The significance of Benton County during the Civil War should not be understated. After the war between the states ended, several events took place which should bring pause to the current rhetoric and actions of whether to take down or keep statues that honor our Confederate soldiers.
The first event was the return of Union Gen. Franz Siegel to Bentonville's Eagle Hotel as he gathered information for writing his memoirs about the Civil War. It was the spring of 1887. He was in the hotel's dining room when he asked for a menu and ordered breakfast. J. Dickson Black, in his book, "The History of Benton County," gives the account of this breakfast on pages 248 and 249.
J. Dickson Black, in his book, "The History of Benton County," gives the account of this breakfast on pages 248 and 249.
Black wrote, "When Gen. Siegel returned to Bentonville, he stayed in the same room at the Eagle Hotel and ordered the same breakfast each day, taking his time to eat." Then Black recounts the attitude of respect that this Union general had for those on the other side of the battle.
"He spent several days at the hotel," Black wrote, "and made several trips to the Pea Ridge Battlefield. He also visited with a few of the men who had fought in the Confederate Army." Then, "he left Bentonville, feeling that he had made friends in the South."
After ordering his meal, as Siegel's server laid his order on the table, Black wrote, "the man looked up and said aloud: 'This is same as the last breakfast I tried to eat here. I hope to get to finish it without being run out of town.'"
"Why, what do you mean sir?" the server asked. "We wouldn't run anyone out of town."
"I was run out of Bentonville in March of 1862. And I was eating breakfast at this very table," Siegel said.
You see, Siegel had been waiting at his headquarters in the Eagle Hotel since February while preparing for the Battle of Pea Ridge. He and his guard unit awaited the arrival of another unit from Osage Mills. Siegel planned to leave Bentonville to join up with his soldiers at Sugar Creek after their arrival. That didn't happen.
Before Siegel had the pleasure of his breakfast, shots rang out from the Bentonville square. Black recounts, "The general's breakfast was interrupted. Shouting was heard from the square where his troops were resting. A sergeant rushed into the dining room, saying the entire Confederate Army was coming into Bentonville." The Confederate scouts, with a cavalry unit, chased the Union unit and Siegel all way to Sugar Creek before Union soldiers came to his aid and fought them back.
"I may get caught this time, and all because I wanted to have a good breakfast before I went into battle," Black wrote about what Siegel said as his horse ran with him on its back out of Bentonville.
That's not the only story about Benton County about which Black wrote. He also recounts the first reunion of the Blue and Gray, coming together Sept. 1, 1887, to remember those killed on both sides during this bloody three-day battle known as Pea Ridge.
The people of Benton County came together to pay for and erect a monument to honor their Confederate dead near Elkhorn Tavern, now part of the Pea Ridge National Battlefield. The monument was erected in honor of the three Confederate generals and "all the Confederate soldiers who had died so bravely on this battlefield," Black wrote.
"As people gathered for this great event, it was noticed that many former Union soldiers were present. And they asked to be allowed to pay their respects to the Confederate dead, as did the people of the South," Black wrote. He used the quote of one speaker on that day, who said, "The white dove seemed to spread her wings alike over all. And harmony reigned supreme as men from both armies honored the dead at this battlefield."
But wait, Black also wrote about another monument erected near Elkhorn Tavern two years later in 1889 called A United Soldiery. This "Angel Aloft" inscribed statue by sculptor Miss Daniels was erected just a few yards from the Confederate monument. On one side is inscribed "Blue, Maj. Gen. S. R. Curtis, Commander of the Army of the Southwest." On the opposite side is: "Gray, Maj. Gen. E. Van Dorn, commander of the Army of the Southwest." This was the first monument in the U.S. dedicated to the Blue and the Gray.
The most noted reunion of the Blue and Gray was held Sept. 8 and Sept. 9 of 1890. Black wrote that the speeches were delivered by Gen. Cabell and then Sen. James H. Berry, a Confederate 2nd Lieutenant from Yellville in Marion County who had fought in the Pea Ridge battle in March of 1862. Later, Oct. 4, 1862, Berry lost his leg to battle wounds he suffered at the battle in Corinth, Miss.
Cabell said that "the people of Northwest Arkansas were first to erect on their noted battlefield a reunion for universal peace and fraternal friendship." Their motto, he said, "One Flag and One Country."
Sen. James H. Berry reportedly said, "The object in starting this Reunion Assn. had been to wipe out the ghastly blood stains of the past."
Records show that Sen. Berry was instrumental in making Arkansas what it has evolved into today. The people of Benton County elected him to serve as their representative in the state legislature in 1872. He was elected speaker of the house under which our constitutional convention was held. He served four years elected as Circuit Judge in 1878, and was sworn in as the state's fourteenth Governor in 1882.
After his term as governor and refusing to run for a second term, the state appointed him to finish out the term of Sen. Augustus H. Garland in March of 1885. Garland had resigned to become President Cleveland's attorney general. Berry served our state for 22 years as senator until he retired March 3, 1907.
Black wrote, "He [Berry] was perhaps one of the most outstanding men in Arkansas history." That he worked hard to promote legislation that would "do the most good for the most people." His focus in office was more on "state's rights" and "personal freedom" for all people, from the Encyclopedia of Arkansas History.
In conclusion, the removal of the Berry monument in the Bentonville square would be as if bringing back the tragedy of war in which Berry had fought, lost a limb and spoke against ever happening again. Let us not bring up the "ghastly blood stains of the past," as Berry said in his speech. Let us preserve the past so that in the future we are reminded we can never allow such a tragedy of war to happen again in our country.
Editorial on 08/30/2017