The Sixth Arkansas Infantry

Confederate Military History
Chapter 11. Arkansas Regiments
Confederate Publishing Company
Atlanta, Ga., 1899

The Sixth Arkansas infantry regiment was organized at Little Rock in June, 1861, by the election of Capt. Richard Lyon, of Company H, colonel; A. T. Hawthorn, lieutenant-colonel; D. L. Kilgore, captain Company G, major. C. A. Bridewell was appointed adjutant and John F. Ritchie, quartermaster. Company A, of Little Rock, Capt. G. N. Peay, First Lieut. J. E. Reardon, Second Lieut. D. C. Fulton, Third Lieut. J. B. Lockman. Company B, Calhoun county, Capt. P. H. Echols, First Lieut. C. A. Bridewell, Second Lieut. H. Hogan. (This company refused to enter the Confederate service; but Lieutenant Bridewell, being adjutant, continued with the regiment.) Company C, Dallas Rifles, Capt. F. J. Cameron (promoted colonel), First Lieut. Mathew M. Duffie (promoted captain and major), Second Lieut. Nick Ketchum, Third Lieut. Robert A. Lea. Company D, Ouachita county, Capt. J. W. Kingswell, First Lieut. J. H. Scroggins, Second Lieut. E. N. Hill, Third Lieut. J. H. Croxton. Company E, Arkansas county, Capt. Sam G. Smith (promoted colonel), First Lieut. William F. Douglas, Second Lieut. J. T. Armstrong, Third Lieut. Charles Notrebe. Company F, LaFayette county, Capt. Sam H. Dill, First Lieut. E. B. Rutherford, Second Lieut. Thomas Brown, Third Lieut. R. A. Strickland. Company G, Magnolia county, Capt. J. W. Austin, First Lieut. Nick J. Gantt, Second Lieut. Thomas Seay, Third Lieut. Sam E. Miller. Company H, Camden, Capt. S. H. Southerland, First Lieut. E. W. Elliott, Second Lieut. A. J. Griggs. Company I, Union county, Capt. Sam Turner, First Lieut. E. H. Parks, Second Lieut. Joseph Goodwin, Third Lieut. Thomas Lockett. Company K, Ouachita county, Capt. Hope T. Hodnett, First Lieut. James Barnes, Second Lieut. Joseph W. Martin.

After the reorganization the regiment was marched to Pocahontas. Measles broke out in camp, of which a great many died. In September, 1861, the regiment was transferred to Confederate service in the brigade commanded by Brig.-Gen. William J. Hardee. After a raid into Missouri it returned and camped a short time at Pitman's Ferry, on Current river. The latter part of September, 1861, the brigade was moved to southeast Missouri; thence by boat to Columbus, Ky. , arriving about October 3d. From there it was sent to Cave City, Barren county, Ky. , where it spent the winter of 1861. While camped there the Sixth Arkansas regiment smelled its first powder, and that deep affection for Terry's Texas Rangers and Swett's Mississippi battery was formed, which lasts until now. Colonel Lyon was killed October 10, 1861, by his horse falling over a precipice with him, while superintending the crossing of his regiment over the Tennessee river. Lieut.-Col. A. T. Hawthorn became colonel, Capt. Gordon N. Peay, of Company A, lieutenant-colonel, and Capt. F. J. Cameron, major. While camped at Cave City the Sixth Arkansas regiment supported the Eighth Texas cavalry (Terry's Rangers) and Swett's Mississippi battery on December 17th at Woodsonville, Ky., when Colonel Terry was killed. It occupied this advanced position until the fall of Fort Donelson, when it returned with the balance of the army under Gen. A. S. Johnston to Corinth, Miss. Brig.-Gen. W. J. Hardee having been promoted to major-general, Col. T. C. Hindman, of the Second Arkansas, was promoted to brigadier-general, and held command until he was made major-general, when Col. R. G. Shaver was placed in command of the brigade and led it gallantly at the bloody battle of Shiloh, General Hindman commanding the division. When Corinth was evacuated, the brigade retreated to Tupelo, Miss., where it remained until the latter part of July, 1862. Then the regiment was sent to Chattanooga with General Bragg, and from there on the Kentucky campaign. It was present when 4,500 Federals surrendered at Munfordville, Ky., and was in line at Perryville, where Adjt. Sampson Harris, of Company A, was mortally wounded. Sergt. W. W. Carter, of Company A, was promoted to lieutenant and succeeded Lieutenant Harris as adjutant. Before the regiment left Corinth, Miss. , about 200 of the Twelfth Arkansas regiment were organized into two companies and placed in the Sixth. In December, at Shelbyville, they were sent back to their own regiment, which had been exchanged. This reduced the Sixth considerably, and it was consolidated with the Seventh Arkansas infantry, about December 15, 1862. The regiment was engaged in the battle of Murfreesboro, December 31, 1862, and January 1 and 2, 1863 ; and in the spring advanced to Bellbuckle, where it remained until June 24, 1863, when it was hastily ordered to the front to Liberty Gap, where it found the Fifth Arkansas struggling with a large force. It retreated from middle Tennessee to south of Tennessee river, went into camp at Chickamauga station, a few miles from Chattanooga, and remained there until about the 1st of September, when Bragg began maneuvering for the battle of Chickamauga. The regiment was engaged actually, or in line of battle, all through the Georgia campaign, and was at Franklin and Nashville, Tenn. From there to the surrender at Greensboro, N. C., April 26, 1865, this brigade was one regiment.