Arkansas Peace Society / Federal Raids on Burrowville
In November 1861, Confederate authorities discovered a secret Peace Society in north Arkansas whose members opposed secession. Col. Samuel Leslie called out the Searcy County militia to round up members of the group. More than 90 men were arrested and 87 of them were chained and marched to Little Rock. They were forced to enlist in Col. John S. Marmaduke's 18th Arkansas Infantry. Most of those who survived battle and disease were back in Searcy County by 1862, heading to Missouri where many would join regiments in the United States army.
A 40-man detachment of the Second Arkansas Cavalry (U.S.) hit Confederate guerrillas at Burrowville (now Marshall) on December 26, 1863, killing six, wounding four and capturing sixteen. A larger Union force raided into north Arkansas in late January 1864. The Arkansas and Missouri cavalrymen fought Col. A.R. Witt's Confederate troops at Clear Creek and Tomahawk on January 22, then rode into Burrowville the next day. U.S. troopers rode on to Clinton as Witt's soldiers retreated southward. The Searcy Co. Courthouse burned then: cause unknown.
Erected 2010 by Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission, Searcy County Historical Society,
this page online
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission series list. A significant historical month for this entry is January 1864.
Location. 35° 54.574′ N, 92° 37.904′ W. Marker is in Marshall, Arkansas, in Searcy County. Marker is at the intersection of Center Street and West Main Street, on the right when traveling south on Center Street. Located on the lawn of the Searcy County Courthouse. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 100 Nome Street, Marshall AR 72650, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 5 other markers are within 13 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Searcy County (here, next to this marker); Elton Britt (within shouting distance of this marker); Devils Backbone Road Cut-Geology / Construction (approx. 1.4 miles away); South Mountain Scenic Overlook (approx. 1.4 miles away); Skirmish at Tomahawk (approx. 12.7 miles away).
Also see . . . Encyclopedia of Arkansas article on the Arkansas Peace Society. (Submitted on October 25, 2019, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.)
Credits. This page was last revised on October 25, 2019. It was originally submitted on October 25, 2019, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 483 times since then and 43 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 25, 2019, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.
