1st Battalion, Arkansas Cavalry (Stirman's) (Confederate)

Brief History
1st (Stirman's) Battalion Sharpshooters, formerly Brooks' 1st Arkansas Cavalry Battalion, was organized during the summer of 1862. In July Company H (Murphy's Company B) was added from Whitfield's Texas Cavalry Regiment. This Arkansas Company had been attached to the Texas unit by General McCulloch. The Stirman Battalion was assigned to Phiffer's Brigade for the Corinth Campaign. On August 1, 1862, Bridges' Battalion of Texas Sharpshooters was attached to Stirman's Battalion to make a 10 company Sharpshooter regiment. The regiment trained through the Battle of Iuka without entering that battle. On the 3 of October the regiment was on the left flank of Phiffer's Brigade for the Battle of Corinth. Trained as skirmishers and sharpshooters, they would normlly have spread out across the regimental front and preceeded the regiment into battle. It is not known how they fought on the 3rd but Lt Col Henry Bridges was wounded in the arm and had to be helped from the field. On the 4th they were aligned as an Infantry Regiment on the left flank, and fought into the heart of Corinth. Peter Cozzens in his book on the Battle of Corinth, stated that Colonel Stirman planted the regimental flag in front of the Tishomingo Hotel which was past General Rosecran's Headquarters. If this happened Stirman's unit had almost won the Battle. Lack of ammunition and men, soon caused Stirman to retreat. The next day, the regiment was the 4th unit to cross the Hatchie Bridge in Tennessee. Suddenly a Union blocking force opened up and cannon and rifle fire covered the area. The regiment reversed and raced across the bridge to assume firing positions. Along with the 6th Texas Cavalry Regiment (dismounted) they formed the base for a Confederate blocking force. Several units of Van Dorn's command had been lost, and many of Stirman's men had been killed or captured, but the regiment was a great factor in saving the day. Two weeks later the regiment was reduced to battalion size as the Texas units returned to their regiments. The unit was then attached to General M.E. Bgrann's command, Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana, and fought at Port Gibson and Vicksburg where it was captured on July 4, 1863. After being exchanged, it returned to Arkansas and became Stirman's Arkansas Cavalry Battalion. The unit was commanded by Colonel Ras.Stirman, Major Lafayette Boone and Lieutenant Colonel Henry W. Bridges.

Predecessor unit:

1st (Brooks') Cavalry Battalion was organized during the late fall of 1861. In January, 1862, it totalled 300 officers and men and was assigned to L. Hebert's Brigade in the western part of Arkansas. After fighting at Elkhorn Tavern, the unit was ordered east of the Mississippi River and dismounted. Major William H. Brooks was in command. It soon became known as Stirman's 1st Arkansas Battalion Sharpshooters. .

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 956 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

COMPANY A - many men from Marion County and Carroll County - All enlistments were 3 Aug 1861 COMPANY B - many men from Marion County and Carroll County - All enlistments were 3 Aug 1861 COMPANY C - many men from Van Buren County and Carroll County - All enlistments were 11 Oct 1861 COMPANY D - many men from Fayetteville, Washington County - All enlistments were 26 Oct 1861 COMPANY E - many men from Fayetteville, Washington County - All enlistments were 9 Oct 1861 COMPANY F - many men from Russellville, Pope County - All enlistment were 15 Feb 1862 COMPANY G - many men from Pope County - All enlistments were 15 Feb 1862 COMPANY H - many men from Waldron, Scott County, - All enlistments were 19 Oct 1861

COMPANY I - men from Dallas and Henderson Counties. Enlistments 6Sept 1861 - Company I, 6th Texas Cavalry Regiment

COMPANY K - men from eight north Texas counties. Enlistments on 13 Oct 1861. - Company H, 9th Texas Cavalry Regiment

© 2001 by EDWARD G. GERDES all rights reserved. This information may be used by libraries and genealogical societies, however, commercial use of this information is strictly prohibited without prior permission. If copied, this copyright notice must appear with the information.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 956 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.