Sinai Harreld

BUCHANAN, Andrew - {Prairie Grove, Dec. 7,1888} This battle (Prairie Grove) was

fought twenty-six years ago today, on the 7th day of Dec. 1862- It was a cool, cloudy day,

with the wind from the north. Today at 12 o’clock a.m. slightly cloudy, the wind from the

south, the mercury standing at 56 degrees above zero. The first intimation of an

approaching conflict at the place soon after daylight. Four horsemen rode hastily up to

the residence of the late Andrew Buchanan, then occupied by his widow, Sinia

Buchanan, halloed and asked a negro woman, Beck, who was standing on the steps in

front of the house, if there were any federals about there. A few moments after several

federal soldiers hastily came out of the house and ran west towards their encampment.

These horsemen, casting their eyes in that direction, saw the wagons and soldiers of the

federals and at once wheeled their horses and rode back in the direction from whence

they came full speed. The federals taking the alarm, the noise, tumult and confusion of

the day commenced. A little after sunrise the first gun was fired about three-fourths of a

mile west of Prairie Grove on the Cane Hill Road, and the battle continued until nearly

dark that evening. Among the killed of the confederates on that day were Lieutenants

Tell, Duke and Ben Boon, privates Henry Morrison, Cyrus Graham, James Greene,

Reuben Armstrong, Len Gray, Bill Gray, Rod Mitchell, Irvin Blair and John Sharp. John

Sharp had a remarkable dream in which his death was foretold some ten or twelve days

before the battle. This dream was related to me by Dick Barron, and prepared for the

press but for some cause was never sent in for publication, and was about as follows:

He dreamed that the army traveled for several days over a rough mountainous country

and then descended into a valley, that they had marched very far into this valley until

they met the enemy when a severe battle commenced, that during that battle his right

hand man was shot through the head the ball entering just above the eye. His friend fell

to the ground, when he (Sharp) stooped to raise him up or to give him assistance,

looking him in the face he saw that it was himself. This dream was related next day, but

as the army was on no march nor any enemy approaching that they knew of, Sharp did

not attach much importance to it. When they came in sight of this valley however, Sharp

told his comrades that this was the valley, that he had often seen it before he saw it in

his dream and expressed much concern Just before going into the battle he felt his time

had about come and said that if it was not for dishonor he would leave the company and

fall back. He however went into the battle and fought bravely until one or two o’clock

when he was shot through the head, the ball entering just above the eye as he had seen

in his dream. He fell and died instantly. The contrast between the fierce and deadly foes

arrayed against each other in murderous battle on that memorable day and the friendly

companionship now enjoyed by many of the opposing forces, as fellow citizens and

neighbors, is a commentary on the inhumanity of war. The hum of busy mill and shop,

the buzz and stir of commerce and manufacture, the clang of church and school bells,

and the prattle of innocent childhood is now heard in place of clashing arms and

booming cannon. By J.P. Neal [Fayetteville Democrat 12/7/1888]BUCHANAN, Sina Neal- Died in Prairie grove on Saturday, Feb. 17,

1883, Mrs. Sinailsic} Buchanan, widow of the late Rev. Andrew Buchanan.

Mrs. B. was the oldest settler in Prairie Grove township. Obituary soon.

[Fayetteville Democrat 2/22/83]

Died in Prairie Grove at the residence of her son, Col. Neal, Mrs. Sina

Buchanan. Aunt Sina, as she was lovingly called by us all, is gone “over

there;” on the 17th inst. after a long and useful life she passed “over the

river.” Aunt Sina was born in Butler county, Kentucky on the 6th of Oct.,

A.D., 1797, was married to Mr. Wm. Neal, by whom she become the mother

of two children - Col. Wm. T. Neal, who was killed during the late war and

our friend, Col. Jas. P. Neal of this place. After the death of her first husband

she was united by marriage to the Rev. Andrew Buchanan, whose

name she has so long commemorated. She professed religion early in life

and was received into the Cumberland Presbyterian Church at this place

among the very first. She was a consistent Christian, a true “mother in

Israel.” While grievously lamenting her death we bow humbly to Almighty

God saying, “Thy will be done.” W.R.R. Prairie Grove, Feb. 26th, 1883.

[Faye tteville Democrat 3/1/83]