6th Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry (Confederate)

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

Officially designated by the State Military Board as the 6th Regiment Arkansas Cavalry, it was almost never referred to as such during the Civil War. It was usually called Monroe’s 1st Arkansas Cavalry, occasionally the 4th Arkansas Cavalry, and more rarely the 1st Trans-Mississippi Cavalry. It is also found in the Official Records as Fagan’s Cavalry and Monroe’s Cavalry.

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.

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.

Field and Staff. Company A - Prairie county—Capt. Patrick H. Wheat. Company B - Bradley county—Capt. James M. McNeill. Company C - Hempstead county—Capt. George A. Davis. Company D - Hempstead county—Capt. Americus V. Rieff. Company E - Prairie county—Capt. W. E. Raulston. Company F - Clark county—Capt. John W. Hanson. Company G - Jefferson county—Capt. M. D. Davis. Company H - Saline county—Capt. G. W. Brown. Company I - Arkansas county—Capt. Young. Company K - Columbia county—Capt. Isaac L. Adair. Company L - Drew county—Capt. Columbus C. Wolfe.

The Crittenden Rangers were organized in Crittenden County, Arkansas, on April 13, 1861.

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.