19th Arkansas Infantry Regiment (Dawson's)

Still unsupplied with sufficient arms, the 19th Arkansas was present, but not engaged, at the Battle of Pea Ridge, where it was detailed to guard the army's train. After the battle, the 19th Arkansas was stationed on the border for a few months, and was ordered to conduct a long, difficult and pointless march through the Indian Territory. The regiment was ravaged by disease during this period. Today, the graves of some of the soldiers of the 19th Arkansas can still be found in the Confederate Cemetery at Atoka, Oklahoma. Many other men were left behind sick at various places, and were never heard from again.[10]

Returning to Arkansas, the regiment was reorganized for the war on August 13, 1862, and was issued new arms and equipment. Recruiting details from the 19th Arkansas had been busy in May and June, bringing a large number of new recruits back with them to Camp White Sulphur Springs, near Pine Bluff. The 19th Arkansas did not receive many of these recruits, however. Many of the new recruits died of disease before they were mustered into service, and were buried in untold numbers of unmarked graves at White Sulphur Springs. Others were shamelessly "shanghaied" and assigned to other units. The 24th Arkansas Regiment received a large number of men recruited by the 19th Arkansas, and Hart's Arkansas Battery was reconstituted by the addition of many of the 19th Arkansas recruits.[10]

Assigned to the garrison of Fort Hindman at Arkansas Post, a large part of the regiment was captured when the fort was surrendered on January 11, 1863. Some of the men were absent from Arkansas Post, and they were subsequently organized into a new regiment (Hardy's). The men who were captured were sent to prisons in the North, and when exchanged in April were assigned to the Army of Tennessee, where they spent the rest of the war. Of the 633 men of the 19th Arkansas Regiment who were captured at Arkansas Post, 185 died of disease in prison, another 58 died in hospitals in Virginia after being released from prison, and 24 had taken the oath of allegiance; so the regiment entered upon its service east of the Mississippi River with only 306 men. As a result, the 19th Arkansas was field-consolidated with the survivors of the 24th Arkansas Regiment and Crawford's Arkansas Battalion (also captured at Arkansas Post), under command of Lieut. Col. Augustus S. Hutchinson of the 19th Arkansas.[10]

This consolidated unit fought together at the Battle of Chickamauga where they reported casualties of 16 killed or mortally wounded, 80 wounded, and one captured. At Chickamauga, the unit fought in a brigade made up entirely of the Arkansas Post prisoners, and commanded by General James Deshler who was killed during the battle.[11]

After Chickamauga, the unit's consolidation was changed. The Arkansas units were moved into the Arkansas Brigade of Cleburne's division, and were destined to remain there for the rest of the war. On November 15, 1863, the 24th Ark. was removed from its attachment to the 19th and combined the 2nd and 15th Arkansas. The 8th Arkansas was then united with the 19th, to form the 8th - 19th Arkansas, which organization was to remain in place until the middle of April, 1865. However, it appears that these two units maintained separate unit structures inside the newly reorganized regiment. The ten companies of the 19th were then reorganized by combining them into five as follows:[12]

• Company A merged with B;
• Company C merged with H;
• Company D merged with K;
• Company E merged with F; and
• Company I merged with G.

Colonel George Baucum of the 8th Arkansas assumed command of the consolidate unit. The units remained consolidated for the rest of the war.[11] The unit saw light action at the decisive victory by General Cleburne over Sherman at Tunnel Hill on November 25, 1863, and was in reserve most of the day at the thrashing of the Union pursuit forces at Ringgold Gap, Georgia, on November 27, 1863.[11]

The 8th-19th played a part in all of Cleburne's actions in the Atlanta Campaign, but particularly distinguished itself at the Battle of Pickett's Mill, when it was sent across a cornfield to counter a Union thrust which was about to turn the Confederate right flank. Cavalry General John Kelly, a former commander of the 8th Arkansas, appeared before the men, and in an electrifying charge, led them into the corn to stop the Union attack cold. Baucum and the unit were cited in General Cleburne's report on the battle. Casualties for the 19th portion of the regiment were 8 killed and 5 wounded.[11]

The unit saw heavy action in the Battle of Atlanta, where it lost many men. Colonel Baucum was shot in the face, while Lt. Col. Hutchison was wounded in the arm. Both being lost for many months, command devolved upon Major David H. Hamiter of the 19th Arkansas, who was to command the regiment until the final days of the war.[11] At Jonesboro, 49 men of the 19th, and 77 men of the 8th were captured when Govan's Brigade was overrun by a massive Union attack. Only heroic fighting by the remainder of the men and the rest of Cleburne's division saved the Confederate position from being destroyed. The flag of the consolidated 8th-19th was captured by Medal of Honor winner, 2nd LT Jeremiah Kuder of the 74th Indiana Infantry Regiment during this fight.[11]

The 8th-19th saw action with the remainder of Cleburne's Division during the Tennessee Campaign, and was one of the few Confederate infantry units to become engaged at Spring Hill, before the curious collapse of the Confederate high command that day. On November 30, 1864, Govan's Brigade, the 19th among them lost over 60% of their men during the fateful Confederate assault at Franklin, Tennessee. Charging into the vortex of the battle around the Carter House, the unit fought hand to hand until driven into the ditch outside the second line of works. General Cleburne was one of six Confederate Generals killed during this attack.[11]

The 8th-19th was part of the contingent of the Army of Tennessee that traveled to the Carolinas to resist the army of General Sherman. It saw action one last time at the Battle of Bentonville. At least five members of the 19th are known to have been wounded in this battle, but exact casualty figures are unknown.[11]

The 18th/24th lost thirty-eight percent of the 226 engaged at Chickamauga, and the 8th/19th reported 16 casualties at Ringgold Gap and totaled 363 men and 285 arms in December 1863. At the Battle of Atlanta the 8th/19th had 97 men disabled.[13]

The unit participated in the following engagements:[14]

• Battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas, March 6–8, 1862;
• Battle of Arkansas Post, Arkansas January 9–11, 1863;
• Chickamauga Campaign, Georgia, August–September, 1863.
  • Battle of Chickamauga, Georgia, September 19–20, 1863.[15]
• Chattanooga Campaign, September to November 1863.
  • Battle of Missionary Ridge, Tennessee, November 25, 1863.
  • Battle of Ringgold Gap, Georgia, November 27, 1863.[16]
• Atlanta Campaign, May to September 1864:
  • Battle of Rocky Face Ridge, Georgia, May 5–11, 1864;
  • Battle of Resaca, Georgia, May 14–15, 1864;
  • Battle of New Hope Church, Georgia, May 25 - June 4, 1864;
  • Battle of Pickett's Mill, Georgia, May 27, 1864;[3]
  • Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia, June 27, 1864;
  • Battle of Peachtree Creek, Georgia, July 20, 1864;
  • Siege of Atlanta, Georgia, July 22, 1864, and
  • Battle of Jonesboro, Georgia, August 31 to September 1, 1864.
• Franklin–Nashville Campaign, Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee, September 18 to December 27, 1864:
  • Battle of Spring Hill, Tennessee, November 29, 1864;
  • Battle of Franklin, Tennessee, November 30, 1864; and
  • Battle of Nashville, Tennessee, December 15–16, 1864.
• Carolinas Campaign, February to April 1865:
  • Battle of Bentonville, North Carolina, March 19–21, 1865.