Crawford's Arkansas Infantry Battalion (Confederate) | |
---|---|
Active | 1862 to 1863 |
Country | Confederate States of America |
Allegiance | CSA |
Branch | Infantry |
The Crawford's Arkansas Infantry Battalion (1862-1863) was a Confederate Army infantry battalion during the American Civil War.
Organization
The unit was organized with two companies in the spring of 1862 and was mustered into Confederate service on June 23, 1862. The unit was composed of volunteer companies from the follwing counties: [1]
- Company A, Commanded by Captain Joseph J. Ingram, organized at Pine Bluff, Arkansas on June 23, 1862.[2]
- Company B, Commanded by Captain L. A. Weatherford, organized at Eagle Creek, Arkansas on July 15, 1862.[3]
William A Crawford was orgioinally the Commander of Company B, 1st Arkansas Infantry Regiment. Crawford, was from Benton in Saline County. Crawford was wounded during the battle Shiloh, in April 1862. When the 1st Arkansas was reorganized near Corinth following the battle of Shiloh, Crawford replaced Lieutenant Colonel Thompson, and was promoted to Lieutenant Colone on May 18, 1862. Crawford apparently led the 1st Arkansas during the Battle of Farmington, but he resigned his position on July 21st, 1862 and by August of 1862 he was back in Arkansas organizing an infantry battalion from recruits and conscripts at Sulphur Springs. On September 28, 1862 his battalion was order to Clarendon Arkansas with the rest of the troops from Sulphur Springs. On Jan 22, 1863 Crawford was ordered to to "report without delay" to Maj Gen Hindman.
It would seem at the time of the attack on Arkansas Post Crawford's Battalion was with the 24th Arkansas Infantry Regiment at St. Charles preparing to place two 8 inch 32 pounder smooth bore columbiad guns from the CSS Ponchartrain in battery there. When the news of the battle at Arkansas Post reached them, most fit men made the forced march from that St. Charles to Arkansas Post and arrive just in time to surrender.
Those left at St. Charles, about 200 men from the 24th and others loaded the columbiads onto a steamboat (believed to be the "Bluewing"), moved them up the White River to DeVal's Bluff and loaded them onto railroad flatcars to be shipped back to Little Rock. However, the Federal Gunboats arrived before the train could leave and the guns were captured. The men had made their excape into the woods except for those who were in the hospital at DeVal's Bluff, who were paroled.
It was those men who made their way back to Sulphur Springs along with those who were in the hospital at DeVal's Bluff from the 19th along with Col. Dawson that were organized into what was to later become Hardy's 19th Arkansas Infantry Regiment. Now as to whether Wm. Carwford himself was a part of all of this or whether his battalion had been combined into the 24th Arkansas formally at that time, I don't know. But Crawford does not seem to be a part of theo rganization of the "holding regiment" at the time it was consolidated in February 1863 otherwise why would Major William Hardy be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel over both Crawford and Portlock to be made second in command under Colonel Dawson until Colonel Dawson resigned in May due to poor health.
Now as you know from my research that as you said about 175 men of Crawfords batt. and the 24th did make a force march from St Charles to Arkansas Post only to be surrendered. A force of about 200 from the same commands was left at St. Charles to move the two 8 inch columbian guns at St. Charles to Deval's Bluff where they were eventually captured by the USS St. Louis.
It is believed that the 200 from St. Charles were the main body of those who eventually became Hardy's 19th/24th Arkansas Regiment. There also seems to be a large number of those men in Hardy's Regiment who somehow made it back to Pine Bluff from Arkansas Post, or who were sick in hospital at Sulphur Springs.
Battles
The ___th Arkansas fought at the
- Battle of Arkansas Post, Arkansas January 9–11, 1863
Surrender
References
- ^ Howerton, Bryan R. "CRAWFORDS BN INF Roll 248 (M-317)", Edward G. Gerdes Civil War Page, Accessed 30 January 2011, http://www.couchgenweb.com/civilwar/crawinfbn.html
- ^ Howerton, Bryan R. "CRAWFORDS BN INF Roll 248 (M-317)", Edward G. Gerdes Civil War Page, Accessed 30 January 2011, http://www.couchgenweb.com/civilwar/crawinfbn.html
- ^ Howerton, Bryan R. "CRAWFORDS BN INF Roll 248 (M-317)", Edward G. Gerdes Civil War Page, Accessed 30 January 2011, http://www.couchgenweb.com/civilwar/crawinfbn.html
- ^ National Park Service, Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, Confederate Arkansas Troops, 25th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry, Accessed 27 January 2011
- ^ Sikakis, Stewart, Compendium of the Confederate Armies, Florida and Arkansas, Facts on File, Inc., 1992, ISBN 0-8160-2288-7, page 118.
- ^ "CRAWFORDS BN INF Roll 248 (M-317)", Edward G. Gerdes Civil War Page, Accessed 30 January 2011, http://www.couchgenweb.com/civilwar/crawinfbn.html
External Links
- Edward G. Gerdes Civil War Home Page
- The Encylopedia 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 War
- Arkansas Militia in the Civil War
- This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, National Park Service
Category:Arkansas Civil War regiments Arkansas Category:Military units and formations in Arkansas Category:Military in Arkansas