$Log1 <FONT=HelpText,C,20,20,20> March 7th, 1862
Ford Road, north of Leetown, Arkansas
 
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       Around midmorning McCulloch informed Van Dorn by courier that he had finally turned his division around on the Bentonville Detour and was proceeding south along Ford Road.  When the sound of distant gunfire reached McCulloch, he correctly assumed that Price's division was encountering resistance along Telegraph Road.  McCulloch now prepared for the possibility that he might have to fight his way through to the Missourians, halting his division and moving the cavalry to the right to shield the infantry and artillery columns.  An hour elapsed before McCulloch's division resumed its advance, the cavalrymen on their famished horses threading their way through the scattered trees alongside.
       As the confederates crossed the northern edge of Foster's wheatfield a Federal force emerged from the belt of trees onto the southern part of the field and opened fire.  
       Now it was McCulloch's turn to be surprised. Like Van Dorn, he believed the Union forces were still in their fortifications at Little Sugar Creek awaiting an attack from the south. He was looking forward, both literally and figuratively, to meeting Van Dorn and Price at Elkhorn Tavern, which lay directly ahead. The last thing he expected was an attack from his right rear.
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$McCulloch <FONT=MsgFont,L,20,20,20>McCulloch's Division  <FONT=MsgFont,R,20,20,20>Leetown, Arkansas
12:00 noon, March 7th, 1862
<FONT=MsgFont,L,20,20,20>General McCulloch
      Enemy cavalry and artillery have just appeared to the south and the guns are unlimbering.  Permission to charge this demonstration sir! We can't proceed and leave them, and have them threatening our rear.
 
<FONT=MsgFont,R,20,20,20>
Brig Gen James M McIntosh
Commanding Officer 
McCulloch's Cavalry Brigade
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$McCulloch2 <FONT=MsgFont,L,20,20,20>McCulloch's Division  <FONT=MsgFont,R,20,20,20>Leetown, Arkansas
afternoon, March 7th, 1862
<FONT=MsgFont,L,20,20,20>General McCulloch
      It grieves me to report the death of General McIntosh.  He has fallen in battle by musket fire, his body retrieved by his troops.
 
<FONT=MsgFont,R,20,20,20>
Sr. aide for Brig Gen James M McIntosh
Major TJ Bonin
McCulloch's Cavalry Brigade
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$McCulloch3 <FONT=MsgFont,L,20,20,20>McCulloch's Division  <FONT=MsgFont,R,20,20,20>Leetown, Arkansas
12:45 p.m., March 7th, 1862
<FONT=MsgFont,L,20,20,20>General McCulloch
      Scouts report that enemy infantry and more artillery are to our immediate south and forming battle lines.  Looks like we're going to have to fight our way to Elkhorn Tavern.
      I'm presently moving forward of the treeline to get a look at the enemy's positions.
 
<FONT=MsgFont,R,20,20,20>
Brig Gen James M McIntosh
Commanding Officer 
McCulloch's Cavalry Brigade
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$McCulloch4 <FONT=MsgFont,L,20,20,20>McCulloch's Division  <FONT=MsgFont,R,20,20,20>Leetown, Arkansas
afternoon, March 7th, 1862
<FONT=MsgFont,L,20,20,20>General McCulloch
      Colonel Hebert has been captured along with several of his staff officers, his brigade is in disarray.
 
<FONT=MsgFont,R,20,20,20>
Sr. aide for Brig Gen James M McIntosh
Major TJ Bonin
McCulloch's Cavalry Brigade
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$EndMajorFail <FONT=EndFont,L,0,0,0>In northwestern ARKANSAS, near the MISSOURI border, our forces met the enemy in battle and suffered a major defeat.  Reports are just arriving by telegram to this office, but an anonymous source was quoted as saying, "An inquiry will be forthcoming, as certain officers should be removed from command immediately."  The flower of our youth has died on the field of battle.  A retreat is probable.  We must be prepared for the worst.  Heavy casualty lists are to follow...
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$EndMinorFail <FONT=EndFont,L,0,0,0>In northwestern ARKANSAS, near the MISSOURI border, our forces met the enemy in battle and suffered a minor defeat.  Reports are just arriving by telegram to this office as the fight continues.  A retreat is possible.  We must be prepared for the worst.  Casualty lists are to follow...
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$EndDraw <FONT=EndFont,L,0,0,0>A battle in the West was fought in northwestern ARKANSAS today.  Reports are just arriving by telegram to this office as the fight continues, but victory or defeat is still unknown.  We wish good fortune to the troops on that faraway field, and as always we must be prepared for the worst.  Casualty lists are to follow...
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$EndMinorSuccess <FONT=EndFont,L,0,0,0>In northwestern ARKANSAS, near the MISSOURI border, our forces met the enemy in battle and achieved a minor victory.  Reports are just arriving by telegram to this office as the fight continues, but there is a long road to march before we see the end to this struggle.  Casualty lists are to follow...
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$EndMajorSuccess <FONT=EndFont,L,0,0,0>In northwestern ARKANSAS, near the MISSOURI border, our forces met the enemy in battle and achieved a major victory.  Reports are just arriving by telegram to this office as the fight continues, but there is a long road to march before we see the end to this struggle.  Casualty lists are to follow...
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$EndKilled <FONT=EndFont,L,0,0,0>Today our side lost another valiant officer at the Battle of Pea Ridge, in ARKANSAS -   Brigadier General Benjamin McCulloch. Unlike many generals who served during the Civil War, Benjamin McCulloch did not receive formal military training prior to the outbreak of war.  Born in Tennessee, McCulloch moved to Texas in 1835 along with Davy Crockett.  He fought with the Texas army in the Battle of San Jacinto against Mexican forces, and went on to serve during the Mexican American War under Zachary Taylor.  When Texas seceded from the Union in February of 1861, McCulloch led a group of Texas state troops as a colonel and forced Union general David Twiggs to surrender arms and equipment in San Antonio.  On May 11, 1861, McCulloch received a commission as brigadier general in the Confederate army, and was placed in charge of troops in Arkansas.  McCulloch received praise for his service during the Battle of Wilson’s Creek, where he led his poorly armed men to victory over Union general Nathanial Lyon.   After Wilson’s Creek, McCulloch was put under the command of General Earl Van Dorn, and participated in the Battle of Pea Ridge on March 7, 1862, in Arkansas.  During the battle, while leading an attack against Union positions, McCulloch was killed by a gunshot wound to the chest fired by a Union sharpshooter.  

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$BattleInfo <FONT=EndFont,L,0,0,0>March 7, 1862
 
The first battle of the Civil War on Arkansas soil was fought near Elkhorn Tavern, on Pea Ridge, in Benton county, near the point on the Arkansas-Missouri boundary, where the Telegraph road crossed that line.  The Confederates had in the vicinity the army under Brigadier General Ben McCulloch and such forces as General Earl Van Dorn had succeeded in organizing at his camp at Pocahontas.  Besides these, there was the army of Missourians, under the command of General Sterling Price.  The Confederates had a combined army of about 16,000.  The Federals, commanded by General Samuel R. Curtis, numbered about 10,000.  Not all of the troops on either side actually participated in the battle, which was brought on by an attack upon the Federal position by that part of the Confederate army commanded by General McCulloch.  The engagement last for seven hours, until it was halted by darkness.  During the night of the seventh, the Federals retired to a stronger position.  The next day, General Van Dorn, who by right of rank was chief of the Confederate command, moved southward in the direction of Fayetteville, and went into camp on the north side of the Boston mountains, about 15 miles from the battlefield.  The loss of the Confederates was given as 185 killed, 525 wounded and 300 missing.  General Curtis reported 402 killed, 800 wounded and 300 captured.  General McCulloch, who, though commanding a division at the time, had not yet been promoted to the rank of major general, was among the dead.  Colonel McIntosh, in command of a brigade, though not yet promoted to the rank of brigadier general, was killed also.
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