The Arkansas State League was an American minor league baseball league that played in various seasons between 1894 and 1935, forming three different times. The first version was in operation in 1894, followed by an 1897 league. The Class D level league operated from 1908 to 1909 in Arkansas and Louisiana and also in 1934 to 1935 in Arkansas and Missouri . In 1936, the league evolved to become the Arkansas-Missouri League . Little Rock and Rogers each won two league championships.
107-747: 1894 Arkansas State League Season ended June 23 1897 Arkansas State League After the league disbanded August 18, Little Rock and Hot Springs played a 21-game series for the championship of Arkansas. 1908 Arkansas State League Poplar Bluff was replaced by Brinkley June 8. No Playoffs were scheduled. 1909 Arkansas State League Argenta & Alexandria disbanded June 7; Monroe moved to Newport-Batesville July 1. League disbanded July 7. 1934 Arkansas State League The Arkansas State League reformed with four teams. Franchises based in Bentonville, Arkansas , Fayetteville, Arkansas , Rogers, Arkansas , and Siloam Springs, Arkansas joined. The winners of
214-806: A non-violent demonstration at the statue in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, until later that night, when the Benton County Sheriff's "mobile field force" ended the demonstration by deploying tear-gas on the assembled crowd and arresting several people. The statue was removed from the square in September 2020 and relocated to the new privately held James H. Berry Park in July 2023. The Bentonville Parks and Recreation Department maintains twenty-two parks and over 50 miles (80 km) of trails. Over 300 acres (120 ha) of city parks throughout
321-547: A 36-mile (58 km) primarily off-road mixed use trail connecting the Northwest Arkansas region, runs through Bentonville near Bentonville High School, the Walmart Home Office, and Crystal Bridges on its way to Lake Bella Vista to the north. The Crystal Bridges Trail is a 1 mile (1.6 km) trail between downtown Bentonville and the museum, built by the museum and donated to the city. Public art and sculptures line
428-817: A Southern state, yet it has also absorbed minor cultural influence from the Midwest and West . Located firmly in the Mid-South , Bentonville's culture is distinct and differs from the Delta portion of the state. Many of the city's first settlers came from North Georgia , North Alabama , Kentucky , North Carolina and Tennessee , because they found the Ozarks familiar, similar to the Appalachian Mountains back home. The uplands of Arkansas, including Northwest Arkansas, did not participate in large-scale plantation farming with slaves like
535-474: A family was $ 46,558. Males had a median income of $ 31,816 versus $ 23,761 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 20,831. 10.3% of the population and 7.5% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 13.7% are under the age of 18 and 10.9% are 65 or older. Bentonville has been home to Walmart since Sam Walton purchased a store on the town square in 1950 and renamed it Walton's 5 & 10. The retailer continued
642-598: A higher rate than poor men because they had more to lose. Slavery helped provide them with wealth and power, and they felt that the Civil War would destroy everything that they had if they lost because they saw slavery as the foundation of their wealth, which was under threat and caused them to fight hard. At many points during the war, and especially near the end, the Confederate armies were very poorly fed. At home their families were in worsening condition and faced starvation and
749-598: A host of fans, mostly derived from the thousands of Indian natives drawn to Bentonville by Walmart software and IT jobs. In late 2018 plans for a public cricket pitch were approved for a new park in the southwest of the city. From the Walmart Museum on the downtown square to the over 20 buildings spread throughout the city, Walmart's Home Office has a presence throughout Bentonville. The Northwest Arkansas National Airport has direct commercial flights from many large destination cities not typical of airports its size due to
856-547: A lower grade officer. Barring the same type of circumstances that might leave a lower grade officer in temporary command, divisions were commanded by major generals and corps were commanded by lieutenant generals. A few corps commanders were never confirmed as lieutenant generals and exercised corps command for varying periods as major generals. Armies of more than one corps were commanded by (full) generals. There were four grades of general officer ( general , lieutenant general , major general , and brigadier general ), but all wore
963-565: A month later in May 1865. By the time Abraham Lincoln took office as President of the United States on March 4, 1861, the seven seceding slave states had formed the Confederate States . They seized federal property, including nearly all U.S. Army forts, within their borders. Lincoln was determined to hold the forts remaining under U.S. control when he took office, especially Fort Sumter in
1070-515: A new central headquarters in Bentonville, consolidating many of their employees to a more centralized campus. The impact from the Walmart Home Office is multiplied by the over 1,100 prospective Walmart vendors who have established sales offices in the region. The large number of satellite offices for companies of almost every industry means a large number of transplants from around the United States live in or near Bentonville. This phenomenon impacts
1177-414: A population of 49,298. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 77.0% non-Hispanic white, 2.4% non-Hispanic black, 1.2% Native American, 5.8% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 3.9% from some other race and 2.5% from two or more races. 8.7% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race. As of the census of 2000, there were 19,730 people, 7,458 households, and 5,265 families residing in
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#17328587737981284-411: A rapid growth, but Helen Walton wished to remain in Bentonville to raise the family, and thus by the time Walmart became the #1 Fortune 500 in 2002, it was still based in Bentonville. The Walmart "Home Office" now includes more than 20 buildings throughout Bentonville, specifically along Walton Boulevard ( US 71B ) in the western part of the city. In 2017 Walmart announced their intention to construct
1391-483: A soldier, and his rejection of a Southern identity as a professional author. Because of the destruction of any central repository of records in the capital at Richmond in 1865 and the comparatively poor record-keeping of the time, there can be no definitive number that represents the strength of the Confederate States Army. Estimates range from 500,000 to 2,000,000 soldiers who were involved at any time during
1498-585: A squad or platoon, the smallest infantry maneuver unit in the Army was a company of 100 soldiers. Ten companies were organized into an infantry regiment, which theoretically had 1,000 men. In reality, as disease, desertions and casualties took their toll, and the common practice of sending replacements to form new regiments took hold, most regiments were greatly reduced in strength. By the mid-war, most regiments averaged 300–400 men, with Confederate units slightly smaller on average than their U.S. counterparts. For example, at
1605-584: A trend often associated with the Deep South. Due to Walmart's prominence in the city, Bentonville is also an international focal point for retail suppliers and other supporting businesses. According to the Bentonville-Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce, over 1,250 suppliers have offices in Northwest Arkansas in an attempt to secure or retain Walmart's business. Symbolic of Bentonville's complex culture
1712-644: Is a mountain biking destination providing more than 28 miles of mountain bike trails, and hosting multiple cycling events throughout the year, including Big Sugar Gravel , part of the LifeTime Grand Prix Series. Bentonville operates within the mayor-city council form of government. The mayor is elected by a citywide election to serve as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the city by presiding over all city council meetings, laws are enforced and taxpayer funds are spent prudently. Once elected,
1819-476: Is a ready explanation for this apparent paradox. Emancipation was a salient issue for Union soldiers because it was controversial. Slavery was less salient for most Confederate soldiers because it was not controversial. They took slavery for granted as one of the Southern 'rights' and institutions for which they fought, and did not feel compelled to discuss it. Continuing, retired Professor McPherson also stated that of
1926-404: Is bordered to the east by Rogers , the north by Bella Vista , and the west by Centerton . The Northwest Arkansas National Airport is located to the southwest of Bentonville and is used to connect all of the northwest Arkansas region to the rest of the nation. For more than the last decade, Northwest Arkansas has been one of the fastest-growing regions in the United States. Bentonville lies in
2033-442: Is land and 0.19 square miles (0.5 km ), or 0.67%, is water. The Northwest Arkansas region consists of three Arkansas counties : Benton, Madison , and Washington . The area had a population of 347,045 at the 2000 census which had increased to 463,204 by the 2010 Census (an increase of 33.47 percent). The Metropolitan Statistical Area does not consist of the usual principal-city-with- suburbs morphology; instead Bentonville
2140-707: Is now known as Bentonville, was as hunting grounds by the Osage Nation who lived in Missouri . The Osage would leave their settlements to hunt in present-day Benton County for months at a time before returning to their families. European settlers first inhabited the area around 1837 and named their settlement "Osage". By this time, the Osage had ceased using the area for hunting, and the European settlers began to establish farms. Upon establishment of Benton County on September 30, 1836, Osage
2247-475: Is the ninth-most populous city in the US state of Arkansas , and the county seat of Benton County . The city is centrally located in the county with Rogers adjacent to the east. The city is the birthplace and headquarters of Walmart , the world's largest retailer. It is one of the four main cities in the three-county Northwest Arkansas Metropolitan Statistical Area , which is ranked 105th in terms of population in
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#17328587737982354-426: Is the coldest month with an average high of 46 °F (8 °C) and an average low of 24 °F (−4 °C). The city's highest temperature was 114 °F (45.6 °C), recorded in 1954. The lowest temperature recorded was −16 °F (−26.7 °C), in 1996. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 54,164 people, 18,223 households, and 12,212 families residing in the city. As of 2017 Bentonville had
2461-619: The Arkansas delta , instead electing to settle in small clusters, relying largely on subsistence agriculture and hunting rather than the settlement patterns common in the Midwest and Deep South . The "hillbilly" stereotype given to the Ozarks and Appalachians is largely a derivative of the difficult topography, tendency to settle in clusters, and mostly cashless self-sustaining economy found in those regions. Bentonville's large proportion of Southern Baptist and Methodist adherents does, however, reflect
2568-572: The Army of Tennessee and various other units under General Joseph E. Johnston , surrendered to the U.S. on April 9, 1865 (officially April 12), and April 18, 1865 (officially April 26). Other Confederate forces further south and west surrendered between April 16, 1865, and June 28, 1865. By the end of the war, more than 100,000 Confederate soldiers had deserted , and some estimates put the number as high as one-third of all Confederate soldiers. The Confederacy's government effectively dissolved when it evacuated
2675-537: The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), the official federal list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation. The city contains two residential historic districts, the Third Street Historic District and West Central Avenue Historic District . Both districts contain historic residences notable for their architectural styles and contributions to
2782-789: The Potomac River in his first invasion of the North in the Antietam campaign in Maryland in September 1862. The Confederate States Army did not have a formal overall military commander, or general in chief, until late in the war. The Confederate President, Jefferson Davis , himself a former U.S. Army officer and U.S. Secretary of War , served as commander-in-chief and provided the overall strategic direction for Confederate land and naval forces in both eastern and western theaters. The following men had varying degrees of control: The lack of centralized control
2889-630: The Trail of Tears route to the Indian Territory in what is now Oklahoma . Although no Civil War battles were fought inside Bentonville, the city was occupied by both armies and saw almost all of its buildings burned. Bentonville was a staging point for the Confederate army prior to the Battle of Pea Ridge , fought about 12 miles (19 km) northeast of town, and the town saw a brief skirmish just prior to
2996-537: The United States Army (established 1775 / 1789). It was to consist of a large provisional force to exist only in time of war and a small permanent regular army. The provisional, volunteer army was established by an act of the Provisional Confederate Congress passed on February 28, 1861, one week before the act which established the permanent regular army organization, passed on March 6. Although
3103-483: The humid subtropical climate zone ( Köppen Cfa ) with influence from the humid continental climate type. Bentonville experiences all four seasons and does receive cold air masses from the north. July is the hottest month of the year, with an average high of 89 °F (32 °C) and an average low of 66 °F (19 °C). Temperatures above 90 °F (32.2 °C) are common, with a high of 100 °F (37.8 °C) occurring about once per year on average. January
3210-610: The military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting against the United States forces to win the independence of the Southern states and uphold and expand the institution of slavery . On February 28, 1861, the Provisional Confederate Congress established a provisional volunteer army and gave control over military operations and authority for mustering state forces and volunteers to
3317-502: The "flimsy and abstract idea that a negro is equal to an Anglo American". One Louisianan artilleryman stated, "I never want to see the day when a negro is put on an equality with a white person. There is too many free niggers ... now to suit me, let alone having four millions." A North Carolinian soldier stated, "[A] white man is better than a nigger." Decades later in 1894 , Virginian and former famous Confederate cavalry leader, John S. Mosby (1833-1916), reflecting on his role in
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3424-572: The 6 percent of Union Army soldiers who were drafted. According to the National Park Service, "Soldier demographics for the Confederate Army are not available due to incomplete and destroyed enlistment records." Their estimates of Confederate military personnel deaths are about 94,000 killed in battle, 164,000 deaths from disease, and between 25,976 deaths in Union prison camps. One estimate of
3531-550: The American Civil War's soldiers, noted Princeton University war historian and author James M. McPherson (born 1936), contrasts the views of Confederate soldiers regarding slavery with those of the colonial American revolutionaries of the earlier 18th century . He stated that while the American rebel colonists of the 1770s saw an incongruity between owning slaves on the one hand, and proclaiming to be fighting for liberty on
3638-543: The Benton County sheriff and several deputies, and Circuit Judge William A. Dickson, as well as half of the aldermen on the city council. In the 1920s and 1930s the county developed a reputation as a leader in poultry production that continued into the World War II years, and which the area still maintains today. The post war economy helped Bentonville grow, with many new businesses starting. In 1950, Sam Walton bought
3745-578: The Bentonville Youth Baseball League since its inception in 1954. Park Springs Park was created in the 1890s following the discovery of two springs with purported healing powers. The Burns Arboretum/Nature Trail was added in 1996 and includes a State Champion tree. Trails in Bentonville vary from small fitness trails to long mountain bike trails to the regional Razorback Greenway depending upon topography, intended use and city planning. The Northwest Arkansas Razorback Regional Greenway ,
3852-572: The Confederacy passed the first conscription law in either Confederate or Union history, the Conscription Act, which made all able bodied white men between the ages of 18 and 35 liable for a three-year term of service in the Provisional Army. It also extended the terms of enlistment for all one-year soldiers to three years. Men employed in certain occupations considered to be most valuable for
3959-773: The Confederacy: Control and operation of the Confederate army were administered by the Confederate States War Department , which was established by the Confederate Provisional Congress in an act on February 21, 1861. The Confederate Congress gave control over military operations, and authority for mustering state forces and volunteers to the President of the Confederate States of America on February 28, 1861, and March 6, 1861. On March 8,
4066-576: The Confederate Congress passed a law that authorized President Davis to issue proclamations to call up no more than 100,000 men. The C.S. War Department asked for 8,000 volunteers on March 9, 20,000 on April 8, and 49,000 on and after April 16. Davis proposed an army of 100,000 soldiers in his message to Congress on April 29. On August 8, 1861, the Confederacy called for 400,000 volunteers to serve for one or three years. Eight months later in April 1862,
4173-547: The Confederate sample. Indeed, while about one-third of all Confederate soldiers belonged to slaveholding families, slightly more than two-thirds of the sample whose slaveholding status is known did so. In some cases, Confederate men were motivated to join the army in response to the United States' actions regarding its opposition to slavery. After the U.S. President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1862 - 1863 , some Confederate soldiers welcomed
4280-930: The Court handles Civil and Small Claims cases when there is proper jurisdiction. The current elected District Judge presides over all cases. Ray Bunch is the current Bentonville District Court Judge. The 19th Judicial Circuit Court covers Benton County as a whole and operates out of the Benton County Courthouse in Downtown Bentonville with Bentonville serving as the County Seat . Voters in Bentonville tend to lean conservative. The current state representatives that serve districts containing portions of Bentonville are Republican Rep. Jim Dotson , Republican Rep. Rebecca Petty , Republican Rep Kim Hendren , and Republican Rep. Dan Douglas . The current state senator that serves
4387-527: The Episcopalians, Methodists, and Lutherans. One result was wave after wave of religious revivals in the Army, religion playing a major part in the lives of Confederate soldiers. Some men with a weak religious affiliation became committed Christians, and saw their military service in terms of satisfying God's wishes. Religion strengthened the soldiers' loyalty to their comrades and the Confederacy. Military historian Samuel J. Watson argues that Christian faith
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4494-565: The Harrison Variety Store on the Bentonville town square . He fully remodeled the building and opened "Walton’s 5 and 10 Variety Store" on March 18, 1951. This single store eventually led to the creation of Walmart , the world's largest retailer, which still strongly influences the community today. The late twentieth and early twenty-first century has seen a dramatic reduction in the manufacturing sector in Bentonville, corresponding with an increase in tourism and entertainment focused on
4601-692: The NRHP are historic public structures, such as the Benton County Courthouse, Benton County Jail , Bentonville High School , commercial structures such as the Benton County National Bank , Massey Hotel , Roy's Office Supply Building , and the Terry Block Building , and two cemeteries. Additionally, a confederate monument installed in 1908 by a local United Daughters of the Confederacy chapter. On June 1, 2020, local residents held
4708-407: The Union. They felt that they had no choice but to help defend their homes. President Abraham Lincoln was exasperated to hear of such men who professed to love their country but were willing to fight against it. As in the U.S. Army , the Confederate Army's soldiers were organized by military specialty. The combat arms included infantry, cavalry, and artillery. Although fewer soldiers might comprise
4815-519: The United States with 546,725 residents in 2020, according to the United States Census Bureau . The city itself had a population of 54,164 at the 2020 Census , an increase of 53% from the 2010 Census . Bentonville is considered to be one of the fastest growing cities in the state and consistently ranks amongst the safest cities in Arkansas. The first known use by humans of the area which
4922-480: The age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.4% are classified as non-families by the United States Census Bureau. 24.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.11. In
5029-648: The applicant is a resident of Bentonville and submission of an application in order to gain access to any of Bentonville's 8 city boards. These range from appointed positions at the Planning Commission to the Bentonville Public Art Advisory Committee to the Bentonville Library Advisory Board. The Bentonville District Court handles criminal, civil, small claims, and traffic matters within the city limits. In addition,
5136-480: The area established a vibrant apple industry, with Benton County becoming the leading apple producing county in the nation in 1901. In May 1922, the first Ku Klux Klan chapter was opened in Bentonville. By 1923, there was documentation of at least 162 men who were members of the Klan. Most of the town's most prominent citizens were charter members of the Klan chapters, including mayor Lee Seamster , his successor Tom Curt,
5243-659: The battle. The city began to rebuild about a decade after incorporation on April 3, 1873, with many of these Reconstruction Era buildings today serving as the oldest structures in Bentonville. The first railroad line into the area bypassed Bentonville, instead creating the nearby town of Rogers. So in 1883, a corporation called the Bentonville Railroad Company (a forerunner of the Arkansas and Oklahoma Railroad ) proceeded to link Rogers with Bentonville, about six miles. That line has changed hands over time, but remains in use. With good transportation available,
5350-454: The city harbor began bombarding bombarding Fort Sumter on April 12–13, 1861 and forced its capitulation on April 14. The remaining loyal United States in the North, outraged by the Confederacy's attack, demanded war. It rallied behind new 16th President Lincoln's call on April 15 for all the loyal states to send their state militia units avolunteer troops to reinforce and protect the national federal capital of Washington, D.C. , to recapture
5457-486: The city offer educational, recreational and outdoors opportunities to park visitors. The largest park surrounds Lake Bella Vista and includes a popular perimeter fitness trail and disc golf course. Memorial park features the Melvin Ford Aquatic Center as well as baseball, basketball, tennis, volleyball, skateboard, softball and soccer facilities. The four baseball fields at Merchants Baseball Park have hosted
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#17328587737985564-487: The city was 90.92% White , 0.88% Black or African American, 1.33% Native American, 2.40% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.68% from other races, and 1.76% from two or more races. 6.07% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. The 2005 Special Census reported 24,837 Whites/non-Hispanic whites (86.8%), 2,428 Hispanics of any race (8.5%), 1,135 Asians (4.0%), and 510 Blacks/African Americans (1.8%). There were 7,458 households, out of which 40.1% had children under
5671-577: The city's early history. Together, over 40 houses are listed as contributing properties. Preeminent individual residential listings within the historic districts include the Craig-Bryan House , Elliott House , James A. Rice House and the Rice House on "A" Street. Residential listing elsewhere in the city include the Peel Mansion Museum , Stroud House and Col. Young House . Also included in
5778-404: The city, the population was spread out, with 29.5% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 34.2% from 25 to 44, 17.9% from 45 to 64, and 8.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males. The median income for a household in the city was $ 39,936, and the median income for
5885-573: The city. The city grew substantially in the 1990s; the 1990 population was 11,257 and the city is expected to reach 50,000 people by the year 2030. According to the US Census, Bentonville and surrounding communities in Benton County is second in growth for Arkansas and among the 100 fastest-growing counties in the United States. The population density was 928.9 inhabitants per square mile (358.7/km ). There were 7,924 housing units at an average density of 373.1 per square mile (144.1/km ). The racial makeup of
5992-428: The culture of Bentonville in addition to the city's economy. Bentonville is home to a growing entrepreneurial scene, with co-working spaces and startup incubators being added quickly over the last 5 years. Bentonville's culture is a combination of a southern city, small town, global business hub, and the surrounding Northwest Arkansas metro. Bentonville shares many of the characteristics commonly given to Arkansas as
6099-559: The depredations of roving bands of marauders. Many soldiers went home temporarily (A.W.O.L. - " Absent Without Official Leave ") and quietly returned when their family problems had been resolved. By September 1864, however, President Davis publicly admitted that two-thirds of the soldiers were absent, "most of them without leave". The problem escalated rapidly after that, and fewer and fewer men returned. Soldiers who were fighting in defense of their homes realized that they had to desert to fulfill that duty. Historian Mark Weitz argues that
6206-427: The district containing Bentonville is Republican Sen. Bart Hester . Public elementary and secondary education in the majority of the city limits is provided by Bentonville Public Schools , leading to graduation at Bentonville High School or Bentonville West High School . Small portions of the city to the east are zoned to Rogers Public Schools . Haas Hall Academy and Northwest Arkansas Classical Academy are
6313-458: The extent the word " battalion " was used to describe a military unit, it referred to a multi-company task force of a regiment or a near-regimental size unit. Throughout the war, the Confederacy raised the equivalent of 1,010 regiments in all branches, including militias, versus 2,050 regiments for the U.S. Army. Four regiments usually formed a brigade , although as the number of soldiers in many regiments became greatly reduced, especially later in
6420-427: The first and second halves of the season played for the league championship at the end of the year. Playoff: Rogers defeated Siloam Springs 5–2 in a one-game playoff for the first half title. Bentonville was declared second half winner when Fayetteville and Siloam Springs folded August 19. Finals: Rogers defeated Bentonville 4 games to 3 for the championship. 1935 Arkansas State League The league expanded, adding
6527-489: The four-year old capital of Richmond, Virginia on April 3, 1865, and fled southwest by railroad train with the President Jefferson Davis and members of his cabinet gradually continuing moving southwestward first to Lynchburg, Virginia and lost communication to its remaining military commanders, and soon exerted no control over the remaining armies. They were eventually caught and captured near Irwinville, Georgia
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#17328587737986634-677: The franchises in Cassville, Missouri and Huntsville, Arkansas to expand from four teams to six teams. Playoff: Rogers (1st half winner) defeated Siloam Springs (2nd half winner) 4 games to 3 for the championship. All teams continued play in the renamed 1936 Arkansas–Missouri League . The Arkansas State League folded. Hall, John G. "Majoring in The Minors." Oklahoma Bylines-Transcript Press, Norman, Oklahoma 1996 and republished 2000 by Inter-State Printing, Sedalia, Mo. ISBN 1-882336-09-7 . Bentonville, Arkansas Bentonville
6741-422: The harbor of Charleston, South Carolina . On February 28, shortly before Lincoln was sworn in as president, the Provisional Confederate Congress had authorized the organization of a large Provisional Army of the Confederate States (PACS). Under orders from Confederate President Jefferson Davis , C.S. troops under the command of General Pierre Gustave Toutant / P. G. T. Beauregard military forces surrounding
6848-407: The heritage of 1776 in opposite ways. Confederates professed to fight for liberty and independence from a too radical government; Unionists said they fought to preserve the nation conceived in liberty from dismemberment and destruction ... The rhetoric of liberty that had permeated the letters of Confederate volunteers in 1861, grew even stronger as the war progressed. Before and during the Civil War,
6955-607: The home front (such as railroad and river workers, civil officials, telegraph operators, miners, druggists and teachers) were exempt from the draft. The act was amended twice in 1862. On September 27, the maximum age of conscription was extended to 45. On October 11, the Confederate States Congress passed the so-called " Twenty Negro Law ", which exempted anyone who owned 20 or more slaves, a move that caused deep resentment among conscripts who did not own slaves. The C.S. Congress enacted several more amendments throughout
7062-446: The hundreds of Confederate soldiers' letters he had examined, none of them contained any anti-slavery sentiment whatsoever: Although only 20 percent of the soldiers avowed explicit proslavery purposes in their letters and diaries, none at all dissented from that view. McPherson admits some flaws in his sampling of letters. Soldiers from slaveholding families were overrepresented by 100%: Nonslaveholding farmers are underrepresented in
7169-506: The mayor also allocates duties to city employees. Mayors serve four-year terms and can serve unlimited terms. The city council is the unicameral legislative body of the city, consisting of eight members. The council's duties include balancing the city's budget and passing ordinances. The body also controls the representatives of specialized city commissions underneath their jurisdiction. Members are elected at-large with no term limits and represent individual wards. Council members must live in
7276-503: The move, as they believed it would strengthen pro-slavery sentiment in the Confederacy, and thus lead to greater enlistment of soldiers in the Confederate armies. One Confederate soldier from the West in Texas gave his reasons for fighting for the Confederacy, stating that "we are fighting for our property", contrasting this with the motivations of Union soldiers, who, he claimed, were fighting for
7383-526: The natural setting and outdoor opportunities of the area as well as the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art , which opened in 2011. This has resulted in Bentonville being the fastest growing city in Arkansas, and the larger Northwest Arkansas area one of the fastest growing in the United States. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 31.5 square miles (81.6 km ), of which 31.3 square miles (81.0 km )
7490-592: The need to protect or to destroy slavery. Others point to less overtly political reasons to fight, such as the defense of one's home and family, or the honor and brotherhood to be preserved when fighting alongside other men. Most historians agree that, no matter what he thought about when he went into the war, the experience of combat affected him profoundly and sometimes affected his reasons for continuing to fight. Educated soldiers drew upon their knowledge of American history to justify their costs. Historian James M. McPherson says: Confederate and Union soldiers interpreted
7597-589: The new Confederate States government, Davis assumed control of the military situation at Charleston Harbor in Charleston, South Carolina , where South Carolina state militia had besieged the longtime Federal Fort Sumter in Charleston harbor, held by a small U.S. Army garrison under the command of Major Robert Anderson . (1805-1871). By March 1861, the Provisional Congress of the Confederate States meeting in
7704-678: The newly chosen Confederate States president, Jefferson Davis (1808-1889),. Davis was a graduate of the United States Military Academy , on the Hudson River at West Point, New York , colonel of a volunteer regiment during the Mexican–American War (1846-1848). He had also been a United States senator from Mississippi and served as U.S. Secretary of War under 14th President Franklin Pierce . On March 1, 1861, on behalf of
7811-424: The number of Confederate soldiers, sailors and marines are between 750,000 and 1,000,000 troops. This does not include an unknown number of Negro slaves who were pressed into performing various tasks for the army, such as the construction of fortifications and defenses or driving wagons. Since these figures include estimates of the total number of soldiers who served at any time during the war, they do not represent
7918-464: The official count of 103,400 deserters is too low. He concludes that most of the desertions came because the soldier felt he owed a higher duty to his own family than to the Confederacy. Confederate policies regarding desertion generally were severe. For example, on August 19, 1862, famed General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson (1824-1863), approved the court-martial sentence of execution for three soldiers for desertion, rejecting pleas for clemency from
8025-405: The other, the later Confederacy's soldiers did not, as the Confederate ideology of white supremacy negated any contradiction between the two: Unlike many slaveholders in the age of Thomas Jefferson, Confederate soldiers from slaveholding families expressed no feelings of embarrassment or inconsistency in fighting for their liberty while holding other people in slavery. Indeed, white supremacy and
8132-451: The pivotal Battle of Chancellorsville , the average U.S. Army infantry regiment's strength was 433 men, versus 409 for Confederate infantry regiments. Rough unit sizes for CSA combat units during the war: Regiments, which were the basic units of army organization through which soldiers were supplied and deployed, were raised by individual states. They were generally referred by number and state, for example 1st Texas , 12th Virginia . To
8239-469: The popular press of Richmond, including its five major newspapers, sought to inspire a sense of patriotism, Confederate identity, and the moral high ground in the southern population. The southern churches met the shortage of Army chaplains by sending missionaries. The Southern Baptists sent a total of 78 missionaries, starting in 1862. Presbyterians were even more active, with 112 missionaries sent in early 1865. Other missionaries were funded and supported by
8346-404: The rank of (full) general; the highest-ranking (earliest date of rank) was Samuel Cooper , Adjutant General and Inspector General of the Confederate States Army. Officers' uniforms bore a braided design on the sleeves and kepi , the number of adjacent strips (and therefore the width of the lines of the design) denoting rank. The color of the piping and kepi denoted the military branch. The braid
8453-443: The right of property in slaves were at the core of the ideology for which Confederate soldiers fought. McPherson states that Confederate States Army soldiers did not discuss the issue of slavery as often as the opposing United States Army soldiers did, because most Confederate soldiers readily accepted as an obvious fact that they were fighting to perpetuate slavery and thus did not feel the need to debate over it: [O]nly 20 percent of
8560-409: The same insignia regardless of grade. This was a decision made early in the conflict. The Confederate Congress initially made the rank of brigadier general the highest rank. As the war progressed, the other general-officer ranks were quickly added, but no insignia for them was created. (Robert E. Lee was a notable exception to this. He chose to wear the rank insignia of a colonel.) Only seven men achieved
8667-422: The sample of 429 Southern soldiers explicitly voiced proslavery convictions in their letters or diaries. As one might expect, a much higher percentage of soldiers from slaveholding families than from non-slaveholding families expressed such a purpose: 33 percent, compared with 12 percent. Ironically, the proportion of Union soldiers who wrote about the slavery question was greater, as the next chapter will show. There
8774-513: The size of the army at any given date. These numbers also do not include sailors / marines who served in the Confederate States Navy . Although most of the soldiers who fought in the American Civil War were volunteers, both sides by 1862 resorted to conscription as a means to supplement the volunteer soldiers. Although exact records are unavailable, estimates of the percentage of Confederate Army soldiers who were drafted are about double
8881-459: The soldiers' regimental commander. General Jackson's goal was to maintain discipline in a volunteer army whose homes were under threat of enemy occupation. Historians of the Civil War have emphasized how soldiers from poor families deserted because they were urgently needed at home. Local pressures mounted as Union forces occupied more and more Confederate territory, putting more and more families at risk of hardship. One Confederate Army officer at
8988-416: The solidarity of the Confederacy was dissatisfaction in the Appalachian Mountains districts caused by lingering Unionism and a distrust of the power wielded by the slave-holding class. Many of their soldiers deserted, returned home, and formed a military force that fought off Regular Army units trying to capture and punish them. North Carolina lost nearly a quarter of its soldiers (24,122) to desertion. This
9095-504: The state capital of Virginia in Richmond. Both the United States and the Confederate States began in earnest to raise large, mostly volunteer, armies, with the opposing objectives: putting down the rebellion and preserving the Union on the one hand, and establishing Southern independence from the northern United States on the other. The Confederate States Congress provided for a regular Confederate States Army, patterned after its parent in
9202-455: The subsequent acts came before five state supreme courts; all five upheld them. In his 2010 book Major Problems in the Civil War , historian Michael Perman says that historians are of two minds on why millions of men seemed so eager to fight, suffer and die over four years: Some historians emphasize that Civil War soldiers were driven by political ideology, holding firm beliefs about the importance of liberty, Union, or state rights, or about
9309-522: The supplier community. Bentonville, and the recently opened Bentonville West (located in Centerton) High Schools, have programs to assist the sizable transient student population, including international students, for those who have recently relocated to the area. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is a $ 450 million museum of American Art designed by architect Moshe Safdie located within walking distance of downtown Bentonville. The museum
9416-457: The temporary capital of Montgomery, Alabama , expanded the provisional military forces and established a more permanent regular Confederate States Army. An accurate count of the total number of individuals who served in the Military forces of the Confederate States (Army, Navy and Marine Corps) is not possible due to incomplete and destroyed / burned Confederate records; and archives. Estimates of
9523-456: The time noted, "The deserters belong almost entirely to the poorest class of non-slave-holders whose labor is indispensable to the daily support of their families" and that "When the father, husband or son is forced into the service, the suffering at home with them is inevitable. It is not in the nature of these men to remain quiet in the ranks under such circumstances." Some soldiers also deserted from ideological motivations. A growing threat to
9630-401: The total Confederate wounded is 194,026. In comparison, the best estimates of the number of Union military personnel deaths are 110,100 killed in battle, 224,580 deaths from disease, and 30,218 deaths in Confederate prison camps. The estimated figure for Union Army wounded is 275,174. The main Confederate armies, the Army of Northern Virginia under General Robert E. Lee and the remnants of
9737-500: The trail, which passes through Compton Gardens on its way to the museum's southeast entrance. After passing by an overlook where trail users can view the museum from a bluff, the Crystal Bridges Trail connects to the museum's 3-mile (4.8 km) trail system. The city also has several trails connecting main streets, parks and neighborhoods throughout the city. Bentonville also boasts a cricket league with 18 teams. Bentonville
9844-400: The two forces were to exist concurrently, little was done to organize the Confederate regular army. Members of all the military forces of the Confederate States (the army, the navy, and the marine corps) are often referred to as "Confederates", and members of the Confederate army were referred to as "Confederate soldiers". Supplementing the Confederate army were the various state militias of
9951-583: The two public charter schools . Thaden School opened in 2017 and is the first independent high school in the city. Bentonville Adventist School, associated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church , provides education services for kindergarten through eighth grade. Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army , also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army , was
10058-443: The various forts, arsenals, shipyards and other seized federal installations from the secessionists, to put down and suppress the rebellion and to save the Union. Four more upper border slave states (North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas and finally Virginia) then joined the Confederacy, making eleven seceded states rather than fight fellow Southerners. The Confederacy then moved its national capital from temporary Montgomery, Alabama to
10165-436: The war to address losses suffered in battle as well as the United States' greater supply of manpower. In December 1863, it abolished the previous practice of allowing a rich drafted man to hire a substitute to take his place in the ranks. Substitution had also been practiced in the United States, leading to similar resentment from the lower classes. In February 1864, the age limits were extended to between 17 and 50. Challenges to
10272-488: The war, more than four were often assigned to a brigade. Occasionally, regiments would be transferred between brigades. Two to four brigades usually formed a division . Two to four divisions usually formed a corps . Two to four corps usually formed an army. Occasionally, a single corps might operate independently as if it were a small army. The Confederate States Army consisted of several field armies, named after their primary area of operation. The largest Confederate field army
10379-577: The war, stated in a letter to a friend that "I've always understood that we went to war on account of the thing we quarreled with the North about. I've never heard of any other cause than slavery." As stated by researcher / authors Andrew Hall, Connor Huff and Shiro Kuriwaki in the article Wealth, Slaveownership, and Fighting for the Confederacy: An Empirical Study of the American Civil War , research done using an 1862 Georgia lottery showed that rich white Southern men actually enlisted at
10486-486: The war. Reports from the C.S. War Department beginning at the end of 1861 indicated 326,768 men that year, 449,439 in 1862, 464,646 in 1863, 400,787 in 1864, and "last reports" showed 358,692. Estimates of enlistments throughout the war range from 1,227,890 to 1,406,180. The following calls for soldiers were issued: The C.S.A. was initially a (strategically) defensive army, and many soldiers were resentful when General Robert E. Lee led his Army of Northern Virginia across
10593-458: The ward they represent. The current mayor is Stephanie Orman, first elected in 2018. Prior to becoming mayor, Orman served as a member of the City Council as well as serving in and leading several non-profit organizations. Citizen input is welcomed through the use of various specialized groups. Although some positions are appointed by the mayor, many consist of volunteers. Requirements include
10700-471: Was a cricket game played between PepsiCo and Walmart, spectated by their respective chief executives Indra Nooyi and Doug McMillon , chronicled in an article in The Wall Street Journal describing the complex Bentonville culture. The game was played on a baseball field in Bentonville not well suited for typical cricket, so the players adopted new rules. The city has a league with 18 teams and
10807-410: Was a major factor in combat motivation. According to his analysis, the soldiers' faith was consoling for the loss of comrades; it was a shield against fear; it helped reduce drinking and fighting in the ranks; it enlarged the soldiers' community of close friends and helped compensate for their long-term separation from home. In his 1997 book For Cause and Comrades , which examines the motivations of
10914-449: Was a strategic weakness for the Confederacy, and there are only a few examples of its armies acting in concert across multiple theaters to achieve a common objective. One instance occurred in late 1862 with Lee's invasion of Maryland , coincident with two other actions: Bragg's invasion of Kentucky and Earl Van Dorn 's advance against Corinth, Mississippi . All three initiatives were unsuccessful, however. Georgia Governor Joseph E. Brown
11021-839: Was an extreme case of a Southern States Rights advocate asserting control over Confederate soldiers: he defied the Confederate government's wartime policies and resisted the military draft. Believing that local troops should be used only for the defense of Georgia, Brown tried to stop Colonel Francis Bartow from taking Georgia troops out of the state to the First Battle of Bull Run. Many of the Confederacy's senior military leaders (including Robert E. Lee, Albert Sidney Johnston , and James Longstreet ) and even President Jefferson Davis, were former U.S. Army and, in smaller numbers, U.S. Navy officers who had been opposed to, disapproved of, or were at least unenthusiastic about secession, but resigned their U.S. commissions upon hearing that their states had left
11128-414: Was deemed a suitable site for the county seat , and the town square was established as the home of county government the following year. Osage was renamed Bentonville in honor of Thomas Hart Benton , a senator from Missouri who strongly supported Arkansas statehood. Two years after Arkansas received statehood in 1836, thousands of Cherokee people from Georgia passed through Benton County as part of
11235-545: Was founded by Alice Walton in 2011 and contains many masterpieces from all eras of American art, including many works from Walton's private collection. Other points of interest include: Beginning in 2015, the Bentonville Film Festival has been held annually the first week of May in Downtown Bentonville. Over 85,000 attendees take part in this week-long event. Bentonville contains over 30 listings on
11342-509: Was the Army of Northern Virginia , whose surrender at Appomattox Courthouse in 1865 marked the end of major combat operations in the U.S. Civil War. Companies were commanded by captains and had two or more lieutenants. Regiments were commanded by colonels. Lieutenant colonels were second in command. At least one major was next in command. Brigades were commanded by brigadier generals although casualties or other attrition sometimes meant that brigades would be commanded by senior colonels or even
11449-439: Was the highest rate of desertion of any Confederate state. Young Samuel Clemens (1835-1910, later to be known as Mark Twain ) soon deserted the Southern army long before he became a world-famous writer, journalist and lecturer, but he often commented upon that episode in his life comically, even writing a book about it. Author Neil Schmitz has examined the deep unease Twain felt about losing his honor, his fear of facing death as
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