March 07, 2006

The Snowy Bloody Day

Not much snow on the ground in this photo, but on that day 144 years ago today, a frigid cold, and icy snow had fallen crusting the ground and making what was to be one of the most brutal and family destroying theatres of the war between the states. When I drive out there I hear the sounds of this cruel battle, one of the worst in the war because most of the participants came from the four state area. Many families were devided in this border state conflict that, with a Union victory paved a way for securing the West allowing concentration of forces in the eastern theatre

Snowy Bloody Day

In icy frozen silence
Worn boots tramp
through the crusty sharp
late winter snow
Ozark stones cut
bloody holes on
bruised and frozen feet


The rugged terrain of the round top area Pea Ridge National Battlefield


More hardened still
the hearts of they
the brothers, cousins
in blue and grey
fighting for this strip of land
the frontier in the West



The Confederate Line Pea Ridge National Battlefield NW Arkansas



Three full days
Of freezing silence broken
by cannon fire, soilder screams
dying men unaided
but by primal means
by brutal friendly fire


Primitive surgical theater Pea Ridge National Battlefield

Local families still recall
the brutal winter of 62
how the fallen were gathered
in the wake of battle
like frozen apples
War's bitter fruit


the only struture from the period still standing near the battlefields... The Confederate Infirmary was located here