USA > Arkansas > A pictorial history of Arkansas, from earliest times to the year 1890. A full and complete account, embracing the Indian tribes occupying the country; the early French and Spanish explorers and governors; the colonial period; the Louisiana purchase; the periods of the territory, the state, the civil war, and the subsequent period. Also, an extended history of each county in the order of formation, and of the principal cities and towns; together with biographical notices of distinguished and prominent citizens > Part 37
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90
In Virginia great events were transpiring. The Army of the Potomac becoming greatly disheartened by the defeat at Fredericksburg, General Burnside was removed and General Joseph Hooker placed in command, January 27th, 1863. By spring, Hooker had brought his army to a splendid state of efficiency, numbering 120,000 men, with 400 pieces of ar- artillery. General Lee had passed the winter back of Fred- ericksburg, and by the removal of Longstreet to North Caro- lina, with 24,000 men, his army had been reduced to 50,000. In this weakened condition Hooker determined to attack him. Accordingly, dividing his army into two columns, he took po- sition himself at Chancellorsville with 80,000 men, while General Sedgwick, with 40,000, crossed the river below Fredericksburg to attack the rear, hoping that, between these two, Lee's Army would be crushed. But by adroit move- ments Lee baffled the intended circumvallation, and, instead, inflicted a crushing defeat-first upon Hooker, at Chancellors- ville, May 2d, and upon Sedgwick, at Salem Heights, May 4th, and so put an end to Hooker's projected campaign.
The victory at Chancellorsville, however, had one disas- trous offset for the Confederates. General Stonewall Jackson, their idol, and one of the ablest leaders, was wounded by the fire of his own men, on the night of May 2d, and died in Richmond, May roth, at the age of 39 years.
The prestige of these victories greatly raised the strength of Lee's Army. Longstreet was recalled from North Carolina, and was made second in command. Lee now had 80,000
512
HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
men and 200 cannon, and with these he projected an advance into Pennsylvania. Accordingly, he crossed the Potomac early in June, and marched northward, Hooker falling back before him. The Third Arkansas Regiment was in. Lee's Army in this movement. It was in the Third Brigade, com- manded by General J. B. Robertson, with the First, Fourth and Fifth Texas Regiments, in Hood's Division, of Long- street's Corps.
As Lee advanced, great alarm and excitement pervaded the North. President Lincoln issued a call for 100,000 fresh troops. An immense army, numbering 110,000 men, with 350 pieces of artillery, was gathered to oppose him. After some weeks of uneventful proceedings, the two armies en- countered each other at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Here, on the Ist, 2d and 3d days of July, was fought the greatest bat- tle of the war, and one which did more than any single battle to accomplish the overthrow of the Confederacy.
It had not been designed that a battle should occur at the place, but the engagement was rather the result of the acci- dental meeting of the two armies there. A few days before the action took place, Hooker had been relieved of command, and General George G. Meade was assigned in his stead. The Federal Army occupied a position of extraordinary strength along the crest of a line of hills, called Cemetery Ridge, which they additionally fortified; their line of battle extending, in a crescent shape, a distance of three miles, and fairly bristling with artillery. During the first and second days the advantage was with the Confederates, but on the third day they were signally defeated-the first defeat which Lee's Army had ever sustained.
One of the chief incidents of the battle was the charge against the Federal line, made during the third day, by General George G. Pickett, at the head of a force of about 5,000 infantry, one of the grandest incidents in the entire history of the war. The charge was made over a wide expanse of open country,
513
THE YEAR 1863.
subjected to a murderous fire from musketry and artillery. It reached and pierced the Federal line, but the noble division which made it was annihilated in doing so ; the charge failed, and the battle was lost; and from that moment the cause of the Confederacy became hopeless.
The position held by the Third Arkansas in this engage- ment was on the right of the Confederate line, opposite Sickles' Corps. General Robertson, their Brigade Com- mander, being wounded, their brigade was commanded by General E. M. Law, the Senior Brigadier. They were put into action on the second day, in a charge made by Longstreet on Sickles' line. They went into the gap between Sickles and Little Round Top, and gaining Sickles' rear helped to drive his men in disorder, first from the peach-orchard and then from the wheat-field beyond. They also took part in Longstreet's subsequent attacks on the Federal lines on Ceme- tery Ridge. They lost a number of men, both at the peach- orchard and in the wheat-field. Among the wounded was David E. Barker, of Monticello, of Company "C." He was shot in the leg and disabled for many months, but recov- ered. He was President of the Senate in the Arkansas Leg- islature 1887-1889.
The respective losses of the two armies is stated to have been : Federal, 3,072 killed, 14,497 wounded, 5,432 miss- ing; Confederate, 2,592 killed, 12,709 wounded, 5,150 missing. After the battle Lee withdrew, July 4th, to Hagerstown and the Potomac, where he remained, unmolested by Meade's Army, until July 14th. At this date he crossed the Potomac back into Virginia. . Although many wounded were necessarily left behind and at farm-houses on the route, yet the wagon train that bore them away, with its accom- panying baggage train, and cavalry and artillery to guard it, covered a distance of seventeen miles.
On returning to Virginia, Lee fell back leisurely to Win- chester, and Meade following took position at Culpepper 33
514
HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
Court-house ; but there was no farther great conflict between them during the year.
The particular period at which the battle of Gettysburg occurred, was one of great disaster to the Confederates. On July 4th, the day when Lee began his retreat, Vicksburg surrendered to General Grant. It had stood a siege of forty- six days, and had been the center of military operations a much longer time. It was defended by General John C. Pemberton, with a force, including troops in the vicinity, numbering 30,000 ; was strongly fortified, and was supplied with about 200 cannon. General Grant had moved against the place early in the year, in connection with his gun-boats, having a force of about 150,000 men. After extensive oper- ations outside of the place, Pemberton withdrew into the
trenches, and the place was invested May 18th. From that time until its surrender, it was subjected to an almost con- stant bombardment from the land batteries, and from gun- boat and mortar fleet, to which the Confederate batteries replied with equal persistence. During the siege the place was several times assaulted, but the attacks were each time repulsed. Finally, all food being exhausted, starvation com- pelled the garrison to surrender. The men were paroled until exchanged, and the officers were sent to prison.
Among the garrison participating in the defense, were some remnants of Cabell's old brigade, the Seventeenth and Twenty-first Arkansas Regiments consolidated, under the com- mand of Colonel Jordan E. Cravens; McRae's old battalion, commanded by Colonel J. M. Hobbs, and called Hobb's Ar- kansas Infantry, and the Twentieth Arkansas, commanded by Colonel Dan. W. Jones. There was also a battery of heavy guns commanded by Major F. W. Hoadley, with Lieutenant John B. Baggett, from Company "B," of the original Fourth Ar- kansas Battalion, but now in artillery service. While working his guns, Major Hoadley was killed by a shell from the Federal
515
THE YEAR 1863.
ยท batteries. It exploded in the air just above his head, and a fragment struck him full in the breast, killing him instantly.
After the fall of Vicksburg, General Joe Johnston, who had been sent to its relief, fell back and entrenched himself at Jackson, hoping to repel the Federal advance. On the 10th they approached, and from that time until the 16th there was. continual skirmishing. Johnston then withdrew first to Bran- don, then to Morton, on the Southern Railroad. There were a number of Arkansas troops engaged in these movements. The Fourth Regiment lost 4 killed and Io wounded. The killed were: Second Lieutenant J. R. Switzer, of Company "F;" John H. Morris, of Company "E;" James W. Wade, of Company "K," and D. R. East, of Company "B."
A farther disaster to the Confederates at this date was in an attack made by them on the Federal forces at Helena, Ar- kansas, July 4th. The place was garrisoned by General Curtis, and was strongly fortified. General Theophilas H. Holmes, the Confederate Commander, conceived the idea of attacking it, and put his army in motion from their camp near Little Rock for the purpose.
The following troops composed the expedition :
McRae's Brigade .- Thirty-Second Arkansas, Colonel J. E. Glenn ; Thirty-Sixth Arkansas, Colonel Lucien C. Gause ; Thirty-Ninth Arkansas, Colonel R. A. Hart; and Captain John G. Marshall's Battery.
Fagan's Brigade .- Thirty-Fourth Arkansas, Colonel W. H. Brooks ; Arkansas, Colonel A. T. Hawthorn ; Twenty-Ninth Arkansas, Colonel Sam. S. Bell; Twenty-Sec- ond Arkansas; Colonel John P. King; and Blocher's and Etter's Batteries of Artillery.
Parson's Brigade .- Four regiments of Missourians, with L. A. Pindall's Battalion, and Tilden's Battery.
Walker's Division .- Fifth Arkansas Cavalry, Colonel Robert C. Newton ; Dobbin's Cavalry, Colonel Archibald Dobbins.
516
HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
Marmaduke's Division .- Green's Brigade. Two regi- ments of Missouri Cavalry and one Battalion.
Shelby's Brigade .- Two regiments of cavalry and one of infantry-Missourians-with Bledsoe's Battery.
Total force, 7,640 men.
After a laborious and toilsome march across the country, General Holmes appeared before the place late on the 3d, and the next morning the attack was made. Blochers' Bat- tery, one section of which was commanded by Captain J. V. Zimmerman, engaged the Federals at the lower part of their defenses, at a place called Fort Curtis, where they were sub- jected to a tremendous fire, as also from the heavy guns of the gun-boats in the river. The troops of General Price coming up at this point, were subjected to the same galling fire, and were compelled to retire with considerable loss. The main attack was made against the line of breastworks farther to the North. In order to reach them, it was neces- sary for the men to crawl through abatis work more than half a mile, subjected to a destructive fire from volleys of musketry and from individual sharpshooters. They suffered heavily, and lost many men, but gallantly and resolutely pushed on past the abatis, and made a grand rush for the breastworks. Sweeping like an avalanche up to the hill tops, and over the line of works, they poured a destructive fire on the broken ranks of the Federals, who fled before them.
But though a lodgment had thus been made in the works, it was impossible to hold it. The Federal line re-formed and came back with a determined effort, driving out the Confed- erates, and re-taking the works they had lost. In the retreat through the abatis, followed by the rapid fire of the now triumphant Federals, the Confederates lost heavily, and find- ing the point too strong for assault, desisted from further attack. The engagement, which had begun about seven in the morning, had closed by noon, and in the afternoon the
1
THE YEAR 1863.
517
. Confederate force withdrew to Searcy, where they established camp.
Of General Dandridge McRae's Brigade three regiments, Glenn's, Gause's and Hart's, took part in the engagement, and suffered a loss of over 400 in killed, wounded and miss- ing. The brigade, in making its attack, when reaching the distance of 150 yards from the fortification, was enfiladed by- both musketry and artillery on each flank, which, together with the fire in front, inflicted on them the terrible loss they met. Their attack was made at the point called Graveyard Hill, and in the progress of it Colonel Hart was killed at the head of his command. Lieutenant William F. Rector, Ad- jutant of the regiment, son of Governor Henry M. Rector, was killed while mounting the breastworks, waving his cap and cheering his men. Major J. C. Martin, of Hart's Regi- ment, Major A. F. Stephenson, of Gause's Regiment, were wounded. Captains Thomas A. Eppes, of Gause's Regi- ment, and J. C. Garland, of Glenn's, were killed.
Fagan's Brigade sustained heavy losses, and did hard fighting from daylight till about eleven o'clock in the day, when they were ordered by General Holmes to retire. They pushed their way through the fallen timber and through ravines, and attacked the works, driving the Federals from first one line of rifle pits to another, until they took refuge in the fort on Hindman's Hill. The fire from this fort, which was not more than 100 or 150 yards away, was most de- structive, and thinned the Confederate ranks every moment. The day was extremely hot and sultry; the men were ex- hausted, and after making unsuccessful efforts to storm the fort, were withdrawn from the field.
518
HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
The following is a list of casualties among the Arkansas troops engaged :
KILLED.
WOUNDED. MISSING.
COMMAND.
OFFICERS.
ENLISTED
MEN.
OFFICERS.
ENLISTED
MEN.
OFFICERS.
ENLISTED
MEN.
-
-
PRICE'S DIVISION. MCRAE'S BRIGADE. Thirty-Second Arkansas.
5
12
7
39
1
25
89
Thirty-Sixth Arkansas.
2
19
7
63
4
64 159
Thirty-Ninth Arkansas. Marshall's Battery.
1
7
S 1
38 5
5
31
93
Total.
8
38
23
145
10
123 347
FAGAN'S BRIGADE.
Brooks' Regiment.
1
1
2
15
3
50
6 61 137
Hawthorn's Regiment. Bell's Regiment. King's Regiment.
14
1
16
24 167 222
16
6
38
15
75
Total.
2
45
10
105
30
243
435
WALKER'S DIVISION. Fifth Arkansas Cavalry .* Dobbins' Regiment.
4
8
12
Grand Total.
10 142
33 258
40 366 794
AGGREGATE.
OFFICERS KILLED.
Captain J. R. Morris, Lieu- tenants R. B. Camp, Thos. A. Eppes, R. F. Mckinney and W. T. Tompkins. Captain J. C. Garland and Lieutenant J. R. Harlan. . Lieutenant W. F. Rector. 6
(*) List of casualties not given.
Shortly after the fall of Vicksburg, also occurred the sur- render of Port Hudson. This was a strongly fortified point on the river, forty miles below Vicksburg, and was being held as an outpost to Vicksburg, to keep in check advances against that place. It had been put in a state of defense in 1862 by General William N. R. Beall, an officer of great engineering skill and ability, and so well were the works constructed that they stood successfully a longer siege even than Vicksburg. The fortifications consisted of a formidable line of earth- works, extending in the arc of a circle a distance of five miles with a river front of about one mile, the whole encircling a little town called Port Hudson. The place was garrisoned by about 5,000 men, mostly Arkansians, who were at first under command of General Beall, but shortly before the siege began,
519
THE YEAR 1863.
General Frank Gardner was placed in command, General Beall commanding a brigade under him.
The following Arkansas troops were part of the garrison : Ninth Arkansas, Colonel Isaac L. Dunlap; Tenth Arkansas, Colonel A. R. Witt; part of the Eleventh, Colonel Logan ; the Twelfth, Colonel T. J. Reid ; Fifteenth, Colonel Ben. W. Johnson; Sixteenth, Colonel Provence ; Seventeenth, Colonel John Griffith; Eighteenth, commanded by Lieutenant-Col- onel W. N. Parrish ; Twenty-third, Colonel O. P. Lyles, and Jones' Battalion, Lieutenant-Colonel Batt. Jones. Parts of the Eleventh, Colonel Logan, and Fourteenth, Colonel Powers, were operating as cavalry before the siege began, mainly to arrest the progress of Grierson's Raiders, and after the investiture of the place, they being outside, made their way to the Trans-Mississippi Department, and escaped the siege. General Albert Rust was also in command of a brigade, but before the siege he was transferred to the Trans-Mississippi Department. The remainder of the garrison consisted of Louisiana troops.
Early in March, 1863, it was known that the Federal forces, under General Nathaniel P. Banks, numbering from 20,000 to 30,000 men, were advancing. On the 14th of March, Rust's Brigade, which was operating outside the fort, felt the advance of the Federals and tried to draw them on. At the same date Commodore Farragut, with the gun-boat fleet, made an attempt to run past the batteries at night. Four gun-boats were selected for the effort: the flagship "Hartford," with the "Kineo" lashed to her as a consort, the "Richmond" and the "Mississippi" steamed out for the run. The "Kineo" was lashed to the "Hartford" in such a way as to form a shield or protection to her from the batteries, and they alone made the run successfully, and passed on up the river. The "Richmond" was disabled, and the "Mis- sissippi" was blown up. No second attempt of the kind was ever made.
-
520
HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
After this all remained quiet in camp until May 8th, when, in the afternoon of that day, the mortar-boats opened fire for the purpose of taking their range. On the 20th of May, the first fight between the land forces took place. The Confed- erates were holding a small fort on Thompson's Creek, called Fort Cotton, seven miles out, when they met the advance of General Augur's forces. The Confederate force consisted of parts of two regiments-the Tenth and Seventeenth. The Federals came upon them in great numbers, and fired several volleys, wounding a few men. They made prisoner of Colonel Witt, of the Tenth; Captain George A. Merrick then took command. The force of the Tenth at the place was four companies. After exchanging several volleys, the Confed- erates retreated to the fortifications.
From Fort Cotton there was quite a stretch of open space lying down hill, before reaching the woods. While passing over this space on their retreat under the rapid fire of the large Federal force engaging them, the Confederate loss was considerable. On the next day, Thursday, May 21st, Gen- eral Banks made assault on the works in force, but it was easily repulsed, and with considerable loss to him. Following this attack, and on the same day, the place was closely in- vested and the siege began. The firing by the mortar and gun-boat fleet was incessant, and from the land batteries was at all times constant, and in times of attacks was furious and unintermitted. In order to break down the endurance of the garrison by preventing them from sleeping, the mortar-boats threw two shells every half hour during the day, and two every fifteen minutes in the night, every day of the time that the siege lasted. For a while this, with the unlimited mus- ketry fire and the constant roar of the land batteries, did in fact prevent any sleeping among the besieged, until from utter exhaustion men would fall asleep standing up. By and by they learned the device of sleeping and watching in pairs. The shells could be easily dodged either day or night when
521
THE YEAR 1863.
seen to be coming, and the plan was for one man to lie down and sleep while his comrade watched. When the shell was seen rising in the air, the sleeper would be awakened, and after dodging the missive would lie down to sleep again. In this way a half hour's uninterrupted sleep could be had by day, and a quarter hour by night, which being repeated for some hours, a man would get enough sleep to enable him to en- * dure. He would then take turn to watch, while his com- rade slept in the same way.
Several times during the siege direct assault was made on the works, which was each time repulsed. The country for a long distance about the works, in all directions, was an open country, only obstructed by large quanties of abattis work, which the Confederates had placed for additional defense, thus rendering it susceptible of being swept a great distance by the fire of artillery and small arms. The most consider- able of these attempts was on the 14th of June, when General Banks made the heaviest and hottest fight of the siege, in which his men were beaten off with frightful carnage. They came right up to the ditch on the outside of the works, and many leaped into the ditch and were made prisoners, while both in advance and retreat over the wide open plain they were fearfully cut down by the terrible fire from the Confed- erates, protected by their works.
One of the most gallant acts of this occasion was the charge made by a regiment of New York Zouaves, attired in the showy uniforms of red, baggy trousers, tight, blue jackets, red fez caps and white leggins. They came up first at a quick step and then at a double quick, a distance of 600 yards, bringing with them fascines, or scaling ladders, to leap the ditch and scale the parapet. Their conspicuous dress made them such a target for the aim of the riflemen, that although they started a full regiment, so many had been cut down on the plain, that only 75 and one officer, a lieutenant, reached the works, and they were made prisoners. On reaching the
522
HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
ditch, which was about 12 feet wide and 10 feet deep, finding they were unable to cross, and that to go back would be cer- tain death, they called out to surrender. The Confederates inside the works directed them to jump into the ditch, and re- main there until night, and not to attempt at that time to come inside the works, as they were likely to be shot by their own men in doing so. Obeying the directions, they leaped into the ditch, and at night were taken into the works, where they were held as prisoners, and employed to nurse the sick, and perform like offices, until the place surrendered.
A part of Bank's Army, in these movements, consisted of colored troops. In this particular assault they experienced tremendous loss, from becoming entangled in the abattis, where they were a plain mark for the sharpshooters, and were stricken down in great numbers.
The greatest loss the Confederates experienced during the siege was from sharpshooting. The Federal sharpshooters were remarkably accurate in their aim, until it became dan- gerous to expose any portion of the body above the works. It became a frequent ruse with the besieged to draw the fire of their assailants by putting a cap on the end of a stick or bayonet, and elevating it above the top of the works, when instantly it would be made the target for every rifle in reach, and swarms of bullets would whistle and sing about it. Then before time for reloading the men in the works would deliver their fire in return in comparative safety.
To supply themselves with water, the Confederates resorted to a small spring in the rear of their lines. Becoming apprised of this, Federal sharpshooters covered the point, and in one fore- noon six men were killed. After that the spring was only visited at night, until a trench was dug leading to it, in which a man could proceed in safety. Following one of Banks' as- saults, the wounded lay thick close to the works, and, in the extreme heat of the season, were moaning pitiously for water. Actuated by the ordinary principles of humanity, a Confed-
523
THE YEAR 1863.
erate came out of a rifle-pit and carried a canteen of water to a wounded Federal. As he did so, he was shot by a Fed- eral sharpshooter. After this no one would go on a similar errand, but oftentimes a canteen filled with water would be thrown from the works, to fall within reach of the wounded. Yet sometimes from most dangerous situations men escaped unhurt. One day Thomas Pankey, of Company "G," Tenth Arkansas, lay down and fell asleep. In a few moments a shell falling burrowed in the earth beneath him, and explod- ing, hurled the man a distance of over forty feet. He made a circuit in the air, and fell outside of the works. Instantly John Pankey, his brother, with Sergeant Blassingame, of the same company, leaped over the works, recovered the body, and got back safely with it. Thomas Pankey, although frightfully mangled, lived until next day.
Casualties among men and officers were frequent. Lieu- tenant Seay, of Company "H," of the Tenth, was wounded in the leg, and died from exhaustion. Lieutenant Burnett, of Company "G," same regiment, was so severely wounded in the foot as to render amputation necessary. Lieutenant Dun- can was struck in the forehead by a fragment of a shell, making a large hole in his head, from which a considerable portion of the brain was taken, but he survived. Lieutenant- Colonel E. C. Jordan, of the Twelfth Arkansas, was killed by a fragment of a shell. Lieutenant Hemmingway, Adju- tant, and Captain Johnson, of the same regiment, and Lieu- tenant-Colonel Pixley, of the Sixteenth Arkansas, were killed.
By the middle of June provisions had begun to grow scarce. There had been at first cattle and sheep for subsistance, but these had now been consumed. A mill in the back part of the defended territory, but in plain view of the Federal lines, supplied meal and flour for bread, and there was a quantity of corn and wheat stored in it. The Federal batteries made persistent efforts to destroy the mill, but without success. A colonel of artillery offered ten dollars to any gunner who
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.