July 20, 1828

Nicholas Bartlett Pearce was born on a farm in Princeton, Kentucky. Pearce commanded the First (western) Division of the Arkansas Army in the Battle of Wilson’s Creek (Oak Hills) in Missouri on August 10, 1861, and served subsequently as a Confederate commissary officer. Pearce has always been an enigmatic figure in Arkansas history. While reportedly he had some local popularity, he had no close political ties to the region’s leaders. There was some mention in 1862 of his running for governor, but he refused the opportunity. While many militia officers disappeared once real fighting started, Pearce acted effectively in his only battle.