Answer:
The Battle of Pea Ridge, also known as the Battle of Elkhorn Tavern, was fought on March 7-8, 1862, during the American Civil War. The Union army, under the command of General Samuel R. Curtis, fought against the Confederate army, led by General Earl Van Dorn.
During the battle, the Union accused the Cherokee Indians who fought on the side of the Confederacy of committing atrocities against Union soldiers, including mutilating their bodies and scalping them. The Union army claimed that the Cherokees were acting on the orders of Confederate General Albert Pike, who allegedly encouraged them to engage in such practices.
However, it is worth noting that such accusations were not uncommon during the Civil War, and both sides engaged in similar acts of brutality and violence against each other. Additionally, some historians have disputed the extent of Cherokee involvement in such acts at Pea Ridge, as the evidence for these claims is not always clear-cut.