User:Aleutian06/13th Arkansas Cavalry Regiment

The 13th Arkansas Cavalry Regiment (1864-1865) was a Confederate Army cavalry regiment during the American Civil War. The unit was more commonly referred to as Clarkson’s Battalion Independent Rangers, or Clarkson's Battalion, Confederate Cavalry. The designation "13th Arkansas Cavalry only appears on Prisoner of War records for 8 unit members.

Organization

Colonel James J. Clarkson led a company of Missouri troops during the Mexican - American War and had been involved in the conflict over slavery in Kansas in the 1850s. He led pro slavery militia forces during the "Bleeding Kansas" period. At the beginning of the Civil War he was commissioned as a Colonel in the Missouri State Guard and organized the 5th Missouri Infantry, Missouri State Guard. In the aftermath of the Confederate defeat at the Battle of Pea Ridge, Maj Gen Earl Van Dorn authorized Colonel Clarkson to raise a mounted force to operate on the western frontier. On March 20, 1862, Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn authorized Clarkson "to muster into service and organize a battalion of Cavalry of six companies--for six months if they furnish their arms and equipment, otherwise for the war" and ordered him to report back for further orders as soon as he raised his battalion. Clarkson quickly recruited six companies and on 8 April 1862 received the following direction from Gen D.H. Maury regarding the purpose of his new command.

"After organizing and fitting out your command as authorized by Special Order, No.27, March 20, it is desired that you will make your way as quickly as possible to the route between Leavenworth or Independence and Santa Fe, or other points in New Mexico, and use your utmost efforts to interrupt and capture the supply trains of the enemy in that department, to cut off their mails, and annoy them by every other means in your power." </ref> Official Records, Pt I, Vol 13, pg 813</ref>

Colonel Clarkson mustered six companies for Confederate service on May 1, 1862 at Fort Smith, Arkansas. The designation "13th Arkansas Cavalry" only appears on the Prisoner of War records for 8 prisoners. the unit was also always Clarkson’s Battalion. The unit was composed of the following companies:

Company A, Commanded by Captain Leftwich H Stone, organized in , Arkansas on 1 Feb 62.

Company B, Commanded by Captain J.H. Minhart, organized in , Arkansas on 1 Apr 62.

Company C, Commanded by Captain John F Winfrey, organized in , Arkansas on 1 May 62.

Company D, Commanded by Captain Joseph B Forester, organized in , Arkansas on 6 Sep 62.

Company E, Commanded by Captain William H Doak, organized in , Arkansas on 29 Apr 62 .

Company F, Commanded by Captain James McDonel, organized in , Arkansas on 1 May 62.

Company G, Commanded by Captain Jesse B Davis, organized in , Arkansas on 1 Feb 62.

Company H, Commanded by Captain John F Ross, organized in , Arkansas on 14 Jul 62.

After its original formation, the unit gained additional companies by consolidation with Maj Thomas R. Livingston's Battalion, eventually including nine white companies and one Indian company.

Service

In General Order Number 21, Trans-Mississippi District dated 26 Jun 62:

"II. For the defense of our Indian allies against Federal enemies,..., Col J.J. Clarkson is hereby assigned to the command of all forces that now are or may hereafter be within the limits of the Cherokee, Creek, and Seminole countries, until otherwise ordered by brigadier-general commanding the Department of the Indian Territory, who is now marching in that direction, and to whom Colonel Clarkson will report upon his arrival in the Cherokee country."

Colonel Clarkson and others of his command were captured on July 3, 1862, on Grand River in the Cherokee Nation during the Battle of Locust Grove. Clarkson and his men were escorting a wagon train of supplies intended for Confederate units in the Indian Territory. Approximately 100 members of the unit were killed and another 100 were captured. The survivors scattered toward Park Hill and Tahlequah and spread panic among the pro-Confederate Cherokee units, leading to many desertions from those units.

Following the disaster at Locust Grove, Lt. Col. Buster assumed command and served under Brig. Gen. D.H. Cooper during the Operations North of the Boston Mountains which culminated in the First Battle of Newtonia, Missouri, September 30, 1862.

Consolidation

In November 1862 the remaining five companies of Clarkson/Buster's command were divided into eight companies, dismounted, and merged into Colonel Clark's 9th Missouri Infantry for service during the Prairie Grove Campaign. In September 1863 the four Arkansas companies of Clark's Regiment were detached to form the Buster's Cavalry Battalion on September 20, 1863.

Bibliography

• Haimerl, David L. Clarkson's Battalion C.S.A: A Brief History and Roster. Independence, Mo: Two Trails Publishing, 2005. Print.
• Sikakis, Stewart, Compendium of the Confederate Armies, Florida and Arkansas, Facts on File, Inc., 1992, ISBN 978-0-8160-2288-5,
• United States. War Dept. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies.

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