page_title: 3rd Arkansas Field Battery
section_title: Militia service
hierarchical_section_title: 3rd Arkansas Field Battery / Service / Militia service
caption_attribution_description: Solon Borland, United States Senator from Arkansas.
context_page_description: The 3rd Arkansas Field Battery was a Confederate Army artillery battery from Pulaski County, Arkansas, during the American Civil War. The battery is also known as the Totten Light Artillery, Pulaski Light Artillery, the Weaver Light Artillery, Woodruff's Battery, and Marshall's Battery. The battery originated as a pre-war Militia company, initially enrolled in state service. After the Battle of Wilson's Creek, the battery was released from state service and eventually reorganized for Confederate Service. The battery provided the initial training for the leaders of numerous other Arkansas artillery batteries during the Civil War. The battery spent its entire service in the Department of the Trans-Mississippi.
context_section_description: The first military action for the Pulaski Light Artillery came in late April 1861. In order to force the surrender of the United States Army post at Fort Smith, Arkansas, the State of Arkansas organized four of Little Rock's volunteer military companies – Woodruff's "Pulaski Light Artillery," Capt. Thomas James Churchill's "Pulaski Lancers," Capt. Daniel W. Ringo's "Peyton Rifles," and Capt. George W. King's "Little Rock Grays" – along with a nine-member band under Chief Musician Joseph A. Schaer – into a battalion under Colonel Solon Borland. Since Arkansas had not yet seceded from the Union, the expedition to Fort Smith was authorized under the State militia law. The battalion traveled up the Arkansas River by steamer to Fort Smith, made a display of force which achieved the desired objective, and returned to Little Rock, all in ten days, from April 20 to April 30, 1861.
caption: Colonel Solon Borland led a militia battalion, including the Pulaski Light Artillery, to seize the United States Army post at Fort Smith, Arkansas, before Arkansas seceded from the Union
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