Legacy of the Battle to Local Civilians By William Jarvis

The Recollections of Julia West Pyeatt:

"You can never know the horrors of a battle unless you have seen or been in one." 14-year-old girl, Julian West Pyeatt said the fighting was non-stop and families were hiding in the cellars of home son the battlefield. Her home was located on the north side of the battlefield so she felt relatively safe comapred to her neighors and relatives who were on the more artillery-ridden side of Prairie Grove.

She remebered soldiers wounded and healthy staying in her home during nighttime conversing about the fighting that happened during the day. They were left with hundreds wounded and dead. They also saw four houses burn to the ground. They lived with the wounded for six weeeks.

Julia's recollections provide an interesting source of information especialy about the aftermath of the fighting that went on. The rememberance of all the soldiers casually conversing about the battle with their guns in their hands, the general sleeping in the baby's crib then getting out and giving orders. The legacy this leaves behind is one of pride of survival. She and her family felt safe during the battle, so the remembernace mainly brings up the modest parts of battle such as the locker room talk after the fighting in her own home with the wounded.

The Recollections of Caldonia Ann Borden Brandenburg:

Caldonia was just 9 years old when the Battle of Prairie Grove happened around thier home on the southeast side of the battlefield.

Caldonia remembers on December 7th 1862, her father telling their family that there would be a fight soon on their hill. They left their home and went to a neighbor's house a mile away and stayed in the cellar thorugh the fighting. She and the rest of those hiding came out of the celllar at night when the fighhting was over and found many wounded lying all over the home inside. Both the USA and CSA confided in that home. Four died that night.

Caldonia's father found out that their house they had left earlier had been burned to the ground by the USA. All of their cattle was used for food, all the horses were taken, everytging they could use was taken, then the house was set on fire. The USA also burned both of their uncle's homes. Once it was safe enough for the children to go onto the battlefield's, they took everything they could from the bodies: clothes, blankets, canteens.

Caldonia's recollections have more detail and excitement to them as to the experiences of Julia West Pyeatt. The location of her house was in much more danger than of others as they were right on the hill that the battle had occured on. The legacy this left behind is something of fear, and hatred for the Northeners. "Well, we lived over it but I don't have any love for a Yankee."

The Memoir of Nancy Morton Staples:

"There was nothing but sorrow, trouble, and worry till peace was declared..." Nancy Morton Staples, like the rest of these recollections went to go hide in the cellar of their home, the Morton home, unitl the fighting was over. She remebers helping the wounded and burying the dead, when it was safe.

The worst of it all was southern robbers coming to visit. At first, they were friendly towards her father, then were hostile and they wanted all of thier money. They tied him up and were burning his feet with hot shovels, while throwing hot coals at his body. Nancy and her mother intervened and got beat by one of the robbers. Mr. Morton eventually gave in where the money was and the robbers ransacked thier home and left with all the money and valuables they could find.

These experiences for Nancy Morton Staples leaves a terrible taste for war. Seeing firsthand, her father getting tortured, is enough of an explanation as to what kind of a legacy this left behind on their family.

The Battle of Prairie Grove left a haunting legacy on those who lived through it. Julia West Pyeatt's recollections reflect a sense of survival and modesty, finding safety in the midst of the chaos, yet haunted by the constant presence of wounded soldiers in their home. Caldonia Ann Borden Brandenburg's memories are filled with fear, loss, and bitterness toward the North, as their house was burned down, possessions seized, and their lives disrupted by the destruction caused by both armies. For Nancy Morton Staples, the legacy is one of profound horror and trauma, witnessing her father's torture by southern robbers, leaving an indelible mark of fear, loss, and deep aversion to the brutality of war on their family.

Footnotes:

Pyeatt, Julia. "Determining The Facts Reading 1: The Recollections of Julia West Pyeatt". nps.gov. DATE UNKNOWN. November, 2023. https://www.nps.gov/articles/the-battle-of-prairie-grove-civilian-recollections-of-the-civil-war-teaching-with-historic-places.htm
Brandenburg, Eve. "Determining The Facts Reading 2: The Recollections of Caldonia Ann Borden Brandenburg." 1982. November, 2023. https://www.nps.gov/articles/the-battle-of-prairie-grove-civilian-recollections-of-the-civil-war-teaching-with-historic-places.htm
Staples, Nancy. "Determining The Facts Reading 3: The Memoir of Nancy Morton Staples." 1896. Novemeber, 2023. https://www.nps.gov/articles/the-battle-of-prairie-grove-civilian-recollections-of-the-civil-war-teaching-with-historic-places.htm
Image of Morton Home: https://www.nps.gov/articles/images/70img2bh.jpg?maxwidth=1300&autorotate=false&quality=78&format=webp