45th Regiment Arkansas Militia.
Searcy County.

The 45th Regiment Arkansas Militia was part of the old prewar State militia organization.  It was the militia regiment of Searcy and present-day Stone counties.  It is also the only militia regiment known to have been called up during the war for a specific mission.  Confederate and State authorities became increasingly concerned about a shadowy organization in north-central Arkansas known as the Peace Society.  Although there is much debate about whether or not the Peace Society actually existed as a formal organization, and whether or not it was subversive in any way, the authorities were convinced that its members were Union sympathizers at best, or active anti-Confederate subversives at worst.  In any event, the decision was made at Little Rock to round up suspected Peace Society members in Searcy and Van Buren counties, and the Searcy County militia—the 45th Regiment—was called up to to do it.

The regiment mustered on November 26, 1861, at Burrowville (now Marshall), and spent the next few weeks identifying and apprehending suspected Peace Society members throughout the mountains of north-central Arkansas.  Finally, in mid-December, the regiment “escorted” their prisoners to Little Rock, where most of them were forced into Confederate service.  Companies I and K of Marmaduke’s 18th Arkansas (later 3rd Confederate) regiment were composed primarily of men rounded up by the 45th Militia.

Their mission completed, the regiment returned to Searcy County and mustered out on December 20, 1861.  The next spring, most of them enlisted in the 27th and 32nd Arkansas regiments.

Leslie, Samuel—Colonel.  Later in Co. F, 32nd Arkansas Infantry.
Hamm, Alexander—Lieutenant-Colonel.
Bradshaw, John—Major.
Cypert, Jesse—Adjutant.
Wilson, John S—Quartermaster.
Hays, William M—Commissary.  Later in 27th Arkansas Infantry.
Hogan, Marcus P—Judge Advocate.
Stinson, James A—Surgeon.
McCarn, Cornelius A—Sergeant-Major.
McCoy, William M—Wagon-Master.
Thomas, Calvin P—Forage-master.

Company A —Capt. Arthur R. Sisk.
Company B —Capt. William A. Wyatt.
Company C —Capt. Samuel L. Redwine.
Company D —Capt. Morgan M. Terry.
Company E —Capt. John R. Redwine.
Company F —Capt. Jesse L. Johnson.
Company G —Capt. W. G. Goodnight.

If you have any questions or comments or if you would like to have more information about the Civil War andPension Records of the men who served in these Companies, contact  Jeri Helms Fultz or Bryan Howerton