The 3d Arkansas Cavalry Regiment (1861–1865) 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 ...

Cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from ''cheval'' meaning "horse") are groups of soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Until the 20th century, cavalry were the most mob ...

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 ...

. At the outbreak of hostilities between the north and south, Arkansas began raising troops to serve in the Confederate Army. The state raised some 48

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 ...

regiments, along with several cavalry regiments and

artillery batteries In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit or multiple systems of artillery, mortar systems, rocket artillery, multiple rocket launchers, surface-to-surface missiles, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, etc., so grouped to fac ...

. The 3rd Arkansas Cavalry was first organized in

Little Rock, Arkansas Little Rock is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Arkansas, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The city's population was 202,591 as of the 2020 census. The six-county Central Arkan ...

on June 10, 1861, by former

senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...

and soldier Solon Borland. Borland, who was at the time serving as a state

militia A militia ( ) is a military or paramilitary force that comprises civilian members, as opposed to a professional standing army of regular, full-time military personnel. Militias may be raised in times of need to support regular troops or se ...

commander for Northern Arkansas, was initially named a

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

of the regiment. However, that post was "elected" by the members of the regiment, and Borland was not reelected in May 1861. On July 27, 1861, the regiment was mustered into the Confederate Army for one years service which they later extended, and sent to

Corinth, Mississippi Corinth is a city in and the county seat of Alcorn County, Mississippi, Alcorn County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 14,622 at the 2020 census. Its ZIP codes are 38834 and 38835. It lies on the state line with Tennessee. His ...

, but without Borland. Borland by this time had been replaced by Colonel Samuel G. Earle. The regiment was placed under the command of Major General

Joseph Wheeler Joseph "Fighting Joe" Wheeler (September 10, 1836 – January 25, 1906) was a military commander and politician of the Confederate States of America. He was a cavalry general in the Confederate States Army in the 1860s during the American Civil ...

, and later became a part of the

Army of Mississippi There were three formations known as the Army of Mississippi in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. This name is contrasted against Army of ''the'' Mississippi, which was a Union Army named for the Mississippi River, no ...

. They saw their first real battle action on October 3 and 4, 1862 at the

Second Battle of Corinth The Second Battle of Corinth (which, in the context of the American Civil War, is usually referred to as the Battle of Corinth, to differentiate it from the siege of Corinth earlier the same year) was fought October 3–4, 1862, in Corinth, M ...

, where Lieutenant Colonel Anson W. Hobson was wounded in both arms, with the regiment as a whole suffering heavy casualties. The very next day, on October 5, 1862, they fought in the Battle of Hatchie's Bridge. They saw considerable combat action in the months that followed. On March 5, 1863, Col. Earle was

killed in action Killed in action (KIA) is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their personnel at the hands of enemy or hostile forces at the moment of action. The United States Department of Defense, for example, ...

near Thompson's Station, Tennessee. He was replaced by newly promoted Col. Anson W. Hobson. The regiment took part in the Knoxville Campaign, the Atlanta Campaign, and fought at the

Battle of Bentonville The Battle of Bentonville (March 19–21, 1865) was fought in Johnston County, North Carolina, near the village of Bentonville, as part of the Western Theater of the American Civil War, Western Theater of the American Civil War. It was the last ...

. They surrendered with the

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 ...

on April 26, 1865.

Organization

The 3d Arkansas Cavalry Regiment was organized June 10, 1861, as the 1st (Borland's) Arkansas Cavalry Battalion. Mustered into state service as the 1st Arkansas Mounted Volunteer Regiment. Mustered into Confederate Service for one year on July 29, 1862. Redesignated as the 3d Arkansas Cavalry on January 15, 1862. Received the attachment of Companies E,F, and H of Williamson's Arkansas Infantry Battalion. Reorganized for two years on May 26, 1862. For a time it was stationed at

Pocahontas, Arkansas Pocahontas is a city in and the county seat of Randolph County, Arkansas, Randolph County, Arkansas, United States, along the Black River (Arkansas), Black River. According to the 2010 Census Bureau, the population of the city was 6,608. Pocahon ...

, where at least some of the men were recruited. The field officers were Colonels Solon Borland, Samuel G. Earle, and Amson W. Hobson; Lieutenant Colonels Benjamin F. Danley, James M. Gee, and M. J. Henderson; and Majors William H. Blackwell, J. F. Earle, and David F. Shall. The unit was formed from the following Volunteer companies: * Company A — Dallas County (Princeton Light Horse). * Company B — Perry County (Perry Rangers). * Company C — Saline County (Saline Rifle Rangers). * Company D — Pulaski County (Danley’s Rangers). * 1st Company E — Pope County (transferred from Williamson's Arkansas Infantry Battalion, May 26, 1862). * 2nd Company E — "Border Rangers" of White County and "Crittenden Rangers" of Crittenden County (transferred from 2nd Arkansas Cavalry Regiment, January 1, 1863). * Company F — Hot Spring County (Hot Springs Cavalry). * Company G — Ouachita County (Ouachita Cavalry). * Company H — Ouachita County (Camden Cavalry). * Company I — Conway County (transferred from Williamson's Arkansas Infantry Battalion, May 26, 1862). * Company K — Yell County (transferred from Williamson's Arkansas Infantry Battalion, May 26, 1862). The regiment was armed with weapons which the state confiscated by Arkansas State Militia troops.Ezell, Tom, "Re: Van Dorn- Army of the Southwest", Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board, Posted 17 December 2001, Accessed 11 June 2012

/ref>

Battles

When the 3d Arkansas Cavalry was transferred from Arkansas to Mississippi in 1862, only 395 effectives crossed the Mississippi River. The regiment was dismounted when it fought at the Battle of Corinth, Mississippi, then was remounted and assigned to General Armstrong's and T. Harrison's Brigade. The 3d Arkansas Cavalry served under Major-General “Fighting Joe” Wheeler in the Confederate Army of Mississippi for much of the war. The unit was involved in the following engagements: :

Siege of Corinth The siege of Corinth, also known as the first battle of Corinth, was an American Civil War engagement lasting from April 29 to May 30, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi. A collection of Union forces under the overall command of Major General Henry H ...

(also known as the "First Battle of Corinth"), April to June 1862. :

, Mississippi, October 3–4, 1862. :Battle of Holly Springs, December 20, 1862. :

Battle of Thompson's Station The Battle of Thompson's Station took place during the American Civil War on March 5, 1863, in Williamson County, Tennessee. In a period of relative inactivity following the Battle of Stones River, a reinforced Union Army, Union infantry brigad ...

, March 5, 1863. :

Battle of Franklin The Battle of Franklin was fought on November 30, 1864, in Franklin, Tennessee, as part of the Franklin–Nashville Campaign of the American Civil War. It was one of the worst disasters of the war for the Confederate States Army. Confederate L ...

, April 20, 1863. : Tullahoma Campaign, June 1863. :

Battle of Chickamauga The Battle of Chickamauga, fought on September 18–20, 1863, between the United States Army and Confederate States Army, Confederate forces in the American Civil War, marked the end of a U.S. Army offensive, the Chickamauga Campaign, in southe ...

, Georgia, September 19–20, 1863. :

Siege of Chattanooga The Chattanooga campaign was a series of maneuvers and battles in October and November 1863, during the American Civil War. Following the defeat of Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans's Union Army of the Cumberland at the Battle of Chickamauga i ...

, Tennessee, September–November 1863. :

Siege of Knoxville The siege of Knoxville (November 17 – December 4, 1863) saw Lieutenant General James Longstreet's Confederate States Army, Confederate forces besiege the Union (American Civil War), Union garrison of Knoxville, Tennessee, led by Major General ...

, Tennessee, November 1863. : Atlanta Campaign, May to September 1864. : Siege of Atlanta, Georgia, July 22, 1864. :Battle of Flat Shoals, Georgia, July 28, 1864. : Battle of Strawberry Plains, Georgia, August 24, 1864. :

Battle of Brown's Mill The Battle of Brown's Mill was fought July 30, 1864, in Coweta County, Georgia, during the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War. Edward M. McCook's Union cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself ...

, Georgia, July 30, 1864. : Savannah Campaign, Georgia, November–December, 1864. : Carolinas Campaign, February to April 1865.

Surrender

The 3d Arkansas Cavalry surrendered with the Army of Tennessee at Durham Station, Orange County, North Carolina, April 26, 1865.

References

Bibliography

Collier, Calvin L. The War Child's Children: The Story of the Third Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry; Confederate States Army. (Little Rock, AR: Pioneer Press, 1965).

External links