The Battle of Elkhorn Tavern: tomahawks and shooting wagons

Abstract

The Battle of Elkhorn Tavern, Arkansas, 6-8 March 1862, was a battle with important regional consequences. The Elkhorn battle largely determined which side, Union or Confederate, would control Missouri. If the Confederacy could secure control, a threat into the very heartland of the Union would be possible. If the Union controlled Missouri, the war in the Trans-Mississippi West would be all but over. Missouri was the key, and the Confederate defeat at Elkhorn Tavern presaged the Confederate loss of the West. The Battle of Elkhorn Tavern is made even more intriguing by the participation of two Confederate Cherokee Indian regiments: a group of largely uncivilized, full bloods; and a group of civilized, mixed bloods. Historically, these two diverse groups have been treated as a whole, therefore forcing the civilized Cherokee to unjustly carry the blame for the "savage" practices of the full blood group. This thesis addresses that injustice.