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==Organization==
==Organization==
This unit can be traced back to four companies of Arkansas State Troops from Benton, Franklin and Yell counties, which marched to Bentonville in July 1861 to be assigned to a regiment of Arkansas State Troops. Instead, they were intercepted by Brig. Gen. Ben McCulloch, commanding Confederate forces in northwest Arkansas, organized into a battalion under command of Lieut. Col. [[Dandridge McRae]], and mustered directly into the service of the Confederate States on July 15, 1861. Brig. Gen. McCulloch intended to increase the battalion to a regiment. He already had two Arkansas regiments enrolled in Confederate service, the 1st and 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles, and McRae's outfit was to form the basis for a 3rd Arkansas Regiment so it was christened as the 3rd Battalion Arkansas Infantry. McRae's 3rd Arkansas Battalion remained as a four-company battalion for some time.<ref name="Howerton 15th"/>[[File:Dandridge McRae.jpg|thumb|right|Brigadier General Dandridge McRae]]
This unit can be traced back to four companies of Arkansas State Troops from Benton, Franklin and Yell counties, which marched to Bentonville in July 1861 to be assigned to a regiment of Arkansas State Troops. Instead, they were intercepted by Ben McCulloch, commanding Confederate forces in northwest Arkansas, organized into a battalion under command of [[Dandridge McRae]], and mustered directly into the service of the Confederate States on July 15, 1861. McCulloch intended to increase the battalion to a regiment. He already had two Arkansas regiments enrolled in Confederate service, the 1st and 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles, and McRae's outfit was to form the basis for a 3rd Arkansas Regiment so it was christened as the 3rd Battalion Arkansas Infantry. McRae's 3rd Arkansas Battalion remained as a four-company battalion for some time.<ref name="Howerton 15th"/>[[File:Dandridge McRae.jpg|thumb|right|Brigadier General Dandridge McRae]]


* Company A, of Benton County.
In November 1861, four new companies from Benton, Pope and Washington counties joined the 3rd Arkansas Battalion, making a total of eight, so Brig. Gen. McCulloch asked the Confederate War Department to authorize the battalion to be designated as a regiment, promising that the last two companies would shortly be added. Brig. Gen. McCulloch's designation of McRae's command as the 3rd Arkansas Regiment was rejected, since [[3rd Arkansas Infantry Regiment|Col. Albert Rust's command]] in Virginia had already been given that designation; so the War Department assigned the designation of 21st Arkansas Regiment to McRae's command (which resulted in two 21st Arkansas Regiments). The new 21st Arkansas Regiment was officially established on December 3, 1861, at Camp Benjamin, Arkansas.<ref name="Howerton 15th"/>
* Company B, of Franklin County.
* Company C, of Franklin County.
* Company D, of Yell County.


The orgional Field and Staff Officers were:
After the battle of Pea Ridge, the 21st Arkansas and the rest of the Confederate [[Army of the West (1862)|Army of the West]] was ordered to Mississippi, and went into camp at Corinth, where, on May 8, 1862, the regiment was reorganized for the war, and Lieut. Col. James H. Hobbs succeeded Dandridge McRae as colonel. On May 12, 1862, while still at Corinth, the last two companies (Company I and Company K) were added to the regiment, bringing it up the required ten companies. These new companies had originally been Companies. A and B, respectively, of [[Williamson's Arkansas Infantry Battalion]], recently disbanded. On August 22, 1862, Lieut. Col. Squire Boone succeeded Hobbs as colonel.<ref name="Howerton 15th"/>


* Lieutenant Colonel Dandridge McRae
⚫
Sometime after October 1862, the Confederate War Department again redesignated the 21st Arkansas as the 15th Arkansas. The War Department apparently realized its mistake, because in February 1863 the regiment was ordered to insert the word "Northwest" in its regimental designation to distinguish it from, primarily, Col. Benjamin W. Johnson's [[15th (Gee/Johnson) Arkansas Infantry Regiment|15th Arkansas]], operating in the same theater thus, the 15th (Northwest) Arkansas Regiment.<ref name="Howerton 15th"/>
* Major William Thompson
* Assistant Commissary, Captain Henry J. Hays
* Adjutant Squire Boone
* Commissary Sergeant Edward T. Dorton,
* Quartermaster Sergeant R.M. Lewis
* Assistant Surgeon James Morrow,


The field officers were Colonels Squire Boone, James H. Hobbs, and Dandridge McRae; Lieutenant Colonel William W. Reynolds; and Majors D. A. Stuart and William Thompson.<ref name="Park Service"/>
The field officers were Colonels Squire Boone, James H. Hobbs, and Dandridge McRae; Lieutenant Colonel William W. Reynolds; and Majors D. A. Stuart and William Thompson.<ref name="Park Service"/>


==Battles==
==Battles==
The '''15th (Northwest) Arkansas Infantry Regiment''' took an active part in the battles at Wilson's Creek and Elkhorn Tavern, and on March 11, 1862, contained 10 officers and 168 men. Later the unit moved east of the Mississippi River, fought at Corinth and Hatchie Bridge, then was assigned to M. E. Green's and Dockery's Brigade in the Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana. It sustained 82 casualties at Port Gibson and was part of the garrison captured at Vicksburg on July 4, 1863.<ref name="Park Service"/> The Regiment is entitled to the following campaign participation credit:<ref name="confederate"/>
The '''15th (Northwest) Arkansas Infantry Regiment''' took an active part in the battles at Wilson's Creek , , and the of the , . 's 's the . the The Regiment <ref name=""/>

* Company A, of Benton County.
* Company B, of Franklin County.
* Company C, of Franklin County.
* Company D, of Yell County.
* Company E, of Pope County.
* Company F, of Benton County.
* Company G, of Benton County.
* Company H, of Washington County.
* Emergency Company I, of Benton County.

The unit participated in the Battle of Pea Ridge on March 11, 1862 as the 21st Arkansas Infantry Regiment. For this battle, a ninth company was temporarily added. Known as Emergency Company I, this company was composed of men from Benton County who enlisted for thirty days of “emergency service”. After the battle of Pea Ridge, the 21st Arkansas and the rest of the Confederate [[Army of the West (1862)|Army of the West]] was ordered to Mississippi, and went into camp at Corinth, where, on May 8, 1862, the regiment was reorganized for the war.

In May 1862 the Confederate Army underwent an army-wide reorganization due to the passage of the Conscription Act by the Confederate Congress in April 1862. All twelve-month regiments had to re-muster and enlist for two years or the duration of the war; a new election of officers was ordered; and men who were exempted from service by age or other reasons under the Conscription Act were allowed to take a discharge and go home. Officers who did not choose to stand for re-election were also offered a discharge. The reorganization was accomplished among all the Arkansas regiments in and around Corinth, Mississippi, following the Battle of Shiloh.<ref name="history-sites"/> Colonel McRea chose not to stand for re-election and and Lieutenant Colonel James H. Hobbs was elected to succeed McRae as colonel. On May 12, 1862, while still at Corinth, the last two companies (Company I and Company K) were added to the regiment, bringing it up the required ten companies.

These new companies had originally been Companies. A and B, respectively, of [[Williamson's Arkansas Infantry Battalion]], recently disbanded. On August 22, 1862, Colonel Hobbs resigned and Lieutenant Colonel Squire Boone succeeded him as colonel.<ref name="Howerton 15th"/>

⚫
Sometime after October 1862, the Confederate War Department again redesignated the 21st Arkansas as the 15th Arkansas. The War Department apparently realized its mistake, because in February 1863 the regiment was ordered to insert the word "Northwest" in its regimental designation to distinguish it from, primarily, Col. Benjamin W. Johnson's [[15th (Gee/Johnson) Arkansas Infantry Regiment|15th Arkansas]], operating in the same theater thus, the 15th (Northwest) Arkansas Regiment.<ref name="Howerton 15th"/>









, and Elkhorn Tavern, and on March 11, 1862, contained 10 officers and 168 men. Later the unit moved east of the Mississippi River, fought at Corinth and Hatchie Bridge, then was assigned to M. E. Green's and Dockery's Brigade in the Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana. It sustained 82 casualties at Port Gibson and was part of the garrison captured at Vicksburg on July 4, 1863.<ref name="Park Service"/> The Regiment is entitled to the following campaign participation credit:<ref name="confederate"/>


* [[Battle of Wilson's Creek]], Missouri, August 10, 1861
* [[Battle of Wilson's Creek]], Missouri, August 10, 1861

Revision as of 22:33, 4 June 2012

15th (Northwest) Arkansas Infantry (Confederate)
Arkansas state flag
Active1861–1865
CountryConfederate States of America
AllegianceCSA Dixie
BranchInfantry
EngagementsBattle of Wilson's Creek

Battle of Pea Ridge,

Iuka-Corinth Campaign

Second Battle of Corinth

Vicksburg Campaign

Battle of Grand Gulf,
Battle of Port Gibson,
Battle of Champion Hill,
Battle of Black River Bridge,
Siege of Vicksburg,

Template:Infobox Arkansas Confederate Infantry Regiments

The 15th (Northwest) Arkansas Infantry Regiment (1861–1865) was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War. The regiment was raised in July 1861 under Col. D MacRae. It saw action both west and east of the Mississippi, before serving in the Vicksburg campaign. The regiment was surrendered at Vicksburg in July 1863. Raised a second time the regiment was consolidated with other Arkansas regiments, finally merging into the 1st (Trans-Mississippi) Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment. There were two other Arkansas regiments designated as the "15th Arkansas" Cleburne's 1st Regiment, Arkansas State Troops, was orgionally inducted into Confederate service as the 1st Arkansas Infantry Regiment, but when the Confederate War Deparment learned that this conflicted with the earlie designation of Fagan's 1st Arkansas Infantry Regiment, Cleburne's regiment was redesignated as the 15th Arkansas. This duplication lead to the additional designation of "Northwest" normally being added to the name of Colonel McRea's regiment. A third Arkansas Regiment, this one under the 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.

Designation

The unit was originally formed as the 3rd Arkansas Infantry Battalion. After receiving the required 10 companies, the unit was redesignated as the 21st (McCrae's) Arkansas Infantry Regiment. Upon recognition that there was already a 21st Arkansas, the unit was again redesignated as the 15th Arkansas Infantry Regiment. This was the third Arkansas unit to bear the designation "15th Arkansas". The others are the 15th (Josey's) Arkansas Infantry Regiment and the 15th (Gee/Johnson) Arkansas Infantry Regiment.

Organization

This unit can be traced back to four companies of Arkansas State Troops from Benton, Franklin and Yell counties, which marched to Bentonville in July 1861 to be assigned to a regiment of Arkansas State Troops. Instead, they were intercepted by Brigadier General Ben McCulloch, commanding Confederate forces in northwest Arkansas, organized into a battalion under command of Lieutenant Colonel Dandridge McRae, and mustered directly into the service of the Confederate States on July 15, 1861. Brigadier General McCulloch intended to increase the battalion to a regiment. He already had two Arkansas regiments enrolled in Confederate service, the 1st and 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles, and McRae's outfit was to form the basis for a 3rd Arkansas Regiment so it was christened as the 3rd Battalion Arkansas Infantry. McRae's 3rd Arkansas Battalion remained as a four-company battalion for some time.[1]

Brigadier General Dandridge McRae
  • Company A, of Benton County.
  • Company B, of Franklin County.
  • Company C, of Franklin County.
  • Company D, of Yell County.

The orgional Field and Staff Officers were:

  • Lieutenant Colonel Dandridge McRae
  • Major William Thompson
  • Assistant Commissary, Captain Henry J. Hays
  • Adjutant Squire Boone
  • Commissary Sergeant Edward T. Dorton,
  • Quartermaster Sergeant R.M. Lewis
  • Assistant Surgeon James Morrow,

The field officers were Colonels Squire Boone, James H. Hobbs, and Dandridge McRae; Lieutenant Colonel William W. Reynolds; and Majors D. A. Stuart and William Thompson.[2]

Battles

The 15th (Northwest) Arkansas Infantry Regiment took an active part in the battles at Wilson's Creek on August 10, 1861. In November 1861, four new companies from Benton, Pope and Washington counties joined the 3rd Arkansas Battalion, making a total of eight, so Brigadier General McCulloch asked the Confederate War Department to authorize the battalion to be designated as a regiment, promising that the last two companies would shortly be added. Brigadier General McCulloch's designation of McRae's command as the 3rd Arkansas Regiment was rejected, since Col. Albert Rust's command in Virginia had already been given that designation; so the War Department assigned the designation of 21st Arkansas Regiment to McRae's command (which resulted in two 21st Arkansas Regiments). The new 21st Arkansas Regiment was officially established on December 3, 1861, at Camp Benjamin, Arkansas.[1]

  • Company A, of Benton County.
  • Company B, of Franklin County.
  • Company C, of Franklin County.
  • Company D, of Yell County.
  • Company E, of Pope County.
  • Company F, of Benton County.
  • Company G, of Benton County.
  • Company H, of Washington County.
  • Emergency Company I, of Benton County.

The unit participated in the Battle of Pea Ridge on March 11, 1862 as the 21st Arkansas Infantry Regiment. For this battle, a ninth company was temporarily added. Known as Emergency Company I, this company was composed of men from Benton County who enlisted for thirty days of “emergency service”. After the battle of Pea Ridge, the 21st Arkansas and the rest of the Confederate Army of the West was ordered to Mississippi, and went into camp at Corinth, where, on May 8, 1862, the regiment was reorganized for the war.

In May 1862 the Confederate Army underwent an army-wide reorganization due to the passage of the Conscription Act by the Confederate Congress in April 1862. All twelve-month regiments had to re-muster and enlist for two years or the duration of the war; a new election of officers was ordered; and men who were exempted from service by age or other reasons under the Conscription Act were allowed to take a discharge and go home. Officers who did not choose to stand for re-election were also offered a discharge. The reorganization was accomplished among all the Arkansas regiments in and around Corinth, Mississippi, following the Battle of Shiloh.[3] Colonel McRea chose not to stand for re-election and and Lieutenant Colonel James H. Hobbs was elected to succeed McRae as colonel. On May 12, 1862, while still at Corinth, the last two companies (Company I and Company K) were added to the regiment, bringing it up the required ten companies.

These new companies had originally been Companies. A and B, respectively, of Williamson's Arkansas Infantry Battalion, recently disbanded. On August 22, 1862, Colonel Hobbs resigned and Lieutenant Colonel Squire Boone succeeded him as colonel.[1]

Sometime after October 1862, the Confederate War Department again redesignated the 21st Arkansas as the 15th Arkansas. The War Department apparently realized its mistake, because in February 1863 the regiment was ordered to insert the word "Northwest" in its regimental designation to distinguish it from, primarily, Col. Benjamin W. Johnson's 15th Arkansas, operating in the same theater thus, the 15th (Northwest) Arkansas Regiment.[1]





, and Elkhorn Tavern, and on March 11, 1862, contained 10 officers and 168 men. Later the unit moved east of the Mississippi River, fought at Corinth and Hatchie Bridge, then was assigned to M. E. Green's and Dockery's Brigade in the Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana. It sustained 82 casualties at Port Gibson and was part of the garrison captured at Vicksburg on July 4, 1863.[2] The Regiment is entitled to the following campaign participation credit:[4]

Surrender

This regiment surrendered with the Army of Mississippi at Vicksburg, Mississippi, July 4, 1863.[2] The soldiers of the unit were paroled on July 8 and 9, 1863, and sent back to Arkansas to await exchange. After being exchanged, the regiment was consolidated with the 14th and 16th Arkansas Regiments to form the 1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment (Trans-Mississippi). Under this final designation, the regiment served in Arkansas and Louisiana until the end of the war. Most of the men surrendered at Marshall, Texas, and Shreveport, Louisiana, in May and June 1865.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Howerton, Bryan, "15th Arkansas Regiment, No.3", Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board, Accessed 10 July 2011, http://history-sites.com/cgi-bin/bbs53x/arcwmb/webbbs_config.pl?noframes;read=14684
  2. ^ a b c National Park Service, Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, Confederate Arkansas Troops, 15th (Northwest), Arkansas Infantry, Accessed 27 January 2011, http://www.civilwar.nps.gov/cwss/regiments.cfm
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference history-sites was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Sikakis, Stewart, Compendium of the Confederate Armies, Florida and Arkansas, Facts on File, Inc., 1992, ISBN 978-0-8160-2288-5, page 99.
  5. ^ Gerdes Edward G., "15th (Northwest) Arkansas Infantry", Edward G. Gerdes Civil War Page, Accessed 10 July 2011, http://www.couchgenweb.com/civilwar/15infidx.html
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