The Civil War Muse

Intersection of Bentonville Detour and Wire Road

Tour Stop

Directions: The Bentonville Detour ends when it joined back into the Wire Road a couple of miles north of Elkhorn Tavern. This tour stop [ Waypoint = N36 29.212 W94 01.335 ] is located at that intersection.

• The intersection with the Wire Road is a little more than 0.1 miles to the east of the Corinth Church of Christ. You will cross over one of the tributaries of Big Sugar Creek.

Description: You are standing at the location that Van Dorn had been trying to reach since leaving Bentonville on March 6th. Van Dorn wanted to reach the Wire Road before dawn, but his advance units did not reach the junction with the Wire Road north of Elkhorn Tavern until 10 A.M. on March 7th.

Brigadier General Daniel M. Frost, commander of the Missouri State Guard Seventh and Ninth Divisions, described the conditions of his men:

“...my command, provided with three days' rations and without baggage and camp equipage, proceeded on the march from Cove Creek on Tuesday morning, the 4th instant, in the direction of Bentonville.

“On Thursday morning, the 6th instant, when about 6 miles from that place, I received orders to advance at double-quick time, which was executed by the command until they arrived at the village, though too late to participate in the skirmish between our cavalry and General Sigel's retreating force, yet in advance of other commands which had preceded them on the march.

“The pursuit continued without halt or rest during the whole day, and night found us worn down with fatigue and our three days rations exhausted.

“At 8 o'clock on the same evening the pursuit was continued and lasted all night.

“At daylight on Tuesday morning an hour's rest enabled the command to push forward with some degree of vigor, although unremitted marching and fasting had reduced its effective strength at least one-third of its whole number.

“At about 10 o'clock on Friday [March 7th] morning I was ordered to form my infantry in line of battle on a hill to the left of the State road, on Sugar Creek.”

Van Dorn had lost the element of surprise. Using McCulloch's and McIntosh's knowledge of the surrounding terrain, decided to pull back and continue on his plan to outflank the Federal position via the Bentonville Detour. In an attempt to fool the Federals, he ordered his troops to act as though they were going to encamp for the night further back towards Bentonville. The Southern troops were exhausted. The weather was bitterly cold. They had been marching for several days and their food had been used up a while ago. But as soon as it was dark, the Southerners were on the march again, with Price's divisions in the lead. On the Bentonville Detour their progress was slowed by roadblocks of felled trees that the Federals had placed along the Bentonville Detour.

 

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