2nd Regiment Arkansas Volunteer Infantry The 2nd Regiment Arkansas Volunteer Infantry ( Union ) ( 1863 – 1865 ) was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War . Although Arkansas joined the Confederate States of America in 1861 , not all of its citizens supported secession . Arkansas formed some 48 infantry regiments to serve in the Confederate Army , but also formed another 11 regiments that served in the Union Army . Organization . The authority for organizing the 2d Arkansas infantry volunteers was transmitted by the Secretary of War to Major General J . M . Schofield , commanding the department of the Missouri , sometime in the month of August , 1863 , precise date unknown . In conformity with that authority , Major General Schofield , in paragraph 5 , of Special Order No . 238 , dated headquarters department of the t Missouri , St . Louis , Missouri , September 1 , 1863 , delegated the general charge and supervision of the organization of the regiment to Brigadier General John McNeil , commanding the district of southwest Missouri , instructing him to appoint some officer to take the immediate charge of the organization , under the supervision of General McNeil . The order further declared that the regiment should be composed of and organized from all recruits that had already been enlisted , and from all that might thereafter be enlisted , for Arkansas infantry from citizens of Arkansas in southwest Missouri and northwest Arkansas , until the organization of the regiment was completed . The officer taking the immediate supervision of the organization was empowered to recommend , with the concurrence of Brigadier General McNeil , competent and efficient men to fill the positions of company officers , taken , as far as practicable , 0 from the citizens of Arkansas , the recommendations to be sent to headquarters department of the Missouri for reference to the Secretary of War , the field and staff officers to be nominated by the major general commanding the department of the Missouri , " from such reliable , competent , and efficient citizens or officers as , in his opinion , had good claims to the positions to be filled . " In obedience to the above order General McNeil entrusted the organization of the regiment to me by paragraph 1 , Special Order No . 170 , dated headquarters district of southwest Missouri , Springfield , Missouri , August 31 , 1863 , directing that Springfield , Missouri , should be the rendezvous of the regiment , there being at that time no other point possessing the same advantages necessary for a rendezvous . The rendezvous was , however , - ultimately changed to Fort Smith , Arkansas , by paragraph 5 , Special Order No . 317 , dated headquarters department of the Missouri , St . Louis , Missouri , November 20 , - 1863 , Fort Smith having been occupied by the federal troops in September , 1863 . In the month of January , 1864 , the e organization of four companies having been completed , the lieutenant colonel , adjutant , quartermaster , and officers of companies A , B , C , and D were appointed by the Secretary of War , and orders for their muster issued by Major General Schofield . The organization of the regiment was completed March 13 , 1864 at which time the aggregate enlisted strength was 913 ; but owing to the impossibility of procuring a mustering officer there were but 11 officers and about 600 men mustered . Service . In this condition the regiment was ordered into the field by Brigadier General J . M . Thayer , commanding district of the frontier , March 20 , 1864 , to take part in the expedition south , commanded by Major General Steele . Leaving Clarksville , Arkansas , on the 24th day of March 1861 , with eight companies , the regiment reported to Brigadier General Thayer on the 27th day of March , 1864 , fifteen miles west of Danville , Arkansas , and from that time forward moved with the 3d division 7th army corps in that disastrous campaign . The regiment was engaged in the battles of Prairie is d ' Anne , on the 13th of April , and Jenkins ' s Ferry on the 30th of the same month , in both of which engagements the regiment lost several men killed and wounded . The losses incurred by these battles , deaths caused by sickness , and desertions so reduced the regiment that upon our arrival at Little Rock , Arkansas , the organization was declared incomplete . The two companies ( D and G ) which had been left at Clarksville rejoined the regiment at Little Rock , and soon after , with the exception of ysell the officers and enlisted men were all mustered , I being at the time absent with leave , having been wounded at Jenkins ’ s Ferry , but was mustered soon after my return to the regiment , to date from July 6 , 1864 . oh In the month of July , 1864 , the regiment was ordered to Lewisburg , Arkansas where it remained until the 7th day of September , 1864 , when it was forced to evacuate the place and eturn to Little Rock with the 3d Arkansas cavalry on account of the advance of the enemy under General Price , who crossed the Arkansas river at Dardanelle , thirty miles above Lewisburg . About this time the regiment lost a great many men from desertion and deaths . Reports were continually reaching the regiment that the families of the men were being cruelly treated by the guerillas , and in consequence the regiment became so reduced that we mustered , on arriving at Little Rock , but 450 enlisted men . We remained at Little Rock until the 18th day of October , 1864 , when we received orders to escort a supply train to Fort Smith , Arkansas , with the intention of remaining there . l Arriving at Fort Smith I reported the regiment to Brigadier General J . Mt . Thayer , commanding 3d division 7th army corps , and was ordered by him to report to Brigadier General John Edwards , commanding 1st brigade 3d division 7th army corps , for duty . On the 31st day of December , 1864 , we received orders from General Edwards to proceed to this place immediately , for the purpose of collecting together the Union people in the country with the view of moving them to Little Rock , on account of an order having been issued for the evacuation of Fort Smith and the surrounding country . Upon arriving at Clarksville a large number of the men who had deserted at Little Rock and Lewisburg voluntarily rejoined their regiment , and in view of the facts in their cases , have been since restored to duty with loss of pay and allowances during their unauthorized absence , by order of Brigadier General Bussy , commanding 3d division 7th army corps . The order for the evacuation of the country having been countermanded , the regiment has remained at this place and has done good service to the country by ridding it of guerillas . > The regiment now numbers 27 commissioned officers and 581 enlisted men . Very respectfully , your obedient servant , ' M . L . STEPHENSON , Colonel , Commanding regiment . , Brig . Gen . A . W . BISHOP , Adjutant General of Arkansas , Little Roc ? . , Arkansas . On the 2d day of October , 1864 , Special Order No . 240 , headquarters department of Arkansas , which issued , assigning the 4th Arkansas infantry ( whose history is elsewhere given ) to the 2d Arkansas infantry for duty , and on the 28th day of the same month another order was issued , transferring the enlisted men of the former regiment to the latter for assignment to companies . On the 28th day of March , 1865 , this last order was amended by including Ira D . Bronson as captain , and William W . Tibbs as 2d lieutenant , who , together with 73 men , were assigned to company I ; the transfer to date from October 25 , 1864 . From this time onward this detachment constituted a portion of the 2d Arkansas infantry , and served with the regiment at Clarksville , Arkansas , and vicinity , until its muster out on the 8th day of August , 1865 . Mustered out of service . The regiment was mustered out on August 8 , 1865 .