19th Arkansas Infantry Regiment (Dawson's): Difference between revisions

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

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Revision as of 15:10, 22 July 2011

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. Many of the men were recruited in Crawford, Polk, Sebastian, and Yell counties. 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 follwing locations in arkansas.^[1]:

Company A, Commanded by Captain W. B. Spear, organized on 10 Oct 1861 at Antoine, AR.

Company B, Commanded by Captain B. C. Haller, organized 18 Oct 1861 at Center Point, AR.

Company C, Commanded by Captain John W. Robinson, organized 19 Oct 1861 in Pike Co, AR.

Company D, Commanded by Captain R. L. Duncan, organized 1 Jun 1862 in Polk Co, AR.

Company E, Commanded by Captain L. F. Carter, organized 30 Oct 1861 in Sevier Co, AR.

Company F, Commanded by Captain John G. McKean, organized 16 Jun 1862 at Paraclifta, AR.

Company G, Commanded by Captain D. C. Cowling, organized 19 Nov 1861 at Nashville, AR..

Company H, Commanded by Captain A. J. Rader, organized 22 Feb 1862 at Waldron, AR.

Company I, Commanded by Captain L. W. Delony, organized 26 Feb 1862 at Nashville, AR.

Company K, Commanded by Captain A. J. Jones, organized 3 Mar 1862 in Sevier Co, AR.

The 19th (Dawson's) Arkansas Regiment it 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

After being involved in the Battle of Elkhorn Tavern, the unit was captured at Arkansas Post in January, 1863. Exchanged and reorganized, it was assigned to Deshler's, Liddell's, and Govan's Brigade, and consolidated with the 24th Regiment in September, 1863, and with the 8th Regiment in November. It participated in many campaigns of the Army of Tennessee from Chickamauga to Atlanta, endured Hood's winter operations in Tennessee, and fought its last battle at Bentonville. 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. During the spring of 1864 part of the 19th served in Dawson's Infantry Regiment in the Trans-Mississippi Department. At the Battle of Atlanta the 8th/19th had 97 men disabled. ^[2] the unit participated in the following engagements:^[3]

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.

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.^[4] On April 26, 1865 the 1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment was present with the Army of Tennessee when it surrendered in Greensboro, North Carolina.^[5]

References

^ 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
^ National Park Service, Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, Confederate Arkansas Troops, 19th (Dawson's) 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.
^ Sikakis, Stewart, Compendium of the Confederate Armies, Florida and Arkansas, Facts on File, Inc., 1992, ISBN 0-8160-2288-7, page 93.
^ http://www.couchgenweb.com/civilwar/1starinf.htm 1st Arkansas Infantry Regiment, CSA

@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
 ==Organization==
-th (Dawson's) Infantry Regiment completed its organization at [[Nashville, Arkansas]], in November, 1861. Many of the men were recruited in Crawford, Polk, Sebastian, and Yell counties.  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 on ______ at ________.  The unit was composed of volunteer companies from the follwing counties<ref>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</ref>:
+th (Dawson's) Infantry Regiment completed its organization at [[Nashville, Arkansas]], in November, 1861. Many of the men were recruited in Crawford, Polk, Sebastian, and Yell counties.  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 on  at .  The unit was composed of volunteer companies from the follwing <ref>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</ref>:
 :Company A, Commanded by Captain W. B. Spear, organized on 10 Oct 1861 at Antoine, AR.
@@ Line 27: / Line 27: @@
 :Company I, Commanded by Captain L. W. Delony, organized 26 Feb 1862 at Nashville, AR.
 :Company K, Commanded by Captain A. J. Jones, organized 3 Mar 1862 in Sevier Co, AR.
+The 19th (Dawson's) Arkansas Regiment it 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==