After Action and Analysis
The combat tactics from both the USA and the CSA at the battle of Prairie Grove made for a good fight. Both sides were very strategic in the ways they approached each other. Thomas Hindman advancing north was a big threat to the Union, and James Blunt was eager to stop him in his tracks. However, many things could have gone differently for either side that could have heavily impacted the results of the battle.
At the battle of Prairie Grove, the intelligence Blunt had on Hindman was a critical factor. Hindman was very smart in his attack on Blunt's army because he had planned to do it before they [the Union] were able to get more supplies. Unfortunately for Hindman, some spies had informed Blunt of his plans and the power of his equipment. This allowed Blunt to call in reinforcements that Hindman was not prepared for.1 Blunt was extremely lucky to get that information when he did, as the reinforcements were roughly 119 miles away.
Another key to this battle was the combat tactics, specifically those of Hindman. He was mindful of the terrain and used that knowledge to surround the Union in a U-shape to fight the possible flanking maneuvers of the Union, which was a big concern as it would be easy for soldiers to hide in the woods.2 This allowed him to have a good position in the beginning and was probably the only reason he maintained possession of the battlefield after the sun went down.
Many ask why Hindman did not go back out the next day to maintain his lead over the Union, ironically, both sides believed they had won, yet the Battle of Prairie Grove ended with a victory for the Union. Both sides had their strengths and weaknesses. Hindman's men and equipment had already endured starvation and scarcity before arriving at Prairie Grove.
After the fighting stopped on December 7th, Hindman and his men silently retreated, leaving him dead and wounded on the battlefield. Hindman wrote Blunt a letter, asking for a truce and for the men he left behind to be cared for. It was estimated that there were about three thousand men left behind by Hindman.3 "General Blunt accused Hindman of using the flag of truce to cover his retreat." Blunt saw this as a low move from Hindman, so he helped the wounded Confederates by burying the dead. On top of that, Blunt also sent food to Confederate hospitals in need.4
Overall, many factors played into the Battle of Prairie Grove and the aftermath. Many see this as a draw in the tactile context, and with the ups and downs of the Confederates during this battle, it was a close fight. If convictions had been different for either side, this exhibit may have told a different story.
1Irene Abercrombie, "The Battle of Prairie Grove," The Arkansas Historical Quarterly 2, no. 4 (1943): 310, https://www.jstor.org/stable/40018777.
2Don Montgomery, "Prairie Grove, Battle of," Encyclopedia of Arkansas, last modified June 16, 2023, https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/battle-of-prairie-grove-513/2.
3Abercrombie, "The Battle of Prairie Grove," 313.
4Abercrombie, "The Battle of Prairie Grove," 313-314.
Photo: Andy Thomas, “The Confederate Army at the Battle of Prairie Grove,” Civil War Era (Fall 2023), accessed November 27, 2023, https://fall23civilwarera.leadr.site/items/show/118.