Date Original
1892
Description
This collection contains a copy of a letter written by Nicholas B. Pearce and a manuscript about his Civil War days.
Biographical/Historical Note
Nicholas Bartlett Pearce was born July 20, 1828, at Princeton, Kentucky. After graduating from WestPoint in 1850, he entered the service and was stationed in Texas, Utah, and Arkansas. While he wasstationed at Fort Smith, he met and married Nancy Katherine Smith. They had six children that survivedinfancy.Pearce was against secession but upon Arkansas's secession from the Union was appointed BrigadierGeneral to command the 1st Division, Army of Arkansas. The one major battle that he and his companyfought was the Battle of Oak Hills (Wilson's Creek), Missouri. The company voted to disband after theyreturned to Arkansas, and Pearce made no attempt to receive a Confederate commission. Pearce became amajor in the commissary department, where he remained through the duration of the Civil War.After the war, he returned to his family's property at Osage Mills, Arkansas, and rebuilt the mill afterits destruction during the war. During 1872-1874, he was professor of mathematics and engineering atArkansas Industrial University, now the University of Arkansas. He moved to Whitesboro, Texas, in thelate 1870s, due to his wife's bad health. His wife died in 1885, and he remained in Texas until his deathMarch 8, 1894.
Physical Description
Document, 8.5" x 11"
Geographical Area
Arkansas; Kentucky; Missouri; Texas; Utah
Language
English
Identifier
SMC.006.021
Resource Type
Text
Collection
Nicholas B. Pearce papers, SMC.006.021
Publisher
Arkansas State Archives
Contributing Entity
Arkansas State Archives
Recommended Citation
Nicholas B. Pearce papers, Arkansas State Archives, Little Rock, Arkansas.
Rights
Use and reproduction of images held by the Arkansas State Archives without prior written permission is prohibited. For information on reproducing images held by the Arkansas State Archives, please call 501-682-6900 or email at state.archives@arkansas.gov.
Disciplines
United States History
