4th Arkansas Infantry
Encyclopedia
4th 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. There is no connection between the two units.
. The original eight companies which were mustered into service at Miller's Springs, Missouri, on August 17, 1861, were:
Two additional companies were added on October 26, 1861 at Fort Smith, Arkansas:
An eleventh company was temporarily attached—Kelley's Company, the "Pike County Rangers" (Pike County)
Evander McNair
, who would lead them during the Battle of Pea Ridge
, and who would later become Brigadier General
, after which the 4th Arkansas became a part of his brigade
.
For a time they were attached to the forces of General
Sterling Price
, then later fell under General Kirby Smith. In early 1862 they took part in the First Battle of Chattanooga
, then would go on the offensive with the forces of General Braxton Bragg
's Army of Tennessee
during the Kentucky Campaign, and would fight in the Battle of Richmond, immediately following that with fighting at the Battle of Murfreesboro. In September, 1863, they were fighting under the direction of General James Longstreet
during the Battle of Chickamauga
. McNair was badly wounded during the battle, and the brigade as a whole suffered heavy casualties.
Through most of 1864 the regiment and the rest of their brigade were in Georgia
as a part of the force attempting to stop Sherman's March
, seeing sporadic action during this period, mostly in hit-and-run skirmishes. By November of that year they had been sent back to Tennessee
, where they fought at the Battle of Franklin
. It was their last major action. The unit fought in small skirmishes and minor actions between the months of December, 1864, and March, 1865.
The 4th Arkansas Infantry Regiment was consolidated with the 1st
and 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles, 4th Arkansas Infantry Battalion
, 9th
and the 25th Arkansas Infantry Regiment
s and designated as the 1st Mounted Rifles Consolidated at Smithfield, North Carolina on April 9, 1865.
The unit is entitled to the following Campaign Participation Credits:
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.
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...
from the state of 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...
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 was also a 4th Regiment, Arkansas State Troops
4th Regiment, Arkansas State Troops
-External links:* * * * -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 War* Arkansas Militia in the Civil War...
which participated in the Battle of Wilson's Creek, but was never transferred to Confederate Service. There is no connection between the two units.
Organization
Originally known as the "Southwestern Arkansas Regiment", the 4th Arkansas was organized at Mount Vernon, Missouri, from volunteer companies from the southwestern part of Arkansas, which arrived in Missouri just after the Battle of Wilson's CreekBattle 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...
. The original eight companies which were mustered into service at Miller's Springs, Missouri, on August 17, 1861, were:
- Company A, the "Calhoun Escopets" (Calhoun County)
- Company B, the "Hempstead Hornets" (Hempstead County)
- Company C, the "Caddo Rifles" (Montgomery County)
- Company D, the "Bright Star Rifles" (Lafayette County)
- Company E, the "Confederate Guards" (Hempstead County)
- Company F, the "Montgomery Hunters" (Montgomery County)
- Company G, the "Pike County Blues" (Pike County)
- Company H, the "Polk County Invincibles" (Polk County)
Two additional companies were added on October 26, 1861 at Fort Smith, Arkansas:
- Company I, the "Polk Rifles" (Polk County)
- Company K, the "Calhoun Invincibles" (Calhoun County)
An eleventh company was temporarily attached—Kelley's Company, the "Pike County Rangers" (Pike County)
Battles
They were initially placed under the command of ColonelColonel
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...
Evander McNair
Evander McNair
Evander McNair was a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.-Biography:...
, who would lead them 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...
, and who would later become Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
, after which the 4th Arkansas became a part of his 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...
.
For a time they were attached to the forces of General
General
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....
Sterling Price
Sterling Price
Sterling Price was a lawyer, planter, and politician from the U.S. state of Missouri, who served as the 11th Governor of the state from 1853 to 1857. He also served as a United States Army brigadier general during the Mexican-American War, and a Confederate Army major general in the American Civil...
, then later fell under General Kirby Smith. In early 1862 they took part in the First Battle of Chattanooga
First Battle of Chattanooga
The First Battle of Chattanooga was a minor artillery battle in the American Civil War, fought on June 7–8, 1862.-Background:In late spring 1862, the Confederacy split its forces in Tennessee into several small commands in an attempt to complicate Federal operations. Maj. Gen. Ormsby M...
, then would go on the offensive with the forces of 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...
's 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...
during the Kentucky Campaign, and would fight in the Battle of Richmond, immediately following that with fighting at the Battle of Murfreesboro. In September, 1863, they were fighting under the direction of General James Longstreet
James Longstreet
James Longstreet was one of the foremost Confederate generals of the American Civil War and the principal subordinate to General Robert E. Lee, who called him his "Old War Horse." He served under Lee as a corps commander for many of the famous battles fought by the Army of Northern Virginia in the...
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...
. McNair was badly wounded during the battle, and the brigade as a whole suffered heavy casualties.
Through most of 1864 the regiment and the rest of their brigade were in Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
as a part of the force attempting to stop Sherman's March
Sherman's March
Sherman's March: A Meditation on the Possibility of Romantic Love In the South During an Era of Nuclear Weapons Proliferation is a 1986 documentary film written and directed by Ross McElwee. It was awarded the Grand Jury prize at the 1987 Sundance Film Festival. and in 2000, was selected for...
, seeing sporadic action during this period, mostly in hit-and-run skirmishes. By November of that year they had been sent back to Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, where they fought at 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...
. It was their last major action. The unit fought in small skirmishes and minor actions between the months of December, 1864, and March, 1865.
The 4th Arkansas Infantry Regiment was consolidated with the 1st
1st Arkansas Mounted Rifles
1st Arkansas Mounted Rifles 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.-Formation:...
and 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles, 4th Arkansas Infantry Battalion
4th Arkansas Infantry Battalion
-External links:* * * * -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 War* Arkansas Militia in the Civil War...
, 9th
9th Arkansas Infantry Regiment
The 9th Arkansas Infantry was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War.-Organization:9th Infantry Regiment was organized at Pine Bluff, Arkansas, July 20, 1861, and was known as the "Parson's Regiment" because it contained forty-two ministers.Its companies were recruited...
and the 25th Arkansas Infantry Regiment
25th Arkansas Infantry Regiment
The 25th Arkansas Infantry was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War.-Organization:The 25th Arkansas Infantry was organized as the 30th Arkansas Infantry Regiment on June 18, 1862, when the 11th Battalion Arkansas Infantry was increased to a regiment. Charles J....
s and designated as the 1st Mounted Rifles Consolidated at Smithfield, North Carolina on April 9, 1865.
The unit is entitled to the following Campaign Participation Credits:
- Battle of Pea RidgeBattle of Pea RidgeThe 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...
, Arkansas, 1862. - Siege of CorinthSiege of CorinthThe Siege of Corinth was an American Civil War battle fought from April 29 to May 30, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi.-Background:...
, April to June 1862. - Battle of Richmond, Kentucky, August 29–30, 1862.
- Battle of PerryvilleBattle of PerryvilleThe 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...
, Kentucky, October 8, 1862. - Battle of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, December 31, 1862 to January 3, 1863.
- Tullahoma CampaignTullahoma CampaignThe Tullahoma Campaign or Middle Tennessee Campaign was fought between June 24 and July 3, 1863, during the American Civil War. The Union Army of the Cumberland, commanded by Maj. Gen. William S...
, June 1863. - Battle of ChickamaugaBattle of ChickamaugaThe 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...
, Georgia, September 19–20, 1863. - Siege of ChattanoogaBattle of ChattanoogaThere 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...
, September to November 1863. - Atlanta CampaignAtlanta CampaignThe Atlanta Campaign was a series of battles fought in the Western Theater of the American Civil War throughout northwest Georgia and the area around Atlanta during the summer of 1864. Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman invaded Georgia from the vicinity of Chattanooga, Tennessee, beginning in May...
, May to September 1864. - Battle of Dug Gap, Georgia,
- Battle of ResacaBattle of ResacaThe Battle of Resaca was part of the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War. The battle was waged in both Gordon and Whitfield counties, Georgia, from May 13 - 15, 1864. It ended inconclusively with the Confederate Army retreating. The engagement was fought between the Military Division of the...
, Georgia, May 14–15, 1864. - Battle of New Hope ChurchBattle of New Hope ChurchThe Battle of New Hope Church was fought May 25–26, 1864, between the Union force of Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman and the Confederate Army of Tennessee under Gen. Joseph E. Johnston during the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War...
, Georgia, May 25 - June 4, 1864. - Battle of Kennesaw MountainBattle of Kennesaw MountainThe Battle of Kennesaw Mountain was fought on June 27, 1864, during the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War. It was the most significant frontal assault launched by Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman against the Confederate Army of Tennessee under Gen. Joseph E...
, Georgia, June 27, 1864. - Battle of Moore's Hill, Georgia,
- Battle of Peachtree CreekBattle of Peachtree CreekThe Battle of Peachtree Creek was fought in Georgia on July 20, 1864, as part of the Atlanta Campaign in the American Civil War. It was the first major attack by Lt. Gen. John B. Hood since taking command of the Confederate Army of Tennessee. The attack was against Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's...
, Georgia, July 20, 1864. - Siege of Atlanta, Georgia, July 22, 1864.
- Battle of Lovejoy's Station, Georgia, August 20, 1864
- Battle of Moon's Station, Georgia,
- Battle of FranklinBattle of Franklin IIThe 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...
, Tennessee, November 30, 1864. - Battle of NashvilleBattle of NashvilleThe Battle of Nashville was a two-day battle in the Franklin-Nashville Campaign that represented the end of large-scale fighting in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. It was fought at Nashville, Tennessee, on December 15–16, 1864, between the Confederate Army of Tennessee under...
, Tennessee, December 15–16, 1864. - Battle of Sugar Creek
- Carolinas CampaignCarolinas CampaignThe Carolinas Campaign was the final campaign in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. In January 1865, Union Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman advanced north from Savannah, Georgia, through the Carolinas, with the intention of linking up with Union forces in Virginia. The defeat of ...
, February to April 1865.
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 Rifles1st Arkansas Mounted Rifles1st Arkansas Mounted Rifles 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.-Formation:...
. - 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.
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...
Sources
- Battle Actions and History of the 4th Arkansas Infantry, CSA
- Arkansas Confederate Regimental Histories
- Gammage,Washington L., The Camp, the Bivouac, and the Battlefield, Being a History of the Fourth Arkansas Regiment, from its First Organization Down to the Present Date.
- Lavendar, Captain John W. 1837-1921. The War Memoirs of Captain John W. Lavender, CSA The Southern Press, 1956. Sub title: