3rd Arkansas Cavalry
Encyclopedia
3rd Arkansas Cavalry was a Confederate Army cavalry
regiment
from Arkansas
during the American Civil War
.
At the outbreak of hostilities between the north and south, Arkansas began raising troops to serve in the Confederate Army. The state raised some 48 infantry
regiments, along with several cavalry regiments and artillery batteries
. The 3rd Arkansas Cavalry was first organized in Little Rock, Arkansas
on June 10, 1861, by former senator
and soldier
Solon Borland
. Borland, who was at the time serving as a state militia
commander for Northern Arkansas, was initially named a Colonel
of the regiment. However, that post was "elected" by the members of the regiment, and Borland was not reelected in May, 1861.
On July 27, 1861, the regiment was mustered into the Confederate Army for one years service which they later extended, and sent to Corinth, Mississippi
, but without Borland. Borland by this time had been replaced by Colonel Samuel G. Earle. The regiment was placed under the command of Major General
Joseph Wheeler
, and later became a part of the Army of Mississippi
. They saw their first real battle action on October 3 and 4, 1862 at the Second Battle of Corinth
, where Lieutenant Colonel
Anson W. Hobson was wounded in both arms, with the regiment as a whole suffering heavy casualties. The very next day, on October 5, 1862, they fought in the Battle of Hatchie's Bridge
. They saw considerable combat action in the months that followed. On March 5, 1863, Col. Earle was killed in action
near Thompson's Station, Tennessee
.
He was replaced by newly promoted Col. Anson W. Hobson. The regiment took part in the Knoxville Campaign
, the Atlanta Campaign
, and fought at the Battle of Bentonville
. They surrendered with the Army of Tennessee
on April 26, 1865.
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
from Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
At the outbreak of hostilities between the north and south, Arkansas began raising troops to serve in the Confederate Army. The state raised some 48 infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiments, along with several cavalry regiments and artillery batteries
Artillery battery
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
. The 3rd Arkansas Cavalry was first organized in Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
on June 10, 1861, by former senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
and soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
Solon Borland
Solon Borland
Solon Borland was a newspaperman, soldier, diplomat, Democratic United States Senator from the State of Arkansas and a Confederate officer during the American Civil War.-Early life:...
. Borland, who was at the time serving as a state militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
commander for Northern Arkansas, was initially named a Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
of the regiment. However, that post was "elected" by the members of the regiment, and Borland was not reelected in May, 1861.
On July 27, 1861, the regiment was mustered into the Confederate Army for one years service which they later extended, and sent to Corinth, Mississippi
Corinth, Mississippi
Corinth is a city in Alcorn County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 14,054 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Alcorn County. Its ZIP codes are 38834 and 38835.- History :...
, but without Borland. Borland by this time had been replaced by Colonel Samuel G. Earle. The regiment was placed under the command of Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Joseph Wheeler
Joseph Wheeler
Joseph Wheeler was an American military commander and politician. He has the rare distinction of serving as a general during war time for two opposing forces: first as a noted cavalry general in the Confederate States Army in the 1860s during the American Civil War, and later as a general in the...
, and later became a part of the Army of Mississippi
Army of Mississippi
There were three organizations known as the Army of Mississippi in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. -Army of Mississippi :This army, at times known by the names Army of the West or Army of the...
. They saw their first real battle action on October 3 and 4, 1862 at the Second Battle of Corinth
Second Battle of Corinth
The Second Battle of Corinth was fought October 3–4, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi. For the second time in the Iuka-Corinth Campaign, Union Maj. Gen. William S...
, where Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Anson W. Hobson was wounded in both arms, with the regiment as a whole suffering heavy casualties. The very next day, on October 5, 1862, they fought in the Battle of Hatchie's Bridge
Battle of Hatchie's Bridge
The Battle of Hatchie's Bridge, also known as Davis's Bridge or Matamora, was fought on October 5, 1862, in Hardeman County and McNairy County, Tennessee, as the final engagement of the Iuka–Corinth Campaign of the American Civil War...
. They saw considerable combat action in the months that followed. On March 5, 1863, Col. Earle was killed in action
Killed in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
near Thompson's Station, Tennessee
Thompson's Station, Tennessee
Thompson's Station is a town in Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,283 at the 2000 census. It is the location of two places listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places: the Jacob Critz House and the Thomas L. Critz House.-Geography:Thompson's Station is...
.
He was replaced by newly promoted Col. Anson W. Hobson. The regiment took part in the Knoxville Campaign
Knoxville Campaign
The Knoxville Campaign was a series of American Civil War battles and maneuvers in East Tennessee during the fall of 1863. Union forces under Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside occupied Knoxville, Tennessee, and Confederate forces under Lt. Gen. James Longstreet were detached from Gen...
, the Atlanta Campaign
Atlanta Campaign
The Atlanta Campaign was a series of battles fought in the Western Theater of the American Civil War throughout northwest Georgia and the area around Atlanta during the summer of 1864. Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman invaded Georgia from the vicinity of Chattanooga, Tennessee, beginning in May...
, and fought at the Battle of Bentonville
Battle of Bentonville
At 3 p.m., Confederate infantry from the Army of Tennessee launched an attack and drove the Union left flank back in confusion, nearly capturing Carlin in the process and overrunning the XIV Corps field hospital. Confederates under Maj. Gen. D.H. Hill filled the vacuum left by the retreating...
. They surrendered with the Army of Tennessee
Army of Tennessee
The Army of Tennessee was the principal Confederate army operating between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River during the American Civil War. It was formed in late 1862 and fought until the end of the war in 1865, participating in most of the significant battles in the Western Theater...
on April 26, 1865.