Pea Ridge (or Ellchorn), Battle of, March 7–8, 1862, an important Civil War battle in the campaign for the border state of Missouri. It took place 30 miles (48 km) northeast of Fayetteville, Arkansas. Brigadier General Samuel R. Curtis, with 10,500 Union troops, had maneuvered Confederate forces out of Missouri. Major General Earl Van Dorn commanded 16,000 Confederates, including a brigade of Indians. On the 7th the Union troops stubbornly held their position against the attack of the superior Confederate forces. A charge on the second day brought success to Curtis and ended Confederate threats to control Missouri.