Prairie Grove Battlefield, and full of rich history.

Prairie Grove is a Arkansas State Park, here is the web site for the park. Prairie Grove Battlefield

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