Today is March 7, and on this date in history, in 1862, we witness the first day of the Battle of Pea Ridge in the American Civil War. The battle is notable for the number of interesting participants as well as being a decisive Union victory. This battle is THE decisive battle west of the Mississippi fought in Northwest Arkansas, March 7 and 8, 1862. Samuel Curtis the Union commander was a veteran regular who had taken over in Missouri after General Nathaniel Lyon fell at Wilson's Creek the previous year. Curtis had fought down the Butterfield Stage Line through Missouri and confronted the Confederates under Earl Van Dorn near Elkhorn Tavern on Pea Ridge, Arkansas. The Confederate commander Van Dorn had been appointed to quell a simmering conflict between competing generals Sterling Price of Missouri and Benjamin McCulloch of Texas. Price had won at Wilson's Creek and McCulloch was a Texas Ranger type who had an independent command of Texans up to this time. Curtis was dug in and Van Dorn did not want to assault him frontally. He split his forces and sent McCulloch one way and Price the other in an attempt to outflank Curtis. Van Dorn abandoned his supplies on March 4, a bad mistake and by the 7th, his men were starving. The battle went in sections. McCulloch's forces consisting of Texans, Lousianans and Indian Territory Indians struck on Curtis's right. That should have been his rear, but delays allowed Curtis to turn 180 degrees and shatter the Confederates. McCulloch and another Texas General, Mc Intosh were killed. The Indians under Albert Pike performed poorly. Van Dorn and Price struck the other side of the Union Line at Elkhorn Tavern and were successful on March 7. However, on March 8, Curtis counterattacked and crushed the Confederates. Union losses were about 1500 and Confederate losses were about 4500. The Confederates broke and ran. Missouri was permanently lost to the Confederacy. The Confederates shortly abandoned Arkansas and moved the army across the Mississippi to meet Grant's threat. The Indian Territory was eventually regained for the Union and Texas was isolated.