1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment (Trans-Mississippi)
Encyclopedia
The 1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry (Trans-Mississippi) (1864–1865) 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 from the 1st Regiment, Arkansas State Troops, which became the 15th (Josey's) Arkansas Infantry Regiment and Fagan's 1st Arkansas Infantry Regiment, which was formed in 1861 and served in the Army of Tennessee
.
Col. Jordan E. Cravens
was selected to command the new consolidate regiment. All of these regiments, had been captured at the either the Siege of Vicksburg or Port Hudson and exchanged back in Arkansas.
The consolidated regiment was assigned along with the 2nd Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment
and 3rd 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. Because of the lack of subsistence or forage in our devastated State, all of the infantry brigades were moved to camps around Marshall, Texas, where they remained inactive for the rest of the war.
, to be paroled. None of them did so. Some soldiers went to Shreveport on their own to be paroled, but the regiments simply disbanded without formally surrendering. A company or two managed to keep together until they got home. For example, Company G, 35th Arkansas Infantry Regiment
, traveled back to Van Buren, Arkansas
where they surrendered to the U.S. post commander in a formal ceremony, drawn up in front of the court-house, laying down their weapons, etc. But for the most part, the men simply went home. Many of the Arkansas Cavalry units, which had largely been furloughed for the winter of 1864-1865 following Price's disastrous Missouri Expedition
did formally surrendered at Jacksonport, Wittsburg, and a few other locations.
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...
. 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 from the 1st Regiment, Arkansas State Troops, which became the 15th (Josey's) Arkansas Infantry Regiment and Fagan's 1st Arkansas Infantry Regiment, which was formed in 1861 and served in 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...
.
Organization
In September 1864, the remnants of several Arkansas Infantry Regiments in the Trans-Mississippi Department were consolidated. There is some evidence that this consolidation may have occurred as a field consolidation as early as May 1864. The 1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment (Trans-Mississippi) was created by combining the following depleted regiments:- 14th Arkansas Infantry Regiment (Powers')14th Arkansas Infantry Regiment (Powers')The 14th Arkansas Infantry was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War. Two Arkansas units received the designation 14th. The other 14th Arkansas Infantry Regiment was commanded by Colonel James H...
, - 15th (Northwest) Arkansas Infantry Regiment15th (Northwest) Arkansas Infantry RegimentThe 15th Arkansas Infantry Regiment was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War. The unit was originally formed as the 3rd Arkansas Infantry Battalion. After receiving the required 10 companies, the unit was redesignated as the 21st Arkansas Infantry Regiment...
, - 16th Arkansas Infantry Regiment16th Arkansas Infantry RegimentThe 16th Arkansas Infantry was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War.-Organization:The Sixteenth Arkansas regiment was organized in November 1861, near the present town of Rogers, Benton county. The regimental officers at organization were as follows:* Colonel John F....
, and the - 21st Arkansas Infantry Regiment21st Arkansas Infantry RegimentThe 21st Arkansas Infantry was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War.-Organization:21st Infantry Regiment was organized on May 15, 1862 by consolidating four companies of McCarver's 14th and six companies of Lemoyne's 17th Arkansas Regiments, to form the 21st ...
Col. Jordan E. Cravens
Jordan E. Cravens
Jordan Edgar Cravens was a U.S. Representative from Arkansas, cousin of William Ben Cravens.-Biography:Born in Fredericktown, Missouri, Cravens moved with his father to Arkansas the following year....
was selected to command the new consolidate regiment. All of these regiments, had been captured at the either the Siege of Vicksburg or Port Hudson and exchanged back in Arkansas.
The consolidated regiment was assigned along with the 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...
and 3rd Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment
3rd 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,...
s to the 2nd (McNair’s) Arkansas Brigade, 1st (Churchill’s) Arkansas Division, 2nd Corps, Trans-Mississippi Department, from September 1864 to May 1865. Because of the lack of subsistence or forage in our devastated State, all of the infantry brigades were moved to camps around Marshall, Texas, where they remained inactive for the rest of the war.
Surrender
This regiment surrendered with the Department of the Trans-Mississippi, General E. Kirby Smith commanding, May 26, 1865. When the Trans-Mississippi Department surrendered, all of the Arkansas infantry regiments were encamped in and around Marshall, Texas (war-ravaged Arkansas no longer able to subsist the army). The regiments were ordered to report to Shreveport, LouisianaShreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
, to be paroled. None of them did so. Some soldiers went to Shreveport on their own to be paroled, but the regiments simply disbanded without formally surrendering. A company or two managed to keep together until they got home. For example, Company G, 35th Arkansas Infantry Regiment
35th Arkansas Infantry Regiment
-External links:* * * *...
, traveled back to Van Buren, Arkansas
Van Buren, Arkansas
Van Buren is the second largest city in the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area and the county seat of Crawford County, Arkansas, United States. The city is located directly northeast of Fort Smith at the Interstate 40 - Interstate 540 junction...
where they surrendered to the U.S. post commander in a formal ceremony, drawn up in front of the court-house, laying down their weapons, etc. But for the most part, the men simply went home. Many of the Arkansas Cavalry units, which had largely been furloughed for the winter of 1864-1865 following Price's disastrous Missouri Expedition
Price's Raid
Price's Missouri Expedition, also known as Price's Raid, was an 1864 Confederate cavalry raid through the states of Missouri and Kansas during the American Civil War. While Confederate Major General Sterling Price enjoyed some successes during this campaign, he was decisively beaten at the Battle...
did formally surrendered at Jacksonport, Wittsburg, and a few other locations.
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...