These biographical and historical sketches are highlights of Missouri history. Many sketches are from Missouri, Day by Day , published by the State Historical Society of Missouri in 1942. Links are to related primary sources at the Western Historical Manuscript Collection on the four campuses of the University of Missouri system.
Previous sketches are also available.
This battle helped save Missouri from invasion by a large Confederate army and from most of the heaviest fighting of the war. In February 1862, Major General Samuel R. Curtis concentrated a Union force in the northeast corner of Arkansas, while a Confederate army under Major Earl Van Dorn gathered south of Fayetteville. Van Dorn occupied Elm Spring about 10 miles south of Bentonville on March 5. Finding the Union leader Sigel with 7,000 soldiers encamped 4 miles west of Bentonville, Van Dorn determined to destroy him before he could get assistance and then attack Curtis on Sugar Creek before Vandever's brigade could reach him from Huntsville. March 6, Van Dorn reached Bentonville just in time to see Sigel's division leave.