Ford's Battalion, Arkansas Cavalry (Confederate)

United States     U.S. Military      Arkansas      Arkansas Military      Arkansas in the Civil War      96th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry

Brief History
Ford's Cavalry Battalion was organized on August 27, 1864, with 442 officers and men. Its members were recruited in Ashley and Chilot counties. Assigned to Colonel T.R. Freeman's Brigade, Trans-Mississippi Department, the unit participated in Price's Missouri Expedition. During this operation it reported 3 killed, 5 wounded, and 11 missing. Later it was active in various actions along the Mississippi River and in December had about 150 men fit for duty. The battalion disbanded prior to the surrender in June, 1865. Joseph H. Crute, Jr, CONFEDERATE ARKANSAS TROOPS, "Units of the Confederate States Army", http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/regiments.cfm (accessed October 8, 2010).

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.


 * Company C—Jackson County Source: EDWARD G. GERDES, Arkansas Civil War Regiments, Rosters and Muster Rolls See also http://www.couchgenweb.com/civilwar/fordscoc.html . (accessed October 8, 2010).

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.