Arkansas true Democrat., 1862-02-13
PROCLAMATION
By the Governor Of the State oi Arkansas

f o the beDpLe U dThdHsas'
 WHEREAS, Major General Earl Van Dorn, W assigned in command of the trans Mississippi district, comprising that part of the State of Lou isiana north of Red River, the Indian territory west of Arkansas, the State of Arkansas and certain portions of Missouri, ,''etc. etc, has made requis tion upon the auth rites of Arkansas for ten reg ments oi infantry, and four companies of artihery' for service in the Confederate States Army
 Now therefore, I, HENRY M. RECTOR, as governor of the State of Arkansas, and eX-offcio president of the Military Board of said State do hereby order ard direct, that one hundred companies of infantry, and four of artillery, be organized with dlspatch' from those persons in the State, who by law are subject to military duty, and by the 9th oi March next report themselves for duty to Gen. van Dorn at Pocahontas, Arkansas, except two resl men's oi infantry, which will report to Gen. Pike Tor sefVlce on the western frontier. Each company to consist of one Captain, one lst Lieutenant, two I'd Lieuten- ants, five Sergeants, four Corporas, two Musicians, and not less than sixty four, nor more than one hundred and four uayates. Companies armIng themselves will be received for 12 months; those unarlned, for and during the war, or three years n Company elections may be held by any commis- stoned State officer, civil or.military and returns made to me SDr commissions. The men Will be sworn into service by Confederate officers, after organization, wheresoever one may be found. Sub sisence will be supplied by the Confederate govern ment so soon company organization i5 completed, the captain selecting of the leutenants to pur- cll Sc subsistence and forage, who will issue cer ticates of purchase, approved by the captain to be paIu by the proper ofhcer or the Coniederate gov ernment at head quarters
 Two wagons and teams, -four horse or six mule,) will be hired to transport the baggage, etc, for each company to PocahOntas, with the privilege 0f purchasing them at fair valuation Regiments Will be formed at Pocahontas, ten companies each, and elections held for general officers who will be com mssi0ned by the State. Each solder IS entitled to sl per month pay, one blanket and $50 year for clothing and if he volunteers for the war, to $50 bounty, which ani assured will be paid prompt v by the Confederate States. It Is desirable that each man bring with him one or more blankets, if possible; when they cannot be thus procured, they win be supplied to those received into service, by the Confederate States. Companies soon as or ganized will report to me, sending muster roll, showing the requisite number of aien, that may report them to the Confederate quartermaster, who will supply them with tents, camp equppage, etc, etc.
 At the request of the general in command, have thus endeavored to be explicit, i'll detall as " ell as to those things which fell within the range ot State authority, as those which belong to the Con fyderate Government, the better to facilitate the prompt and patriotic response which we hope to see made by the people of Arkansas to this demand upon their valOr ond patriotism
 From the best data in possession Of the State au thorities. it is estimated that Arkansas has now twenty two thousand men ill the Confederate army, which is equal to thirty per cent Of her popu lation fit for or subject to military duty; the eight thousand five hundred called for making thirty thousand five hundred out of sixty, being one half or fifty Der cent of her entire military force.
 It is undeniably true that the number of men fur nshed by certain sections of the State is grossly nadeouate to the amount of population, and to the canacity and bounden duty of those sections to turn
 .l.Ia. .a,,Ab bOy, ,.ftt hn nrnment. whilst from other counties and localities al ost the entire male population have sprang with alacrfv to the first call of their country The tolls ana ta2x!s}lips as well the blessings of united people shouLi ba bourne anu dispensed alike to ail
 In view of these fAc.e; then, 1t is esteemed essen tally proper that those couites not having hereto fore furnished their per oentsge Or Pi0ssor'iol oi tr0opg bs now required as near as may De u l"t nish with those they have already in sery.ce one hafo or fty per cent of their people subject to mil itary duty This is criterion by which each county in the State may know how much under this caii U ls reouired to do, to save it's people the unpleasant reflection of ha ing been drated ill service, for the defense of their own homes.
 The four fol owing military divisions have been permanently organized, towit:
 The counties of Benton, Crawford, ' eli, Carroll. Franklin Scott, Madison, Johnson Sebastian. Scar cv, Pope, Newton, Van Buren, Marion, Conway, Washington and Perry compose the First Dlvlsion.
 Saline, Dallas, Hot Spring, Calhoun, Montgom- cry, Ouchita, Polk, Union, Sevier, ColuHA1a' flke Lafayette Heampstead aud Clarke, compose the Second Division.
 Pulaski Jeaerson Prairie, Bradley, MonrQe, Drew, Phillips, Desha, Arkansas, Chicot and Ash ley compose the Third Division.
 White Jackson, St. Francis Independence, Crit- tent!en Izard, Mississippi, Patton, Poinsett, Law renee, Craighead, Randolph and Green, compose the Fourth Division.
 And it is ordered that the counties composing the First Division, organize into companies and report as above directed, three thousand hve hundred men by the sth of March next
 That the counties composing the Second Dlvis- ion, organize and repest by the same period, two thousand men.
 That the counties composing the Third Eigieion, organize and report by the same time, fifteen nun dred men.
 ABd that those counties comprising the Fourth Division report likewise, fifteen hundred raen.
 Ali 0r either of whce Divisions failing to report the number of men respectively assigned to them bv inc sad 5th c March, gill be sunect to draIt, hy counties until their due pP6pof,,uss aeeQrdng to n0uulation is furnished ill the reqisiton made upon the State by the general in command
 The power to levy such draft IS in the Mil .arp Beard, by the following clause in an ordinance nassea by the state Convention, entitled An or dnapce for the organzatio.i 2 an efficient mlllta- ry copps for active service,' etc. etc:
 SEC. 10. All persons to be hereafter eatis sten or drafted shall be hercattar enlisted or afaea Tor q period to be hereafter designated by the Military Board"
 erc. H. In case it shall be necessary to make a draft Gsorl the militia to obtain the required mum Der for service unAier this ordinance. or any other ordiuance, wbich has been, 4f may hereafter De adooted. the Mlhnyy Board, here5oicro created ehafl haze tho power to prescribe the manner aud mode ia lohieb sad draft shall be made"
 Gen. Van Dorn in his Feqqisition remarks 'lde- sire these troops for active service as soon g. fhey can be or ganized, and put in the hed Wth Mem hooe to Quord the Stdte of Arkonsds-prevent 'nra sio n and with the cooperation 0t troops rom Texas Louisiana and Missouri, hope to drive the enemy from the aown trOaden State ot Ms ouri our nearest ne ighbors,' etc., etc iHis renters It unneceesary for me to say to the people of Ar kansas that the men now called Tor are TOT the protection of their own houses and firesides-that those who respond to this call. have high assu- rance tn tt actre seyutce will be given them, upon the borders of their own State, and for the relief of our nearest neg ghbors,' the people ot Missouri who have st ctirred and patiently borne their sner inos. because of their adherence to and vndicahon oI the rjghts of southern men ahc southern insu- tutions Shall Arkansas help Missouri or Will we supinely await her final sublugation, and' III 'urn' take our place beside her in chains and uegraaa tion?
 Citizens, friends, patriots of Arkansas, look at the condition of Missouri and picture to yourselves the Nretchedness of Arkansas, If brutal army or the North should pass the Ra5ie0n and possess our territory! What living man having tho proud title of Arkansian, is willing to stay at home sId witness the advent of q savage foe, whose mission IS to insult venerated sres, descrate our hearth