| 20th Arkansas Infantry (Confederate) | |
|---|---|
 Arkansas state flag | |
| Active | 1861 to 1865 |
| Country | Confederate States of America |
| Allegiance | CSA .svg){kind=small} |
| Branch | Infantry |
| Engagements | Battle Fort Pillow
|
Template:Infobox Arkansas Confederate Infantry Regiments
The 20th Arkansas Infantry (1861–1865) was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War. The unit was also known as the 22nd Arkansas Infantry. When the unit was reorganized following its capture at the Siege of Vicksburg, it was officially redesignated as the 41st Arkansas Infantry (Mounted), by the Arkansas State Military Board, but this redesignation was completely ignored by the unit and Confederate authorities.[1]
Organization
The 20th Arkansas infantry was originally organized as the 22nd Arkansas Infantry at DeValls Bluff, Arkansas, on April 9, 1862, with the following officers:[2]
- Colonel George W. King,
- Lieutenant Colonel Alf Carrigan,
- Major James H. Fletcher.
The regiment was composed of volunteer companies from the following counties:[2]
- Company A, the "Hempstead Legion", Commanded by Captain Daniel Webster Jones, organized in Hempstead County, Arkansas on March 1, 1862
- Company B, the “McCulloch Avengers”, Commanded by Captain Henry Poston Johnson, organized in Hempstead County, Arkansas on March 1, 1862
- Company C, the “Worsham Avengers”, Commanded by Captain James G. Johnson, organized at Centerville, Arkansas, on February 26, 1862
- Company D, Commanded by Captain Rufus M. Lindsey, organized in Little Rock, Arkansas on March 1, 1862
- Company E, the "Hempstead Plough Boys", Commanded by Captain Cottingham, Jefferson, organized in Hempstead County, Arkansas on March 1, 1862
- Company F, Commanded by Captain R. E. Beebe, organized at Perryville, Perry County, Arkansas, on March 3, 1862
- Company G, Commanded by Captain H. G. Robertson, organized in Pulaski County, Arkansas on February 17, 1862
- Company H, Commanded by Captain W. H. Wheeler, organized in Warren, Bradley County, Arkansas, on February 28, 1862
- Company I, Commanded by Captain G. W. King, organized at Little Rock, Pulaskin County, Arkansas, on February 26, 1862
- Company K, Commanded by Captain W. R. Kelley, organized at Bright Star, Lafayette County, Arkansas, March 6, 1862
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 1962. 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] Upon reorganization at Corinth on May 8, 1862 the 22nd Arkansas was redesignated as the 20th Arkansas Infantry.[4] The regimental officers chosen when the 20th was reorganized for the war were:[5]
- Colonel Henry P. Johnson
- Lieutenant Colonel James H. Fletcher
- Major Daniel W. Jones
Battles
20th Infantry Regiment, formerly G. W. King's 22nd Regiment, moved east of the Mississippi River and at the Battles of Corinth and Hatchie Bridge reported 92 casualties. Colonel Johnson was killed at the battle of Corinth, and Lieutenant-Colonel Fletcher became colonel, but resigned on account of disability, when Maj. Daniel W. Jones was promoted to colonel, and Captain Robertson succeeded him as major of the regiment. The regiment was assigned to General M. E. Green's Brigade, Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana when Major Robertson was killed in The battle of Big Black in rear of Vicksburg. The regiment was at the bombardment of Fort Pillow and in the battles of Farmington, Corinth, Coffeeville, Mississippi, Big Black river bridge, endured the Siege of Vicksburg, and was surrendered on July 4, 1863.
Exchanged, reorganized, and mounted, at Washington, Arkansas, in the fall of 1863, the 20th was attached to Dockery's Brigade in the Trans-Mississippi Department.[6] During this period, the Arkansas State Military Board officially redesignated the regiment as the 41st Arkansas Infantry Regiment (Mounted).[1] This designation was completely ignored by the unit and its commander, but the unit is occasionally referred to as the 20th Arkansas Cavalry.[4]
Colonel Jones, who had been taken prisoner at Corinth and exchanged, was again a prisoner at the capitulation of Vicksburg. After being exchanged, the regiment re-entered the service as cavalry under Colonel Jones, and was at the skirmishes on the Little Missouri and Prairie d'Ane, and the battles of Marks' Mills and Jenkins' Ferry, in April 1864; and during the raid to the Missouri river took part in the battles of Pilot Knob, Booneville, Independence and Marais des Cygnes, September 1864.
Consolidation and Surrender
In November 1864, the remnants of Gee/Johnson's 15th Arkansas Dockery's 19th Arkansas and the 20th Arkansas Infantry Regiments were combined to form the 3rd Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment.[7][8] The 3rd Arkansas Consolidated was surrendered with the Department of the Trans-Mississippi, General Kirby Smith commanding, May 26, 1865.[9][10] When the Trans-Mississippi Department surrendered, all of the Arkansas infantry regiments were encamped in and around Marshall, Texas (war-ravaged Arkansas no longer able to subsist the army). The regiments were ordered to report to Shreveport, Louisiana, to be paroled. None of them did so. Some soldiers went to Shreveport on their own to be paroled, but the regiments simply disbanded without formally surrendering.[11]
References
- ^ a b Howerton, Bryan R. "In Response To: 20 Ark aka 41 Ark?", Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board, Posted 4 August 2004, Accessed 8 December 2011, http://history-sites.com/mb/cw/arcwmb/archive_index.cgi?noframes;read=8053
- ^ a b Gerdes, Edward G., "20th Regiment Arkansas Infantry" Edward G. Gerdes Civil War Page, Accessed 1 August 2011, http://www.couchgenweb.com/civilwar/20infhis.html
- ^ Howerton, Bryan, "14th Arkansas Regiment, No. 1", Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board, Accessed 29 July 2011, http://history-sites.com/cgi-bin/bbs53x/arcwmb/webbbs_config.pl?noframes;read=14705
- ^ a b Howerton, Bryan R.: "◦Re: 20th Arkansas Cavalry " Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board, Posted 3 August 2004, Accessed 8 December 2011, http://history-sites.com/cgi-bin/bbs53x/arcwmb/arch_config.pl?noframes;read=8043
- ^ Harrell, John M., "Confederate Military History, a library of Confederate States Military History", Volume 10.2, Arkansas, Page 320, Accessed 1 August 2011, http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2001.05.0254%3Achapter%3D11%3Apage%3D320
- ^ National Park Service, Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, Confederate Arkansas Troops, 20th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry. Retrieved 27 January 2011.
- ^ Sikakis, Stewart, Compendium of the Confederate Armies, Florida and Arkansas, Facts on File, Inc., 1992, ISBN 978-0-8160-2288-5, page 118
- ^ Edward G. Gerdes Civil War Page. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
HBwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
confederatewas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Howerton, Bryan, "Re: 17th/1st/35th/22nd Arkansas Infantry Regiment.", Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board, Posted 26 October 2011, Accessed 26 October 2011, http://history-sites.com/cgi-bin/bbs53x/arcwmb/webbbs_config.pl?noframes;read=24907
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 text from this source, which is in the public domain: Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, National Park Service
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