I had a chat with NPS Chief Historian-emeritus Ed Bearss today and learned he's leading a walking tour of Pea Ridge Battlefield on Friday and of Wilson's Creek Battlefield on Saturday.

On Thursday (4/17) there will be several brief "scholarly presentations" followed by a panel discussion on "The Civil War in the Ozarks". Among the panelists will be Mr. Bearss and Richard Sommers (U.S. Army War College historian, author of "Richmond Redeemed: The Siege at Petersburg as well as several "Special Bibliographies")

Saturday's bus tour through western Missouri and eastern Kansas will visit the Island Mound site where the 1st Kansas Colored Infantry were attacked in their training camp and then travel to Marais des Cygnes Massacre Site (the last major "Bleeding Kansas" event) before going on to Mine Creek Battlefield then Fort Scott then Baxter Springs (where Maj. Gen. James Blunt was surprised to learn his "honor guard coming to meet him" was in fact a company of borderlands bushwhackers!).

There's a registration form at CivilWar.org (annual meeting).

I hope to see many of you there (and on our tour of Indian Territory sites).