Diary records Pea Ridge battle

Photograph courtesy of Ron Heflin Fred Anqwin and Susie Angwin Heflin with Superintendent Brenda Waters donating William Vaughan Confederate soldier diary.
Photograph courtesy of Ron Heflin Fred Anqwin and Susie Angwin Heflin with Superintendent Brenda Waters donating William Vaughan Confederate soldier diary.

Pea Ridge National Military Park was recently honored with a special donation of an original diary kept by Private William E. Vaughan, a soldier from Christian County, Mo., who fought in the 7th Division of the Missouri State Guard Confederate States Army. The small leather bound diary was kept by Private Vaughan from Dec. 14, 1861, through May 27, 1862, and includes his first-hand description of the battle of Pea Ridge and the Confederate retreat all the way to Memphis.

The diary was donated by Mitzi Angwin O'Hara of San Angelo, Texas, Fred Angwin of Springfield, Mo., and Susie Angwin Heflin of Richardson, Texas; they are the great grandchildren of William E. Vaughan. The diary will be put on display in the park museum in March of 2015 for the battle anniversary.

"The park is deeply grateful to the families for their generous and wonderful donation," Brenda Waters, acting superintendent for the Pea Ridge National Military Park, said. "This unexpected donation will enrich the park's interpretation and our visitors' understanding of the battle."

Pea Ridge National Military Park is a unit of the National Park Service and preserves and commemorates the March 1862 Civil War battle that helped Union forces maintain physical and political control of the state of Missouri. The park is located six miles east of Pea Ridge (10 miles north of Rogers) on U.S. Highway 62.

Community on 12/03/2014