The 2nd Arkansas Consolidated Infantry (1864–1865) was a
Confederate Army
The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fi ...
infantry
Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...
regiment
A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation.
In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...
during the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
. The regiment is separate from and has no connection with the
2nd Arkansas Infantry Regiment which served in the Confederate
Army of Tennessee
The Army of Tennessee was a Field army, field army of the Confederate States Army in the Western theater of the American Civil War, Western Theater of the American Civil War. Named for the Confederate States of America, Confederate state of Tenn ...
and is also separate from the
2nd Regiment, Arkansas State Troops, which participated in the
Battle of Wilson's Creek
The Battle of Wilson's Creek, also known as the Battle of Oak Hills, was the first major battle of the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War. It was fought on August 10, 1861, near Springfield, Missouri.
In August, Confe ...
.
Organization
In September 1864, the remnants of several Arkansas Infantry Regiments in the Trans-Mississippi Department which had been captured at either the Siege of
Vicksburg or
Port Hudson and exchanged were consolidated. There is some evidence that this consolidation may have occurred as a field consolidation as early as May 1864.
The 2nd Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment was created by combining the following depleted units:
:*
12th Arkansas Infantry Regiment
:*
18th Arkansas Infantry Regiment
:*
23rd Arkansas Infantry Regiment
:*
8th Arkansas Infantry Battalion
:*
12th Arkansas Infantry Battalion
Col. Thomas J. Reid, Jr. was selected to command the new consolidate regiment.
Final year of service
On September 30, 1864 the 2nd Arkansas Consolidated Infantry was assigned to Brigadier General Evander McNair's 2nd (Arkansas) Brigade, Acting Major General
Thomas J. Churchill’s 1st (Arkansas) Division, Major General
John B. Magruder’s Second Army Corps, Army of the Trans-Mississippi and remained in that assignment through December 31, 1864. On 17 November 1864, a union spy reported that the McNair's Brigade and Churhill's Division was in the vicinity of Camden, in Ouachita County, Arkansas. On 31 December 1864, General Kirby Smith's report on the organization of his forces lists the regiment, under the command of Colonel Thomas J. Ried, Jr. as still belonging to Brigadier General Evander McNair's, 2nd Brigade of Acting Major General Thomas J. Churchill's 1st Arkansas Infantry Division of Major General John B. Magruder's 2nd Army Corps, Confederate
Army of the Trans-Mississippi.
On 22 January 1865, Major General Churchill was ordered to move his division to Minden, Louisiana, and occupy winter quarters.
[United States. War Dept. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 48, In Two Parts. Part 1, Reports, Correspondence, etc., Book, 1896; (http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth139842/ : accessed January 08, 2016), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, http://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department, Denton, Texas.] On 23 January 1865, Major General Churchill sent a dispatch to Colonel Hawthorn at Dooley's Ferry and directed his movement to Minden, Louisiana.
Union commanders in the Department of the Gulf reported on March 20, 1865 that General McNair's brigade was composed of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Consolidated Regiments, Commanded by Colonels Cravens, Ried, and Williams respectively and that the regiments were made up of paroled prisoners from Vicksburg and Port Hudson. The report provided their location as Minden, Louisiana, with the rest of Churchill's Division. In early April 1865, the division concentrated near Shreveport, Louisiana, and then moved to Marshall, Texas by mid April 1865.
[Price, Jeffery R. "A Courage And Desperation Rarely Equaled: The 36th Arkansas Infantry Regiment (Confederate States Army), 26 June 1862--25 May 1865". MA thesis, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, 2003, Page 36]
Surrender
This regiment was surrendered with the Department of the Trans-Mississippi, General Kirby Smith commanding, May 26, 1865.
See also
*
List of Arkansas Civil War Confederate units
This is a list of Arkansas Civil War Confederate Units, or military units from the state of Arkansas which fought for the Confederacy in the American Civil War. The list of Union units is shown separately.
Like most states, Arkansas possess ...
*
Lists of American Civil War Regiments by State
This is a list of American Civil War units, consisting of those established as federally organized units as well as units raised by individual states and territories. Many states had soldiers and units fighting for both the United States ( Union Ar ...
*
Confederate Units by State
*
Arkansas in the American Civil War
During the American Civil War, Arkansas was a Confederate state, though it had initially voted to remain in the Union. Following the capture of Fort Sumter in April 1861, Abraham Lincoln called for troops from every Union state to put dow ...
*
Arkansas Militia in the Civil War
References
External links
Edward G. Gerdes Civil War Home PageThe Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture*
ttps://web.archive.org/web/20110718122909/http://arkansascivilwar.com/ The Arkansas History Commission, State Archives, Civil War in Arkansas*
{{American Civil War, expanded=CTCBS
Units and formations of the Confederate States Army from Arkansas
1865 disestablishments in Arkansas
Military units and formations disestablished in 1865
Military units and formations in Arkansas
Military in Arkansas
1864 establishments in Arkansas
Military units and formations established in 1864