The First Regiment, Arkansas Volunteers, was established at Little Rock on May 6, 1861, but was actually organized at Lynchburg, Virginia, on May 19, 1861, where the ten component companies enlisted for twelve months.  The first field officers were Colonel James Fleming Fagan, Lieutenant-Colonel James Cade Monroe, and Major John Baker Thompson.  Although present at the Battle of Manassas (Bull Run) in July 1861, the First Arkansas led a fairly peaceful life during its first year of service, assigned to stationary guard duty and picket posts in the Department of Fredericksburg.  Their tour of duty as garrison soldiers came to an end, however, when the regiment was transferred to the Army of Mississippi in February 1862.  Assigned to the First (Gibson’s) Brigade, First (Ruggles’) Division, in Bragg’s Second Corps, the regiment fought in the Battle of Shiloh, April 6-7, 1862.  The First Arkansas went into the fight with about 800 men, and sustained a loss 364 killed, wounded and missing in action—an astounding 45 percent casualty rate.

After reorganizing, the First Arkansas was assigned to Pat Cleburne’s division, and spent the remainder of the war in the Army of Tennessee, fighting in all the major battles of that army, including Murfreesboro, Tullahoma, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, New Hope Church, Kennesaw Mountain, Atlanta, Jonesboro, Franklin, Nashville, and Bentonville.  On April 9, 1865, the remnants of the First Arkansas were consolidated with the remnants of nine other depleted Arkansas regiments to form the First Arkansas Consolidated Infantry.  This consolidated regiment was included in the surrender of the Army of Tennessee later than month, April 26, 1865, at Greensboro, North Carolina.

Co. A—“The El Dorado Sentinals” of Union County.
Co. B—“The Clark County Volunteers” of Clark County.
Co. C—“The Camden Knights” of Ouachita County.
Co. D—“The Clan McGregor” of Jefferson County.
Co. E—“The Saline Guards” of Saline County.
Co. F—“The Ettomon Guards” of Pulaski County.
Co. G—“The Jackson Guards” of Jackson County.
Co. H—“The Crockett Rifles” of Arkansas County.
Co.  I—“The Monticello Guards” of Drew County.
Co. K—“The DeWitt Guards” of Arkansas County.