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"

The Desha Rangers was an independent cavalry troop, organized by Captain William S. Malcomb in rural Desha county, Arkansas, December 13, 1862.  The Rangers continued to recruit (and conscript) heavily in Desha and Arkansas counties throughout the first half of 1863.  A large number of the Rangers had previously served in the Desha County Militia in late 1861.

Though the Desha Rangers were enlisted as an independent company, they were often temporarily attached to various cavalry regiments, depending upon the needs of the army.  For a time they were attached to the 5th Arkansas Cavalry Regiment as Company M; and later were attached to Carlton’s Arkansas Cavalry Regiment as Company H.

When operating as an independent troop, the Rangers were usually detailed on scouts.  They sometimes served as provost guard, and occasionally were assigned as the commanding general’s escort troop.

Captain William S. Malcomb resigned his commission, due to disability, on September 10, 1863, and was succeeded by Lieutenant Stephen J. Peoples.  When Captain Peoples was promoted to major of Carlton’s Cavalry Regiment on August 4, 1864, Lieutenant George Flournoy succeeded him as captain.

The records of the Trans-Mississippi Army are very sketchy from late 1864 to the surrender in 1865; therefore it is difficult to track the activities of the Desha Rangers with any degree of certainty during this period.  It appears that they ended the war still attached to Carlton’s Cavalry Regiment.

Alexander, James—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Alexander, William A—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Alumbaugh, Harding [or Hardy]—Private; enlisted in Arkansas county, April 1, 1863.

Ambler, Sylvester—Private; enlisted in Desha county, September 1, 1863.

Barbee, Resy—Private; enlisted in Arkansas county, April 10, 1863; promoted second corporal.

Blackburn, Charles B—Private; enlisted in Arkansas county, January 8, 1863; promoted fourth sergeant.

Blanford, W J—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Blanton, Willis—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Bogard, W T—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862; promoted corporal.

Bradburn, John—Private; enlisted July 20, 1863, place not stated.

Brent, John—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Cady, John—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Carrascoosky, Mariano—Private; enlisted in Desha county, August 1, 1863.

Cavanaugh, Nicholas “Nick”—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Chevalier, Henry F—Private; enlisted in Desha county, April 1, 1863.

Clark, Bryan—Private; enlisted in Arkansas county, September 1, 1863.

Coble, W A—Private; enlisted in Desha county, January 18, 1863; promoted third corporal.

Collins, Benjamin Franklin—Private; enlisted in Desha county, February 10, 1863.

Collins, Mathew “Mat”—Private; enlisted in Desha county, February 10, 1863.

Coomes, W L—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Coose, John W—Private; enlisted in Desha county, February 10, 1863.

Cox, James R—Private; enlisted in Desha county, February 10, 1863.

Cumby, Green—Private; enlisted in Desha county, September 1, 1863.

Davis, Edward “Ed”—Private; enlisted in Arkansas county, July 1, 1863.

Davis, William—Private; enlisted in Desha county, May 10, 1863.

Dickson, William P—Private; enlisted in Desha county, January 18, 1863.

Dumond, Israel—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Elliott, James—Private; enlisted in Arkansas county, March 10, 1863.

Fisher, C S—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Flournoy, George—Second Lieutenant; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862; promoted captain.

Gardner, William H—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Garrett, Daniel L—Private; enlisted in Arkansas county, April 18, 1863.

Garrett, Edward “Ed”—Private; enlisted in Desha county, March 10, 1863.

Graddy, George J—Private; enlisted in Desha county, October 14, 1863.

Greenwood, M H—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862; promoted second sergeant.

Greenwood, William A—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Groover, Solomon—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Harding, John E—Private; enlisted in Arkansas county, January 18, 1863; promoted first lieutenant.

Hempley, Benjamin L “Ben”—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Henry, William—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Herrington, Aaron—Private; enlisted in Arkansas county, January 18, 1863.

Herrington, William—Private; enlisted in Arkansas county, January 18, 1863.

Hicks, Lewis—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Hill, John J—Private; enlisted in Desha county, May 18, 1863.

Hudson, B W—Private; enlisted in Arkansas county, May 10, 1863.

Humphries, Benjamin L “Ben”—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

James, Thomas W—Private; enlisted in Arkansas county, January 18, 1863; appointed commissary sergeant.

Keller, Benjamin Franklin “Frank”—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Kiger, George T—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Kilgore, John B—Private; enlisted in Desha county, August 1, 1863.

King, Charles “Charlie”—Private; enlisted in Desha county, August 1, 1863.

King, Thomas Q—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862; promoted third sergeant.

King, W D—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Lambert, John—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Larose, James—Private; enlisted in Desha county, August 1, 1863.

Lee, George—Private; enlisted in Desha county, September 1, 1863.

Le Vasseur, August “Gus”—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Lunsford, Nimrod—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

McConnell, James—Private; enlisted in Arkansas county, June 1, 1863.

McEwen, Alexander “Alex”—Private, enlisted in Arkansas county, May 1, 1863.

McEwen, E T—Private; enlisted in Arkansas county, February 10, 1863.

McEwen, George—Private; enlisted in Arkansas county, May 1, 1863.

McGehee, Andrew Jackson “Andy”—Private; enlisted in Arkansas county, February 15, 1863.

McGraw, John—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

McNeill, Henry—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Malcomb, William S—Captain; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862; resigned, September 10, 1863.

Marquis, Van Augustus—Private; enlisted in Arkansas county, Arkansas, April 1, 1863; promoted lieutenant.

Mayson, James L [H]—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862; promoted first corporal.

Menard, George—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Menard, Mitchell “Mitch”—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Menard, William M—Third Lieutenant; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862; promoted second lieutenant.

Moore, William—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Morgan, D J—Private; enlisted in Arkansas county, May 1, 1863.

Morgan, Joseph—Private; enlisted in Desha county, February 15, 1863.

Nolan, Thomas—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Owens, B—Private; enlisted in Arkansas county, March, 1, 1863.

Parrish, William C—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Pearce, Edward “Ed”—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Peoples, Stephen J—First Lieutenant; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862; promoted captain and major.

Pike, J M—Private; enlisted in Arkansas county, June 1, 1863.

Pike, William—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Pineau, Joseph R—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Purnell, John—Private; enlisted in Arkansas county, July 1, 1863.

Raymer, B A—Private; enlisted in Arkansas county, May 1, 1863.

Richards, John A—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Richmond, William A—Private; enlisted in Desha county, February 10, 1863.

Seaman, P Y—Private; enlisted in Arkansas county, April 1, 1863.

Self, J D—Private; enlisted in Arkansas county, February 5, 1863.

Self, Thomas P—Private; enlisted in Arkansas county, February 5, 1863.

Shepard, Clifton R—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862; appointed ordnance sergeant.

Smith, J D—Private; enlisted in Dallas county, October 14, 1863.

Stewart, Gibson—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Sullivan, Daniel—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Swain, Willis—Private; enlisted in Arkansas county, April 1, 1863.

Taylor, John—Private; enlisted in Arkansas county, February 10, 1863.

Taylor, Mathew “Mat”—Private; enlisted in Arkansas county, April 1, 1863.

Turner, B A —Private; enlisted in Arkansas county, June 15, 1863.

Turner, J G—Private; enlisted in Arkansas county, June 15, 1863.

Turner, T J—Private; enlisted in Arkansas county, June 15, 1863.

Waldron, R H—Private; enlisted in Arkansas county, February 10, 1863.

Wallace, John W—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Walls [or Wells], Wilson—Private; enlisted in Arkansas county, April 4, 1863.

Weir, William—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Williams, Emory—Private; enlisted in Desha county, December 13, 1862.

Young, R A—Private; enlisted in Arkansas county, July 1, 1863.

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 me   Jeri Helms Fultz