The 11th Missouri Infantry Regiment (also known as Hunter's Missouri Infantry Regiment and 8th Missouri Infantry Regiment (Burns')) was an

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...

that served in the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. The unit was mustered into Confederate service on August 31, 1862, although many of the men recruited for the regiment had already seen action at the

Battle of Lone Jack The Battle of Lone Jack was a battle of the American Civil War, occurring on August 15–16, 1862 in Jackson County, Missouri. The battle was part of the Confederate guerrilla and recruiting campaign in Missouri in 1862. Background During the ...

. On December 7, the regiment fought at the

Battle of Prairie Grove The Battle of Prairie Grove was a battle of the American Civil War fought on December 7, 1862. While tactically indecisive, the battle secured the Union control of northwestern Arkansas. A division of Union troops in the Army of the Front ...

, where the regiment helped defeat

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

William A. Weer's brigade. Prairie Grove was a Confederate defeat, and the 11th Missouri Infantry retreated into southern Arkansas. Later, the unit began moving against the garrison of

Helena, Arkansas Helena is the eastern portion of Helena–West Helena, Arkansas, a city in Phillips County, Arkansas. It was founded in 1833 by Nicholas Rightor and is named after the daughter of Sylvanus Phillips, an early settler of Phillips County and the n ...

. On July 4, 1863, the regiment penetrated the

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

works at the

Battle of Helena The Battle of Helena was fought on July 4, 1863, near Helena, Arkansas, as part of the American Civil War. Union troops had captured the city in July 1862, and had been using it as a base of operations. Over 7,500 Confederate troops led by Li ...

, although its brigade was soon isolated and defeated. Afterwards, the regiment transferred to

Little Rock ( The "Little Rock") , government_type = Council-manager , leader_title = Mayor , leader_name = Frank Scott Jr. , leader_party = D , leader_title2 = Council , leader_name2 ...

, where it built fortifications. Union troops then outflanked the city's defenses, leading the Confederates to abandon the position. In 1864, the regiment moved to

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...

as a response to the Red River campaign. On April 9, the 11th Missouri Infantry fought at the

Battle of Pleasant Hill The Battle of Pleasant Hill occurred on April 9, 1864 and formed part of the Red River Campaign during the American Civil War when Union forces aimed to occupy the Louisiana state capital, Shreveport. The battle was essentially a continuation ...

before returning to Arkansas. On April 30, the unit was part of a Confederate attack at the

Battle of Jenkins' Ferry The Battle of Jenkins' Ferry, also known as the Engagement at Jenkins' Ferry, was fought on April 30, 1864, at Jenkins' Ferry, southwest of Little Rock (present-day Grant County, Arkansas), during the American Civil War. Although the battle en ...

, although the charge was repulsed despite initial success. The unit was not heavily engaged after Jenkins' Ferry, and the men of the regiment were

parole Parole (also known as provisional release or supervised release) is a form of early release of a prison inmate where the prisoner agrees to abide by certain behavioral conditions, including checking-in with their designated parole officers, or ...

d on June 8, 1865.

Organization

During the summer of 1862, DeWitt C. Hunter had attempted to recruit men from the

Missouri State Guard The Missouri State Guard (MSG) was a military force established by the Missouri General Assembly on May 11, 1861. While not a formation of the Confederate States Army, the Missouri State Guard fought alongside Confederate troops and, at various ...

to join a new

, which would be part of the

. However, Hunter was not able to recruit enough men to form a full regiment. Hunter, who had been recruiting near

Van Buren, Arkansas Van Buren ( ) is the second-largest city in the Fort Smith, Arkansas–Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area and the county seat of Crawford County, Arkansas, United States. The city is located directly northeast of Fort Smith at the Interst ...

, joined a group of recruiters who were heading into

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

. In August, the group made a camp in the vicinity of

Lone Jack, Missouri Lone Jack is a city in Jackson County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,050 at the 2010 U.S. Census. It is part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. History Lone Jack was platted in 1841. Its name comes from a single black jack t ...

. On August 16, Hunter's force engaged a

column commanded by

Major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

Emory S. Foster as part of the

. After a five-hour battle, the Union forces were defeated and forced to withdraw. Foster was severely wounded and captured. In the battle, Hunter's recruits suffered at least 13 casualties. However, Union troops began to concentrate in the area after the battle, and the Confederates retreated back to

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage ...

. On August 31, Hunter mustered his recruits into an organized unit as a

battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions are ...

. More recruits were assigned to the unit, which was upgraded to a regiment and assigned to

Brigadier General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

Mosby M. Parsons' brigade. The unit's company organization as of August 31 was: * Company A: Jasper County and Lawrence County. * Company B: Barry County. * Company C: Barry County. * Company D: Benton County and Hickory County. * Company E:

Cedar County Cedar County may refer to: * Cedar County, Iowa * Cedar County, Missouri * Cedar County, Nebraska * Cedar County, Choctaw Nation * Cedar County, Washington The list of county secession proposals in the United States includes proposed new co ...

and Vernon County. * Company F: Lawrence County. * Company G: Cedar County and

Polk County Polk County is the name of twelve counties in the United States, all except two named after president of the United States James Knox Polk: * Polk County, Arkansas * Polk County, Florida * Polk County, Georgia * Polk County, Iowa * Polk Count ...

. * Company H: Buchanan County, Platte County, and Ray County. * Company I: Cass County. * Company K: Cass County, Greene County, Jasper County, and Newton County. Hunter was the regiment's first

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

, Simon P. Burns was the original

lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

, and Thomas H. Murray was the first

major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

Service history

1862

By that fall, Union troops were advancing further into Arkansas. In response, Confederate Major General

Thomas Hindman Thomas Carmichael Hindman Jr. (January 28, 1828 – September 28, 1868) was an American lawyer, politician, and a senior Officer (armed forces), officer of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Born in Knoxville, Tennessee ...

prepared to strike the Union column. On December 7, Hunter's Missouri Regiment fought at the

as part of Parsons' Brigade as part of Hindman's offensive. Early in the fighting, the brigade was aligned in a supporting position on the Confederate left

flank Flank may refer to: * Flank (anatomy), part of the abdomen ** Flank steak, a cut of beef ** Part of the external anatomy of a horse * Flank speed, a nautical term * Flank opening, a chess opening * A term in Australian rules football * The si ...

. The regiment was second-to-the-left in the brigade alignment; Caldwell's Missouri Regiment was on the brigade's far left. Towards the end of the battle, Parsons' brigade attacked Colonel William A. Weer's Union brigade. Parsons' line was longer than Weer's, and the Confederates were able to turn the flank of Weer's position, forcing the Union men back. Parsons' Brigade then made a second charge, but the alignment of Parsons' Brigade cut Hunter's and Caldwell's Regiments off, preventing them from participating in the second charge, which failed. Hunter's Regiment reported 51 casualties at Prairie Grove. The regiment then fell back to Van Buren, and later to

Little Rock, Arkansas (The Little Rock, The "Little Rock") , government_type = council-manager government, Council-manager , leader_title = List of mayors of Little Rock, Arkansas, Mayor , leader_name = Frank Scott Jr. , leader_ ...

1863

On February 4, 1863, Colonel Hunter resigned; Burns replaced him as commander of the regiment. On May 3, the regiment was designated as the 8th Missouri Infantry Regiment by

Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

Sterling Price Major-General Sterling "Old Pap" Price (September 14, 1809 – September 29, 1867) was a senior officer of the Confederate States Army who commanded infantry in the Western and Trans-Mississippi theaters of the American Civil War. Prior to ...

. Towards the end of June, the regiment moved towards

, as part of a Confederate attempt to capture the Union-held town. During the

on July 4, Parsons' brigade attacked a Union position known as

Graveyard Hill A cemetery, burial ground, gravesite or graveyard is a place where the remains of dead people are buried or otherwise interred. The word ''cemetery'' (from Greek , "sleeping place") implies that the land is specifically designated as a buri ...

. The brigade broke through, but other elements of the Confederate attack were unable to penetrate the Union line. As a result, Union troops were able to concentrate on Parsons' Brigade. After suffering heavy casualties, the brigade retreated from the field; the regiment's total casualty count at Helena was 159 men. After Helena, the regiment fell back to

Des Arc, Arkansas Des Arc is a city on the White River in the Arkansas Delta, United States. It is the largest city in Prairie County, Arkansas, and the county seat for the county's northern district. Incorporated in 1854, Des Arc's position on the river has sha ...

and then to Little Rock, where the men built fortifications. In August, Union Major General

Frederick Steele Frederick Steele (January 14, 1819 – January 12, 1868) was a career military officer in the United States Army, serving as a major general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He was most noted for retaking much of secessionist Arka ...

threatened the city, moving around the Confederate fortifications to attack at an undefended point. Parsons' Brigade then abandoned the position on September 10 without fighting. After leaving Little Rock, the brigade moved to

Arkadelphia, Arkansas Arkadelphia is a city in Clark County, Arkansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 10,714. The city is the county seat of Clark County. It is situated at the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains. Two universities, Henderson ...

, and then to

Camden, Arkansas Camden is a city in and the county seat of Ouachita County in the south-central part of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The city is located about 100 miles south of Little Rock. Situated on bluffs overlooking the Ouachita River, the city developed ...

. On December 15, the regiment was renamed as the 11th Missouri Infantry Regiment.

18641865

In January 1864, the regiment transferred to Spring Hill, Arkansas. On March 24, a new division was formed, and Parsons was assigned to command the division. The division contained two brigades; one of which was commanded by Colonel Burns, the other was commanded by Colonel

John Bullock Clark Jr. John Bullock Clark Jr. (January 14, 1831 – September 7, 1903) was a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War and a Reconstruction era of the United States, postbellum five-term U.S. Congressman from Missouri. Bi ...

The 11th Missouri Infantry was assigned to Burns' Brigade; Lieutenant Colonel Thomas H. Murray replaced Burns as regimental commander. In April, the regiment was sent to support Major General Richard Taylor's force, which was fighting against a Union advance up the Red River. The regiment joined Taylor on April 9 at Pleasant Hill, Louisiana. Later that day, the regiment participated in the

. Parsons' division, which was on the right flank of the Confederate line, attacked the Union line. The attack was initially successful, driving in part of the Union line, but a Union counterattack defeated the Confederates, who retreated in some disarray. The 11th Missouri Infantry suffered 49 casualties at Pleasant Hill. After Pleasant Hill, Parsons' Division began moving against Camden, which was held by Steele's Union force. Steele evacuated Camden, and was pursued by the Confederates, who caught up with him on April 30 at the crossing of the Saline River. The 11th Missouri Infantry was in Burns' Brigade along with the 10th Missouri Infantry Regiment, 12th Missouri Infantry Regiment, 16th Missouri Infantry Regiment, Pindall's Missouri Sharpshooter Battalion, and Lesueur's Missouri Battery. At the

on the 30th, Parsons' division arrived at 9:00 a.m., but it took about an hour for the division to fully deploy. Burns' Brigade was aligned on Parsons' left, and Clark's Brigade held the right. When the brigade attacked, it encountered the 33rd Iowa Infantry and the 12th Kansas Infantry Regiments holding a position in some woods. After about half an hour of fighting at very close range, Burns' Brigade was able to outflank the two Union regiments and drive them back. However, Union reinforcements arrived in the form of the 40th Iowa Infantry and the 27th Wisconsin Infantry Regiments. Those two regiments, combined with the survivors of the 33rd Iowa and the 12th Kansas, counterattacked, driving Burns' Brigade from the field. Eventually, Steele's Union force was able to escape across the Saline. At Jenkins' Ferry, the 11th Missouri Infantry suffered 17 casualties. Jenkins' Ferry was the regiment's last major action. For the rest of the war, the regiment was encamped at various locations in Arkansas and

before being

d on June 8, 1865 at

Shreveport, Louisiana Shreveport ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is the third most populous city in Louisiana after New Orleans and Baton Rouge, respectively. The Shreveport–Bossier City metropolitan area, with a population of 393,406 in 2020, is t ...

. After being paroled, the survivors of the regiment were sent back to Missouri via

steamboat A steamboat is a boat that is marine propulsion, propelled primarily by marine steam engine, steam power, typically driving propellers or Paddle steamer, paddlewheels. Steamboats sometimes use the ship prefix, prefix designation SS, S.S. or S/S ...

Notes

References

Sources

* * * * {{Missouri Confederate units navbox Units and formations of the Confederate States Army from Missouri 1862 establishments in Arkansas 1865 disestablishments in Louisiana