2nd Regiment, Arkansas Volunteers (Confederate)

Brief History
As detailed in the history of the 1st Arkansas Regiment, 30-Day Volunteers, a second regiment of 30-day volunteers began organizing at Camp Borland, near Pocahontas, Arkansas, in mid-November 1861, in response to the appeal of Col. Solon Borland for volunteers to defend Pitman’s Ferry, “the gateway to Arkansas,” from a possible Yankee attack. This regiment does not appear to have completed its organization. Only the records of the four companies of the 1st Battalion of the 2nd Regiment are extant. Four companies from northeast Arkansas constituted the 1st Battalion, 2nd Regiment: Capt. John H. Miers’ company from Jackson County, Capt. W. T. High’s company (“High’s Repellers”) from Prairie and present-day Lonoke counties, Capt. James R. Morris’ company from Independence and present-day Cleburne counties, and Capt. Thomas G. Shinpock’s company from present-day Woodruff County. The companies enlisted for 30-days of emergency service on November 18, and were discharged on December 18, 1861. The men of Companies A, B and C returned to their respective homes after being discharged. The men of Company D, however, stayed on to enlist in Confederate service for one year and became Company K of McCarver’s 14th Arkansas Infantry. No colonel or lieutenant-colonel was ever assigned to the 2nd Regiment. The only field-grade officer mentioned in the record is a Major Allen, commanding the 1st Battalion, 2nd Regiment. We have been unable to identify this officer. Co. A—Jackson County. Co. B—Prairie and Lonoke Counties. Co. C—Independence and Cleburne Counties. Co. D—Woodruff County. .

On May 15, 1862, the 2nd Battalion, Arkansas Calvalry was consolidated with the Sixth Arkansas Cavalry Battalion (Major Charles W. Phifer) at Corinth, Mississippi, to form the Second Arkansas Cavalry Regiment. The companies of the former Second Battalion became Companies D-E-F-G-H of the Second Regiment (see the individual company rosters for details). On August 18, 1862, the chronically-understrength Company F (formerly Co. E, Second Battalion) was consolidated into Company E (formerly C, Second Battalion), and Companies G and H were redesignated as Companies F and G, respectively. .

The Crittenden Rangers were organized in Crittenden County, Arkansas, on April 13, 1861. On that day, the ladies of Crittenden County presented a flag to the new company in a ceremony at Hopefield. The Memphis Daily Appeal ran this article on April 17, 1861: “MILITARY COMPANY—The citizens of Crittenden County, Arkansas, have raised a fine company, which they have styled the Crittenden Rangers. Officers are our late fellow-citizen R. T. Redman, Captain; T. B. Rogers, 1st Lieutenant; J. D. Rives, 2d Lieutenant; J. G. Berry, 3d Lieutenant. Captain Redman was in the city yesterday for the purpose of purchasing saddles and horse equipments for the company. The county court a week ago voted two thousand dollars toward the equipment of the rangers, the State finds them arms, and the citizens of the county have undertaken to provide them with pistols.” By June 3, 1861, when the company enrolled in State service, new officers were elected, and the Rangers rode to Pocahontas, where they joined the garrison commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Solon Borland. Shortly afterwards, the Governor of Arkansas offered the services of the Arkansas State Troops to the Confederate States. The soldiers were given the option of enlisting in Confederate service for a period of twelve months, or taking a discharge. About half the Rangers took the discharge. The rest of the Crittenden Rangers enlisted in Confederate service on July 29, 1861, and were assigned as Company C, 6th Battalion Arkansas Cavalry, CSA. This battalion was later expanded to a full regiment, the 2nd Arkansas Cavalry. The following roster is taken from the June 3, 1861, muster roll of the Crittenden Rangers, on the day they enlisted in State service at Marion, Arkansas.

October, 2010. Copyright -The above information may be used for non-commercial historical and genealogical purposes only and with the consent of the page owner may be copied for the same purposes so long as this notice remains a part of the copied material.

"Units of the Confederate States Army" by Joseph H. Crute, Jr. contains no history for this unit.

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties of Origin
Men often enlisted in a company recruited in the counties where they lived though not always. After many battles, companies might be combined because so many men were killed or wounded. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 272 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Other Sources

 * Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier or sailor. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in 'Arkansas in the Civil War' and 'United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865' (see below).


 * National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, is searchable by soldier's name and state. It contains basic facts about soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, a list of regiments, descriptions of significant battles, sources of the information, and suggestions for where to find additional information.


 * Arkansas in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for Tennessee, and how to find them.. These include compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865 describes and explains United States and Confederate States records, rather than state records, and how to find them. These include veterans’ censuses, compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.