1st Arkansas Cavalry Regiment (Crawford's)
Encyclopedia
The 1st Arkansas Cavalry (1863-1865) was a Confederate Army cavalry
regiment
during the American Civil War
. Officially designated by the State Military Board as the 10th Regiment Arkansas Cavalry, it was almost never referred to as such during the Civil War. It was generally referred to in contemporary documents as Crawford’s 1st Arkansas Cavalry. The Compiled Service Records of the men are archived under 1st (Crawford’s) Arkansas Cavalry, Rolls 1 and 2.
Later, two additional companies were attached to the regiment, but no muster rolls for these companies have been located.
The Field Officers were:
The following notation appeared on the Field and Staff muster roll for the period ended February 29, 1864, stationed at Cut Off, Drew county, Arkansas:
The Crawford's 1st Arkansas Cavalry was involved in the following engagements:
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
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...
. Officially designated by the State Military Board as the 10th Regiment Arkansas Cavalry, it was almost never referred to as such during the Civil War. It was generally referred to in contemporary documents as Crawford’s 1st Arkansas Cavalry. The Compiled Service Records of the men are archived under 1st (Crawford’s) Arkansas Cavalry, Rolls 1 and 2.
Organization
The unit was enrolled in Confederate Service on December 30, 1863 at Camden, Arkansas. The unit was composed of volunteer companies from the follwing Southern Arkansas counties:- Company A, was organized at Camden, Arkansas, on January 12, 1863, by Captain John Wesley Walker. The company was composed primarily of men from Ouachita county, and operated as an independent cavalry company throughout 1863. On December 30, 1863, upon the organization of Crawford’s Regiment, the company was assigned as Company A, and Captain Walker was elected major. He was succeeded as captain by John C. Peoples. One muster roll for Company A survives. It covers the period January 1 to February 29, 1864, when the company was stationed at Cut Off, Drew county, Arkansas.
- Company B, was organized at Benton, Arkansas, on March 26, 1863, by Captain Mark S. Miller. The company was composed primarily of men from Saline county, and operated as an independent cavalry company throughout 1863. One muster roll for Company B survives. It covers the period January 1 to February 29, 1864, and bears the following notation: “This Company since its organization has been scouting almost all the time, part of the time in the mountains after Jayhawkers. Has had several skirmishes with the Jayhawkers and Robbers without the loss of a man. Had an engagement with the Federals near Princeton, Ark. on the 8th of Dec. 1863 in which we lost 1 Officer and twelve men captured and were forced to retreat on account of superior numbers against us.”
- Company C, was organized at Lewisville, Arkansas, on July 7, 1863, by Captain Richard B. Ford. The company was composed primarily of men from Lafayette county, and operated as an independent cavalry company throughout 1863. One muster roll for Company C survives. It covers the period January 1 to February 29, 1864, when the company was stationed at Monticello, Drew county, Arkansas.
- Company D, was organized at Camden, Arkansas, on September 26, 1863, by Captain Holly Brooks Wilkinson. The company was composed primarily of men from Ouachita county, and initially operated as an independent cavalry company. One muster roll for Company D survives. It covers the period January 1 to February 29, 1864, when the company was stationed at Monticello, Drew county, Arkansas.
- Company E, was organized at Magnolia, Arkansas, on September 19, 1863, by Captain Dawson Lee Killgore. The company was composed primarily of men from Columbia county, and initially operated as an independent cavalry company. On December 30, 1863, upon the organization of Crawford’s Regiment, Captain Killgore was elected lieutenant-colonel., He was succeeded as captain by John C. Henderson. One muster roll for Company E survives. It covers the period January 1 to February 29, 1864, when the company was stationed at Cut Off, Drew county, Arkansas.
- Company F, was organized at El Dorado, Arkansas, on October 6, 1863, by Captain John D. Holloway. The company was composed primarily of men from Union county, and initially operated as an independent cavalry company. One muster roll for Company F survives. It covers the period January 1 to February 29, 1864, when the company was stationed at Cut Off, Drew county, Arkansas.
- Company G, was organized in Saline county, Arkansas, on December 9, 1863, by Captain Isaac Harrison. The company was composed primarily of men from Saline county, and initially operated as an independent cavalry company. One muster roll for Company G survives. It covers the period January 1 to February 29, 1864, when the company was stationed at Cut Off, Drew county, Arkansas.
- Company H, was organized in Clark county, Arkansas, on December 24, 1863, by Captain H. W. McMillan. The company was composed primarily of men from Clark county. One muster roll for Company H survives. It covers the period January 1 to February 29, 1864, when the company was stationed at Monticello, Drew county, Arkansas.
- Company I, was organized in Union county, Arkansas, on December 5, 1863, by Captain Lewis H. Sheppard. The company was composed primarily of men from Union county. One muster roll for Company I survives. It covers the period January 1 to February 29, 1864, when the company was stationed at Cut Off, Drew county, Arkansas.
- Company K, Company K was organized at Arkadelphia, Arkansas, on December 15, 1863, by Captain John D. McCabe. The company was composed primarily of men from Clark county. One muster roll for Company K survives. It covers the period January 1 to February 29, 1864, when the company was stationed at Monticello, Drew county, Arkansas.
Later, two additional companies were attached to the regiment, but no muster rolls for these companies have been located.
- Company L— organized in Lafayette county
- Company M— company was organized in Prairie county
The Field Officers were:
- Colonel William A. Crawford,
- Lieutenant Colonel Dawson Lee Killgore,
- Major John Wesley Walker,
- Surgeon William Thompson,
Battles
Crawford’s Cavalry was assigned to Fagan’s Cavalry Division of the Trans-Mississippi Army, brigaded with Wright’s cavalry regiment and Poe’s and McMurtrey’s cavalry battalions. It was active in the battles associated with the Camden Expedition in the Spring of 1864, and was heavily engaged in the many battles of Price’s Missouri Campaign in the Fall of 1864.The following notation appeared on the Field and Staff muster roll for the period ended February 29, 1864, stationed at Cut Off, Drew county, Arkansas:
The Crawford's 1st Arkansas Cavalry was involved in the following engagements:
- Red River CampaignRed River CampaignThe Red River Campaign or Red River Expedition consisted of a series of battles fought along the Red River in Louisiana during the American Civil War from March 10 to May 22, 1864. The campaign was a Union initiative, fought between approximately 30,000 Union troops under the command of Maj. Gen....
, Arkansas Mar-May, 1864 - Battle of Jenkins Ferry, Arkansas April 30, 1864
- Battle of Poison SpringBattle of Poison SpringThe Battle of Poison Spring was fought during the American Civil War on April 18, 1864, in Ouachita County, Arkansas as part of the Camden Expedition.-Opposing forces:Dwindling supplies for his army at Camden, Arkansas forced Union Army Maj. Gen...
, Arkansas, April 18, 1864 - Battle of Marks' MillsBattle of Marks' MillsThe Battle of Marks' Mills occurred on April 25, 1864, in Cleveland County, Arkansas as part of the Camden Expedition of the American Civil War. Confederate troops under Maj. Gen. James F. Fagan overwhelmed a small Union detachment commanded by Lt. Col. Francis M...
, Arkansas, April 25, 1864 - Price's Missouri Raid, Arkansas-Missouri-Kansas, September, 1864
- Battle of Marais des CygnesBattle of Marais des CygnesThe Battle of Marais des Cygnes took place on October 25, 1864, in Linn County, Kansas during Price's Missouri Raid in the American Civil War. It is also called the Battle of Osage, and the Battle of Trading Post...
, Linn County, KansasLinn County, KansasLinn County is a county located in East Central Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 9,656. Its county seat is Mound City, and its most populous city is Pleasanton...
, October 25, 1864
Surrender
Crawford’s Cavalry was included in the general surrender of the Trans-Mississippi Army on May 26, 1865.External Links
- Edward G. Gerdes Civil War Home Page
- The Encylopedia 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...