March 8, 1862---The Battle of Pea Ridge: Day Two

MARCH 8, 1862:       

 The Battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas (The Battle of Elkhorn Tavern) (Day Two):  

As the sun rose, the Union troops, which had fallen back in order and regrouped and reprovisioned through the night were ready to resume combat, but the Confederates were not. A Quartermaster’s order had miscarried, and the Rebel supply trains had never arrived. Most of the Grays did not get food or new ammunition that day, and, for want of a nail the battle was lost. 

The fighting was decisive. Federal cannoneers quickly silenced or destroyed Confederate forces, or forced the Rebels to retreat.  Without supplies, the Confederates could not regroup and were soundly defeated. 

The battle was one of the bloodiest contests to take place west of the Mississippi. The Confederates suffered about 2,000 casualties. The Union had 1,384 casualties. 

The Battle of Pea Ridge changed the strategic outlook of the Civil War in the trans-Mississippi west. The Confederate Army, utterly demoralized and without fresh troops, crossed to the east bank of the Mississippi River, leaving Arkansas defenseless and open to Union reoccupation.