Английская Википедия:Battle of Van Buren
Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:Featured article Шаблон:Use American English Шаблон:Use mdy dates Шаблон:Infobox military conflict The Battle of Van Buren was fought in Crawford County, Arkansas, on December 28, 1862, during the American Civil War. After defeating Confederate forces led by Major General Thomas C. Hindman at the Battle of Prairie Grove on December 7, 1862, Union forces under Brigadiers General James G. Blunt and Francis J. Herron prepared for a raid against the Confederate positions at Van Buren and Fort Smith. Disease, lack of supplies, and desertion had previously forced Hindman to begin withdrawing most of his force from the area. Setting out on December 27, the Union troops struck an outlying Confederate cavalry unit near Drippings Spring, north of Van Buren, on the morning of December 28. The Confederate cavalry fled to Van Buren, which was then overrun by Union troops.
The Union pursued and captured three steamboats on the Arkansas River, and captured some Confederate troops and many supplies in Van Buren. Across the river in Fort Smith, the Confederates destroyed supplies and also burned two steamboats trapped upriver. An artillery duel took place at Van Buren, and after nightfall a minor skirmish was fought downriver at Strain's Landing. After the battle, Hindman withdrew his men to Little Rock and the Union force returned from the raid, unable to maintain a supply line to Van Buren across the Boston Mountains. The battles of Prairie Grove and Van Buren broke Confederate strength in the region.
Background
After the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States in 1860, several southern states considered seceding from the union. In the southern state of Arkansas, anti-secessionists were initially strong, slavery being considered a key issue.[1] The successful bombardment of Fort Sumter by Confederate troops in seceded territory on April 12Шаблон:Sfn swung political opinion toward secession. The state convention voted to secede on May 6, and Arkansas joined the Confederate States of America.[1]
After significant military activity in Missouri throughout 1861, Major General Earl Van Dorn of the Confederate States Army formed the Army of the West in Arkansas in early March 1862 from forces commanded by Missouri State Guard Major General Sterling Price and Confederate Brigadier General Ben McCulloch. Van Dorn moved his army north towards the Union army of Major General Samuel R. Curtis, but was defeated at the Battle of Pea Ridge on March 7 and 8.Шаблон:Sfn After the defeat at Pea Ridge, Van Dorn moved most of the Confederate soldiers and supplies in Arkansas east of the Mississippi River and into Tennessee, leaving very little military organization in the state.Шаблон:Sfn In May, Major General Thomas C. Hindman was placed in command of Confederate forces in the state, with a task of rebuilding Confederate strength in the area.Шаблон:Sfn Although Hindman was successful in rebuilding Confederate strength and stabilizing the military situation in Arkansas,Шаблон:Sfn his methods were unpopular and sometimes extralegal.Шаблон:Sfn He was replaced by Major General Theophilus Holmes, who arrived at Little Rock on August 12.Шаблон:Sfn
Hindman retained a field command under Holmes and pushed the troops under his command into northern Arkansas and southwestern Missouri.Шаблон:Sfn His command was known as the First Corps of the Army of the Trans-Mississippi.Шаблон:Sfn Holmes had Hindman return to Little Rock in September, leaving his troops where they were.Шаблон:Sfn A militia officer, Brigadier General James S. Rains of the Missouri State Guard, commanded in Hindman's absence.Шаблон:Sfn Despite winning the First Battle of Newtonia under the command of Colonel Douglas H. Cooper and Joseph O. Shelby, the Confederates in southwestern Missouri withdrew in early October as Union troops commanded by Brigadier Generals James G. Blunt and John Schofield approached.Шаблон:Sfn The Union commands were then combined by Schofield into the Army of the Frontier.Шаблон:Sfn Hindman returned from Little Rock on October 15.Шаблон:Sfn Some of Schofield's men had entered Arkansas, but in early November, Schofield withdrew all of them except for Blunt's division to Springfield, Missouri. Hindman decided to attack with the Union forces divided, and after his cavalry fought with Blunt in the Battle of Cane Hill, began moving north across the Boston Mountains on December 3.Шаблон:Sfn The mountains were high, rugged, and brushy.Шаблон:Sfn Union troops commanded by Brigadier General Francis J. Herron began a long movement from Springfield on December 4 to reinforce Blunt.Шаблон:Sfn
Late on December 6, Hindman learned that Herron had arrived to reinforce Blunt and would be in the area the next day. In response, Hindman changed his plan to strike Herron first at Prairie Grove and then attack Blunt.Шаблон:Sfn Instead of acting aggressively against Herron as planned on December 7, Hindman took up a defensive position and awaited Herron's assault.Шаблон:Sfn Hindman's men fought with Herron's until Blunt's men arrived and turned the tide for the Union. Hindman realized that his battered army did not have enough food or ammunition to fight again, and with the Union having been reinforced, fell back to Van Buren beginning the night after the battle.Шаблон:Sfn Forage for horses was scarce in the Van Buren area,Шаблон:Sfn and Hindman sent some of his cavalry, commanded by Brigadier General John S. Marmaduke, Шаблон:Cvt to the south to Lewisburg.Шаблон:Sfn While at Van Buren, Hindman's force also suffered greatly from disease and desertion.Шаблон:Sfn Van Buren was located on the north bank of the Arkansas River, with Fort Smith to the southwest on the south bank of the river.Шаблон:Sfn The Arkansas River provided a key communication and transportation pathway in a state largely devoid of infrastructure and the Arkansas River Valley was an agricultural area important for feeding the Confederate army.Шаблон:Sfn North of the river were the Boston Mountains.Шаблон:Sfn
Pre-battle maneuvers
Hindman decided that it would be impractical to keep the majority of his force north of the Arkansas River in Van Buren given the condition of his army, and pulled most of his men south of the Arkansas to Fort Smith. Hindman left one infantry regiment and some artillery in Van Buren.Шаблон:Sfn The 1st Texas Partisan Rangers,Шаблон:Sfn commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Richard Phillip Crump was posted at Dripping Springs,Шаблон:Sfn which was about Шаблон:CvtШаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn north of Van Buren, with instructions to guard the roads from the north,Шаблон:Sfn despite Crump having previously been reprimanded for inattentiveness.Шаблон:Sfn Holmes visited the Van Buren area on December 21,Шаблон:Sfn and ordered Hindman to withdraw his forces to Lewisburg, where the men could be better supplied via the river.Шаблон:Sfn According to historian Ed Bearss, Hindman decided to leave the brigades of Brigadier General John S. Roane's Texas cavalry and Cooper's Native American troops in the area of Fort Smith and the Indian Territory, although Roane's brigade was soon disbanded due to heavy desertion and was replaced with a brigade of Arkansas infantryШаблон:Sfn commanded by Colonel Robert G. Shaver.Шаблон:Sfn Shea instead states that the forces left behind were one infantry brigade and one cavalry regiment.Шаблон:Sfn Hindman began to move the sick and any supplies not needed for the rearguard out of Fort Smith on December 23.Шаблон:Sfn The main Confederate force began withdrawing on December 26, and were still loading supplies onto river transports without a sense of urgency on December 28.Шаблон:Sfn On December 28, there were about 5,000 Confederates in the area, primarily south of the Arkansas River.Шаблон:Sfn
After resting for three days following Prairie Grove, Herron and Blunt decided to move south against Hindman with 8,000 men, although this movement was delayed by a heavy snowstorm. The weather eventually broke, and late on December 25, the two Union officers decided it was time to resume the advance. After spreading disinformation on December 26, that the Union thrust was headed for Huntsville, the movement began the next morning,Шаблон:Sfn with 8,000 men and 30 cannons.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn The Union troops traveled during cold weather and over ground that was in places covered with snow.Шаблон:Sfn Artillery and wagons had difficulty moving through thick mud.Шаблон:Sfn The commands of Blunt and Herron traveled separately, taking different routes.Шаблон:Sfn
Battle
On the morning of the 28th, Blunt's cavalry was at the head of his force. The cavalry halted at Oliver's Store on the Telegraph Road for Blunt's infantry and artillery to catch up. Herron's cavalry joined Blunt's at the store, and Herron and Blunt interviewed local Unionists to learn of the locations of Crump's camp and outposts.Шаблон:Sfn Herron's infantry had not arrived yet, but he had 3,000 cavalrymen present.Шаблон:Sfn Blunt had seniority over Herron and took overall command. With the 2nd Kansas Cavalry Regiment in the lead,Шаблон:Sfn the Union cavalrymen headed south, and Шаблон:Cvt from the store and Шаблон:Cvt from Dripping Springs, encountered some of Crump's pickets. Blunt ordered the cavalry to drive all the way to the Arkansas River.Шаблон:Sfn Crump heard the firing and took two companies to investigate. Encountering the 2nd Kansas Cavalry Шаблон:Cvt north of their camp, Crump's patrol fled back to the camp. By the time Crump returned to prepare his surprised men for battle, the Union troopers were almost upon them.Шаблон:Sfn Three Union units Шаблон:Endash the 2nd Kansas Cavalry, the 6th Kansas Cavalry Regiment, and the 3rd Wisconsin Cavalry Regiment Шаблон:Endash were deployed around 10:00Шаблон:Nbspam,Шаблон:Sfn and Colonel William F. Cloud brought up two mountain howitzers. After six rounds from the cannons, the Union cavalry charged.Шаблон:Sfn Crump's Texans quickly fled, and although Crump managed to rally a force three times, the Union cavalry drove all the way to Van Buren in only an hour.Шаблон:Sfn
The pursuing cavalry, led by Cloud, halted at a hill overlooking the Arkansas River, allowing Blunt and Herron to personally catch up to the force.Шаблон:Sfn When the Union troops charged down the hill, Herron sent part of the 1st Missouri Cavalry Regiment to the east to cut off a road that the Confederates could use to retreat. By the time the Union troops entered Van Buren, most of the Confederates had already boarded steamboats on the Arkansas River or were using a ferry to cross the river.Шаблон:Sfn Some convalescent soldiers and men from the commissary and quartermaster departments were captured by the Union soldiers in Van Buren. The steamboats withdrawing down the river had been loaded with some of Hindman's supplies before the Union attack struck, and to speed their escape, some of the cargo was thrown overboard.Шаблон:Sfn
Scouts informed Blunt that there was a bend in the river Шаблон:Cvt below Van Buren, and Cloud was sent there with a brigade and two cannons to try to intercept the steamboats.Шаблон:Sfn The rearmost ship, Frederick Notrebe, was caught by the 2nd Kansas Cavalry. According to Shea, the Kansans fired into the ship, forcing its crew's surrender;Шаблон:Sfn Bearss states that the ship's crew intentionally ran the ship aground and abandoned the vessel. Two more steamers, Rose DouglassШаблон:Efn and Key West continued downriver. Rose Douglass was fired on and then boarded by Union cavalry,Шаблон:Sfn and Key West surrendered at Strain's Landing Шаблон:CvtШаблон:Sfn or Шаблон:Cvt below Van Buren. The vessel had stopped at the landing for unknown reasons and was then caught up to by Union cavalry.Шаблон:Sfn
One of the Union mountain howitzers fired on the ferry at Van Buren, killing the horse powering it, although the soldiers on board were able to escape across the river.Шаблон:Sfn Union troops also captured the steamer Violet in Van Buren, and took three ammunition wagons and twenty-seven wagons with supplies during the chase of the other steamboats.Шаблон:Sfn Rose Douglass, Key West, and Frederick Notrebe were returned to Van BurenШаблон:Sfn by the early afternoon.Шаблон:Sfn While Blunt and Herron discussed the prospects of making an attack across the river to Fort Smith, the Confederates brought up troops on the far side of the river.Шаблон:Sfn At Fort Smith, Hindman had learned of the Union attack at about 10:00Шаблон:Nbspam. He ordered Shaver's brigade, which was Шаблон:Cvt away, to go to Fort Smith, and ordered Brigadier General Daniel M. Frost, who was with his division Шаблон:Cvt toward Little Rock, to send a detachment of infantry and artillery to Strain's Landing and the rest of his force to Fort Smith. By the time Shaver reached Fort Smith, Union troops had already held Van Buren for about two and a half hours. Shaver had West's Arkansas Battery fire on the townШаблон:Sfn with four 6-pounder smoothbore cannons.[2] Herron viewed this as an outrage, as the town sheltered many civilians as well as the Union troops.Шаблон:Sfn The Confederates fired for two hours, and Union artillery was brought up to support the infantry. The 1st Kansas Battery deployed on the hill overlooking the river and fired into Shaver's position at about 4:00Шаблон:NbsppmШаблон:Sfn with four 10-pounder Parrott rifles.[2] Shaver had not expected to encounter Union artillery, and with Union overshots landing among Shaler's Arkansas Infantry Regiment, ordered a withdrawal. The Union artillery did not detect the retreat and continued firing, while the Union infantry completed its march to Van Buren at about 7:00Шаблон:Nbsppm.Шаблон:Sfn
An hour after dark, Cloud sent the 2nd Kansas Cavalry and 1st Kansas Battery back down to Strain's Landing, where he had noticed a Confederate camp during the chase after the steamboats. When the Union units arrived, the position was held by Tilden's Missouri Battery and part of Hunter's Missouri Infantry Regiment, that had been sent there by Frost.Шаблон:Sfn According to Bearss, the Confederate artillery fired upon the Union positions until driven off by the Kansan artillery;Шаблон:Sfn Shea states that the Confederates were under orders not to waste ammunition and withdrew after the start of the Union bombardment. Two Confederate transports had been trapped upstream by the Union attack, and were burned. Hindman had given orders to abandon Fort Smith and if necessary, burn it. After the Union attack struck Van Buren, the Confederates panicked and burned wharves and warehouses in Fort Smith. In the words of Shea, Hindman's orders were carried out with "more enthusiasm and less judgment" than intended.Шаблон:Sfn
Aftermath
Convinced that he could not hold Fort Smith against a Union assault,Шаблон:Sfn and with everything worth protecting destroyed,Шаблон:Sfn Hindman decided to withdraw, leaving only Cooper's brigade and two cavalry regiments in the general areaШаблон:Sfn to harass the Union troops.Шаблон:Sfn On the morning of December 29, Blunt sent a scouting party across the river, which found that the only Confederates remaining at Fort Smith were 600 sick and wounded. A Union patrol was sent to burn the two transports upriver, but found that the Confederates had already done so.Шаблон:Sfn After plundering the town the night after the battle,Шаблон:Sfn the Union forces held a military parade that day to impress the local civilians.Шаблон:Sfn The Union troops freed several hundred slaves.Шаблон:Sfn Supplies that could be sent northward were carried off,Шаблон:Sfn and anything they could not carry,Шаблон:Sfn including a large quantity of corn, the ferry, and the steamboats, was burned.Шаблон:Sfn Blunt, Herron, Colonel Daniel Huston Jr., and 14 men from the 1st Missouri Cavalry briefly crossed the Arkansas river, apparently so that Blunt, Herron, and Huston could claim that they were the first Union officers to cross it. Union troops found Confederate messages in a telegraph office, garnering a significant amount of military intelligence.Шаблон:Sfn Overall, the Confederates had lost 25,000 bushels of grain, 42 wagons, and quantities of equipment and ammunition.Шаблон:Sfn
Blunt could not operate a supply line across the Boston Mountains, and decided to withdraw that day.Шаблон:Sfn Herron led the withdrawal with the infantry and artillery, leaving after sunset. Schofield caught up with the expedition during Herron's withdrawal, but allowed Blunt to remain in command despite Schofield being the senior officer. Blunt left Van Buren with the cavalry on December 30, and the raid was over by the next day,Шаблон:Sfn when the Union troops arrived at Rhea's Mill.Шаблон:Sfn According to Shea, Union losses were two killed and six wounded;Шаблон:Sfn the Encyclopedia of Arkansas reports Union losses of one man killed and five wounded.[2] Confederate losses are not known, but Shea estimates about a dozen were killed, two dozen wounded, and a few hundred captured and then paroled.Шаблон:Sfn By January 8, 1863, only parts of two Confederate cavalry regiments and one infantry regiment remained at Fort Smith.Шаблон:Sfn Holmes ordered Hindman to abandon the Fort Smith area, and the Confederates spent the beginning of 1863 retreating to Little Rock.Шаблон:Sfn Cooper's men went to the Indian Territory,Шаблон:Sfn and a small force led by William Steele remained at Forth Smith;Шаблон:Sfn Union troops captured the post on September 1, 1863.Шаблон:Sfn The battles at Prairie Grove and Van Buren had broken Confederate strength in the region;Шаблон:Sfn the historian Shelby Foote wrote that "practically speaking, [Hindman] had no army".Шаблон:Sfn Cavalry raids and guerrilla warfare continued in the area, but fighting between large-scale armies did not occur in the region after Prairie Grove and Van Buren.Шаблон:Sfn
Notes
References
Sources
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Further reading
Шаблон:Arkansas in the Civil War
- Английская Википедия
- Страницы с неработающими файловыми ссылками
- Prairie Grove Campaign
- Battles of the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War
- Union victories of the American Civil War
- Battles of the American Civil War in Arkansas
- Crawford County, Arkansas
- 1862 in the American Civil War
- 1862 in Arkansas
- Van Buren, Arkansas
- December 1862 events
- Страницы, где используется шаблон "Навигационная таблица/Телепорт"
- Страницы с телепортом
- Википедия
- Статья из Википедии
- Статья из Английской Википедии
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