Battlefield Dispatches No. 303: 'An arduous winter campaign'

Friday, February 10, 2012

During the Civil War, normally, "winter campaigns" did not occur. However, out here in the Trans-Mississippi Theatre of Operations one did occur in late January and February of 1862. It was during this winter campaign, in the Department of Missouri, that Brig. Gen. Samuel Ryan Curtis commanded the Army of the southwest whose main objective was to destroy or drive the Confederate Army commanded by Maj. Gen. Sterling Price out of Missouri. This campaign eventually was successful and culminated with the Battle of Pea Ridge, Ark., early in March of 1862. However, before this battle the Union army had to travel by forced marches through bad weather from Rolla to Springfield, Mo., and eventually reaching Pea Ridge in northeastern, Arkansas.

To Read More
Subscribe Sign In
Continue reading with a subscription
Subscription options