After the battle of Praire Grove the Union Army was left in control of the Battlefield. It is my understanding that what few wounded soldiers that were removed from the battlefield by the Confederates were basically abandoned at Fort Smith because of the Union Army persuit of the retreating Confederates. Northwest Arkansas for all practical purposes remained under the control of various Union occupations for the remained of the War.

If that is correct would the Union Authorities have permitted a Confederate Soldier (even a Hospital Steward) to have free access to recover the body and return it to the family? They would have thought of such a request as being an opertunity to spy on them. While it was not unheard of in the case of noncombatants like wifes, mothers and sisters, who even those where known to be used as spies, how likely is that to be permitted in the case of military aged males? Can anybody remember David O. Dodd?

I am of the opinion that most likely the subject is buried with the others who were casualities of that battle and not recovered by family members.