8th Arkansas Infantry Battalion, CSA

Company G—“Lawrence Dead-Shots”

The information on these  pages was edited and graciously  given to the Edward G. Gerdes Arkansas Civil War page by Bryan R. Howerton, who we thank so much.    He can be reached and thanked at this email address!  "Bryan R. Howerton"

This company completed its organization on March 6, 1862, at Powhatan, Lawrence county, Arkansas, and enlisted in the Confederate service at Jacksonport, Arkansas, on April 4, 1862.  It was assigned to Lieutenant-Colonel Batt L. Jones’ 8th Arkansas Infantry Battalion as Company H on April 9.  As a result of the battalion’s reorganization a month later, the Lawrence Dead-Shots was redesignated as Company G on May 10, 1862, and retained this designation until the battalion was consolidated in 1864.  The captain of the company was Joseph C. Holmes.

About the roster of Company G:  As with all the companies of the 8th Arkansas Battalion, the official records of this company are incomplete.  About 50 men can be positively identified as being members of this company.  Most of them were from Lawrence county, with a few from neighboring Randolph county.  There may be as many as 30 more members of this company who cannot now be identified.  Company G apparently did not rejoin the battalion after the surrender at Port Hudson.  A number of them were captured as a group in Ripley county, Missouri, in December 1863.

Beal, Joshua
Third Lieutenant—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; elected third lieutenant, April 4, 1862; died, April 29, 1862, cause not stated.

Bennett, Alexander
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; captured in Ripley county, Missouri, December 25, 1863; confined at Gratiot Street Prison, St. Louis, Missouri; no further information.

Bennett, Benjamin
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; captured at Port Hudson, Louisiana, July 9, 1863, and paroled on July 10, 1863.

Bennett, John A
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; captured in Ripley county, Missouri, December 25, 1863; died of pneumonia at U.S. Military Prison, Alton, Illinois, November 5, 1864.

Bennett, William
First Lieutenant—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; elected first lieutenant, April 4, 1862; wounded and captured at Corinth, Mississippi, October 5, 1862, and paroled on October 13, 1862; captured at Port Hudson, Louisiana, July 9, 1863; confined at U.S. Military Prison, Fort Delaware; exchanged at City Point, Virginia, October 15, 1864; born in Virginia, c1817.

Bishop, M
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; captured at Corinth, Mississippi, October 5, 1862; paroled at Iuka, Mississippi, October 19, 1862.

Brantley, Francis W
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; captured at Port Hudson, Louisiana, July 9, 1863, and paroled on July 10, 1863.

Carroll, Joseph N
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; deserted at Port Hudson, Louisiana, and captured at Springfield Landing, Louisiana, July 13, 1863; no further information; died in Arkansas, May 10, 1915; veteran filed Arkansas pension application #10616 from Randolph county, August 13, 1913; widow Fannie A. Carroll filed for pension, August 21, 1915.

Cherry, Jesse
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; captured at Port Hudson, Louisiana, July 9, 1863, and paroled on July 10, 1863.

Coe, John T
Private—Enlisted in Lawrence county, Arkansas, March 10, 1862; captured at Port Hudson, Louisiana, July 9, 1863, and paroled on July 10, 1863; captured in Ripley county, Missouri, December 25, 1863; confined at U.S. Military Prison, Rock Island, Illinois, until October 17, 1864, when he enlisted in U.S. Army; born in Henderson county, Kentucky; occupation farmer.

Cooper, John
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; no further information.

Cooper, Thomas
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; deserted at Port Hudson, Louisiana, and captured at Springfield Landing, Louisiana, July 13, 1863; no further information.

Cooper, W L
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; hospitalized at Columbus, Mississippi, in 1862; no further information.

Cooper, William M
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; captured at Port Hudson, Louisiana, July 9, 1863, and paroled on July 10, 1863; captured in Ripley county, Missouri, December 25, 1863; confined at Gratiot Street Prison, St. Louis, Missouri; no further information; born in Gibson county, Tennessee, c1845; veteran filed Arkansas pension application #20013 from Lawrence county, August 10, 1912.

Darter, Elisha
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; captured at Port Hudson, Louisiana, July 9, 1863; paroled at Port Hudson, Louisiana, July 10, 1863.

Dickson, Henry
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; captured in Ripley county, Missouri, December 25, 1863; confined at Gratiot Street Prison, St. Louis, Missouri; no further information.

Frazier, John B
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; captured in Ripley county, Missouri, December 25, 1863; confined at Gratiot Street Prison, St. Louis, Missouri, where he died in January 1864.

Givens, T O
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; killed in action at Corinth, Mississippi, October 5, 1862.

Hamilton, James B
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; transferred to Co. C, 1st (Dobbin’s) Arkansas Cavalry Regiment; captured in Phillips county, Arkansas, February 24, 1865; confined at U.S. Military Prison, Camp Douglas, Illinois; exchanged at New Orleans, Louisiana, May 23, 1865.

Hardin, Absalom
Sergeant—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; appointed sergeant, April 4, 1862; captured at Port Hudson, Louisiana, July 9, 1863, and paroled on July 10, 1863.

Hardin, John M
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; promoted third lieutenant; captured in Ripley county, Missouri, December 25, 1863; confined at U.S. Military Prison, Fort Delaware; exchanged at City Point, Virginia, March 7, 1865; paroled at Jacksonport, Arkansas, June 5, 1865; born in Tennessee, c1834; died in Arkansas, March 4, 1910; veteran filed Arkansas pension application #16375 from Lawrence county, August 7, 1906; widow Tennessee Hardin filed for pension, August 10, 1911; eyes black, hair dark, complexion dark, height 5’7”.

Hawkins, Robert W
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; captured at Port Hudson, Louisiana, July 9, 1863, and paroled on July 10, 1863.

Hawkins, Samuel P
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; captured at Port Hudson, Louisiana, July 9, 1863; paroled at Port Hudson, Louisiana, July 10, 1863.

Helms, T
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; missing in action at Corinth, Mississippi, October 5, 1862; no further information.

Henderson, Jesse
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; captured at Port Hudson, Louisiana, July 9, 1863, and paroled on July 10, 1863.

Herrelston, Thomas
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; captured at Corinth, Mississippi, October 5, 1862, and paroled on October 14, 1862; captured at Port Hudson, Louisiana, July 9, 1863, and paroled on July 10, 1863.

Holloway, Jacob
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; captured at Port Hudson, Louisiana, July 9, 1863, and paroled on July 10, 1863.

Holmes, John W
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; discharged for tuberculosis at Overton General Hospital, Mississippi, May 2, 1862; born in Fairfield district, South Carolina, c1841; occupation lawyer; eyes blue, hair light, complexion fair, height 6’3”.

Holmes, Joseph C
Captain—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; elected captain April 4, 1862; resigned for disability, July 26, 1862; discharged, July 30, 1862; reenlisted as private in Lawrence county, Arkansas, November 1863; captured in Ripley county, Missouri, December 25, 1863; confined at U.S. Military Prison, Camp Douglas, Illinois; exchanged at City Point, Virginia, February 1865; paroled at Jacksonport, Arkansas, June 5, 1865; born at Charleston, South Carolina, c1824; occupation farmer; eyes dark, hair dark, complexion light, height 6’2”.

Houston, John
Private—Enlisted in Co. C, 8th Arkansas Infantry Battalion, at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 8, 1862; promoted first sergeant, April 24, 1862; captured at Corinth, Mississippi, October 5, 1862; exchanged at Vicksburg, Mississippi, November 8, 1862; captured at Port Hudson, Louisiana, July 9, 1863, and paroled on July 10, 1863; transferred to Co. G, 8th Arkansas Infantry Battalion, in 1863, and appointed second lieutenant; captured in Ripley county, Missouri, December 25, 1863; confined at U.S. Military Prison, Johnson’s Island, Ohio; exchanged at Red River Landing, Louisiana, February 26, 1865; paroled at Jacksonport, Arkansas, June 5, 1865; born in Kentucky, c1837; eyes gray, hair black, complexion dark, height 5’5”.

Jones, James A
Private—Enlisted in Co. C, 8th Arkansas Infantry Battalion, at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 8, 1862; appointed musician (drummer), March 8, 1862; captured at Port Hudson, Louisiana, July 9, 1863, and paroled on July 10, 1863; transferred to Co. G, 8th Arkansas Infantry Battalion, in 1863; captured in Ripley county, Missouri, December 25, 1863; confined at U.S. Military Prison, Rock Island, Illinois, where he died of variola on February 29, 1864, and was buried in grave #643; born in Bedford county, Tennessee, c1837.

Law, Thomas
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; deserted at Port Hudson, Louisiana, and captured at Springfield Landing, Louisiana, July 13, 1863; no further information.

McCall, Newton H
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; captured at Port Hudson, Louisiana, July 9, 1863, and paroled on July 10, 1863.

Minton, Z E
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; discharged for disability, June 18, 1862; born in Warren county, Kentucky, c1836; occupation farmer.

Ogden, Henry
Corporal—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; appointed corporal, April 4, 1862; captured at Port Hudson, Louisiana, July 9, 1863, and paroled on July 10, 1863; captured in Ripley county, Missouri, December 25, 1863; confined at U.S. Military Prison, Alton, Illinois; exchanged at New Orleans, Louisiana, May 23, 1865.

O’Guinn, J
Private—Enlisted in Co. A, 1st Arkansas Regiment 30-Day Volunteers, in Randolph county, Arkansas, November 18, 1861; discharged at Pocahontas, Arkansas, December 18, 1861; enlisted in Co. G, 8th Arkansas Infantry Battalion, at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; hospitalized at Columbus, Mississippi, in 1862; no further information.

O’Guinn, Troy
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; captured at Port Hudson, Louisiana, July 9, 1863, and paroled on July 10, 1863; wife Sarah appears on list of indigent families of Confederate soldiers in Lawrence county in 1863.

Owens, M T
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; hospitalized at Columbus, Mississippi, in 1862; no further information.

Parsons, S
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; missing in action at Corinth, Mississippi, October 5, 1862; no further information.

Rushing, R G
First Sergeant—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; appointed first sergeant, April 4, 1862; wounded at Corinth, Mississippi, October 5, 1862; captured at Port Hudson, Louisiana, July 9, 1863, and paroled on July 10, 1863.

Sawyer, Lawson F
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; captured in Ripley county, Missouri, December 25, 1863; confined at Gratiot Street Prison, St. Louis, Missouri; no further information.

Smith, Wird W
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; captured at Corinth, Mississippi, October 5, 1862; paroled at Bolivar, Tennessee, October 13, 1862.

Sooter, Andrew S
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; captured in Ripley county, Missouri, December 25, 1862; confined at U.S. Military Prison, Rock Island, Illinois, where he died of emphysema on June 7, 1864, buried in grave #1209.

Swink, William W
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; captured at Port Hudson, Louisiana, July 9, 1863, and paroled on July 10, 1863; captured in Lawrence county, Arkansas, December 28, 1864; confined at Gratiot Street Prison, St. Louis, Missouri, where he died of pneumonia on February 18, 1865; born in Lawrence county, Arkansas, c1844.

Wells, James
Second Lieutenant—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; appointed second lieutenant, April 4, 1862; no further information.

Westerman, Pleasant
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; deserted at Port Hudson, Louisiana, and paroled at New Orleans, July 1863; captured in Ripley county, Missouri, December 25, 1863; confined at hard labor at U.S. Military Prison, Alton, Illinois; no further information; born in Decatur county, Tennessee, c1839.

Willis, Addison
Corporal—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; appointed corporal, April 4, 1862; captured at Port Hudson, Louisiana, July 9, 1863, and paroled on July 10, 1863.

Willis, William A
Private—Enlisted at Powhatan, Arkansas, March 6, 1862; captured in Ripley county, Missouri, December 25, 1863; confined at U.S. Military Prison, Rock Island, Illinois, until exchanged in March 1865; born in Davidson county, North Carolina, c1841.

Wolverton, Elijah H
Private—Enlisted in Co. A, 2nd Arkansas Regiment 30-Day Volunteers, at Jacksonport, Arkansas, November 18, 1861; appointed sergeant, November 18, 1861; discharged at Pocahontas, Arkansas, December 18, 1861; enlisted in Co. G, 8th Arkansas Infantry Battalion, at Jacksonport, Arkansas, April 4, 1862; promoted third lieutenant, April 29, 1862; captured at Port Hudson, Louisiana, July 9, 1863; confined at U.S. Military Prison, Johnson’s Island, Ohio; exchanged at City Point, Virginia, March 1865; born in Tennessee, c1825.

If you have any questions or comments or if you would like to have more information about the Civil War and
Pension Records of the men who served in these Companies, contact BRYAN R. HOWERTON  or Jeri Helms Fultz