Organized at Little Rock as state militia with an undetermined number of companies in the early spring of 1861 under the command of Col. Solon Borland. Participated in the seizure of the Little Rock Arsenal in February, 1861, and in the expedition to seize the federal arsenal at Fort Smith in April, 1861. Augmented with additional companies to regimental strength and redesignated as the 1st Arkansas Mounted Volunteers on July 24, 1861. This regiment was subsequently taken into Confederate service as the 3rd Arkansas Cavalry Regiment, under which designation it served for the remainder of the war.
References: Calvin Collier, The War Child's Children
Organized with 5 companies in July, 1861 under the command of Major William H. Brooks, and assigned to McIntosh's Brigade in McCulloch's Division in northwest Arkansas. Fought at the Leetown battlefield at Pea Ridge on March 7-8, 1862. Following the Confederate retreat from Pea Ridge, the battalion was dismounted and reorganized under the command of Lt. Col. Ras Stirman to serve as infantry in April, 1862. Marched with the Army of the West to Corinth, Mississippi later that month where it served in General Dabney Maury's division during the Corinth campaign. Companies B, C, and D of Williamson's Infantry Battalion were assigned to the battalion on May 25, 1862, and redesignated as Companies H, G, and F respectively in the new organization. The battalion was further consolidated with Bridge's Sharpshooter Battalion on August 1, 1862, and the consolidated unit was redesignated as Stirman's Sharpshooter Regiment on August 1, 1862. Fought in the Battle of Corinth on October 3-4, 1862, and following the subsequent retreat from Corinth, fought a valiant rear guard action at Hatchie Bridge. Reassigned to Craven's (later Green's) brigade in the defenses of Vicksburg, where it fought with distinction throughout the battles of the Vicksburg campaign; at Port Gibson, Champion's Hill, and the Big Black River Bridge. Served in the Vicksburg defenses throughout the siege of that stongpoint, and was surrendered with the Vicksburg garrison on July 4, 1863. The survivors were paroled later that month, and sent back to Arkansas to regroup and reorganize. Conducted a scout of the state fromWaldron to Mount Ida to Caddo Gap and Dallas on December 2-, 1863. Served in Fagan's Cavalry Division during Price's Missouri Raid in September and October of 1864, and at battle of Ivey's Ford on January 17, 1865. Surrendered with Gen. Kirby Smith's army in May 26, 1865.
References: Albert O. McCollom, The War-time Letters of Albert O. McCollom
Organized at Little Rock, Arkansas on June 16, 1861 under the command of Colonel Thomas J. Churchill. Company A was the "Chicot Rangers"; Company B the "Des Arc Rangers"; Company C the "Johnson Cavalry"; Company D the "Augusta Guards"; Company E the "Conway Cavalry"; Company F the "Pulaski Lancers"; Company G the "Napoleon Cavalry"; Company H the "Dardanelle Rangers" of Yell county; Company I the "McCulloch Rangers"; Company K the "Independence Cavalry"; and Company L the "Desha Cavalry".
Initially assigned to McCulloch's Brigade near Fayetteville, Arkansas, the regiment participated in the campaign to reinforce General Sterling Price's Missouri State Guard in southwestern Missouri in July and August, 1861, fighting in the battles at Neosho and Wilson's Creek (called "Oak Hills" by the Confederates). Returned to Arkansas after Wilson's Creek and served in the Indian Territory against a number of Unionist Cherokee units in September and October, 1861. Wintered near Strickler's Station, and marched with the Army of the West in late February, 1862, fighting in a number of small skirmishes culminating in the Battle of Pea Ridge on March 7-8, 1862. Retreated with the Army of the West to Van Buren, and from there marched east to join the Confederate forces massing at Corinth, Mississippi. Dismounted at DeValls Bluff, Arkansas, in April 1862 and fought as infantry for the remainder of the war. Reorganized at Corinth, MS on May 1, 1862, re-enlisting for three years or the duration of the War.
Colonel Churchill was promoted to brigade command at Corinth, and the regiment was assigned to his brigade in McCown's Division, which accompanied Kirby Smith's army in an attempt to re-occupy Kentucky in the summer and early fall of 1862. General Churchill was reassigned to a command in Arkansas in July, and General McNair assumed command of the brigade. The brigade fought in the battle of Richmond, KY on August 29-30, 1862. Following the Battle of Perryville fought by Bragg's army in October, Kirby Smith's army followed Bragg back into middle Tennessee where it was merged with Bragg's Army of Tennessee. The regiment fought at the battle of Murfreesboro on December 30, 1862 - January 2, 1863. In the early summer of 1863, McNair's brigade was detailed to GeneraL Joe Johnston's forces in an attempt to relieve the federal siege of Vicksburg, and fought in the siege of Jackson, MS. Following the fall of both Vicksburg and Jackson, the brigade returned to Bragg's Army of Tennessee near Tullahoma, and fought in all of that army's battles for the remainder of the war... at Chickamauga; Chattanooga, the Atlanta Campaign including Dug Gap, Resaca, Peachtree Creek, Atlanta, Ezra Church, the siege of Atlanta, Jonesboro, Lovejoy's Station and Moon's Station; the battles of Spring Hill, Franklin, and Nashville, Sugar Creek, the Carolinas Campaign, and Bentonville. Consolidated with the 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles, 4th Arkansas Infantry Battalion, and the 4th, 9th, and 25th Arkansas Infantry regiments and the consolidated unit renamed as the 1st Mounted Rifles Regiment (Consolidated)(Dismounted) at the last reorganization of the Army of Tennessee near Smithville, North Carolina on April 9, 1865. Surrendered with the Army of Tennessee near Durham Station, North Carolina on April 26, 1865.
Officers: Colonel Thomas J. Churchill. Field Officers: Major William P. Campbell; Lt. Col. Morton G. Galloway; Major (later Colonel) Robert W. Harper; Major (later Lt. Col.) George S. Laswell; Lt. Col. Charles H. Matlock; Major (later Lt. Col. and Col.) Leander M. Ramsaur; Major (later Lt.Col., Col., and Brigadier General) Daniel H. Reynolds; Major (later Lt. Col.) George W. Wells
References: Robert H. Dacus, Reminiscences of Company "H", First Arkansas Mounted Rifles
Organized in June, 1861, and assigned to Pearce's Brigade, Arkansas State Troops near Fayetteville in August of that year. Fought at the battle of Oak Hills (Wilson's Creek) on August 10, 1861 and returned to northwest Arkansas later that month. In a spate of political squabbling, Pearce disbanded all his units of State Troops on September 19 rather than enlist them for Confederate service. Most members of the 1st Arkansas Cavalry re-enlisted for Confederate service in the 1st Arkansas (Carroll's - Thomson's) Cavalry Regiment early in 1862.
Officers: Col. DeRosey Carroll
Organized from the former members of the 1st Arkansas Cavalry Regiment (State Troops) near Fort Smith in October, 1862. Commanded by Colonel Charles A. Carroll, Lt. Col. J. A. Johnson, and Major (later Lt. Col. and Col.) Lee L. Thomson. Assigned to Cabell's Cavalry Brigade, serving in northern Arkansas. Fought at battles of Cane Hill (11/28/1862), Prairie Grove (12/7-8/1862), and Marmaduke's expedition into Missouri during December 31, 1862 to January 25, 1863. One company was detached to serve as escort and headquarters guard for Colonel Carroll upon his promotion to brigade command in March, 1863. The regiment fought at Fayetteville on April 18, 1863, and at Devil's Backbone on September 1, 1863. Regiment was reorganized and renamed as the 4th (Gordon's) Arkansas Cavalry Regiment on December 15, 1863.
Organized at Camden with 12 companies on December 30, 1863 under the command of Col. William A. Crawford, Field officers were Lt. Col. Dawson L. Kilgore and Major John W. Walker. Assigned to Fagan's Cavalry Division where it served throughout the Camden Expedition in March through May of 1864. Fought at the Battle of Poison Springs (April 18, 1864) and Marks' Mill (April 25, 1864). Following the federal repulse at Jenkins Ferry in May, the regiment accompanied General Sterling Price on his raid through Missouri in September and October of 1864. Surrendered with General Kirby Smith in southwestern Arkansas on May 26, 1865.
Also Known As: Crawford's 10th Cavalry Regiment
References: Edwin Bearss, Steele's Retreat From Camden and the Battle of Jenkins' Ferry
Organized with eight companies (A-H) in April, 1863 by incresing Chrisman's Arkansas Cavalry Battalion to near-regimental strength. Commanded by Colonel Archibald S. Dobbins and Major Samuel M. Corley. Assigned to the Arkansas Cavalry Brigade in Walker's Division in June, 1863. Fought in the battle of Helena on July 4, 1863. Colonel Dobbins assumed command following General Walker's death in a duel immediately prior to the federal attack on Little Rock in September, 1863. The regiment participated with Walker's old division in the Little Rock campaign at the Terry's Ferry crossing and at Fourche Bayou, retreating to the vicinity of Benton following the fall of Little Rock. Fought in the battle of Pine Bluff on October 25, 1863. The regiment was broken up on January 3, 1864, and the men reassigned to Morgan's 2nd Arkansas Cavalry Regiment.
Organized at Camp Shavers, near Pine Bluff as Johnson's Cavalry Battalion on or about August 10, 1862 by consolidating twelve independent cavalry companies under the command of Major A.N. Johnson, pending the arrival of Colonel Fagan, the appointed commander. Company commanders were Captains Wheat, Raulston, Porter, Young, Davis (from Jefferson county), O'Neill, George A. Davis, Reefis, Todd, Brown, and Hanson. These companies were originally ordered to Pine Bluff in order to form a regiment to be commanded by Colonel Francis M. Chrisman, but these orders were rescinded by General Hindman, and the regiment was formed under Major Johnson, and later by Colonel Fagan upon his arrival at Camp Shavers. The first commander was Colonel James F. Fagan, field officers were Lt. Col. (later Col.) James C. Monroe, Major A.H. Johnson, later Major M.D. Davis, Major (later Lt. Col.) James M. O'Neal, and Major (later Lt. Col.) A.V. Reiff. Initially assigned to General M.M. Parsons' brigade near Pine Bluff, then to Caroll's Brigade, Marmaduke's Cavalry Division of Hindman's 1st Corps of the Trans-Mississippi in November, 1862. Fought at Battles of Cane Hill on November 28, and at Prairie Grove on December 7, 1862. Accompanied and fought with Marmaduke's expedition into Missouri during December 31, 1862 - January 25, 1863. Reassigned to Cabell's Brigade in April 1863, where it fought at the battle of Fayetteville on April 18th. Fought at Devil's Backbone on September 1, 1863, and at Pine Bluff on October 25, 1863. Participated in the Confederate counterattacks against federal General Frederick Steele's Camden Expedition in March-May, 1864, fighting at the battles of Poison Springs and Marks' Mill. 13th Arkansas Cavalry Battalion was temporarily attached to Monroe's 1st Regiment during 1864. Participated in Price's Missouri Raid during September and October of 1864, thereafter served in southwestern Arkansas for the remainder of the War. Surrendered with General Kirby Smith on May 26, 1865.
Organized in northeast Arkansas with 5 companies in February, 1862 under the command of Major W.D. Barnett. Sent east of the Mississippi and assigned to Hindman's Brigade, Hardee's Division, of the Army of Central Kentucky later that month. This command went to Columbus, KY, thence to Bowling Green, and performed outpost duty along the Green River. It covered, with other cavalry units, the retreat of General Albert Sydney Johnston out of Kentucky, to Nashville, Tennessee, and on to Corinth, MS. Served as a screening and security force at Shiloh and covered General Beauregard's retreat from Shiloh back to Corinth. and in the Corinth Campaign as part of Beall's Cavalry Brigade. Consolidated with Phifer's 6th Arkansas Cavalry battalion at Corinth, MS on May 15, 1862, and the consolidated unit renamed as the 2nd Arkansas Cavalry Regiment.
Organized under the command of Lt. Col. John C. Wright and Major James W. Bowie with an unknown number of companies for local defense in late 1863. Increased to regimental strength in February, 1864, and renamed as the 12th Arkansas Cavalry Regiment.
Organized on May 15, 1862 at Corinth, Mississippi by consolidating the 2nd and Phifer's 6th Arkansas Cavalry Battalions under the command of Colonel William F. Slemons. Field officers were Lt. Cols. H.R. Withers and Thomas M. Cochran , and Majors Thomas J. Reid, Jr., and William J. Somervell. Thomas Garrison was adjutant, W. Leeper quartermaster, and Wat Strong served as commissary. Company commanders were Co. A, Cpt. A.H. Christian, Co. B, Cpt. Joseph Earle (later H.S. Hudspeth); Co. C, Cpt. Thomas Cochran; Co. D, Cpt. James Portis (later Cpt. Watt Green); Co. E, Cpt. J.S. Somerville, (later Cpt. William Cooper); Co. F, Cpt. O.B.. Tebbs; Co. G, Cpt. E.L. Murtree (later Cpt. C. Stell); Co. H, Cpt. Phil Echols (later Cpt. James Oliver), Co. I, Cpt. M.L. Hawkins.
On the retreat from Corinth to Tupelo, MS the 2nd Arkansas again served as part of the rear guard of the army, under General John C. Breckinridge. On July 3, 1862 it was ordered with Clayton's 2nd Alabama Cavalry against the Federals at Booneville, MS, who were completely routed. Together with the 2nd Missouri Cavalry, it was ordered under Gen. Frank C. Armstrong to Tennessee, where it met at Middleburg, TN, the Federals under Colonel Leggett and defeated them, killing and wounding large numbers of the Federal force. About the last of July (1862) the 2nd Arkansas, under Col. Slemons, along with the 2nd Missouri and the 4th Mississippi engaged the escort of Federal cavalry and artillery guarding a train of supplies at Britton's Lane, TN, and after a stubborn fight of three hours captured the train, along with 300 prisoners and two pieces of artillery. The 2nd Arkansas lost 70 men killed or wounded in this engagement. In the campaigns of Price and Pemberton in early 1863 defending the approaches to Vicksburg, the 2nd Arkansas was in continuous active service, opposing Federal thrusts at Iuka, Colliersville, Salem, the Yazoo Pass, at Charleston, Austin, and near Commerce Mississippi and along the Coldwater River there. Under the command of Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest in late 1863, it participated in the masterly movements of that greatest of cavlry commanders, encircling armies, taking cities, capturing trains, and burning bridges. The 2nd Arkansas was transferred to the Trans-Mississippi in April, 1864, in time to fight with Cabell's, Gano's, and Dockery's brigades in the Camden Expedition including the battles of Poison Spring, Marks' Mills, and Jenkins' Ferry. It then served with Price's Army on the raid to the Missouri River in September and October of 1864, and engaged in the battles of Pilot Knob, Independence, West Point, and Marais des Cygnes, in Kansas. At this last battle, Colonel Slemons' horse was killed and fell with him, the saddle catching the colonel's leg under him so that he could nor disengage himself. Col Slemons, a number of his officers, 100 of his men, and two artillery pieces were captured and sent as prisoners of war to Johnson Island, later to Rock Island, where they were imprisoned until after the end of the war. The remainder of the regiment was reduced to battalion size at this time, and so was reorganized and renamed as the 18th Arkansas Cavalry Battalion.
Also Known As: Slemon's 4th Arkansas Cavalry Regiment
References: T.C. Dupree, The War-time Letters of Captain T.C. Dupree, C.S.A., 1864-1865