Life and Loyalty of Civilians After Prairie Grove

Following the battle of Prairie Grove, much of the town was burned to the ground; many civilians were displaced and killed, as well as many had to deal with the loss of property, crops, and possessions. The civilians held grudges against the Yankees for burning many of their homes to the ground and struggled to rebuild what was left of their community. Confederate and Unionist armies proceeded elsewhere after the battle had concluded, and the presence of lawless groups known as Bushwhackers and Jayhawkers terrorized the town.

During the battle, as many as four families retreated into the cellar of the Morton family to hide from the dangers of the battle commencing on their land above. One of these families was the Borden family, who lived a mile away west. They emerged in the middle of the night after hearing the sounds of the fighting come to a halt and found their beautiful two-story house was ransacked and burned to the ground by the Yankees. A young Ann Borden recalls how the Yankees burned not just her home to the ground but many of her family and friends' homes as well. Many of the townsfolk came to the aid of the Borden family and formed a strong resentment for the Yankees.

In the coming weeks and months after the Battle of Prairie Grove, Jayhawkers and Bushwhackers would steal food and supplies from the recovering townsfolks. When the townsfolks tried to outsmart the crooks by hiding their food, sometimes by burying their food in cemeteries, the Jayhawkers and Bushwhackers would go and dig them up. Despite these troubles, the townspeople stayed strong. The Union Army would attempt to drive away the lawless Jayhawkers and Bushwackers, so that the small town could begin the proccess of regrowth.

It wouldn't be until 1865, well after the Civil War had concluded, that the reign of the Jayhawkers and Bushwhackers would come to an end. Just over eight years later, a new house would be reconstructed on the same site that the Borden house once stood tall. Union and Confederate forces recognized the plight of civilians and brought aid in the form of food, clothing, supplies, and shelter to help restore the community. The town now resides as a historical land, remembering one of the bloodiest battles in Arkansas during the Civil War.

Marsteller, D. (2023, June 3). The Borden house / The legacy of prairie grove historical marker. Historical Marker. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=225092

U.S. Department of the Interior. (2023, April 12). The Battle of Prairie Grove: Civilian Recollections of the Civil War (teaching with historic places) (U.S. National Park Service). National Parks Service. https://www.nps.gov/articles/the-battle-of-prairie-grove-civilian-recollections-of-the-civil-war-teaching-with-historic-places.htm