Shelby County TN Archives Military Records.....BORLAND, M D, Colonel Solon November 20, 1861
Civilwar - Letters Commander, Upper Arkansas, Western Department, CSA
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Bill BOGGESS william-boggess@webtv.net February 22, 2007, 7:12 am
Letter
SOURCE: (search,"Borland"), last
viewed Feb 21, 2007
HEADQUARTERS,
Pocahontas, Ark., November 20, 1861.
Colonel W. W. MACKALL,
A. A. G., Western Dept., C. S. Army, Bowling Green, Ky.:
COLONEL:
Yours of the 4th, by mail, missent to Powhatan and forwarded from that office, was
received last night.
You communicate the direction of General Johnston that I shall send my "surplus
ammunition and supplies to Memphis." I can briefly answer this by saying that I have
no surplus here of either class of these stores.
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I beg leave to add a few words about my position, &c., here. I think General
Johnston will concede that it is a very precaution one in itself, and I know it is a
very embarrassing one to me. As he is aware (at any rate I so informed him at
Columbus), the force left here (i. e., Pitman's Ferry, &c.) by General Hardee was
very small, so small that, as I have all the while insisted, it was available for no
useful purpose whatever, either of attack or defense, against such as the enemy
certainly had the power and would not fail to bring against me if I should have to
deal with him at all. This is obvious from the following statement of its character
and numerical strength: It consisted, first, of seven mounted companies - nominally
460 men - indifferently armed, and much enfeebled by the hardest and most constant
scouting service to which any troops were ever subjected, through an exceedingly
sickly season, and on little more than half rations for man or horse; and, second,
of two companies of infantry, about 130 men, just mustered into the service, and
indifferently armed. To these have since been added eight companies of similar
infantry, numbering about 500 men; and within the last few days I have added still a
little further by retaining two and a half companies, together about 150 men, that
were passing here. All these together, 1,240 men, being twelve-month's volunteers,
with officers and men alike raw and inexperienced, poorly armed and equipped, and
without an educated or experienced military man in the whole command. No cannon were
left me, or what are no better than none; that is, six iron 6-pounders and two brass
4-pounders, all old, partly dismantled and dilapidated, and without equipment for
transportation or active use, and all rejected as worthless and cast aside by
General Hardee. Of the nominal force I have enumerated, making by no means an unfair
allowance for sick, details, &c., 700 would fully cover the number I could count
upon for the field.
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Thus situated, on the 5th instant I found my position threatened by the enemy with
some 400 cavalry and not less (I had some reason to believe much more) than 3,000
infantry and a battery of artillery, reported on good authority (since proved to be
true) to be within 60 miles of me and marching rapidly in this direction. This has
since proved to have been one of the several columns moved simultaneously from Cairo
upon Columbus, from Cape Girardeau upon Bloomfield, and from Ironton upon this
place.
Very respectfully,
SOLON BORLAND,
Colonel Cavalry, Commanding.
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ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
Col BORLAND asked for and recieved an indefinite leave for sickness beginning
December 15, 1861, returning to Little Rock.
His service records show he traveled more than 1,700 miles while at Pocahontas,
Arkansas since arriving July 29, 1861.
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
ArkansasCivil 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.
File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/tn/shelby/military/civilwar/letters/borlandm10mt.txt
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