| 38th Arkansas Infantry (Confederate) | |
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Arkansas state flag |
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| Active | 1862 to 1865 |
| Country | Confederate States of America |
| Allegiance | CSA |
| Branch | Infantry |
| Arkansas Confederate Infantry Regiments | |
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| 37th Arkansas Infantry Regiment | 39th Arkansas Infantry Regiment |
The 38th Arkansas Infantry (1862–1865) was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War.
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38th Infantry Regiment, began when General Hindman issued Special Order Number #12, Army of the Southwest, dated June 22, 1862, which authorized a Captain W. C. Adams to raise one or more companies of mounted infantry in Lawrence and Randolph Counties and to immediately attack enemy without waiting on special orders.[1][2] On July 23, 1862, General Hindman wrote to Captain Adams and ordered him to take command of the companies now raised, organized and armed in the counties of Randolph, Green, Lawrence and Poinsett and "move them to a rendevous [sic?] point near Jacksonport, ....and make a temporary organization of them into battalion or regiment depending on the number of men and companies.... to be used against enemy vigorously on Crowley's Ridge."[1] On August 2, 1862, Special Order #43, Trans Mississippi District appointed William C. Adams Lieutenant Colonel and Capt. M. Baber as Major of a battalion composed of seven companies. Lieutenant Colonel Adams was authorized to assign staff officers with the approval of General McBride. He was directed to immediately dismount his command and march to McBride's camp. The intent was that the battalion to be increased to regiment as soon as possible.[1]
When the regiment was finally assembled in September, 1862, it contained men from Yell, Izard, Lawrence, and Craighead counties. Early in June, 1862, Colonel Shaver, with General Hindman, was transferred to the Trans-Mississippi Department. The 38th was formally organized at Jacksonport, Arkansas on September 8, 1862. Colonel Shaver was unanimously elected colonel and he continued in command during the various campaigns and battles in the department. The unit was inducted into Confederate Service on September 21, 1862 at Jacksonport, Arkansas. Its field grade officers were Colonel Robert G. Shaver, Lieutenant Colonels William C. Adams and Milton D. Baber, and Major R. R. Henry.[3] The unit was composed of volunteer companies from the following counties:[4]
In the fall of 1864 the 38th, and the [[27th Arkansas Infantry Regiment were consolidated, and they were known thenceforth until the surrender in May 1865, as Shaver's Infantry Regiment.[6]
The 38th Arkansas Infantry participated in most of the principal battles fought in the Trans-Mississippi Department after September 1862, among which were Prairie Grove, the fall of Little Rock, and the Battle of Jenkins' Ferry. At the evacuation of Little Rock, September 10, 1863, Colonel Shaver was in command of the brigade and covered the Confederate retreat out of the city southward. He was greatly mortified that he was not permitted to engage the enemy, and he always contended that General Price should have offered battle.[6] The unit was attached to R. G. Shaver's and Tappan's Brigade, Trans-Mississippi Department, and during the spring of 1864 united with the 27th Regiment. During the Battle of Jenkins' Ferry, the consolidated command lost 4 killed and 22 wounded.[3] Many of the men from the Shaver's Infantry transferred to the newly-formed 45th Arkansas Mounted Infantry in the summer of 1864 and rode with General Sterling Price on his Missouri Campaign in the fall of 1864. The 38th is credited with taking part in the following battles:[3]
The 38th Arkansas, like most of the Arkansas infantry regiments, was located in the vicinity of Marshall, Texas, when the war ended. As the state had been so ravaged by war and thus was unable to subsist large numbers of troops, General Kirby Smith had sent most of his infantry to Texas the previous fall. None of the regiments camped around Marshall actually participated in a formal surrender. They simply disbanded and went home. Some soldiers were paroled individually at various points as they made their way home, but most were never paroled. The 38th Arkansas was included in the formal surrender of the Army of Trans-Mississippi by General Kirby Smith at Marshall, Texas, on May 26, 1865.[7]
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