The 15th Arkansas Infantry Regiment or Josey's Arkansas Infantry Regiment (also known as "Polk's regiment" or "Cleburne's regiment") 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 ...

formation 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 regiment was organized in May 1861 under the command of Colonel

Patrick Cleburne Major-General Patrick Ronayne Cleburne ( ; March 16, 1828November 30, 1864) was a senior officer of the Confederate States Army who commanded infantry in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. Born in Ireland, Cleburne served in the 4 ...

. It served throughout the war in the western theater, seeing action in the Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia campaigns. Following its depletion in numbers the regiment was consolidated several times with other Arkansas regiments, finally merging in 1865 into the 1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment. There were two other regiments which also received the designation of "15th Arkansas". The 21st (McRae's) Arkansas Infantry was redesignated 15th Arkansas in February 1863, but to avoid confusion, was normally referred to as the 15th (Northwest) Arkansas Infantry Regiment. This second "15th Arkansas" was surrendered at

Vicksburg Vicksburg most commonly refers to: * Vicksburg, Mississippi, a city in western Mississippi, United States * The Vicksburg Campaign, an American Civil War campaign * The Siege of Vicksburg, an American Civil War battle Vicksburg is also the name of ...

in July 1863. A third regiment, under command of Colonels Gee and later Johnson, also received the designation 15th Arkansas Infantry. This last regiment surrendered at Port Hudson,

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 ...

, in July 1863.

Organization

The 1st Regiment, Arkansas State Troops, was organized mainly from existing volunteer militia companies several of which had participated in the seizure of the Federal Arsenal at

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 ...

Organized from State Militia Units

Ten Volunteer Companies were enrolled in State service on May 14, 1861, at Camp Rector, near Mound City, above

Memphis Memphis most commonly refers to: * Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt * Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city Memphis may also refer to: Places United States * Memphis, Alabama * Memphis, Florida * Memphis, Indiana * Memp ...

on the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...

. Seven of the original ten companies had initially been organized under the state militia laws. Captain Patrick R. Cleburne, of the Yell Rifles, was elected Colonel of the regiment. As the very first regiment of the line authorized by the Arkansas State Military Board in the Civil War, they bore the title of 1st Regiment, Arkansas State Troops. The regiment was formally organized with the following Volunteer Companies:

When Captain Cleburne was appointed colonel of the new regiment, Captain Edward H. Cowley was elected to succeed him in command of the Yell Rifles, Company F.

Transferred to Confederate Service

The regiment moved via steamboat from Camp Rector down the Mississippi and back up the White River to Pocahontas, Arkansas, where they were sworn into Confederate service. Under the command of Colonel Patrick Cleburne, the unit was transferred from state service to Confederate service on July 23, 1861, at Pitman's Ferry, AR and was initially designated as the 1st Arkansas Infantry; This transfer was not binding on the men, who could opt out if they so desired. The men of Company C (Yell Guards) and Company G (Hindman Guards) declined to transfer to the Provisional Army of the Confederate States, so the men were honorably discharged and their companies were disbanded. After July 1861, the 1st/15th Arkansas had only eight companies, making it, in effect, a "heavy" battalion, rather than a full regiment, but the unit was kept on the army rolls as a regiment throughout the war. The following companies were transferred into Confederate Service: * Company A – Harris Guards. * Company B – Yell Rifles. * Company C – Napoleon Grays. * Company D – Tyronza Rebels. * Company E – Monroe Blues. * Company F – Phillips Guards. * Company G – Rector Guards. * Company H – Jefferson Guards.

Re-designated as the 15th Arkansas Infantry Regiment

The Regiment conducted its initial training at Pitman's Ferry and was assigned to a division commanded by Confederate General

William Hardee William Joseph Hardee (October 12, 1815November 6, 1873) was a career U.S. Army and Confederate States Army officer. For the U.S. Army, he served in the Second Seminole War and in the Mexican–American War, where he was captured and exchanged. ...

's Division. They made a short excursion or raid into southeast Missouri in September, and in October, moved with the rest of Hardee's command across the river into

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...

, becoming Hardee's Division, Army of Central Kentucky. At the time the regiment was moved across the

, it contained 506 men. By January 1862 the Confederate War Department had discovered that there was already a "1st Arkansas Infantry" enrolled in Confederate service. Col

James Fleming Fagan James Fleming Fagan (March 1, 1828September 1, 1893) was an American farmer, politician, and senior officer of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. His brigade distinguished itself in the Camden Expedition of 1864, helping ...

's regiment was accepted and enrolled in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States at Lynchburg, Virginia, on May 19, 1861, as the 1st Regiment Arkansas Volunteers. When the Confederate War Department realized that it had two "First Arkansas" regiments, it arbitrarily assigned what their records showed was the next available designation, "the 15th Arkansas Regiment" and ordered Cleburne's regiment to adopt this designation. The regiment was redesignated as the 15th Arkansas Infantry on December 31, 1861. Unfortunately the Arkansas State Military Board had already authorized the use of this designation for Col. James M. Gee's regiment. Effectively the Confederate Army went from having two 1st Arkansas Regiments to having two 15th Arkansas Regiments; however, these designations stuck for the rest of the war. Thus, by January 1862 Cleburne's 1st Arkansas Regiment was reorganized for the war as the 15th Arkansas Regiment, as follows: *Company A – Harris Guards. *Company B – Jefferson Guards. *Company C – Yell Rifles. *Company D – Napoleon Grays. *Company E – Tyronza Rebels. *Company F – Monroe Blues. *Company G – Phillips Guards. *Company H – Rector Guards.

Commanders

Colonel Cleburne was appointed Brigadier General in March 1862, and was succeeded by Lieutenant Colonel Archibald K. Patton. After the battle of Shiloh, Colonel Lucius E. Polk took command. Colonel Polk was appointed Brigadier General in December 1862, and was succeeded by Colonel John E. Josey. The U.S. War Department cataloged the regiment's Compiled Service Records as the 15th (Josey's) Arkansas Infantry.

Battles

General Hardee took the 7th Arkansas Battalion with him when he transferred his command to Kentucky and organized the Confederate

Army of Central Kentucky The Army of Central Kentucky was a military organization within Department No. 2 (the Western Department of the Confederate States of America). Originally called the Army Corps of Central Kentucky, it was created in the fall of 1861 as a subsect ...

and Colonel Cleburne was placed in command of a new brigade which included his 15th Arkansas, the 6th Mississippi, and the 23rd, 24th and 35th Tennessee Regiments. After the losses of Fort Henry and

Fort Donelson Fort Donelson was a fortress built early in 1862 by the Confederacy during the American Civil War to control the Cumberland River, which led to the heart of Tennessee, and thereby the Confederacy. The fort was named after Confederate general Da ...

in February 1862, Confederate General

Albert Sidney Johnston Albert Sidney Johnston (February 2, 1803 – April 6, 1862) served as a general in three different armies: the Texian Army, the United States Army, and the Confederate States Army. He saw extensive combat during his 34-year military career, figh ...

withdrew his forces into western Tennessee, northern Mississippi, and Alabama to reorganize. and then retreated through western Tennessee to northern Mississippi. On March 29, 1862, the Army of Central Kentucky was merged into the

Army of Mississippi There were three formations known as the Army of Mississippi in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. This name is contrasted against Army of the Mississippi, Army of ''the'' Mississippi, which was a Union Army named for the ...

in preparation for the

Battle of Shiloh The Battle of Shiloh (also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing) was fought on April 6–7, 1862, in the American Civil War. The fighting took place in southwestern Tennessee, which was part of the war's Western Theater. The battlefield i ...

. Under the command of

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 ...

Archibald K. Patton, the 15th Arkansas saw its first combat at the

, April 6–7, 1862, where it suffered heavy casualties in driving back Sherman's division of Union troops. In early May 1862 the Confederate forces underwent an army-wide reorganization due to the passage of the Conscription Act by the Confederate Congress in April 1862. All twelve-month regiments had to re-muster and enlist for two additional years or the duration of the war; a new election of officers was ordered; and men who were exempted from service by age or other reasons under the Conscription Act were allowed to take a discharge and go home. Officers who did not choose to stand for re-election were also offered a discharge. The reorganization was accomplished among all the Arkansas regiments in and around Corinth, Mississippi, following the Battle of Shiloh. After reorganizing at Corinth, the regiment participated with Cleburne's Brigade in the Confederate

Army of the Mississippi Army of the Mississippi was the name given to two Union armies that operated around the Mississippi River, both with short existences, during the American Civil War. History 1862 The first army was created on February 23, 1862, with Maj. Gen. ...

during the Battles of

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...

and Perryville, Kentucky, in October 1862. Due to heavy losses suffered by the 13th Arkansas during the Battle of Shiloh, the 13th and the 15th Arkansas were consolidated during the Kentucky Campaign. The consolidated regiment was commanded by Colonel Lucius Eugene Polk of the 15th Arkansas. The regiment lost 2 killed and 19 wounded at the

Battle of Richmond The Battle of Richmond, Kentucky, fought August 29–30, 1862, was one of the most complete Confederate victories in the war by Major General Edmund Kirby Smith against Union major general William "Bull" Nelson's forces, which were defending th ...

, Kentucky. When the Army of Mississippi was reorganized and redesignated the Army of Tennessee, the regiment was assigned to first Polk's then Liddell's and finally to Govan's Brigade,

Army of Tennessee The Army of Tennessee was the principal Confederate army operating between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River during the American Civil War. It was formed in late 1862 and fought until the end of the war in 1865, participating i ...

. During the

Battle of Murfreesboro The Battle of Stones River, also known as the Second Battle of Murfreesboro, was a battle fought from December 31, 1862, to January 2, 1863, in Middle Tennessee, as the culmination of the Stones River Campaign in the Western Theater of the Ame ...

the 13th/15th Arkansas was further consolidated with the 1st Arkansas Infantry Regiment and the consolidated regiment was commanded by Colonel John W. Colquitt.United States. War Dept. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 20, In Two Parts. Part 1, Reports., Book, 1887; digital images, (http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth154629 : accessed February 06, 2012), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, http://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries, Denton, Texas. The 13th/15th reported 68 casualties at Murfreesborough. In September 1863 the 15th was field consolidated with the

2nd Arkansas Infantry Regiment The 2nd Arkansas Infantry (June 1, 1861 – May 26, 1865) was an army regiment of the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. The regiment was raised in May 1861 under Colonel Thomas C. Hindman. It served throughout the war in the weste ...

and during December 1863 the

24th Arkansas Infantry Regiment The 24th Arkansas Infantry (1861–1865) was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War. The unit began its service in the Department of the Trans-Mississippi, but the bulk of the unit was captured at the Battle of Arkansa ...

was added to the field consolidation. During December, 1863, the 2nd/15th/24th totaled 295 men and 202 arms. The unit served with the army from the

Battle of Chickamauga The Battle of Chickamauga, fought on September 19–20, 1863, between United States, U.S. and Confederate States of America, Confederate forces in the American Civil War, marked the end of a Union Army, Union offensive, the Chickamauga Campaign ...

and the Battles for Chattanooga, and throughout the Atlanta Campaign.Cleburne's Pickett's Mill Battle Report, O.R.– SERIES 1–VOLUME XXXVIII/3, May I-September 8, 1864. – THE ATLANTA (GEORGIA) CAMPAIGN, No. 608.–Report of Maj. Gen. Patrick R. Cleburne, C. S. Army, commanding division, of operations May 7–27, republished at Pickett's Mill Battlefield Historic Site, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Accessed 15 February 2012, http://www.gastateparks.org/item/121726?ran=612032762. 2012-02-18. In July, 1864, the 15th Arkansas was field consolidated with the Fagan's 1st Arkansas Infantry. During the Battle of Kennesay Mountain the 1st/15th became involved in a famous humanitarian act. At one point in the battle on June 27, not far from the position known as the "Dead Angle", the Union frontal assault had failed leaving hundreds of dead and wounded Union soldiers between the Confederate works and the Union lines. The woods and brush between the two armies caught fire because of the gun fire and artillery. The fire began to creep toward the wounded soldiers. Lt. Colonel William P. Martin who was commanding the 1st and 15th combined Arkansas Regiments, jumped on the earthworks and ordered his Confederate soldiers to cease firing. He then waved a white flag of truce yelling to the Union soldiers to "come and get your wounded, they are burning to death." For a short time the Union and Confederate soldiers helped remove the wounded and put out the fires. The next day the Union generals presented Martin with two Colt Revolvers as a thank you for his humanitarian efforts. Later the opposing forces began to fire at each other again. The regiment and it colors were captured, along with much of Govan's Brigade at the

Battle of Jonesboro The Battle of Jonesborough (August 31–September 1, 1864) was fought between Union Army forces led by William Tecumseh Sherman and Confederate forces under William J. Hardee during the Atlanta Campaign in the American Civil War. On the first ...

, Georgia, on Sept. 1, 1864. Due to a special cartel between Union General

Sherman Sherman most commonly refers to: *Sherman (name), a surname and given name (and list of persons with the name) ** William Tecumseh Sherman (1820–1891), American Civil War General *M4 Sherman, a tank Sherman may also refer to: Places United St ...

and Confederate General

John B. Hood John Bell Hood (June 1 or June 29, 1831 – August 30, 1879) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War. Although brave, Hood's impetuosity led to high losses among his troops as he moved up in rank. Bruce Catton wrote that "the dec ...

, the unit was quickly paroled and exchanged for Union prisoner held at Andersonville Prison. The regiment re-entered service approximately a month later. The 1st/15th reported 15 killed, 67 wounded, and 3 missing during the

Battle of Atlanta The Battle of Atlanta was a battle of the Atlanta Campaign fought during the American Civil War on July 22, 1864, just southeast of Atlanta, Georgia. Continuing their summer campaign to seize the important rail and supply hub of Atlanta, Uni ...

. The regiment and the rest of Govan's Brigade were released and exchanged just in time to participate in General

's disastrous Franklin-Nashville Campaign. Due to the appalling losses suffered by Govan's Brigade during the Atlanta Campaign, the 1st/15th, 5th/13th and 2nd/24th Arkansas Regiments were consolidated into one regiment, which was commanded by Colonel Peter Green of the 5th/13th (specifically of the 5th). The other officers of the consolidated regiment were Major Alexander T. Meek, of the 2nd/24th Arkansas, Captain Mordecai P. Garrett and Sergeant Major Thomas Benton Moncrief of the 15th Arkansas. The consolidated regiment fought under the colors of the consolidated 5th/13th Arkansas Regiment, because this was one of the only colors not captured when Govan's Brigade was overrun at the Battle of Jonesboro. The flag of the combined 5th/13th Arkansas was issued in March 1864 and was captured by Benjamin Newman of the 88th Illinois Infantry at the battle of Franklin. The consolidated regiment numbered just 300 rifles and sustained 66% casualties during the Battle of Franklin. The remnants of Govan's Brigade that survived the Tennessee Campaign remained with the Army of Tennessee through its final engagements in the 1865

Carolinas Campaign The campaign of the Carolinas (January 1 – April 26, 1865), also known as the Carolinas campaign, was the final campaign conducted by the United States Army (Union Army) against the Confederate States Army in the Western Theater. On January 1 ...

. The 15th Arkansas participated in the following engagements: *

, Tennessee, April 6–7, 1862. *

Siege of Corinth The siege of Corinth (also known as the first Battle of Corinth) was an American Civil War engagement lasting from April 29 to May 30, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi. A collection of Union forces under the overall command of Major General Henry ...

, April to June 1862. *

Kentucky Campaign The Confederate Heartland Offensive (August 14 – October 10, 1862), also known as the Kentucky Campaign, was an American Civil War campaign conducted by the Confederate States Army in Tennessee and Kentucky where Generals Braxton Bragg and ...

, Kentucky, August – October, 1862. **

, Kentucky, August 29–30, 1862. **

Battle of Perryville The Battle of Perryville, also known as the Battle of Chaplin Hills, was fought on October 8, 1862, in the Chaplin Hills west of Perryville, Kentucky, as the culmination of the Confederate Heartland Offensive (Kentucky Campaign) during the A ...

, Kentucky, October 8, 1862. *

, Tennessee, December 31, 1862 – January 3, 1863. * Tullahoma Campaign, June 1863. **

Battle of Liberty Gap The Battle of Liberty Gap was fought during the Tullahoma Campaign of the American Civil War. The battle was an early instance of mounted infantry using Spencer repeating rifles during the war similar to the concurrent battle of Hoover's Gap. ...

, Tennessee, June 24–26, 1863. * Chickamauga Campaign, Georgia, August–September, 1863. **

, Georgia, September 19–20, 1863. * Chattanooga Campaign, September–November 1863. **

Battle of Missionary Ridge The Battle of Missionary Ridge was fought on November 25, 1863, as part of the Chattanooga Campaign of the American Civil War. Following the Union victory in the Battle of Lookout Mountain on November 24, Union forces in the Military Division of ...

, Tennessee, November 25, 1863. **

Battle of Ringgold Gap The Battle of Ringgold Gap was fought November 27, 1863, outside the town of Ringgold, Georgia, by the Confederate and Union armies during the American Civil War. Part of the Chattanooga Campaign, it followed a heavy Confederate loss at the Bat ...

, Georgia, November 27, 1863. * Atlanta Campaign, May–September 1864. **

Battle of Rocky Face Ridge The Battle of Rocky Face Ridge was fought May 7–13, 1864, in Whitfield County, Georgia, during the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War. The Union army was led by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman and the Confederate army by Gen. J ...

, Georgia, May 5–11, 1864. **

Battle of Resaca The Battle of Resaca, from May 13 to 15, 1864, formed part of the Atlanta Campaign during the American Civil War, when a Union force under William Tecumseh Sherman engaged the Confederate Army of Tennessee led by Joseph E. Johnston. The battle ...

, Georgia, May 14–15, 1864. **

Battle of New Hope Church The Battle of New Hope Church (May 25–26, 1864) was a clash between the Union Army under Major general (United States), Major General William T. Sherman and the Confederate States Army, Confederate Army of Tennessee led by General (CSA), Gene ...

, Georgia, May 25–June 4, 1864. **

Battle of Kennesaw Mountain The Battle of Kennesaw Mountain was fought on June 27, 1864, during the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War. It was the most significant frontal assault launched by Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman against the Confederate Army of Tennes ...

, Georgia, June 27, 1864. **

Battle of Peachtree Creek The Battle of Peachtree Creek was fought in Georgia on July 20, 1864, as part of the Atlanta Campaign in the American Civil War. It was the first major attack by Lt. Gen. John Bell Hood since taking command of the Confederate Army of Tennessee. ...

, Georgia, July 20, 1864. ** Siege of Atlanta, Georgia, July 22, 1864.United States. War Dept. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 38, In Five Parts. Part 3, Reports., Book, 1891; digital images, (http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth154634/ : accessed June 27, 2012), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, http://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries, Denton, Texas. **

, Georgia, August 31–September 1, 1864. *

Franklin–Nashville Campaign The Franklin–Nashville campaign, also known as Hood's Tennessee campaign, was a series of battles in the Western Theater, conducted from September 18 to December 27, 1864, in Alabama, Tennessee, and northwestern Georgia during the American Civ ...

, Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee, September 18–December 27, 1864. **

Battle of Spring Hill The Battle of Spring Hill was fought November 29, 1864, at Spring Hill, Tennessee, as part of the Franklin-Nashville Campaign of the American Civil War. The Confederate Army of Tennessee, commanded by Lt. Gen. John Bell Hood, attacked a Union f ...

, Tennessee, November 29, 1864. ** Battle of Franklin, Tennessee, November 30, 1864. **

Battle of Nashville The Battle of Nashville was a two-day battle in the Franklin-Nashville Campaign that represented the end of large-scale fighting west of the coastal states in the American Civil War. It was fought at Nashville, Tennessee, on December 15–16, 1 ...

, Tennessee, December 15–16, 1864. *

, February–April 1865. **

Battle of Bentonville The Battle of Bentonville (March 19–21, 1865) was fought in Johnston County, North Carolina, near the village of Bentonville, as part of the Western Theater of the American Civil War. It was the last battle between the armies of Union Maj. ...

, North Carolina, March 19–21, 1865.

Flags

There are three surviving flags associated with the 15th Arkansas, the flags of the Phillips Guards, and the Jefferson Guards, both prewar militia units, and the flag of the 1st Arkansas which represented the 1st/15th Arkansas Consolidated. Like other regiments in Hardee's Corps, the 15th Arkansas probably carried a Hardee Pattern Battle flag, with a large white moon on a blue field, similar to flags of the

6th Arkansas Infantry Regiment The 6th Arkansas Infantry Regiment (also known as the "Sixth Arkansas"; June 10, 1861 – May 1, 1865) was a regiment of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Organized mainly from volunteer companies, including several prewar ...

. Miss Emma Rightor, representing the young ladies of Helena, presented a flag to Capt. Joseph C. Barlow of the Phillips Guards, upon the unit's return from the Seizure of the Little Rock Arsenal. The Phillips Guards became Company G, 15th Arkansas and the flag was donated to the Phillips County Museum (now the Helena Museum of Phillips County) in 1925, where it continues to be on display. the flag consisted of a white field with the seal of the state of Arkansas being the focal point and an eagle resting on top of the seal while holding the United States flag in its beak. The word "Onward" appears at the left of the seal, and "Upward" appears at the right. This flag was presented to the Phillips Guards on February 22, 1861, when there was as yet no official Confederate flag pattern to copy. It is unlikely that the flag was actually carried in any engagement.Dedmondt, Glenn "The Flags Of Civil War Arkansas", (Pelican Publishing Co., 2009). , page 76 The flag of the Jefferson Guards was presented to the company on May 15, 1861, while the unit was stationed at Camp Rector, near present-day West Memphis. The Jefferson Guards became Company H, 15th Arkansas. The flag is 48" by 96" and consists of a blue field with the letters JG surrounded by the inscription "FIAT JUSTICIA RUAT COELUM" and "ARKANSAS". The reverse side of the flat has a cotton plant surrounded by 15 stars and the inscription "REGNANT POPULI". The flag was apparently actually carried with the regiment through the engagements at Shiloh, the Kentucky Campaign, and Murfreesboro. The flag was returned to Arkansas by the State of Illinois in 1986. The flag is currently in the collection of the Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Historical Museum, Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

Flag, 1st Arkansas Volunteer Infantry Hardee Pattern

The Hardee Pattern Flag which represented the 1st/15th Consolidated Arkansas Infantry Regiments during the Atlanta Campaign is a cotton and wool flag with faded blue field. The central device is a white disc with black crossed cannons in the center (each 3 1/2" wool). Designation lettering is 2" Capitol Romans with red shadow: 1st ARK. REG'T. Honors lettering on the field above the disc is 2 1/2" tall Capital Romans: RICHMOND, KY, TUNNELL HILL, LIBERTY GAP, RINGGOLD GAP. Honors lettering below the disc are gold, ornate, 4" letters: CHICKAMAUGA, border is white with black capitol Romans: MANASSAS, EVANSPORT, SHILOH, TUSCUMBIA CREEK, PERRYVILLE, FARMINGTON, BRIDGECREEK, MURFREESBORO. All lettering is painted. Captured by the 14th Michigan Inf. at Jonesboro, Georgia, on 1 September 1864. Returned to the State of Arkansas in 1905 by the U.S. War Department. Currently in the collection of the Old State House Museum, Little Rock, Arkansas. According to the unpublished diary of Lt. William Huddleston of Co. A, the 15th lost a flag of unknown pattern at the Battle of Liberty Gap, June 25, 1863.

Consolidation and surrender

At the end of the war, Cleburne's old regiment finally recovered its original designation, after a fashion. In the massive reorganization of the

on April 9, 1865, the 15th Arkansas was consolidated with nine other depleted Arkansas regiments, the 1st Arkansas, 2nd Arkansas, 5th Arkansas, 8th Arkansas, 13th Arkansas, 19th (Dawson's) Arkansas, 24th Arkansas and the 3rd Confederate Infantry Regiment. They were lumped together to form the 1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry. The survivors of the 15th Arkansas were consolidated into a single understrength company, "Company H" of the new 1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry. The 1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry surrendered with the Army of Tennessee at

Greensboro, North Carolina Greensboro (; formerly Greensborough) is a city in and the county seat of Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. It is the third-most populous city in North Carolina after Charlotte and Raleigh, the 69th-most populous city in the Un ...

, on April 26, 1865.

References

External links

Battle of Chattanooga, Order of Battle

* ttp://www.couchgenweb.com/civilwar/ Edward G. Gerdes Civil War Home Page
The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture

The Arkansas History Commission, State Archives, Civil War in Arkansas

* {{American Civil War, expanded=CTCBS Units and formations of the Confederate States Army from Arkansas 1865 disestablishments in Arkansas Military units and formations disestablished in 1865 Military in Arkansas Military units and formations in Arkansas 1861 establishments in Arkansas Military units and formations established in 1861