OLIVER CROSBY GRAY AND THE THIRD REGIMENT ARKANSAS CAVALRY *********************************************************** Submitted by: Bill Boggess Date: 21 Feb 2007 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm *********************************************************** (revised, 02-20-07) ************* A Faded hope, yet fairer in its fading Than Victory's temples reared above the dead, And sweeter, blasted, faded, and broken, than rich incense For Conquests shed. From "The Dead Confederacy" by Fanny Green (Borland) MOORES, d/o Solon BORLAND, M D. "The Dead Confederacy": (signed copy at Special Collections, University of Arkansas) "At My Father's Feet": <>----------<>----------<> OLIVER CROSBY GRAY (1832ME-1905AR): ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Oliver, a 28 y/o school teacher who he and wife were born in Maine, along with others from Princeton, Dallas county, Arkansas on July 29, 1861, enlisted with Colonel Solon BORLAND, M D, Esq. (1811VA-1864TX) , who had raided & captured Fort Smith, Arkansas April 23, 1861, --- into what became, Company A, "Princeton Light Horses", 3rd Regiment Arkansas Calvary, Confederate States Army, fighting more skirmishes than did any other Arkansas unit! Army service records of Oliver and Solon, (R), were obtained September 2004 and February, 2007, from Arkansas History Commission (AHC) and in part document the activities below. (R)Oliver became a first sergeant upon enlisting July 29, 1862, elected first lieutenant May 26, 1862, promoted to captain, December 13, 1862, appointed Division Provost Marshall by General Frank C ARMSTRONG (1835IT-1909ME) December1863, 19 August 1864, allowed to resign to join the Confederate Navy. (R)While at Sandtown (downstream from Atlanta on Chattahoochee river), serving under Colonels, A W HOBSON, Thomas HARRISON and Generals, WHEELER, HUMES, JACKSON & HOOD, Oliver submitted (according to Harrison) his 2nd request (see wife's diary; July 7, 1864), 17 July 1864 (also date President Jefferson Finis DAVIS (1808KY-1889LA) replaced General Joseph Eggleston JOHNSTON (1807VA-died of pneumonia after catching a cold while serving as a pall bearer in General Sherman's funeral in 1891) with General John Bell HOOD (1831KY-1879LA), --- also, date Oliver's wife, Virginia, drew a sketch of Dallas county court house, being used as a hospital for wounded from Jenkins' Ferry battle, for Dr Henry Montgomery DYE (1830VA-1878TX) so he could send it to headquarters at Richmond, --- it possibly being image #3249 now at Arkansas History Commission). (R)Oliver, raised in a coastal county of Maine (Lincoln, now Knox), gave four reasons why he should be allowed to resign Confederate Army and join Confederate Navy, then sent his letter, with approvals from officers under whom he served, to Adjutant General Samuel COOPER (1798NY-1876VA) in Richmond, Virginia. (R)Oliver's request was granted to him on 19th of August ---- Atlanta was lost to the Federals 15 days later, after abandoned by Gen HOOD, Sep 2,1864. It is unclear if indeed he was discharged from the Army? --- (R)after being captured wedensday, 16 November while attempting to cross the Mississippi river at Choctaw Bend, Mississippi (see wife's diary entries of; Dec 8, 1864 & Feb 13, 1865(?)), ---- he was listed, "Captain, 3rd Regt. Ark. Cav.", Nov 21st when received at New Orleans from Natchez, Mississippi and when transferred Dec 18th to Ship Island, Mississippi off-shore from Biloxi, Mississippi, where "exchanged" (paroled) 2 Mar1865 ("died after Oliver arrived: John Chason, Norwood's, collapsed from dysentery on December 19th and was buried in Grave Number 99. Peter F. Abercrombie died of dysentery on January 18, 1865, and was interred in Grave Number 130.") ---- then was back home in Princeton 1 Apr 1865 (see 3 Apr 1865 diary entry). It may be he did not resign(?), however Robert Hawkins DEDMAN, Esq (1831AL-1899AR) was appointed and did serve as commander of Company A, 3rd Ark Cav. Oliver --- physically unscathed, returned to wife Virginia, both then returned to educating Arkansas' future leaders, its youth, at Princeton Female Academy, however, --- he no longer a stranger to bloody battles, defeat/victory, prison nor death. He later became president of Arkansas', then most prestiges college which General Albert PIKE ((1809MA-1891DC) is credited creating, Masonic, St Johns' College, Little Rock. 1874/'75, Arkansas Industrial University, starting its fourth year, he and artist wife were seated as the 'first chairs', at what in 1899 became University of Arkansas, she in Painting & Drawing till 1881, -- he in Civil Engineering till 1879, also placed in charge of the R O T C program & other duties, but most importantly to him, seated in exisiting 'chair' of Mathematics(his true love). All professors were terminated in 1885, year following General Hill's abrupt dismissal during 1884 comnecment. 1885/'86, found Oliver as 1st superintendent of Fayetteville's Washington school, ablely assisted by young Ella CARNALL (1861AR-1894AR), Fayetteville's first pubic school building, of which while on school board he was one of those responsible for it being built. Virginia, his wife, died 17 August 1886 of cancer and business closed their doors for her funeral. He was, at the time, Mayor of Fayetteville from April 1886 till October 1887. July 1888, Oliver was invited to return to the university as chairman of Mathematics Department along with other duties until May 1895 then appointed Superintendent at Arkansas School for the Blind, serving, except two years, until his 9 Dec 1905 death. A nine page letter from Superintendent O C GRAY of Arkansas School for the Blind dated 28 May 1903 is in former Captain Armistead BURWELL's #2449 papers at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill telling of, among other things, their fellow 3rd Regt Ark Cav soldiers lives. Two multi-story brick buildngs were constructed and dedicated to 'Colonel' Oliver Crosby GARY; 1st in 1869 at Little Rock by what became 'Arkansas School for the Blind', removed, with 300,000 bricks cleaned by prisoners and used in the 1949-50 built Arkansas' Governors Mansion, 18th & Center, 2nd, thirty-seven years later, 1906, at/by 'Unversity of Arkansas' as "GRAY HALL", 1966, removed to a trash dump, replaced with "Mullins Library". Oliver's first wife, artist/writer/educator Virginia Davis GRAY's (1834ME-1886AR), 1863-1865 diary was furnished after a Civil War Roundtable meeting in Minneapolis by g,granddaughter, Eleanor Howard (Gray) KNUTSON (1923ME-1994MN), edited, annoted and published 1983 in The Arkansas Historical Quarterly (AHQ), Volume XLII, Numbers I & II by Dr Carl H MONEYHON, UALR. The 140+ year old original manuscript, with other historical documents, presented by Virginia's g,g,granddaughter (living at Franklin, TN), to Special Collections, University of Arkansas summer 2005 (MC1618). View Virginia's diary entries: Sept 14, 1863, Nov 23, 1863, July 7, 1864, July 17, 1864, Nov 1, 1864, Dec 8, 1864, Dec 29, 1864, Dec 31, 1864, Feb 13, 1865, April 3, 1865, Virginia & Oliver's children were: 1) Clyde Leslie GRAY (1859MN-1861AR), born in Minnesota died an infant in/and buried at Princeton, with her father Captain DAVIS (1798ME- 1870AR) on one side, friend "Berta" Holmes (1845AR-1883AR), d/o Captain Wm T M HOLMES (17xxVA-1862TN) of 3rd Ark Cav, on other side. 2) Carl Raymond GRAY (1867AR-1939DC), born in Princeton, started his railroad career at age 15 in Rogers, Arkansas, with "Frisco" for 1st 28 years, Dec 6, 1886 he married the first white child born Montgomery county, Kansas, the "American Mother of 1937", my grandfather's sister, Harriette Amanda FLORA (1869KS-1956ME) , he became president Union Pacific RR in 1920, received an honorary LL D degree from University of Arkansas in 1929, in 1938 appointed vice-chairman of Union Pacific RR and a trustee at father's alma mater, Colby College and is found on page 479, volume I, "Who was Who in America". 3) Ethel Davis GRAY (1871AR-1910IL), blue eyed, blond headed, born in Little Rock, like mother, an artist, married June 6, 1920, LeRoy KRAMER (1875KS-1954IL), who became president of GATX Corp. Widower Oliver married his second wife, a family friend since 1860, Solon BORLAND's youngest daughter, widow, Mary (Mollie) M (Borland) BEATTIE (1850AR-1938MO), 17 June 1889 in Little Rock. Oliver Crosby GRAY, with wives Virginia & Mary, daughter Ethel and granddaughter Virginia, was laid to rest with Masonic honors, in Masonic's historic, Evergreen cemetery, Fayetteville, Arkansas. Sons, Clyde in Princeton cemetery and Carl at Druid Ridge cemetery, Baltimore, MD. Virginia & Oliver's grandsons were: 1)-Major General Carl Raymond GRAY, Jr, served President Harry S TRUMAN as Administrator of Veterans Affairs. 2) Russell Davis GRAY, whose daughter provided Virginia's diary for publication. 3) Howard Kramer GRAY, M D, hero on Princeton University's 1922 football "Team of Destiny", sixteen years later a surgeon at Mayo Clinic, operating on James ROOSEVELT. Carl & "Howie" are found in volumes 27 & 29, "Who's Who in America". Oliver: Virginia: THIRD REGIMENT ARKANSAS CAVALRY: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ That which became the 3rd Regiment Arkansas Cavalry, Confederate States Army, fighting three years-nine months in more skrmishes than any other Arkansas unit, was organized at Little Rock, Pulaski county, Arkansas by Solon BORLAND, M D, (1811VA-1864TX) former United States Army major in Mexican war, former U S Senator, former U S Minister to Central America, now an Arkansas militia colonel, became Colonel Solon BORLAND, Confederate States Army (rank held until discharged May 26, 1862(R) NEVER A "GENERAL" AS SOME HISTORIANS HAVE WRITTEN) at Camp Warren(?), Pocahontas, Randolph county, Arkansas, on the Current river near Pittman's Ferry. Solon was appointed as commander of regiment he raised and organized on June 10, 1861. Originally known as 1st Battalion Arkansas Cavalry, it becoming 1st Arkansas Mounted Volunteers upon his and its acceptance into Confederate service on July 29, 1861, for 12 months service. This regiment was renamed as the 3rd Regiment Arkansas Cavalry on January 15,1862. Search "BORLAND" at for some activities from July 29th 1861 untill Colonel BORLAND was discharged 26 May 1862. Solon was placed in charge of Confederate States Army's, Upper Arkansas in its Western Department, November 5, 1861 until 10 January 1862, when organized as Trans-Mississippi Department (as of 15 December on leave for ill health) which had been vacated by General William J HARDEE (1815-1873), taking with him all good equipment etc., leaving behind little of any use. HARDEE had served as commandant since August 29, 1861, Solon inherited the position of which he pleads to be relieved in letter of November 10, 1861. Much historical documented information was gathered from; , Jim MARTIN's Arkansas Civil War Board --- ; Bryan HOWERTON (H), Danny ODAM (O) plus, Solon BORLAND, M D and Oliver Crosby GRAY's service records (R), from Arkansas History Commission. (H)"Borland's battalion, 1st Arkansas Mounted Volunteers, later increased to a regiment and redesignated as the 3rd Arkansas Cavalry, spent the winter of 1861-62 at Pitman's Ferry, Randolph County, Arkansas. They operated as scouts, manned picket posts, and maintained the courier line between Pocahontas and Memphis. Due to BORLAND's concerns about a possible U.S. attack on Pitman's Ferry, his battalion was often forward-deployed into the bootheel of Missouri to keep an eye on possible enemy movements from that direction." Solon's letters of record reveal some of this man's inner most feelings November 1861, stating he NO longer had a desire of becoming a general even though he was carrying out duties of one and that he was suffering from ill health. His service records (R) shows him reimbursed for extensively traveling (over 1,700 miles) to Little Rock, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi. (R) 29 Nov '61, Solon posted his General Order regarding foodstuffs to NOT be shipped out of state in order to stem price gouging to local citizens. (AHQ,Vol XXXVII, 1978 "The Martial Law ...." by Huff) (R)11 Dec '61, Solon's letter requests (and apparently granted before 15 December) an indefinite leave of absence from General Albert Sidney JOHNSTON (1803KY-1862TN) for health reasons, supported by letter from surgeon Dr WASHINGTON. (R) Nov 30, 61 to Jany 31, 1862, "Field and Staff Roll". says; Col Solon BORLAND, Absent on leave at Little Rock, Sick. (R) 20 Dec '61, Proclamation by one term governor Henry Massie RECTOR (1816KY-1899AR) claiming to over-ride Solon's General Order. (AHQ, Vol XXXVII, 1978) [Reportedly, Solon wrote a thirteen page letter to RECTOR which fell on deaf ears, thus losing one of his few politcal battles.] (O)25 Mar ['62] - Col S BORLAND, 3rd Ark Cav, to report in person to Gen VAN DORAN [(1820MS-1863TN)] at HQ. [? where & why] (H)The Co. was actively engaged on outpost duty & as scouts in the North Eastern portion of Ark. & South Eastern portion of Missouri until the 6th of April 1862, at which time it was ordered to Cornith, Miss. (O)6 Apr['62] - 3rd Ark Cav left for Des Arc, Ark. (O)8 Apr['62] - Special Order #42 - VAN DORAN orders all cavalry to be dismounted until further orders. (O)15 Apr['62] - VAN DORAN's Special Orders issued at Des Arc: Col BORLAND and his regiment to proceed to Memphis and report to Gen [Sterling, "Old Pap"] PRICE [1809VA-1867MO]. (H)On the 19th day of April the Co. was dismounted by the order[Special Order #42] of Maj. Gen. VAN DORAN. The horses were sent to Dallas Co, Ark. to be taken care of there. The horses ["private" as opposed to "public"(R)] were sent in charge on one non-com. officer & five privates. [Possibly 1st Sgt GRAY who retrieved them 23 Nov, 1862] "Ordered east of the Mississippi, he [VAN DORAN, with 3rd Ark Cav & others] arrived to late to take part in the bloody battle where thousands of troops died, at Shiloh, April 6 - 8,1862 . (O)24 Apr['62] - Memphis, VAN DORAN's Special Order #64; Forms brigade under Lt Col Benjamin DANLEY, to proceed to Cornith tomorrow: includes regiments; BORLAND, STONE & SIMS, battalion BROOKS, battery, to be assigned. (O) 25 Apr['62] - Its determined Lt Col GRIFFITH is senior officer, who then replaced DANLEY (R) Jany 31 to April 30 1862, "Field and Staff Roll", says; Col Solon BORLAND, Absent Since 15 Dec 1861 on account of ill health. (H)01May 1862 - 30 Jun 1862 Morrisville [camp ??]. (H)4 May - Cornith - Army of the West: ROANE brigade; regiments, BORLAND's aggregate, STONE, SIMS, BROOKS battalion, WILLIAMSON's B attalion Ark Inf battery (O)25 May -Special Orders #98 -list of officers not re-elected and discharged including Col BORLAND & Lt Col [B F] DANLEY of 3rd Ark Cav -WILLIAMSONS' Ark bn broken up with 3 companies assigned to 3rd Ark cavalry (R) Apirl 30 to June 30 1862, "Field and Staff Muster Roll" says; Col Solon BORLAND; "Not reelected at reorganization. Discharged May 26/6 (O)26 May - Was 1st Regiment Mounted Volunteers renamed 3rd Arkansas Cavalry resulting in: VAN DORAN's Army of the West, Sam JONES Division, ROANE's Brigade, regiments; BORLAND, STONES & SIMS, w/ WILLIAMSON's battalion Ark infantry. The regiment's first organization was (?)May 10th at Cornith, Mississippi, results were; Colonel Samuel G. EARLE (killed, Thompson Station), Lt Col Anson W HOBSON (both arms wounded, Cornith), Major Marzaime J. HENDERSON, Adjutant Lt. Armistead BURWELL (1839-1913), (UNC, Chapel Hill # 2449) Quartermaster Cpt. John L. McCLELLAN, Commissary Cpt. David W. DODD, and Sergeant Major Lewis B. NOLAND. Company A, "Princeton Light Horses", of Dallas county, elected; Captain. William T.M. HOLMES, 1st Lieutenant Oliver C GRAY, 2nd Lieutenant Robert H DEDMAN and 3rd Lieutenant John A WOZENCRAFTt, (HOLMES & WOZENCRAFT killed at Hatchie River). "In the summer of 1862 he [VAN DORAN left two divisions at Tupelo [Camp Armstrong?] under Gen PRICE, [who early Sep left for luka] successfully defended Vicksburg [June 27] but failed in his designs on Baton Rouge [August 1st - 5th] when the attack failed under [Gen] John C BRECKINRIDGE, where Confederate naval vesel "Arkansas" was lost. [BRECKINRIDGE married Sallie JOHNSON, (one of the 'reconstruction' Belles-Of-The-Ball including; Gen Albert PIKE's daughters and Fanny BORLAND, d/o Solon BORLND, at Little Rock & Memphis), ---- d/o Sen R W JOHNSON who replaced Solon BORLAND, Arkansas' U S Senator, in 1854] (bio of VAN DORAN) 3rd Ark Cav, after its reorganization at Cornith, apparently went to (Tupelo, MS), Camp Armstrong, about 30 miles southeast of Tupelo, at Sarepta, Miss, and was part of the two divisions Gen VAN DORAN left with Gen PRICE when Van Dorn did battle at Vicksburg June 27. (O)30 Jun['62] - was: Army of the West [McCowen], 3rd Division, MAURY-PHIFER's 3rd brigade, regiments-dismounted, 3rd Ark Cav, 6th Tx Cav, 9th TX Cav, BROOK's Ark battalion battery. (H)01 Jul 1862 - 31 Aug 1862 Camp Armstrong,Miss. "August 19 General BRECKINRIDGE, in obedience to orders, moved with part of his command to Jackson Miss., where the Sixth, with BOWEN's Brigade, was assigned to Major-Gen. M. LOVEL's Division of the army of Maj.-Gen. Earl VAN DORAN. VAN DORAN moved to Davis Mill[ Marshall county, Miss], while General PRICE occupied Iuka, where he was attacked by GRANT September 19. VAN DORAN and PRICE then concentrated at Ripley [Misissippi] and marched September 29 to attack ROSECRANS at Corinth, where a desperate battle was fought October 3-5." Source: ("Van Dorn") The following letter was sent to Gen Sterling PRICE (former govenor of Missouri), by twenty-five officers of 3rd Ark Cav, to wit: (H)"August 26th, 1862. Maj. Genl Price, Comd'g Army of the West. Genl—The undersigned officers of the 3d Regiment Arkansas Cavalry would respectfully represent to you, that they were temporarily dismounted at Des Arc, Arkansas, in the month of April last by order of Genl Earl Van Dorn. The horses belonging to the Regiment ["Private" not "Public"(R)] were sent home with the understanding that the Regiment would be remounted. They are still held in readiness and can be procured at short notice. We respectfully request that we may be allowed to remount, and to effect this that authority be given to send a small detail to procure our horses. We respectfully represent that there is no mounted Cavalry from Arkansas in your Army, and that this is the oldest Regiment, having entered State Service as early as the 7th June 1861. Genl, we entered the service as cavalry from choice. When called upon to dismount, we obeyed the order cheerfully. To you we now submit our request, being conscious that you will do us justice in the premises and assuring you that we cheerfully submit to your decision. SAMUEL G. EARLE, Col. Comd'g 3rd Ark. Cavalry. with 24 other regimental officers signing letter. Results of letter: Headquarters, Army of the West August 28,1862 Special Order No 72** "Detailed [Lt O C GRAY] to take charge of horses and recruits". (H)01 Sep 1862 - 31 Oct 1862 Lumpkin's Mill. Miss [6 miles southerly from Holly Springs, (O)]. (R)Lt O C GRAY is shown in Muster Roll as on detached service Sep 1 in Arkansas gathering horses. He was at Little Rock 14 Nov, left Princeton 23 Nov (23 Nov 1863 wife's diary entry) returned to Camp Rogers, near Gernada, Miss, Dec 11, 1862 with "Private" as opposed to "Public", horses. The forage costs might(?) determine if he gathered all regimental horses, plus the Texans horses? (Took 11 weeks to Little Rock on (?) foot from Tupelo and 3 weeks to return from Princeton on horseback to Camp Rogers, [took nearly three months, Aug 18th to 16th Nov 1864, Atlanta, Ga to Choctaw Bend, Miss, when captured]) (H)Co. A struck camp at Tupelo & marched to Saltillo [TN], Sept. 9th. Marched from Saltillo 12th inst. and arrived at Iuka 15th. Fell back from Iuka the 20th for Baldwin[Baldwyn, MS]. (H)Our Co. was not engaged in the battle of Iuka on 19th inst. (H)We marched from Baldwin 26th inst. for Corinth via Ripley[MS]. Arrived at Corinth 3d October and participated in the battle of 3d & 4th, which resulted in a loss to our Co. of one Lieut. mor. wounded [including both arms of Lt Col Hobson], 1 private killed, 1 Sgt. w., 2 pri. w. & cap'd, 1 pri. cap'd & 1 pri. miss'g. Our Co. participated in the battle of Hatchie Bridge on 5th, loss 1 Captain killed, 1 pri. w. & cap 'd, 2 pri. cap'd, none missing. Arrived at Lumpkin's Mill Oct. 13, 1862 [six or seven miles southerly of Holly Springs]. (H)This Co. was in the battle of Corinth [ (Grenada,Miss), where the 3rd Ark was remounted December 12th(R) following return of Lt GRAY with horses from Arkansas, also where Memphis' Appeal (now, Commerical-Appeal), newspaper started early 1839 by Solon BORLAND, moved after leaving Cornith, before moving to Jackson. Lt GRAY was promoted, by seniority,(R) to Captain, commander of Company A, 3rd Ark December 13,1862 while in BOWEN's Brigade(R) ("Van Dorn, Hatchie Bridge") Five days following remounting, --- on Dec 17th, VAN DORAN's 3000 remounted troops, including 3rd Ark, left Camp Rogers for Holly Springs raid taking an indirect route to deceive the Fed's. They rode fast and hard, arriving that cold morning about 3:00 am, saturday, 20 December 1862 (Holly Springs, had been Confederate headquarters before GRANT moved south on his first Vicksburg attempt) where the 3rd Arkansas Cavalry once again fought dismounted, participating in General VAN DORAN's brilliant and most successful raid, the recapture of Holly Springs, 1,500 Federal troops, destroying or confiscating, several million dollars worth of equipment & supplies for Vicksburg attack, running Gen U S GRANT, his wife, son Jesse and her slave girl, Juli, from home of Colonel Harvey Washington WALTER, CSA (1819OH-1878TN), out of town, to Memphis, --- BUT --- most importantly, delaying GRANT's Vicksburg campaign by many months. (The GRAYs, before moving to Arkansas, lived 6 miles northwest of Holly Springs during school year 1859-'60.) 3rd then ventured on to Davis' Mill, Miss Dec 21st, Coldwater, Middleburg, TN, Dec 24th, Ripley, New Albany and Ponotoc before return on Dec 30 at Camp Rogers near Gernada. Interestingly --- two days following VAN DORAN's leaving for Holly Springs raid: , ie: "Dec. 19, 1862 President Jefferson Davis [1808KY-1883LA] and Gen. Joseph E. Johnston [1807VA-died of pneumonia after catching a cold while serving as a pall bearer in General Sherman's funeral in 1891], recently appointed by Davis to command all Confederate armies in the western theater, meet with Pemberton in Grenada to discuss the defense of Vicksburg, the town Davis believes to be the "vital point" of the Confederacy" Starting February 1863 it was into Tennessee! The 3rd Ark did battle at Thompson's Station (Mar. 5,1863) where Colonel Samuel G EARLE was killed ; Franklin, (Apr 10, 1863), where GRAY's g,g,granddaughter moved in 2005 (H)01 May 1863 - 30 Jun 1863 Kingston, Tenn. " [After] Moving his division into middle Tennessee, he [VAN DORAN] was killed in May by Dr. George B. PETERS for attentions paid by the general upon the physician's wife in Spring Hill. (Hartje, Robert G., Van Dorn, The Life and Times of a Confederate General) Source: "Who Was Who In The Civil War" by Stewart SIFAKIS The 3rd Ark was then assigned to Nathan Bedford FORREST's cavalry corps and fought in numerous raids, skirmishes, and campaigns, wining some --- losing some, including; the Tullahoma campaign in June,1863. (H)01 Jul 1863 - 31 Aug 1863 Near Decatur, EastTenn. (H)01 Sep 1863 - 31 Dec 1863 Mouth Chuckey,Tenn. (H)Co. A left its quarters at Rose's Mills on Sept. 2, 1863, and marched to Chattanooga, Tenn. without halting, and did pickett duty at Harrison above Chattanooga on Tenn. River till about the 8th, when we marched below Chattanooga to cover the retreat of Gen'l Bragg. Was in action on the 11th at Confederate Hill, had one man killed. Also on the 12th & 13th, one man killed at Pea Vine Church. Also in skirmishes the 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, and participated in the Battle of Chickamauga the 19th & 20th, one man wounded. --- [the bloody battle of Chickamauga on Sept 19 - 20, 1863, where Gen Hood lost a leg; , ie: "20 September 1863 - Battle ofChickamauga. The second day brings a great Confederate tactical victory for Gen. James Longstreet. About 124,000 troops are engaged; both sides suffer a casualty rate of 28%. Total losses are U.S.A. 16,170 and C.S.A. 18,454, including deaths of Gen. James Deshler, C.S.A., Gen. Preston Smith, C.S.A., and Lt. Richard Rowland Kirkland, C.S.A., in Chickamauga, Georgia."; the siege of Chattanooga in September through November, 1863; the siege of Knoxville, TN in November, 1863; and under the command of "Fighting Joe" Wheeler, May till August 1864 in Georgia ] --- Upon the enemy's retreat to Chattanooga, Co. A was marched back in the direction of Philadelphia, Tenn. Was in engagement with the enemy about 26th Sept. at Charleston, Tenn. Enemy fell back and we pursued them to Sweet Water, Tenn. where our command was turned over to Gen'l Wheeler and was with him in his celebrated raid through middle Tenn. Returned to Chattanooga about the 31st Oct. and were then changed to Harrison's Brigade and marched to Knoxville, Tenn. under Lieut. Gen'l Longstreet. Had an engagement with the enemy at Maryville, Tenn. about the 15th Nov. Drove them back upon their infantry supports at Knoxville, Tenn. Then crossed the Holston River and did pickett duty around Knoxville until Gen'l Longstreet withdrew, since which time we have been on service without a single day's rest between our infantry and the enemy. Fought every day in the Christmass, had one Lieut. wounded (seriously) and two privates (slightly). This closes the service of Co. A with the year1863. Our Co. in the meantime has been badly clothed but well fed mostly, and are in surprisingly good health under the circumstances. (H)ROBT. H. DEDMAN, 1st Lieut. Comd'g Co. A. [Capt Gray had been appointed Divison Provost Marshall Dec 1863(R)] (H)01 Jan 1864 - 29 Feb 1864 Newport, E. Tenn The 3rd Ark remained under command of "Fighting Joe" WHEELER, May till surender April 26, 1865 , through the Atlanta Campaign and the siege of Atlanta, with cavalry clashes at Flat Shoals, Browns' Mill, Strawberry Plains, and Thompson's Station; ---------- Battle of Brown's Mill Order of Battle [July 30-31, 1864 at Newnan, Georgia] CONFEDERATE CONFEDERATE TROOPS ENGAGED AT THE BATTLE OF BROWN'S MILL CAVALRY CORPS, ARMY OF TENNESSEE Major General Joseph Wheeler, Jr. HUMES' DIVISION Brigadier General William Y. C. Humes HARRISON'S BRIGADE Colonel Thomas Harrison 3rd Arkansas Cavalry Colonel Amson W. Hobson 4th Tennessee Cavalry Lieutenant Colonel Paul F. Anderson 8th Texas Cavalry Lieutenant Colonel Gustave Cook 11th Texas Cavalry Colonel George E. Reeves and many, many others ----- <>-------<>-------<> "General Hood. We have just completed the killing, capturing, and breaking up the entire raiding party under General McCook--some nine hunderd and fifty prisoners--two pieces of Artillery, and twelve hundred horses and equipments captured." General Joseph Wheeler, CSA "The dead lay around us on every side, singly and in groups and piles; men and horses, in some cases, apparently inextricably mingled. Some lay as if peacefully sleeping; others, with open eyes, seemed to glare at any who bent above them. Two men lay as they had died, the 'Blue' and the 'Grey,'clasped in fierce embrace...one shot in the head, the throat of the other wise partly torn away." Mrs Fanny Beers, Buckner Hospital, Newnan, GA. SOURCE: http://www.battleofbrownsmill.org/ -------------- (R)Captain O C GRAY is discharged from Army 19th August 1864 (BUT WAS HE?), to join the Confederate States Navy as requested in letter of 17 July 1864 from Sandtown, GA. As afore stated, the 3rd and Company A continued under Capt Robert H DEDMAN, Esq, a part of WHEELER's cavalry in the March to the Sea and the Carolinas Campaign. They missed the blood-letting November 30th at Franklin when Gen HOOD's army advanced into Tennessee, because WHEELER's cavalry was left behind in Georgia, and carried on in opposing SHERMAN's march to the Sea (the Savannah campaign in November and December of 1864); and in the Carolinas campaign in February through April of 1865. when Surrendered with General Joseph E JOHNSTON and the Army of Tennessee near Durham Station, North Carolina, on April 26,1865. SOURCES: , Capt GRAY's service record & wife's, Virginia Davis GRAY, 1983 published diary, AHQ, Vol XLII, Numbers I & II, 1983 also afore mentioned, and The War Child's Children, by Major Calvin L. COLLIER, USAF (ret'd), published in Little Rock in 1965 by the author, and printed by the Pioneer Press, is the detailed history of the Third Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry, C.S.A. It details the history of the 3rd Arkansas Cavalry, CSA from the time of the formation of the regiment of eight companies (later ten) by Colonel Solon Borland and the mustering in of the first eight companies on June 10, 1861 in Little Rock; the later mustering of the regiment into the Confederate army on July 29, 1861; and all the details of the regimental history, serving under Major General Joseph Wheeler ("the War Child") throughout the Civil War until Lee's Surrender at Appomattox in April1865. plus; , , , <>-------<>-------<> The 3rd Reg Ark Cav, may sometimes, be confused in historical writings with 3rd Texas Cav, or other Texas units, seemingly serving in many of same earlier engagements. ---- 3rd Ark served under Gen VAN DORAN --- General Forrest and later Gen Joseph WHEELER, under guidance of Thomas HARRISON's Brigade of Texas Cavalry from before Oct 1862 until April 26, 1865 when they surrendered to Gen SHERMAN. See also: and, "As for the Arkansas regiment with the ANV [Army of Northern Virginia] silk flag - do we know have, then, based on what Howard wrote, the ID for the ANV silk flag in the Arkansas State Capitol Collection? They (and I), have always wondered how an ANV silk got to any other unit besides the 3rd Arkansas (only Arkansas unit in the ANV) which I don't think was at Centreville, VA when the silk flags were issued. A First National flag (former Henderschott collection) was captured by Union naval forces at one of the batteries along Aquia Creek (if I have the right location) - and he attributes this flag to the 3rd Arkansas." ---------- Battle of Bentonvile, NC (March 19 - 21 1865) CAVALRY COMMAND Lt. Gen. Wade Hampton (Total Casualties: 113) Wheeler's Corps (61) Maj. Gen. Joseph Wheeler (Army of Tennessee) Humes' Division Col. Henry M. Ashby T. Harrison's Brigade Col. Baxter Smith [Harrison wounded earlier] 3rd Arkansas Cav. 4th Tennessee Cav. 8th Texas Cav. 11th Texas Cav. and many, many others ---- <>----------<>----------<> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: View: