1st Arkansas Mounted Rifles
Encyclopedia
1st Arkansas Mounted Rifles (1861–1865) was a Confederate Army cavalry
regiment during the American Civil War
. Of the Arkansas
Confederate units formed during the war, only the 3rd Arkansas saw more combat action than the 1st Mounted Rifles.
First organized in Little Rock, Arkansas
on June 16, 1861, the regiment was initially commanded by Colonel
Thomas J. Churchill. The regiment was composed of the following volunteer companies:
Benjamin McCulloch
's Brigade
. By August, they were on the move toward Springfield, Missouri
, where they first saw action in the Battle of Wilson's Creek
. Following that battle, the regiment was dispatched to Indian Territory
to battle the Native American
pro-Union
Cherokee
soldiers. They served in that capacity from September through October 1861. They were then sent to Corinth, Mississippi
, where they joined with massing Confederate forces.
On March 6, 1862, the regiment was engaged during the Battle of Pea Ridge
, then again during the Battle of Richmond. They were dismounted in the spring of 1862, and fought the remainder of the war as infantry. Following Colonel Churchill's promotion to Major General
, the regiment was placed under the command of General Kirby Smith. Following this they saw action near Richmond, Kentucky
. After the Battle of Perryville
, Smith's forces were merged with the Army of Tennessee
under General Braxton Bragg
. Shortly thereafter, they fought in the Battle of Murfreesboro, then were sent south to help relieve Confederate forces during the Siege of Vicksburg. They would remain a part of the Army of Tennessee for the remainder of the war, seeing action during the Battle of Chickamauga
and the Battle of Chattanooga
, with their last major action being during the Battle of Franklin
.
The 1st Arkansas Consolidated Mounted Rifles surrendered with the Army of Tennessee at Greensboro, North Carolina, April 26, 1865. The 1st Arkansas Consolidated Mounted Rifles was paroled on May 1, 1865, at Jamestown, North Carolina.
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
regiment 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...
. Of the Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
Confederate units formed during the war, only the 3rd Arkansas saw more combat action than the 1st Mounted Rifles.
Formation
At the outbreak of the Civil War, Arkansas formed some 48 infantry regiments, and a number of cavalry units. With the exception of the 3rd Arkansas, all of the Arkansas units would sign one year enlistments, thus leading to assignments in what was referred to as the "western theater", due to most of the large scale battles being fought in the east. The 1st Arkansas Mounted Rifles would sign one year enlistments, then later would sign a "three year or the duration of the war" extension.Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
on June 16, 1861, the regiment was initially commanded by Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Thomas J. Churchill. The regiment was composed of the following volunteer companies:
- Co. A, Chicot Rangers, Capt. Daniel H. Reynolds;
- Co. B, Des Arc Rangers, Capt. John S. Pearson;
- Co. C, Johnson Rifles, Capt. Oliver Basham;
- Co. D, Augusta Guards, Capt. Charles H. Matlock;
- Co. E, Lawrence County Rifles, Capt. Zachariah P. McAlexander;
- Co. F, Pulaski Rangers, Capt. Thomas J. Churchill;
- Co. G, Napoleon Rifles, Capt. John L. Porter;
- Co. H, Yell County Rifles, Capt. Thomas J. Daniel;
- Co. I, McCulloch Rangers, Capt. Robert W. Harper;
- Co. K, Independence Rifles, Capt. William E. Gibbs;
Battles
The regiment was first attached to GeneralGeneral
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Benjamin McCulloch
Benjamin McCulloch
Benjamin McCulloch was a soldier in the Texas Revolution, a Texas Ranger, a U.S. marshal, and a brigadier general in the army of the Confederate States during the American Civil War.-Early life:...
's Brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
. By August, they were on the move toward Springfield, Missouri
Springfield, Missouri
Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. According to the 2010 census data, the population was 159,498, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census. The Springfield Metropolitan Area, population 436,712, includes the counties of...
, where they first saw action in the Battle of Wilson's Creek
Battle of Wilson's Creek
The Battle of Wilson's Creek, also known as the Battle of Oak Hills, was fought on August 10, 1861, near Springfield, Missouri, between Union forces and the Missouri State Guard, early in the American Civil War. It was the first major battle of the war west of the Mississippi River and is sometimes...
. Following that battle, the regiment was dispatched to Indian Territory
Indian Territory
The Indian Territory, also known as the Indian Territories and the Indian Country, was land set aside within the United States for the settlement of American Indians...
to battle the Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
pro-Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
soldiers. They served in that capacity from September through October 1861. They were then sent to Corinth, Mississippi
Corinth, Mississippi
Corinth is a city in Alcorn County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 14,054 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Alcorn County. Its ZIP codes are 38834 and 38835.- History :...
, where they joined with massing Confederate forces.
On March 6, 1862, the regiment was engaged during the Battle of Pea Ridge
Battle of Pea Ridge
The Battle of Pea Ridge was a land battle of the American Civil War, fought on March 6–8, 1862, at Pea Ridge in northwest Arkansas, near Garfield. In the battle, Union forces led by Brig. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis defeated Confederate troops under Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn. The outcome of the...
, then again during the Battle of Richmond. They were dismounted in the spring of 1862, and fought the remainder of the war as infantry. Following Colonel Churchill's promotion to Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
, the regiment was placed under the command of General Kirby Smith. Following this they saw action near Richmond, Kentucky
Richmond, Kentucky
There were 10,795 households out of which 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.2% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.6% were non-families. Of all households, 34.7% were made up of individuals and 8.8% had...
. After the Battle of Perryville
Battle of Perryville
The Battle of Perryville, also known as the Battle of Chaplin Hills, was fought on October 8, 1862, in the Chaplin Hills west of Perryville, Kentucky, as the culmination of the Confederate Heartland Offensive during the American Civil War. Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg's Army of Mississippi won a...
, Smith's forces were merged with the Army of Tennessee
Army of Tennessee
The Army of Tennessee was the principal Confederate army operating between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River during the American Civil War. It was formed in late 1862 and fought until the end of the war in 1865, participating in most of the significant battles in the Western Theater...
under General Braxton Bragg
Braxton Bragg
Braxton Bragg was a career United States Army officer, and then a general in the Confederate States Army—a principal commander in the Western Theater of the American Civil War and later the military adviser to Confederate President Jefferson Davis.Bragg, a native of North Carolina, was...
. Shortly thereafter, they fought in the Battle of Murfreesboro, then were sent south to help relieve Confederate forces during the Siege of Vicksburg. They would remain a part of the Army of Tennessee for the remainder of the war, seeing action during the Battle of Chickamauga
Battle of Chickamauga
The Battle of Chickamauga, fought September 19–20, 1863, marked the end of a Union offensive in southeastern Tennessee and northwestern Georgia called the Chickamauga Campaign...
and the Battle of Chattanooga
Battle of Chattanooga
There were three Battles of Chattanooga fought in or near Chattanooga, Tennessee, during the American Civil War:* First Battle of Chattanooga, minor artillery bombardment by Union Brigadier General James S. Negley against Confederate Maj. Gen...
, with their last major action being during the Battle of Franklin
Battle of Franklin II
The Battle of Franklin was fought on November 30, 1864, at Franklin, Tennessee, as part of the Franklin-Nashville Campaign of the American Civil War. It was one of the worst disasters of the war for the Confederate States Army. Confederate Lt. Gen. John Bell Hood's Army of Tennessee conducted...
.
Consolidation and Surrender
On April 9, 1865, the depleted Arkansas regiments of D. H. Reynolds' Brigade, Walthall's Division, Confederate Army of Tennessee, were consolidated into a single regiment the 1st Arkansas Consolidated Mounted Rifles, at Smithfield, North Carolina. The companies of the consolidated regiment were consolidated from the following Arkansas regiments:- Company A—1st Arkansas Mounted Rifles.
- Company B—1st Arkansas Mounted Rifles.
- Company C—2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles2nd Arkansas Mounted RiflesThe 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles was a Confederate Army infantry regiment that served during the American Civil War. Raised in 1861, the regiment consisted of nine companies, which were drawn from various counties in Arkansas...
. - Company D—2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles.
- Company E—4th Arkansas Infantry4th Arkansas Infantry4th Arkansas Infantry was a Confederate Army infantry regiment from the state of Arkansas during the American Civil War. There was also a 4th Regiment, Arkansas State Troops which participated in the Battle of Wilson's Creek, but was never transferred to Confederate Service...
. - Company F—4th Arkansas Infantry.
- Company G—31st Arkansas Infantry.
- Company H—9th Arkansas Infantry.
- Company I—9th Arkansas Infantry.
- Company K—25th Arkansas Infantry.
The 1st Arkansas Consolidated Mounted Rifles surrendered with the Army of Tennessee at Greensboro, North Carolina, April 26, 1865. The 1st Arkansas Consolidated Mounted Rifles was paroled on May 1, 1865, at Jamestown, North Carolina.
External links
- Edward G. Gerdes Civil War Home Page
- 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
- 1st Arkansas Mounted Rifles
- Arkansas Confederate Army Regiments
- 1st Arkansas Mounted Rifles, "Boys of Company H"
- 1st Arkansas Mounted Rifles Dismounted
- Confederate Regimental Histories
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...