What are two reasons the Battle of Pea Ridge in the US Civil War were noteworthy?

Answer 1

On March 6, 1862 at the crossroads of Elkhorn Tavern, Arkansas, Confederate General Earl Van Dorn led an attack on Union troops headed by General Samuel R. Curtis. The South had 17,000 troops compared to 11,000 for the Union. It was one of the few battles where Union forces were outnumbered. Regardless of that, Union troops routed the Confederate troops in what became known as the Battle of Pea Ridge. Aside from the notable troop advantage of the South, another notable part of the battle was the fact that the Confederate force had 3,500 Cherokee mounted troops.