Prairie Grove carnage re-enacted

1862 battle was likely state’s ‘bloodiest day,’ historian says

Union soldiers advance up a hill Saturday as they try to drive back Confederate troops during a Civil War re-enactment at Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park in Washington County. The re-enactment celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Prairie Grove.
Union soldiers advance up a hill Saturday as they try to drive back Confederate troops during a Civil War re-enactment at Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park in Washington County. The re-enactment celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Prairie Grove.

— About 900 Civil War re-enactors camped Friday night on the grounds of Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park.

The next day, they ate, mingled, made fires and pecked at iPhones before clashing in a re-enactment of the Battle of Prairie Grove, which took place Dec. 7, 1862.

The original battle resulted in 2,700 casualties and a Union victory. It was “probably the bloodiest day in Arkansas history,” said Don Montgomery, a former park historian.

Another re-enactment will take place at 1 p.m. today at the battlefield.

Before the battle re-enactment Saturday, Robert Ahlstedt, 70, of Lindsborg, Kan., explained the difference between the re-enactors who rough it in the name of authenticity and those who are a little “farby.”

“Farb” is a word re-enactors use to describe something incongruous with the time period of the Civil War, he explained. Ahlstedt, who was dressed as a Union soldier, bunched the sleeve of his uniform up to display a digital wristwatch as an example.

“Some of them sleep on the ground,” he said “I cheat. I’m old, so I bring a pad.”

Phil Sample, a history teacher at Rogers State University in Claremore, Okla., said being authentic doesn’t necessarily mean being uncomfortable. Sample said in the past he has furnished his tent with officer’s gear, including a Persian rug and an authentic Civil War officer’s cot. But instead of stuffing his bedroll with feathers and straw, which was a common practice during the Civil War, Sample used a sleeping bag and cot pad.

Ahlstedt and Sample are re-enactors with the U.S. Frontier Brigade, which was camped near the dogtrot house at the park. They were observing the battle re-enactment Saturday. Sample is a former commander of the brigade.

“Usually, at any re-enactment they need federal infantry, so my particular unit is doing federal infantry today,” Sample said. “We’re very careful. We do weapons checks and make sure the guns are safe.”

Richard Davies, executive director of the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, said 1,200 re-enactors had preregistered to participate. Some of those wouldn’t arrive until today, he said.

Davies said the rows of beige tents were picturesque Friday night.

“There was a lantern in front of every one of them,” he said.

Davies, who is on the Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission, was dressed Saturday in both Union and Confederate clothing at the park.

Jessee Cox, superintendent at the park, said reenactments have been held there since probably the 1970s. Re-enactments are held every other year at Prairie Grove.

Davies said the re-enactments usually go smoothly, but there was a problem at one of the early ones.

Confederate re-enactors had requested chickens that they could catch and cook, so chickens were supplied. But they also found a pig, and assumed it was provided for them.

“The lassoed the pig, shot him and took him down to the camp for dinner,” said Davies.

But the pig was a pet. It belonged to the children of Ed Smith, who was superintendent of the park and lived on the grounds.

Davies said a request was sent to the state for about $300 to reimburse Smith for his family pig. In the request, it was noted that the pig likely didn’t commit “sooiecide,” remembers Davies.

“Ed’s family got a check,” said Davies. “It was the last we ever heard of it.”

Arkansas, Pages 15 on 12/02/2012

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