19th (Dawson's) Arkansas Infantry Regiment

19th Arkansas Infantry (Confederate)
Arkansas state flag
Active	1861 to 1865
Country	Confederate States of America
Allegiance	CSA
Branch	Infantry

Arkansas Confederate Infantry Regiments
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The 19th (Dawson's) Arkansas Infantry (1861–1865) was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War.

Organization

19th (Dawson's) Infantry Regiment completed its organization at Nashville, Arkansas, in November 1861.^[1] The field officers were Colonel C. L. Dawson; Lieutenant Colonels A. S. Hutchison and P. R. Smith; and Majors Joseph Anderson, David H. Hamiter, and John G. McKean. The unit was inducted into Confederate Service at Nashville, Arkansas, on November 21, 1861. The 19th Arkansas Regiment was organized from seven companies from Hempstead, Pike, Polk and Sevier counties. Three additional companies from Hempstead, Scott and Sevier were later added, the last (Company K) on March 3, 1862. Charles L. Dawson, of Sevier County, was elected colonel at the regiment's organization. The unit was composed of volunteer companies from the following locations in Arkansas:^[2]

• Company A, Commanded by Captain W. B. Spear, organized on October 10, 1861 at Antoine, AR
• Company B, Commanded by Captain B. C. Haller, organized October 18, 1861 at Center Point, AR
• Company C, Commanded by Captain John W. Robinson, organized October 19, 1861 in Pike Co, AR
• Company D, Commanded by Captain R. L. Duncan, organized June 1, 1862 in Polk Co, AR
• Company E, Commanded by Captain L. F. Carter, organized October 30, 1861 in Sevier Co, AR
• Company F, Commanded by Captain John G. McKean, organized June 16, 1862 at Paraclifta, AR
• Company G, Commanded by Captain D. C. Cowling, organized November 19, 1861 at Nashville, AR
• Company H, Commanded by Captain A. J. Rader, organized February 22, 1862 at Waldron, AR
• Company I, Commanded by Captain L. W. Delony, organized February 26, 1862 at Nashville, AR
• Company K, Commanded by Captain A. J. Jones, organized March 3, 1862 in Sevier Co, AR

The 19th (Dawson's) Arkansas Regiment had strong support among the population where it was recruited. Even though there was a certain degree of pro-Union sentiment in the mountains of southwest Arkansas, the region continued to supply huge numbers of recruits to the 19th Arkansas, and civilians kept up a steady supply of clothing, equipment and other supplies to the men. In fact, the 19th Arkansas started off as one of the largest (in terms of number of men), best clothed (their unique frock coats and Australian-style hats were unmistakable), and best equipped (though marginally armed) Arkansas regiments. Additionally, the regiment was blessed with some of the best company commanders in the business. The company officers were mostly men who had been active in the prewar militia, and many were veterans of the Arkansas State Troops and had seen combat close up and personal at the Battle of Wilson's Creek. The officers were highly literate, mostly professional men, and familiar with infantry drill and tactics. Many of the staff officers were former businessmen who were used to keeping up with records and reports. The privates of the regiment were also a pretty literate bunch of men who wrote home frequently, providing lots of insights to modern researchers. However, despite all its initial advantages, Dawson's 19th Arkansas Regiment was badly used by higher commands, and was never allowed to realize its full potential.

Battles

Still unsupplied with sufficient arms, the 19th Arkansas was present, but not engaged, at the Battle of Pea Ridge, where it was detailed to guard the army's train. After the battle, the 19th Arkansas was stationed on the border for a few months, and was ordered to conduct a long, difficult and pointless march through the Indian Territory. The regiment was ravaged by disease during this period. Today, the graves of some of the soldiers of the 19th Arkansas can still be found in the Confederate Cemetery at Atoka, Oklahoma. Many other men were left behind sick at various places, and were never heard from again.^[3]

Returning to Arkansas, the regiment was reorganized for the war on August 13, 1862, and was issued new arms and equipment. Recruiting details from the 19th Arkansas had been busy in May and June, bringing a large number of new recruits back with them to Camp White Sulphur Springs, near Pine Bluff. The 19th Arkansas did not receive many of these recruits, however. Many of the new recruits died of disease before they were mustered into service, and were buried in untold numbers of unmarked graves at White Sulphur Springs. Others were shamelessly "shanghaied" and assigned to other units. The 24th Arkansas Regiment received a large number of men recruited by the 19th Arkansas, and Hart's Arkansas Battery was reconstituted by the addition of many of the 19th Arkansas recruits.^[3]

Assigned to the garrison of Fort Hindman at Arkansas Post, a large part of the regiment was captured when the fort was surrendered on January 11, 1863. Some of the men were absent from Arkansas Post, and they were subsequently organized into a new regiment (Hardy's). The men who were captured were sent to prisons in the North, and when exchanged in April were assigned to the Army of Tennessee, where they spent the rest of the war. Of the 633 men of the 19th Arkansas Regiment who were captured at Arkansas Post, 185 died of disease in prison, another 58 died in hospitals in Virginia after being released from prison, and 24 had taken the oath of allegiance; so the regiment entered upon its service east of the Mississippi River with only 306 men. As a result, the 19th Arkansas was field-consolidated with the survivors of the 24th Arkansas Regiment and Crawford's Arkansas Battalion (also captured at Arkansas Post), under command of Lieut. Col. Augustus S. Hutchinson of the 19th Arkansas. After fighting gallantly at Chickamauga, the 19th Arkansas was field-consolidated with the 8th Arkansas Regiment.^[3]

The 19th Arkansas served in Cleburne's division all through the Atlanta campaign, and was particularly distinguished in the action at Pickett's Mill, after which General Cleburne cited the 8th and 19th Arkansas for its courage and tenacity. The regiment, in Govan's Brigade, Cleburne's Division, took part in Hood's disastrous Tennessee campaign, culminating in the tragic battle of Franklin. Govan's Brigade suffered 60 percent casualties in the hellish fighting around the Carter House, where the opposing sides ended up fighting hand-to-hand. In addition to the loss of so many Arkansas soldiers, General Cleburne was killed in the battle.^[3]

The 19th Arkansas continued to serve in the Army of Tennessee, resisting Sherman's drive through the Carolinas, and fought its last engagement at the Battle of Bentonville, North Carolina.^[3]

The 18th/24th lost thirty-eight percent of the 226 engaged at Chickamauga, and the 8th/19th reported 16 casualties at Ringgold Gap and totalled 363 men and 285 arms in December 1863. At the Battle of Atlanta the 8th/19th had 97 men disabled. ^[4] the unit participated in the following engagements:^[5]

• Battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas, March 6–8, 1862
• Battle of Arkansas Post, Arkansas January 9–11, 1863
• Battle of Chickamauga, Georgia, September 19–20, 1863
• Siege of Chattanooga, September to November 1863
• Battle of Missionary Ridge, Tennessee, November 25, 1863
• Battle of Ringgold Gap, Georgia, November 27, 1863
• Atlanta Campaign, May to September 1864
• Battle of Dalton, Georgia, May 5–11, 1864
• Battle of Resaca, Georgia, May 14–15, 1864
• Battle of New Hope Church, Georgia, May 25 - June 4, 1864
• Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia, June 27, 1864
• Battle of Peachtree Creek, Georgia, July 20, 1864
• Siege of Atlanta, Georgia, July 22, 1864
• Battle of Jonesboro, Georgia, August 31 to September 1, 1864
• Battle of Spring Hill, Tennessee, November 29, 1864
• Battle of Franklin, Tennessee, November 30, 1864
• Battle of Nashville, Tennessee, December 15–16, 1864
• Carolinas Campaign, February to April 1865
• Battle of Bentonville, North Carolina, March 19–21, 1865

Battle Flags

There is one surviving battle flag of the Combined 8th/19th Arkansas Infantry Regiment:

The Flag of the 8th and 19th Consolidated Arkansas Infantry Regiments. Flag is an example of the 1864 issue of Hardee flags. This was produced and decorated specifically for the combined unit, displaying battle honors of each. The poorly dyed blue field, now faded to pea green, is typical of the 1864 flags. When it was captured at Jonesboro, Georgia, on 1 September 1864, the flag was identified as that of an artillery battery. The honor of crossed cannon, as well as the unit's po sition supporting Key's Battery, caused the confused attribution. Hardee Battle flag pattern, Cleburne's Division 1864 issue.Cotton with black and white paint, 35" x 34 1/2" remaining. War Department Capture Number 206. Currently located at the Old State House Museum, Little Rock Arkanas

2nd Pattern Hardee

Consolidation and Surrender

The remnants of ten depleted Arkansas regiments, along with one mostly-Arkansas regiment, in the Army of Tennessee were consolidated into a single regiment at Smithfield, North Carolina, on April 9, 1865. The 1st Arkansas, was lumped together with the 2nd, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 15th, 19th and 24th Arkansas Infantry Regiments and the 3rd Confederate Infantry Regiment as the 1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry on April 9, 1865.^[6] On April 26, 1865 the 1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment was present with the Army of Tennessee when it surrendered in Greensboro, North Carolina.^[7] Of the 1,200 men who had served in the 19th Arkansas Regiment, only 49 remained at the surrender on April 26, 1865.^[3]

References

1. ^ Hempstead, Fay, "A Pictorial History of Arkansas" St. Louis and New York, N. D. Thompson publishing company, 1890, Call number: 9197481, Page 420, Accessed 24 August 2011, http://www.archive.org/stream/pictorialhistory00hemp#page/420/mode/2up
2. ^ Gerdes, Edward G., "19TH (DAWSON'S) ARKANSAS INFANTRY", Edward G. Gerdes Civil War Home Page, Accessed 21 July 2011, http://www.couchgenweb.com/civilwar/19thindx.html
3. ^ ^{a b c d e f} Howerton, Bryan, and Taylor, Doyle, "19th Arkansas Regiment, No. 1", Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board, Accessed 22 July 2011, http://history-sites.com/cgi-bin/bbs53x/arcwmb/webbbs_config.pl?noframes;read=14787
4. ^ National Park Service, Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, Confederate Arkansas Troops, 19th (Dawson's) Regiment, Arkansas Infantry. Retrieved 27 January 2011.
5. ^ Sikakis, Stewart, Compendium of the Confederate Armies, Florida and Arkansas, Facts on File, Inc., 1992, ISBN 978-0-8160-2288-5, page 118.
6. ^ Sikakis, Stewart, Compendium of the Confederate Armies, Florida and Arkansas, Facts on File, Inc., 1992, ISBN 978-0-8160-2288-5, page 93.
7. ^ 1st Arkansas Infantry Regiment, CSA

External links

• Edward G. Gerdes Civil War Home Page
• The Encyclopedia 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 public domain material from the United States Government document "Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, National Park Service".

American Civil War portal

Category:Military in Arkansas