| 15th Arkansas Infantry (Confederate) | |
|---|---|
Arkansas state flag |
|
| Active | 1861 to 1865 |
| Country | Confederate States of America |
| Allegiance | CSA |
| Branch | Infantry |
| Engagements | Battle of Shiloh Battle of Perryville Battle of Murfreesboro Tullahoma Campaign Battle of Liberty Gap Battle of Chickamauga Battle of Chattanooga Battle of Dalton Battle of Resaca Battle of New Hope Church Battle of Kennesaw Mountain Battle of Atlanta Siege of Atlanta Battle of Jonesboro Battle of Franklin Battle of Nashville Battle of Bentonville |
The 15th Arkansas Volunteer Infantry (1861–1865) was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War. The unit was originally formed from existing militia units and designated as the 1st Regiment, Arkansas State Troops. After being transferred from state service to Confederate service the unit was redesignated as the 15th Arkansas. There were two other regiments which also received the designation of "15th Arkansas". The 21st (McRae's) Arkansas Infantry was redesignatedConfederate States of America| the 15th Arkansas in February 1863, but to avoid confusion, was normally referred to as the 15th (Northwest) Arkansas. This second "15th Arkansas" was surrendered at Vicksburg in July 1863. A third regiment, under command of Colonels Gee and later Johnson, also received the designation 15th Arkansas Infantry. This last regiment surrendered at Port Hudson, Louisiana in July 1863.
Contents |
At the beginning of the American Civil War, Arkansas organized a total of 48 infantry regiments for service with the Confederate Army. Most, like the 15th Arkansas, served the majority of the war in the "Western Theater". The 1st Regiment, Arkansas State Troops, was organized from existing Volunteer Militia Companies[1] several of which had participated in the seizure of the Federal Arsenal at Little Rock.
These Volunteer Companies were enrolled in State service on May 14, 1861 at Mound City, 6 miles (9.7 km) above Memphis on the Mississippi River. Captain Patrick R. Cleburne, of the Yell Rifles, was elected Colonel of the regiment.[2] As the very first regiment of the line authorized by the State Military Board in the Civil War, they bore the title of 1st Regiment Arkansas State Troops. The regiment was formally organized with the following Volunteer Companies:
| Company | Name | County | Militia Regiment | Commander | Organization Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Company A | "Harris Guards" | Monroe | 35th Militia Regiment | Capt. James T. Harris | May 27, 1861 |
| Company B | "Jefferson Guards" | Jefferson | 24th Militia Regiment | Capt. Charles H. Carlton | September 24, 1860 |
| Company C | "Yell Guards" | Jefferson | None | Capt. Francis M. McNally | |
| Company D | "Rector Guards" | Prairie | 50th Militia Regiment | Capt. George W. Glenn | February 12, 1861 |
| Company E | "Napoleon Grays" | Desha | 6th Militia Regiment | Capt. Henry E. Green | February 28, 1861 |
| Company F | "Yell Riflemen" | Phillips | 12th Militia Regiment | Capt. Patrick R. Cleburne | January 29, 1861 |
| Company G | "Hindman Guards" | White | None | Capt. Henry B. Blakemore | April 18, 1861 |
| Company H | "Phillips Guards" | Phillips | 12th Militia Regiment | Capt. George Otey | January 29, 1861 |
| Company I | "Tyronza Rebels" | Mississippi | None | Capt. Robert L. Harding | June 3, 1861 |
| Company K | "Monroe Blues" | Monroe | 35th Militia Regiment | Capt. Gaston K. Baldwin | May 16, 1861 |
When Captain Cleburne was appointed colonel of the new regiment, Capt. Edward H. Cowley succeeded him in command of the Yell Rifles, Company F.
Under the command of Colonel Patrick Cleburne, the unit was enrolled in Confederate service on July 23, 1861, at Pitman's Ferry, AR and was initially designated as the 1st Arkansas Infantry; The 15th Arkansas was composed of volunteer companies from the following counties:[3]
On July 23, 1861, while stationed at Pitman's Ferry, the 1st Arkansas Regiment, along with the other Arkansas State Troops, were transferred from State to Confederate service. This transfer was not binding on the men, who could opt out if they so desired. The men of Company C (Yell Guards) and Company G (Hindman Guards) declined to transfer to the Provisional Army of the Confederate States, so the men were honorably discharged and their companies were disbanded.
In September 1862, all of the Arkansas troops transferred to Confederate service were moved east of the Mississippi River. The 15th Arkansas moved east of the Mississippi River with 506 men. By January 1862, the Confederate War Department had discovered that there was already a "1st Arkansas Infantry" enrolled in Confederate service. COL James Fleming Fagan's regiment was accepted and enrolled in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States at Lynchburg, Virginia, on May 19, 1861, as the (1st Regiment Arkansas Volunteers. When the Confederate War Department realized that it had two "First Arkansas" regiments, it arbitrarily assigned what their records showed was the next available designation, "the 15th Arkansas Regiment" and ordered Cleburne's regiment to adopt this designation. The regiment was redesignated as the 15th Arkansas Infantry on December 31, 1861.[3] Unfortunately the Arkansas State Military Board had already authorized the use of this designation for Col. James M. Gee's regiment. Effectively the Confederate Army went from having two 1st Arkansas Regiments to having two 15th Arkansas regiments; however, these designations stuck for the rest of the war. Thus, by January 1862 Cleburne's 1st Arkansas Regiment was reorganized for the war as the 15th Arkansas Regiment, as follows:
After July 1861, the 1st/15th Arkansas had only eight companies, making it, in effect, a "heavy" battalion, rather than a full regiment, but the unit was kept on the army rolls as a regiment throughout the war.
Colonel Cleburne was appointed brigadier-general in March 1862, and was succeeded by Col. Lucius E. Polk. Colonel Polk was appointed brigadier-general in December 1862, and was succeeded by Col. John E. Josey. The U.S. War Department cataloged the regiment's Compiled Service Records as the 15th (Josey's) Arkansas Infantry.
Under the command of Colonel Lucius E. Polk, the 15th Arkansas fought at the Battle of Shiloh and the Kentucky Campaign of 1862 as part of Cleburne's Brigade. The regiment lost 2 killed and 19 wounded at the Battle of Richmond, Kentucky. It then was assigned to first Polks' then Liddell's and finally to Govan's Brigade, Army of Tennessee. During the Battle of Murfreesboro the 15th Arkansas was field consolidated with the 13th Arkansas Infantry Regiment. The 13th/15th reported 68 casualties at Murfreesborough. In September, 1863, the 15th was field consolidated with the 2nd Arkansas Infantry Regiment and during December 1862, the 24th Arkansas Infantry Regiment was added to the field consolidation. During December, 1863, the 2nd/15th/24th totaled 295 men and 202 arms. The unit served with the army from the Battle of Chickamauga to the Battle of Chattanooga, and throughout the Atlanta Campaign. In July, 1864, the 15th Arkansas was field consolidated with the 1st (Fagan's-Colquitt's) Regiment and in the Battle of Atlanta lost 15 killed, 67 wounded, and 3 missing. Under the command of General John Bell Hood, the unit participated in the carnage at the Battles of Franklin and the near destruction of the Army of Tennessee at the Nashville in Tennessee. The unit ended the war in North Carolina.[4]
Toward the end of the war, Cleburne's old regiment finally recovered its original designation, after a fashion. In the massive reorganization of the Army of Tennessee on April 9, 1865, the 15th Arkansas was consolidated with nine other depleted Arkansas regiments, the 1st Arkansas, 2nd Arkansas, 5th Arkansas, 8th Arkansas, 13th Arkansas, 19th (Dawson's) Arkansas, 24th Arkansas and the 3rd Confederate Infantry Regiment were lumped together as the 1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry. The survivors of the 15th Arkansas made up into a single understrength company, "Company H" of the new 1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry.[4]
This regiment surrendered with the Army of Tennessee at Greensboro, North Carolina on April 26, 1865.[5]