Much has been written argued and bantered about this affair. Reeves was clearly suprised while encamped at or near the "Pulliam Farm" in SW Ripley County. Without trying to pick sides nor malign the history of Ripley County and the many who have tried to record that history the best way they know how, never having been to the purported site, and with all those caveats, I tried to come up with some identifiable facts, objective information.

There are 2 Pulliam Farms listed by BLM land grant information http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/PatentSearch/

William Pulliam 1860 120 acres
W½NE 29/ 22-N 1-E No 5th PM MO Ripley
NENE 29/ 22-N 1-E No 5th PM MO Ripley

Benjamin Pulliam 1860 40 acres
SESE 31/ 22-N 1-E No 5th PM MO Ripley

and 1861 80 acres
NESE 27/ 22-N 1-W No 5th PM MO Ripley
SWSE 27/ 22-N 1-W No 5th PM MO Ripley

If you use CARES Missouri interactive mapping or Terraserver USA
http://ims.missouri.edu/moims2008/step1AOI.aspx
http://terraserver-usa.com/

you will note that both these locations are on what is now called Dry Creek on the map approxiamtely 1 mile north of the Arkansas line between Missouri Route P and Route DD SW of Doniphan and just NW of Burr Missouri. These land grants are well west of Fourche Creek. Dry Creek is a tributary of Fourche Creek.

Johnson's 1857 Map shows Mill Creek S of Doniphan and Fourche Creek is shown west of its actual location. Note the road on the map appears to be close to what is now Missouri 21
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/h?ammem/gmd:@field(NUMBER+@band(g4061p+rr001240))

Blanchard's 1866 Map has both Mill Creek and Dry Springs(Burr?) on it
http://specialcollections.wichita.edu/collections/maps/detailsframes.asp?var=1866-0001

Watson's 1874 Map shows Dry Springs, Current River, Doniphan, and Fourche Creek, but more importantly it illustrates the relative location of Pocahantas Ark to Doniphan and by comparing to current Topo maps it appears that a relatively direct road from Doniphan to Pocahantas existed and passed through Dry Springs/Burr. The map also illustrates Dry Springs on Dry Creek just upstream from the confluence of Dry Creek and Fourche Creek.
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/h?ammem/gmd:@field(NUMBER+@band(g4041p+rr001320))

1904 McNally Map shows Burr essentially where Dry Springs was shown.
http://www.usgennet.org/usa/mo/county/stlouis/1904momap.htm

Wilson in his report to Woodson of the event relates having ridden 12 plus miles SW of Doniphan which puts him in the neighborhood of Dry Creek and Dry Springs/Burr.

"Pilot Knob, Missouri, December 30, 1863, To: Colonel R.G. Woodson, Commanding Post Pilot Knob, Missouri. Sir: In compliance with your orders ... Marched again at 3:00 AM 25th instant; passed through Doniphan, taking a southwesterly direction towards the Arkansas line. Eight miles from Doniphan, I captured 2 pickets; 2 miles further I captured one other post, and still 2 miles further we came upon a rolling picket on patrol and ran them off the road, capturing 1 and compelling him to lead us to the camp of Reeves. Arriving at the Camp, .... James Wilson. Commanding, Third State Militia, December 30, 1863" OR Ser.I, XXII, 784.

So for what its worth and that may not be much, I'm betting on the Benjamin Pulliam farm on Dry Creek SESE Section 31 as being the location. If you look at the 30 meter relief shadings you can certainly see that it would be a "hollow". (Its a good way off from Ponder which was named Segin prior to becoming Ponder sometime after 1886. I should also state that the Old Ponder Cemetery is actually in Poyner, MO, considerablly closer to the scene than current Ponder and Union Grove Cemetery is on Route P south of Ponder near the intersection of DD with P see http://www.angelfire.com/mo3/ripleycem/uniongrovecem.html ) The William Pulliam farm remains a distinct possibility but is farther removed westward from the Reeves Farm and apparent roads through the area.

John R

PS Don't feel too frustrated because many of these skirmish sites have been lost to memory and markers and local lore have misplaced many, even state historical societies have misplaced and mismarked some of these locations over the years. Visit the Battle of Middle Boggy on the Indian Territory board for an example. (It even has a cemetery, park and vistor center/museum about 30 miles from the actual location. Talk about political tourism fallout for discussing the possibility of actual location not being there...) Have fun and let us know if you find the "real" spot, pictures would be nice :>)