GENTRY — When and if the city of Gentry is able to develop a new nature park on its land on the Flint Creek, it could be important not only as a nature area and place for children and families to enjoy fishing and the outdoors, but for the history of the site.

The brief article below is being published here because it sheds additional light on the historical significance of the proposed nature area which the city of Gentry hopes to establish on its land just south of the city. The land also has significance because it lies along what was a commonly traveled route between Bentonville and the Indian Territory to the west, a route also used by the Cherokee on the tribe's Trail of Tears march to Indian Territory in Oklahoma.

Pipe Springs, according to Rick Parker, are the springs behind Apple Crest Inn, along Dawn Hill East Road and on property now owned by the city of Gentry. The springs are along the north side of the road, with the issuing stream running west and then back south across the road and into the proposed nature area.

Box Springs is at the location of the present day Siloam Springs Country Club.

The incident described below followed the March 7-8, 1862, Civil War battle at Pea Ridge.

The following account is reprinted, with permission, from “The Forgotten Conflict: The Border States’ Internecine War,” an unpublished manuscript by Rick Parker, copyright 2008.

“March 10, 1862, was still cold and blustery in the Ozarks. There were slight traces of snow still lying in the sheltered areas and on the northern side of many of the hills.

“Four men who had fought until being deserted by the main body of troops on March 7th had been making their way cautiously down the Bentonville to Indian Territory Road to the west. By traveling cautiously and probably at night they had made almost thirty miles in just three days, no easy feat because by this time numerous local patrols were looking diligently for stragglers and misplaced soldiers from the South.

“The hunters knew the land and knew who to look for. They lived in the area also and knew every hiding spot and water hole. They were men of the 2nd and3rd Cherokee Home Guards, commonly known simply as "Pins." They were ordered to kill all manpower so that food could not be provided for the Confederacy.

“The hunted, John Sager, Samuel Sager, Ned Lovel and an unidentified man, were just south of current Gentry near Flint Creek hiding on a bluff above Pipe Springs, one of the many spring branches that gushes out of the north Arkansas hillside and enters into Flint Creek about a quarter of a mile away, midway between Hickory (Springtown) and Hico (Siloam Springs). The four had just settled down to hide and rest in the heavy timber north of the creek during the daylight hours.They were within one night’s walk of home.

“Without warning they were attacked by a group of Pins that must surely have been tracking them. At the first sounds of struggle, Samuel Sager saw an unattended Indian pony near him. He was able to mount and save his life. Sager was able to reach the home of his father, Simon Sager, a German by birth, near Box Springs, slightly north of present day Siloam Springs. He relayed his story to a saddened family that night.

“Because it was not safe for any male to travel on the roads or be caught out, four young girls, Lavinia Gunter, Ann Gunter, Mary Culbertson and Sarah Culbertson, all friends of the Sager family, hitched a bull to a cart and traveled all the next night down the road toward Bentonville. The road is rough and follows manyrough breaks until it levels into the Flint Creek valley. Even then going had to be slow and they were rightfully cautious. They found the site and soon located the bodies that had been left out for the animals.

“It cannot have been a pretty sight for four young girls. The men probably had grievous wounds and, given the exposure, could not have been in good shape, but the girls were able to load the bodies and get the three men back home for burial.

“Because of the times and the incredibly rough ground, it took three more days to simply dig the graves in the hard rocky Arkansas ground.The three men were buried in Hico Cemetery in present day Siloam Springs.

“The trip was remembered and related for decades by the four girls who continued to live in the area after the war with their families. The one survivor, Samuel Sager, would be heard from again before his war was over.”

News, Pages 9 on 04/13/2011