2nd Arkansas Light Artillery
Encyclopedia
2nd Arkansas Light Artillery, also referred to as the Clark County Artillery (1861–1865) was a Confederate Army artillery battery
during the American Civil War
.
in May, 1861, immediately following the outbreak of the war. Organized by a local watch maker and first commander of the unit, Captain Franklin Roberts, the battery was made up mostly of Clark County
men, and was initially sent to the depot at Pitman's Ferry, near Pocahontas, Arkansas
. Though he expected immediate deployment to operations in Kentucky
, the depots commander, Colonel
Solon Borland
, placed a hold on this artillery battery, opting to instead keep them at the depot in defense of a possible Union
attack. It remained in this duty for two months, then was sent for service in Mississippi
. The battery received little to no formal military training, learning about military movements, operations and strategy almost entirely through trial and error.
and was attached to Lieutenant General
Nathan Bedford Forrest
, so that it could support Forrest's fast moving cavalry
. To support Forrest's rapid fluid movements, the battery generally operated in three widely separated cannon
sections, which enabled their effective support of the cavalry, but left them in a dangerous position and exposed to attack if the cavalry moved too far from the battery. They operated in this capacity from late 1861, seeing action during the Battle of Fort Donelson
and the Battle of Shiloh
, in addition to smaller actions.
During a minor action near Shelbyville, Tennessee
, on June 27, 1863, a section of the battery commanded by Captain Jannedens H. Wiggins were cut off from the main force, and left vulnerable to attacking Union forces. The battery was overtaken, resulting in the capture of their artillery and thirty soldiers. Twenty nine of those would remain prisoners of war
until well into the summer of 1865, after the wars end, before being released in a general parole. However, Captain Wiggins was sent to an officers' prison, and was released during a prisoner exchange in early summer, 1865, before the war ended. Thus, he was able to return to duty for the unit's last action.
The artillery battery was augmented with replacements twice during the war, to replace casualties suffered. In late 1862 they received a number of replacements from the 1st Alabama Cavalry. In April, 1865, Captain Wiggins, recently released from his prisoner of war status, reunited with his battery, which was by this time attached to the 14th Georgia Artillery Battalion in North Carolina
.
, the battery was forced to surrender after being overran following the collapse of the Confederate infantry to whom they were in support. Of the just over 160 men that had served in the battery from the beginning of the war, only 11 remained at the time of their surrender.
Artillery battery
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
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...
.
Formation
The battery was recruited and organized in Arkadelphia, ArkansasArkadelphia, Arkansas
Arkadelphia is a city in Clark County, Arkansas, United States. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city was 10,548. The city is the county seat of Clark County. The city is situated at the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains. Two universities, Henderson State...
in May, 1861, immediately following the outbreak of the war. Organized by a local watch maker and first commander of the unit, Captain Franklin Roberts, the battery was made up mostly of Clark County
Clark County, Arkansas
Clark County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of 2010, the population was 22,995. The county seat is Arkadelphia.The Arkadelphia Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Clark County.-Geography:...
men, and was initially sent to the depot at Pitman's Ferry, near Pocahontas, Arkansas
Pocahontas, Arkansas
Pocahontas is a city in Randolph County, Arkansas, United States, along the Black River. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, its population of the city is 6,765. The city is the county seat of Randolph County....
. Though he expected immediate deployment to operations in Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, the depots commander, 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...
Solon Borland
Solon Borland
Solon Borland was a newspaperman, soldier, diplomat, Democratic United States Senator from the State of Arkansas and a Confederate officer during the American Civil War.-Early life:...
, placed a hold on this artillery battery, opting to instead keep them at the depot in defense of a possible Union
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
attack. It remained in this duty for two months, then was sent for service in Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
. The battery received little to no formal military training, learning about military movements, operations and strategy almost entirely through trial and error.
Army of Tennessee
Equipped as a "horse artillery", the battery was fully mounted, making it extremely mobile and capable of fast movements during battle actions. For this reason, the battery became a part of the Army of TennesseeArmy 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...
and was attached to Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Nathan Bedford Forrest
Nathan Bedford Forrest
Nathan Bedford Forrest was a lieutenant general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. He is remembered both as a self-educated, innovative cavalry leader during the war and as a leading southern advocate in the postwar years...
, so that it could support Forrest's fast moving cavalry
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...
. To support Forrest's rapid fluid movements, the battery generally operated in three widely separated cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
sections, which enabled their effective support of the cavalry, but left them in a dangerous position and exposed to attack if the cavalry moved too far from the battery. They operated in this capacity from late 1861, seeing action during the Battle of Fort Donelson
Battle of Fort Donelson
The Battle of Fort Donelson was fought from February 11 to February 16, 1862, in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. The capture of the fort by Union forces opened the Cumberland River as an avenue for the invasion of the South. The success elevated Brig. Gen. Ulysses S...
and the Battle of Shiloh
Battle of Shiloh
The Battle of Shiloh, also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, was a major battle in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, fought April 6–7, 1862, in southwestern Tennessee. A Union army under Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant had moved via the Tennessee River deep into Tennessee and...
, in addition to smaller actions.
During a minor action near Shelbyville, Tennessee
Shelbyville, Tennessee
Shelbyville is a city in Bedford County, Tennessee, United States. It had a local population of 16,105 residents at the 2000 census. Shelbyville, the county seat of Bedford County, was laid out in 1810 and incorporated in 1819...
, on June 27, 1863, a section of the battery commanded by Captain Jannedens H. Wiggins were cut off from the main force, and left vulnerable to attacking Union forces. The battery was overtaken, resulting in the capture of their artillery and thirty soldiers. Twenty nine of those would remain prisoners of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
until well into the summer of 1865, after the wars end, before being released in a general parole. However, Captain Wiggins was sent to an officers' prison, and was released during a prisoner exchange in early summer, 1865, before the war ended. Thus, he was able to return to duty for the unit's last action.
The artillery battery was augmented with replacements twice during the war, to replace casualties suffered. In late 1862 they received a number of replacements from the 1st Alabama Cavalry. In April, 1865, Captain Wiggins, recently released from his prisoner of war status, reunited with his battery, which was by this time attached to the 14th Georgia Artillery Battalion in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
.
Surrender
On April 19, 1865, during a minor combat action near Newton, North CarolinaNewton, North Carolina
Newton is a city located in Catawba County, North Carolina. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 12,560. It is the county seat of Catawba County.Newton is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, the battery was forced to surrender after being overran following the collapse of the Confederate infantry to whom they were in support. Of the just over 160 men that had served in the battery from the beginning of the war, only 11 remained at the time of their surrender.
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
- Confederate Arkansas Regiments
- 2nd Arkansas Light Artillery
- Wiggins Battery, Arkansas Horse Artillery, Civil War Reenactors
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...