Where 26,000 troops fought the largest Civil War battle west of the Mississippi — Elkhorn Tavern served as headquarters, field hospital, and focal point of the haunting
15930 US-62, Garfield, AR 72732
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$
Per-vehicle entrance fee (NPS standard rates); America the Beautiful pass accepted
Access
Wheelchair OK
Paved 7-mile auto tour road; some walking trails with uneven terrain near Elkhorn Tavern
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1956 · Largest Civil War battle west of the Mississippi · Secured Union control of Missouri · One of few battles to include organized Native American combatants
By early 1862, control of Missouri hung on a single campaign. Confederate General Earl Van Dorn moved north from Arkansas with approximately 16,000 men — including two brigades of Cherokee and other Native American soldiers under Brigadier General Albert Pike — intending to encircle Curtis's smaller Union force near Pea Ridge in Benton County.
The plan was ambitious enough to require splitting Van Dorn's army. On March 7, Confederate forces attacked on two axes simultaneously: McCulloch's division from the west toward Leetown, and Price's Missouri State Guard from the north along Telegraph Road toward Elkhorn Tavern. McCulloch was killed early in the Leetown fighting, creating a command vacuum that stalled that column. At Elkhorn Tavern, Price's troops pushed Curtis's men back and seized the tavern and its surrounding terrain by nightfall.
On March 8, Curtis consolidated and counterattacked. A heavy artillery barrage broke the Confederate lines and Van Dorn, running low on ammunition after his long march, ordered a retreat. He withdrew south into Arkansas, never to seriously threaten Missouri again. Total casualties across both days reached approximately 3,500 killed, wounded, or missing.
The National Park Service established Pea Ridge National Military Park in 1956. The Elkhorn Tavern was reconstructed on its original stone foundations in 1961. The 4,300-acre park preserves most of the two-day battlefield in nearly undisturbed condition.
Sources
The auditory phenomena at Pea Ridge follow a consistent pattern: the sound of musket fire, sometimes in volleys, issuing from the tree lines near Elkhorn Tavern at night or in low light. Several accounts include the accompanying smell of burnt powder, a detail visitors independently report without prompting. The phenomenon is most commonly described along the stretch of terrain where Price's Missouri State Guard pushed Curtis's troops back on the afternoon of March 7.
Uniformed figures have been reported along the wood line on the northern edge of the tavern clearing — the direction from which the Confederate approach came. Descriptions include both gray-uniformed and blue-coated figures that appear solid until observers approach, then are absent on arrival. Park staff have acknowledged receiving these reports from visitors over the years in at least one press account, framing them as part of the site's interpretive history.
A less dramatic but persistently reported phenomenon is the sensation of being followed on the back sections of the auto tour trail, particularly near the Leetown site where General McCulloch fell. The Leetown fighting produced some of the battle's highest casualty concentrations, and the area has remained essentially unchanged since 1862.
Drive the 7-mile auto tour road through preserved terrain where the two-day battle (March 7–8, 1862) unfolded. Stop at Elkhorn Tavern — reconstructed on its original foundations — which served as Confederate headquarters on day one and Union headquarters on day two, with hundreds of casualties from both sides treated in and around the building.
The NPS visitor center holds original artifacts from the battle, including personal effects of soldiers killed near the tavern. Rangers lead periodic guided walks to Elkhorn Tavern; check the NPS site for current schedules.
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