The Civil War Comes to Van Buren

The Civil War Comes to Van Buren. . , Brig. General Francis J. Herron, Herron was Blunt's aggressive and bold subordinate, "they cooperate well, and handle the rebels without gloves," declared a Union officer. He led the Second and Third (Missouri) Divisions, and was ready to make a run on Van Buren and Fort Smiith [sic]. , In his report to Major General Curtis, Herron wrote "Some days after the battle of Prairie Grove, General Blunt and myself decided upon an expedition to Van Buren, the weather was such as to prevent any movement at that time. On Christmas night we met and arranged the details, fixing the starting time on the morning of the 27th instant." , Brig. General James G. Blunt, Blunt wanted to disrupt the Confederate logistical base at Fort Smith and Van Buren to stop another campaign into northwest Arkansas or southwestern Missouri. , Spy reports said Confederate troops were preparing to move east from Van Buren, and Blunt was about to lose his command back to Schofield he decided to take action and move on the Confederates in the Arkansas Valley, before it was to late. , Blunt and Herron led about 8,000 men and thirty cannons on a rapid march across the Boston Mountains, Blunt believed he would find a substantial portion of the Confederate army camped on the north side of the river - he was wrong. , Major Gen. Thomas C. Hindman , and Brig. General Daniel M. Frost , December 28th, 1862 - South side of Arkansas River, Hindman had two options that day - neither of them was good. He was marching with Brigadier General Daniel M. Frost's Missouri Division on, the south side of the Arkansas, at mid-morning, when he got the news. Crump's regiment had been surprised at Drippings Springs, the line was broken and Crump's men were scattering. General Blunt had simply rode in with his cavalry and seized Van Buren. Hindman's forces were down to about 2,000 soldiers. , The 1st Arkansas Cavalry commanded by Brigadier General James F Fagan had been ordered to move out on December 26th, Frost was to leave on December 28th. Hindman had been ordered to load the boats at Van Buren and Fort Smith, fill the wagons, and get his men marching East toward Lewisburg. , Food, blankets, shoes and supplies were in extremely short supply at Van Buren, they would not make it through the winter. "It was all we could do to procure supplies enough to barely live on," recalled Silas C. Turnbo of the 27th Arkansas Infantry. , On the other hand, Hindman really wanted to gather his troops, make a stand and teach Blunt a lesson. , But here in the dead of winter, his troops were sick, hungry, tired and demoralized, Hindman decided for the safety and security of his troops. He would make a stand with what he could at the River's edge, giving his men time to save as much of their guns, supplies, foodstuffs and equipment as they could, then head toward Lewisburg. , Lt. Colonel William W. Crump , Dripping Springs Early Morning Sunday, December 28, 1862, First Texas Partisan Rangers, led by Lt. Col. Philip Crump were ordered by Confederate General Colonel Hindman, to stay at Drippings Springs, establish a look-out point and run reconnaissance for the remaining Confederate troops at Van Buren, as the Confederate troops had been ordered to prepare to move back east toward Little Rock. In the early morning light, when the pickets caught sight of General Blunt's troops, they headed back to camp at a hard run. A fight, ensued as the troops closed to within one hundred yards. Albert R. Greene of the 5th Kansas Calvary stated the Texans, "made a good fight for a few minutes and then fled. The howitzers broke their lines and they became demoralized." , The Texas Rangers left camp in a rush headed toward Van Buren, Union troops plundered the camp, one reported, "The corn meal, just mixed for baking, sat beside the fires, and coffee was boiling and bacon frying." The Rangers returned fire as they rode South, but were overwhelmed. Some were caught on the trail, some died from their injuries and some made it to Van Buren and the Arkansas River. , Saturday, December 28, 1862 , Fort Smith Post - Eva and Arkansas, As the Union forces reached Van Buren, Hindman ordered the commandant at Fort Smith to load every available wagon with food, clothing and equipment; destroy the rest by fire and move south with all due speed. The warehouses were then set aflame, and for good measure the Eva and the Arkansas were destroyed to keep them from the Union forces. , Many of the sick and wounded soldiers had to be left in the post hospital to fend for themselves because all wagons were used to carry the much needed supplies. , The glow and flames from the burning of thousands of bushels of corn, tons of other foodstuff, and two irreplaceable transports lasted till long after daybreak the next day., Tenney's Parrot Gun , Sunday, December 28, 1862 , Mt. Vista, Van Buren, About 4 in the afternoon, Lieutenant Marcus D. Tenney's 1st Kansas Battery was ordered to set up their ten-pound Parrot rifled guns and begin shelling the Confederate artillery on the south side of the Arkansas River The Union troops at the River, had found their mountain howitzers ("bullpups") could not reach the Confederate battery on the south bank. Union cavalrymen cheered with each round as other Union batteries arrived and joined in the continual shelling; while others headed for the waterfront to reinforce General Blunt there., Colonel William F. Cloud , December 28, 1862 , Van Buren Waterfront on the Arkansas River, The scene was one of chaos, fright, and disbelief. The horse-powered ferry was splashing its' way across the river with Confederate soldiers doing their best to escape. Three sternwheelers, the Frederik Notrebe, Key West and Rose Douglas were underway heading downstream to save themselves and their cargo. Texas Partisan Rangers were in full flight along the north bank of the river headed east. The Violet, a side wheel steamboat, tied up at the wharf, was getting ready to make its' escape. , Herron seized the Violet and immobilized it. He opened fire on the ferry with mountain howitzers, killing the horse and killing or wounding several soldiers, subsequently seizing the ferry for the Union. , Blunt and Cloud headed downstream to commander the other vessels. The river was low, as was usual in winter, and the boats were heavy with food and forage for the Confederate troops. The crews, desperate to escape, started throwing the cargo into the river. One Missouri Cavalryman noticed that "the whole Arkansas River, as far as could be seen, was but one floating mass of corn." Under a hail of carbine power from Cloud and his troops, the crew of the Frederick Notrebe waved sheets and tablecloths as a sign of surrender. The Key West ran aground and surrendered. The Rose Douglas got to Strain's Landing before it surrendered. , All were brought back to the wharf at Van Buren, supplies off loaded for the Union troops and burned, under orders of Blunt. , "There is no disguising the fact that the expedition was well planned and admirably executed." , Colonel Robert G. Shaver , Ordered by Hindman to delay as long as possible the Federal crossing of the Arkansas, Colonel Robert G. Shaver, took his Arkansas infantry in double time to the south bank of the Arkansas opposite Van Buren where he studied the action on the waterfront. Seeing no immediate signs of crossing, he decided to stir things up. Captain Henry C. West advanced two twelve-pound howitzers to the river bank and began firing shells into Van Buren. The Confederate shelling did more damage to the buildings in Van Buren than to deter the Union forces.