American Civil War in the West

The on-line "eZine" OldWestNewWest.Com continues to impress with its series of articles devoted to documenting The American Civil War in the West. In the August issue, the focus is on the Battle of Pea Ridge in northwestern Arkansas.

"To some," says OldWestNewWest.Com editor Mike Harris, "America's Civil War and the settling of the American West seem two totally unrelated parts of American history. The Civil War, however, did reach into the American West, and the stories of how the two sides fought west of the Mississippi River are filled with stories of daring and courage.

"The effort by the South to win Missouri effectively ended with the 1862 Battle of Pea Ridge. Keeping Missouri in the Union was critical to President Abraham Lincoln and his generals if federal forces were to control the Mississippi River and divide the Confederacy."

The August issue also includes a look at the Pea Ridge National Military Park, operated by the National Park Service. The park, covering more than 4,300 acres, is one of the nation's most intact Civil War battlefields. "Pea Ridge was a crucial battle in the West," Harris says, "and for anyone interested in the Union-Confederate struggle for the West, they should go experience it."