The Harrison times. (Harrison, Boone Co., Ark) 1876-1938, 1906-08-18
Further History Of the 9Th Regiment o
Arkansas Infantry.

til after the battle OF Prairie Grove.
After pitching our camp there, on
the 18th of November 1869. we
were attached to the main army.
The total force there assembled we're
said to number IA, 900 electives, ex-
Guiding the cavalry, At least eleven
infantry regiments were there, be-
fore our arrival, and our four regi-
ments made a total of fifteen, the
most of these regiments contained
l 900 men more or less, and it was
no motley crowd, but a we'll drilled
force of Arkansans and Missouri
ians.
Rations were short, and there was
a scarcity of tents and clothing, but
we had enough to eat to keep MS
good and lean, so as to be in fine
condition for lodging bullets, Our
regiment was also without arms ex-
cept squirrel rifles and single barrel
shotguns, and part of them out of
fix.
The army was under the COM
mand of Maj. Gen. Thos c. Hindtnan
and was known as Hindman divi-
sion. Gen. Hindman was a subordin-
ate to Gen. Theophilus II. Holmes,
known in the Trans Mississippi
as "old granny" Holmes, What his
superior quality was | don't know,
but do remember him as an unpop-
ular officer. Yet believe he was a
| good hearted commander and had a
kind feeling for the private soldier,
| He had been criticised for his con
conduct in the campaign which re
suited in the battle of Prairie Grove
and subsequent retreat to Little
Rock, but from my own personal OBJ
servation | believe he was a true,
Jealous and active officer.
On Sunday the 9th our regiment
was inspected by Gen. Parsons, an
able Brigadier General, of whom the
| Missourians were justly proud
Here at this camp part of the
troops underwent a reorganization
| Col. Whites regiment WAS brigaded
with the Missouri troops; and Col
Grimsteads South Arkansas thir-
ty-third was brigaded with the
twenty-seventh, which was ours,
and the twenty-second, Col. SHAY
r's,-thus giving our brigade three
| Arkansas regiments, all under the
command oil that excellent officer
| Col X g. Shaver
We were hardly rested from our
march from Yellvile, when we were
again under orders to march on the
18th, we started at dawn ant
camped at night on Frog Ba.aa12
Next day we crossed the A..kaa -.
river near 5 miles below Van buren,
the men being hauled across in tn,
wagons of our regimental train,
| The water being so shallow that
it hardly reached above the hubs OF
the hind wheels. We camped that
that night on Hill some dis
lance from the water, aud the bows
wsre sky-larking all night One the
l4th we moved a couple of miles NJ
the river to a better camp, marching
in a heavy rain, which was bad fol
a number of men who had the
humps. Our camp was in the bot
tom and we used water out of the
Arkansas river Our camp ground
was heavily tlmbered, including
plenty of underground and we had
hard work in clearing it off The
rains sweled the river and steam.
ers began to come from Little Rock
with supplies
/ On the 22nd of November we were
paid for the first time in Confederate
money. the pay-role being made out
to the 1st of July previous, Joe
Trimble and | had enlisted only a
few days before July LIST and only
had So coming to each of us, which
we gave for one pound of tobacco.
This gives some idea what tobacco
was worth then in that part of Ar
kansas, Iftobacco users had to pay
| 50 per pound now for the stuff they
would say in truth that it was out
of reach unless they grew it
On the 25th rumors of war began
to float through the camp. Cen
Blunt was pressing our cavalry
commanded by Gen. Marmaduke,
Hiudman accordingly prepared to
move forward The sick were put
in hospitals at Fort Smith, and the
barefooted men were left behind, il
they would stay.
The army broke camp with $500
men, rank and file, and large train