The subject matter covers 1857 -1861 and deals with the period leading up to the Civil War. The Butterfield Route was relocated in 1861 when Federal authorities suspended Mail service to the seceded states. This Volume includes information about a number of sites that would later tie directly to the Civil War. Arkansas coverage includes the "Main Route" through Benton / Washington Crawford Counties, Arkansas, and the primary feeder route Memphis TN - Fort Smith AR.
Additionally, this was the main route for Hindman's Confederate approaches to Pea Ridge (March 7 and March 8, 1862) and Prairie Grove (December 7, 1862) as well as being immediately relevant to the Blunt and Herron Union movements to the Battle of Dripping Springs and Battle of Van Buren (December 28, 1862). Published September, 2008, by Heritage Trail Partners of Springdale / Fayetteville.
Copies available in Fayetteville area at Fayetteville Visitors' Center (on the square), Washington County Historical Society, Hastings Books on College and Nightbird Books on Dickson. Also available at Pea Ridge, Prairie Grove and Wilson Creek (MO) battlefield sites. Mail / internet orders and additional information available via website http://heritagetrailpartners.com/driving_guide.html
We are in the process of editing Driver's Guide to the Butterfield Overland Mail Route (Vol. Two - Texas and New Mexico) for publication. Research is completed for Vol. Three (Arizona and California) with publication date to-be-determined.
Many thanks to Jim for permission to post.
-kirby-