VOLUME IV, NUMBER 2, SEPTEMBER, 1980 EDITORS: Amelia Martin CONTENTS Carolyn Pollan INQUIRIES EDITOR: VOL. IV, NO. 2 SEPTEMBER, 1980 Leonna Belle Cotner ORAL HISTORY EDITOR: Missy Cole Carroll The War and Fort Smith Militia in 1861 2 GUEST WRITERS: Diary of John Lucey 4 Gordon Kelley Edwin Hicks Paul Krone, A Belle Point Guard 10 PROOF READERS: Attention Readers 11 Phil Miller Early History of Varina Jefferson Davis Arlie Metheny PHOTOGRAPHIC STAFF Chapter, Daughters of the Confederacy 12 Gerald Shepard Flags of the Civil War 1861 - 1865 15 David King Oral History, Brigadier General William B. Cantwell ...... 16 INDEXING: Phil Miller Edwin P. Hicks 19 MAILING: A Civil War Indian Memory 20 Thelma Black Major General James G. Blunt 21 Frank Jedlicka BOARD AND OFFICERS: Journal Award of Distinction 22 Carolyn Pollan, Pres. Inquiries 22 Phil Miller, V.P. Sue McCain, Sec. & Treas. Book Notes 23 Leonna Belle Cotner, Cor. Sec. 1880 Newspapers 24 Missy Cole Carroll Arkansas Territorial Restoration Project 31 Joe Barron Gordon Kelley 1860 Census — Continued 32 Nick Kelly Membership 41 Arlie Metheny Jimmie Delle Caldwell Index 45 Sue McCain Robert Johnson COVER PICTURE: Richard Suggs Looking east from South 6th Street toward the Confederate Membership in the Fort Smith Historical Monument on Rogers Avenue side of the Sebastian County Society includes subscription to The Courthouse lawn in Fort Smith. Picture appears to have been taken Journal of the Fort Smith Historical the day the Confederate Monument was unveiled in June, 1903. Society, which is published semi-annually. Year begins Jan. 1 and ends Dec. 31. Courtesy of Fadjo Cravens For membership, send dues with your ©Copyright 1980 name and mailing address to: By the Fort Smith Historical Society, Inc. 61 South 8th Street The Fort Smith Historical Society, Inc. Fort Smith, Arkansas 72901 61 South 8th Street Fort Smith, Arkansas 72901 The Fort Smith Historical Society, Inc. is a Annual $ 10.00 non-profit organization under Sec. 501 (c) Annual Contributing 20.00 (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954. Annual Sustaining 50.00 Gifts and legacies are deductible. Life (Individual) 100.00 Journal Back Issues Ea. copy 5.00 No portion of this publication may be reproduced in any form, except We welcome the loan of Fort Smith for brief excerpts for review purposes, without the consent of the historical material and will return promptly. Editors of THE JOURNAL. 1 "THE WAR" AND FORT SMITH MILITIA IN 1861 By Carolyn Pollan The spirit of fighting danced around Arkansas in 2nd Arkansas State Troops; Capt. H. C. Minehart's 1861. Capt. Samuel D. Sturgis, who commanded the Cavalry Company (no direct reference to the two companies of the First United States Cavalry regiment they joined, but believed to be the 3rd stationed at Fort Smith in April 1861, got word the Arkansas Infantry); and Capt. John Griffith's afternoon of April 23 that a company of state militia, Company, joined to the 3rd Arkansas Infantry. under the command of Col. Solon Borland, Not all citizens of the area approved of these numbering about 300 men with at least six pieces of companies being raised against the Union as artillery had landed at Van Buren. He heard that this indicated in a Fort Smith Times and Herald article company had joined with a previously organized date May 3, 1860 which states "Only one drawback, Van Buren Company and was coming to Fort Smith the coldness with which many of our citizens appear by the dirt road to take the fort. to view them, and distance at which some of our Capt. Sturgis, whose companies were only half young men stand from the company." filled, decided to retire from the fort without fighting In June, state militia from different towns began and left about 9:00 PM that evening and took with arriving at the Fort Smith post. Companies came him the companies of cavalry and 20 wagons and from Sevier County, Columbia County, Caddo teams. He left by the Texas or Fort Towson Road Rangers from Clark County, Polk County, and arrived at Fort Washita in the Chickasaw Nation, Hempstead County Hornets and a second company Indian Territory, on April 30th. of Cavalry from Clark County armed with double The post was left by Capt. Sturgis in the hands of barrelled shotguns and large home-made knives 25 Major R. C. Gatlin, who was visiting in Fort Smith at to 36 inches long. the time. Around midnight, Col. Borland's forces Arkansas companies under the command of reached the fort and it was surrendered from United General A. B. Pearce, marched on up to the northern States hands by Major Gatlin to the state militia part of the state around the 1st of July and met up forces, even though the State of Arkansas had not with other troops of Louisiana and Texas (all of seceded from the Union. Major Gatlin and Capt. these troops including Arkansas were under the Alexander Montgomery, who was in charge of the over-all command of General Ben McCulloch). quartermasters office, were taken prisoner. They There they gathered forces with the Army of were both paroled by the governor on the condition Missouri under General Price. By early August, they not fight against the State of Arkansas or the Southwest Missouri was one vast military camp. Confederate States unless exchanged. On August 10, the forces of McCulloch and Price, The dispatches regularly came from Little Rock with McCulloch in command, finally clashed with exhorting the citizens to be ready for battle on the Union forces of General Nathaniel Lyon at Wilson's northern frontier of the state, to raise more Creek, which is 10 miles southwest of Springfield, regiments of cavalry and infantry, to get rifles ready Missouri on the Cassville Road. The battle that took along with guns and pistols. Money was raised to place is generally known as the battle of Wilson's help support families of those who went off to fight. Creek although the southern writers of the times Crops and beef were donated to the forces. referred to it as the Battle of Oak Hill. Capt. Sturgis From the time state troops took Fort Smith in April and his men, who left the post of Fort Smith in through June and July, at least seven companies Confederate hands fought in this battle. were raised in this area for the Confederate cause. The following is a diary kept by a member of the Companies raised at Fort Smith were the Fort Smith Fort Smith Rifles, one of the companies that fought Rifles, commanded by J. H. Sparks, which then the battle at Wilson's Creek. The writer was John M. joined with the 3rd Arkansas Infantry; Belle Point Lucey, a boy of 17 at the time. He later became Guards, commanded by Capt. Hurtzig (first name Father Lucey and resided at Pine Bluff. unknown and last name also spelled Hertzig. There It is easy to picture this group of over 60 men is no direct reference to the regiment they joined but itching to "fight like the bravest for southern it is believed to have been the 3rd Arkansas freedom," leaving Fort Smith in uniforms of cadet Infantry); Reid's Battery, commanded by Jack Reid, grey cloth with single breasted coats and gilt joined with the 3rd Louisiana Infantry; Capt. W. C. buttons and both pants and coat trimmed in buff. Corcoran's Company, joined with the 3rd Arkansas Their black hats were looped at the sides with black Infantry; Capt. Thomas Lewis Cavalry Company, feathers. joined with Col. DeRosey Carroll's Regiment of the On June 14th, the Fort Smith Rifles were given the 2 General Sterling Price, C.S.A General Lyons Colonel Thomas C. Hindman Major R. C. Gatlin General Ben McCulloch General A. B. Pearce 3 proceeds from a benefit by Mr. Meroney who had July 22 -- A continuation of fine weather, which the only house of amusement in town and the play enabled us to dry our clothes and fix our tents as the rain was "Guy Mannering." wet most of our clothes in the tents. The flag the Rifles carried to the Wilson Creek July 23 -- Pleasant weather continued which is very Battle was given to them by Miss Mary Rutherford, a welcome to us. Fort Smith girl, who later became Mrs. William M. July 24 -- Nothing unusual in camp. Pleasant day. We Cravens. will drill now at 7 and 11 a.m., at 4 p.m. and have dress parade at 6 p.m. July 25 -- Nothing important, except in the evening the arrival of 15 Minnie rifles from Capt. John Carroll at DIARY OF JOHN M. LUCEY Fort Smith, who was kind enough to lend them to the Private Co. A company to take the place of 15 old muskets which our Fort Smith Rifles men had. Arkansas 3rd Infantry July 26 -- Order read on dress parade in the Louisiana regiment that they would start on the 27th and our regiment (3rd Arkansas), on the 28th. An order was read July 8, 1861 --I left Fort Smith to rejoin the Fort Smith in the Louisiana regiment that every soldier is expected Rifles, that had departed about ten days previously for to carry his knapsack. It is my opinion that if they try that Missouri. The serious illness of my mother, supposed to game on our regiment there will be some kicking and be on her deathbed, prevented my earlier departure. I pressing old farmers' teams and wagons into service. traveled 13 miles and stopped at Oosley's.