PEA RIDGE — The fields are peaceful now.

The deer, squirrels, rabbits and raccoons, along with tourists, provide the only activity now. But these serene hills and fields were covered with soldiers, horses, cannons and blood 149 years ago.

The Pea Ridge National Military Park was the site of a Civil War battle that raged for two days March 7-8, 1862.

Remember that battle, honoring all who fought for their beliefs on both sides, as well as the residents of that once-peaceful community who were invaded, a battle anniversary celebration will be held Saturday at the park.

“I think the commemoration is a time we can reflect and honor the soldiers who fought and died there, despite the cause for which they fought. They were fighting for their governments they believed in,” John Scott, superintendent of the park, said, adding that although we can debate the causes of the war, it is a time to commemorate those brave men who fought and died.

The battle had a tremendous impact on the local communities for years to come, he said, adding that many people left the area and moved to other states to flee the fighting.

“Northwest Arkansas was never the same again,” Scott said. “The soldiers came, the battle happened, the soldiers fought, died, moved on.

But for those who lived here, life was never the same again.

“We need to remember the enduring legacy of the civil war,” he said.

“The better we are informed, the better decisions we can make,” Scott said, adding that visiting the park and museum, as well as attending the anniversary celebration is a good time for families to teach young children to remember the past events of our nation.

He said studying the mistakes our ancestors made, as well as the causes they believed, could aid today’s citizens in avoiding the same mistakes.

“One of the things is that when we bring out the living history folks, it puts a dimension back on the battlefield that we don’t see at other times.

It’s not always a green, manicured looking place.

One thing we’ll never recapture is the congestion,what it truly looked like with tens of thousands of men with the horses. You can only try to imagine what that would have been,” Scott said.

“It’s so that we’ll remember not to forget.”

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ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 5

Pea Ridge National Military Park

149th anniversary of the Battle of Pea Ridge

Leetown Battlefield

◊10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m. artil

lery demonstrations provided by Northwest Ar

kansas Historical Education Association;

◊3rd Louisiana Infantry will be camped at Leet

own. They will present programs through the day.

Elkhorn Tavern

◊9 a.m. wreath-laying ceremony at the monu

ments;

◊10 a.m., 11 a.m., 12:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.

small arms demonstrations by the 24th Missouri

(Union) Infantry camped at Elkhorn Tavern;

◊10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.

small arms demonstrations and drill by the 15th

Northwest Arkansas Infantry, camped at Fosters

Farm, then marching to the Elkhorn Tavern;

◊talks and short walking tours by the Missouri

State Guard at the Elkhorn Tavern.

News, Pages 1 on 03/02/2011