The First Arkansas Confederate Mounted Riflemen

Colonel Thomas J. Churchill

A History and list of Engagements

Ref: “A Pictorial History of Arkansas” By: Kay Hempstead St.Louis and New York N.D. Thompson Publishing Co. 1890

The First Arkansas Mounted Riflemen enlisted directly in the Confederate Army, the field and staff officers of which were:

Thomas J. Churchill, Colonel
C. H. Matlock, Lieutenant-Colonel
R. W. Harper, Major
James Harper, Adjutant
Dr. W. A. Cantrell, Surgeon
Dr. W. M. Lawrence, Assistant Surgeon
N. Terry Roberts, Sergeant-Major

The following companies composed the regiment:

Chicot Rangers
D. H. Reynolds, Captain
R. J. Shadock, First Lieutenant
Abner Gaines, Second Lieutenant
J. McConnells, Third Lieuntenant

Des Arc Rangers
J. S. Pearson, Captain
W. W. Ware, First Lieutenant
D. McIver, Second Lieutenant
W. S. Garrett, Third Lieutenant

Johnson Cavalary
Oliver Basham, Captain

Augusta Guards
L. M. Ramsauer, Captain
W. P. Campbell, First Lieutenant
R. L. Barnes second Lieutenant
John Chambers, third Lieutenants

Lawrence Rangers
L. p. McAlexander, Captain
W. C. Adams, First Lieutenant
G. W. Wels, Second Lieutenant
F. J. Raney, Third Lieutenant

Pulaski Lancers
Morton G. G. galloway, Captain
George W. King, First Lieutenant
H. S. McConnell, Second Lieutenant
_________ Johnson, Third Lieutenant

Desha Cavalry
J. L. Porter, Captain
J. J. Jones, First Lieutenant
D. Alexander, Second Lieutenant
Thomas Hardesty, Third Lieutenant

Yell Cavalry
T. J. Daniels, Captain

Conway Cavalry
R. W. Harper, Captain

Independence Cavalry
W. E. Gibbs, Captain
G. W. Daugherty, First Lieutenant
J. W. Butler, Second Lieutenant
C. P. Head, Third Lieutenant

Colonel Churchill was promoted to Brigadier and afterwards to Major-General. Lieutenant-Colonel Matlock, being at home in Augusta, on furlough, was captured by a force of Federals, and carried a prisoner to Johnson's Island, where he died, and Major R. W. Harper became Colonel of the regiment. He was killed at Chickamauga, and D. H. Reynolds became Colonel, November 17th, 1863, and L. M. Ramsaur, Lieutenant-Colonel. Colonel Reynolds was promoted to Brigader-General, March 5th, 1864, and L. M. Ramsaur became Colonel, but was unable to serve in the field on account of wounds received at Murfreesboro.

The regiment was commanded by G. W. Wells, Lieutenant-Colonel, and W. P. Campbell, Major. On the 1st of April, 1865, the brigade to which it belonged was consolidated into one regiment. H. G. Bunn was elected Colonel of the consolidated regiment, and James P. Eagle, Lieutenant-Colonel. They were hardly enough men out of the whole brigade to make a full regiment.

They bore their part in the great conflict with unsurpassed heroism and endurance. They were in it from the first to the last, and make for themselves a proud record. The regiment was nearly 1,000 strong at its organization, but only a bare handful lived to the end. After the battle of Murfreesboro they were dismounted and thereafter served as Infantry.

Colonel D.H. Reynolds was promoted to Brigadier-General, March 5th, 1864, and commanded the brigade to which the regiment belonged from that date till the close of the war. After he was wounded at Bentonville, March 19th, 1865, Colonel H. G. bunn, of the 4th Arkansas, as senior Colonel, commanded the brigade during the battle at that place, and afterwards, till the surrender which was made near Smithfield, North Carolina, april 26th, 1865.

Neosho, Missouri, July, 1861 -
Oak Hill, August 10th, 1861 -
Elkhorn, March 6th, 1862 -
Farmington, Mississippi, May 9th, 1862
Richmond, Kentucky, August 29th and 30th, 1862 -
Murfreesboro, December, 31st, 1862, January 2nd, 1863 -
Jackson, Mississippi, July 10th thru 16th, 1863
Chickamauga, September 19th and 20th, 1863 -
Dug Gap, near Dalton, May 8th, 1864 -
Resaca, May 13th, 14th, and 18th, 1864 -
Kennesaw Mountain, June 17th, thru July 3rd, 1864 -
Moores Mill, Georgia, July 19th, 1864 -
Peach Tree Creek, July 20th, 1864
Atlanta, July 22nd, 1864 -
Ezra Church, July 28th, 1864 -
Lovejoy Station, August 20th, 1864 -
Jonesboro, August 31st, 1864 -
Moon Station, October 3rd, 1864 -
Franklin, November 30th, 1864 -
Nashville, December 15th, 1864 -
Bentonville, March 19th, 1865.

This information was researched by William McReynolds, who has kindly volunteered to help with these Civil War Pages...