19th Arkansas Infantry Regiment (Dockery's)
Encyclopedia
The 19th Arkansas Infantry (1861–1865) was a Confederate Army infantry
regiment
during the American Civil War
. There were two other Arkansas units which were designated as the 19th Arkansas. Dawson's 19th Arkansas Infantry was organized, Hardy's Infantry Regiment, which is also occasionally referred to as the 19th Arkansas was organized in 1863 from those parts of Dawson's 19th Infantry Regiment, the 24th Arkansas Infantry Regiment
and Crawford's Arkansas Infantry Battalion, which escaped capture at the Battle of Arkansas Post.
Soon after being organized, the regiment was ordered to Mississippi, along with the rest of General Earl Van Dorn
's Army of the West. After settling in at Camp Churchill Clark, near Corinth, Mississippi, the 19th Arkansas was reorganized for the war and new officers were elected. All of the original field officers were thrown out in the election of May 12, 1862, and in their place the men elected Col. Thomas P. Dockery, Lieut. Col. William H. Dismukes, and Maj. Horatio G. P. Williams. On June 2, 1862, the two Hot Spring County companies were consolidated. Company D (from Rockport) was merged into Company E (from Hot Springs).
Colonel Dockery was placed in command of Second Brigade, Bowen's Division, and so actual field command of the 19th Arkansas Regiment devolved upon Lieutenant-Colonel Dismukes, who led the regiment through the terrible battles that preceded the Siege of Vicksburg. The 19th Arkansas fought at Battle of Port Gibson
, Battle of Champion's Hill, and the Battle of Big Black River Bridge
, where Lieutenant-Colonel Dismukes was mortally wounded and most of the regiment was captured. Major Horatio Gates Perry Williamson was promoted to lieutenant-colonel after Dismukes' death, and the uncaptured remnant of the 19th Arkansas fell back to Vicksburg, where it was surrendered and paroled when the city fell on July 4, 1863.
The regiment was exchanged back in Arkansas, and, when Colonel Dockery was appointed brigadier-general, Lieutenant-Colonel Williamson was promoted to colonel, commanding regiment. After being exchanged, the regiment was reorganized and mounted. It was placed in Dockery's and Roane's Brigade, Trans-Mississippi Department, and saw action at the Battle of Marks' Mills. The 19th Arkansas was consolidated with other decimated Arkansas regiments to form the 3rd Consolidated Arkansas Infantry. The consolidated regiment was assigned along with the 1st
and 2nd Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment
s to the 2nd (McNair’s) Arkansas Brigade, 1st (Churchill’s) Arkansas Division, 2nd Corps, Trans-Mississippi Department, from September 1864 to May 1865.
was stationed at Marshall, Texas
, when the war ended. and was officially surrendered with the Department of the Trans-Mississippi by Major General E. Kirby Smith on May 26, 1865.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. There were two other Arkansas units which were designated as the 19th Arkansas. Dawson's 19th Arkansas Infantry was organized, Hardy's Infantry Regiment, which is also occasionally referred to as the 19th Arkansas was organized in 1863 from those parts of Dawson's 19th Infantry Regiment, the 24th Arkansas Infantry Regiment
24th Arkansas Infantry Regiment
The 24th Arkansas Infantry was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War.-Organization:The 24th Arkansas Infantry Regiment was organized at White Sulphur Springs, Arkansas on June 6, 1862. The field officers were Colonel E. E. Portlock, Jr.; Lieutenant Colonels W. R....
and Crawford's Arkansas Infantry Battalion, which escaped capture at the Battle of Arkansas Post.
Organization
Dockery's 19th Arkansas Regiment was organized on April 2, 1862, at DeValls Bluff, with Col. Hamilton P. Smead in command. The regimental quartermaster was Capt. Thomas P. Dockery, future brigadier-general. The regiment comprised ten companies from Columbia, Hot Spring, Lafayette, Ouachita and Union counties. The unit was composed of volunteer companies from the following counties:- Company A, Commanded by Captain Jame G. Johson, organized in Lewisbury, Arkansas on February 25, 1862
- Company B, Commanded by Captain Dave Dixon, organized in Columbia County, Arkansas on February 26, 1862
- Company C, Commanded by Captain Wiley H. Buffington, organized in Columbia County, Arkansas on February 27, 1862
- Company D/E, Commanded by Captain R. S. Clayton, organized in Hot Springs Co, Arkansas on March 1, 1862
- Company F, Commanded by Captain W. C. Langford, organized at El Dorado, Arkansas on March 1, 1862
- Company G, Commanded by Captain John A. Meek, organized in Union C, Arkansas on March 1, 1862
- Company H, Commanded by Captain John Cook, organized at Caney, AR, Arkansas on March 3, 1862
- Company I, Commanded by Captain B. R. Mathews, organized in Union County, Arkansas on March 3, 1862
- Company K, Commanded by Captain H. K. Perry, organized in Columbia Co, Arkansas on March 8, 1862
Soon after being organized, the regiment was ordered to Mississippi, along with the rest of General Earl Van Dorn
Earl Van Dorn
Earl Van Dorn was a career United States Army officer, fighting with distinction during the Mexican-American War and against several tribes of Native Americans...
's Army of the West. After settling in at Camp Churchill Clark, near Corinth, Mississippi, the 19th Arkansas was reorganized for the war and new officers were elected. All of the original field officers were thrown out in the election of May 12, 1862, and in their place the men elected Col. Thomas P. Dockery, Lieut. Col. William H. Dismukes, and Maj. Horatio G. P. Williams. On June 2, 1862, the two Hot Spring County companies were consolidated. Company D (from Rockport) was merged into Company E (from Hot Springs).
Battles
The unit participated in the Battles of Corinth and Hatchie Bridge, and reported 129 casualties. Later it was attached to General M. E. Green's Brigade, Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana.Colonel Dockery was placed in command of Second Brigade, Bowen's Division, and so actual field command of the 19th Arkansas Regiment devolved upon Lieutenant-Colonel Dismukes, who led the regiment through the terrible battles that preceded the Siege of Vicksburg. The 19th Arkansas fought at Battle of Port Gibson
Battle of Port Gibson
The Battle of Port Gibson was fought near Port Gibson, Mississippi, on May 1, 1863, between Union and Confederate forces during the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. The Union Army was led by Maj. Gen. Ulysses S...
, Battle of Champion's Hill, and the Battle of Big Black River Bridge
Battle of Big Black River Bridge
The Battle of Big Black River Bridge, or Big Black, fought May 17, 1863, was part of the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. Union commander Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and the Army of the Tennessee pursued the retreating Confederate Lt. Gen. John C...
, where Lieutenant-Colonel Dismukes was mortally wounded and most of the regiment was captured. Major Horatio Gates Perry Williamson was promoted to lieutenant-colonel after Dismukes' death, and the uncaptured remnant of the 19th Arkansas fell back to Vicksburg, where it was surrendered and paroled when the city fell on July 4, 1863.
The regiment was exchanged back in Arkansas, and, when Colonel Dockery was appointed brigadier-general, Lieutenant-Colonel Williamson was promoted to colonel, commanding regiment. After being exchanged, the regiment was reorganized and mounted. It was placed in Dockery's and Roane's Brigade, Trans-Mississippi Department, and saw action at the Battle of Marks' Mills. The 19th Arkansas was consolidated with other decimated Arkansas regiments to form the 3rd Consolidated Arkansas Infantry. The consolidated regiment was assigned along with the 1st
1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment (Trans-Mississippi)
The 1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War. The regiment is separate from and has no connection to the 1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment which was formed in the Confederate Army of Tennessee in April 1865 and separate...
and 2nd Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment
2nd Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment
The 2nd Arkansas Consolidated Infantry was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War. The regiment is separate from and has no connection to the 2nd Arkansas Infantry Regiment which served in the Confederate Army of Tennessee and separate from the 2nd Regiment, Arkansas...
s to the 2nd (McNair’s) Arkansas Brigade, 1st (Churchill’s) Arkansas Division, 2nd Corps, Trans-Mississippi Department, from September 1864 to May 1865.
Surrender
The 3rd Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment3rd Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment
The 3rd Arkansas Consolidated Infantry was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War. The regiment is separate from and has no connection to the 3rd Arkansas Infantry Regiment which served in the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and separate from the 3rd Regiment,...
was stationed at Marshall, Texas
Marshall, Texas
Marshall is a city in Harrison County in the northeastern corner of Texas. Marshall is a major cultural and educational center in East Texas and the tri-state area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Marshall was about 23,523...
, when the war ended. and was officially surrendered with the Department of the Trans-Mississippi by Major General E. Kirby Smith on May 26, 1865.
External links
- Edward G. Gerdes Civil War Home Page
- The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture
- The War of the Rebellion: a Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies
- The Arkansas History Commission, State Archives, Civil War in Arkansas
See also
- List of Arkansas Civil War Confederate units
- Lists of American Civil War Regiments by State
- Confederate Units by State
- Arkansas in the American Civil WarArkansas in the American Civil WarThe state of Arkansas was a part of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War, and provided a source of troops, supplies, and military and political leaders for the fledgling country. Arkansas had become the 25th state of the United States, on June 15, 1836, entering as a...
- Arkansas Militia in the Civil WarArkansas Militia in the Civil WarThe units of the Arkansas Militia in the Civil War included militia organizations to which the current Arkansas National Guard has a connection: the militia, Home Guard, and State Troop regiments raised by the State of Arkansas. Like most of the United States, Arkansas had an organized militia...