34th Arkansas Infantry Regiment The 34th Arkansas Infantry ( 1862 – 1865 ) was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War . The regiment was originally designated by the state military board as the 2nd Regiment , Northwest Division , District of Arkansas . The unit spent its entire existence in the Department of the Trans - Mississippi . Organization . Immediately following the Battle of Pea Ridge , General P . G . T . Beauregard , acting for General Albert S . Johnston , ordered General Earl Van Dorn to bring his Army of the West to Corinth , Mississippi , to join Johnston ' s force for an attack on the Union Army at Shiloh , Tennessee . Additionally General Van Dorn moved all the supplies he could , including the machinery and stores at the Little Rock Arsenal , to northern Mississippi with him , and left few men behind . However , due to bad roads Van Dorn failed to reach Corinth until a week after the Battle of Shiloh . Meanwhile , in the aftermath of the Battle of Pea Ridge , Northwest Arkansas was ravaged by the Union Army invaders until General Curtis moved his army southeast to Batesville , Arkansas in May 1862 . Arkansas Governor Henry Massey Rector issued an address on May 5 , 1862 , calling for the formation of 30 new infantry companies and 20 new cavalry companies . Most of the state ' s militia regiments had conducted their final recorded militia muster during the last week of February and the first week of March 1862 . Rector indicated that if there were insufficient volunteers to fill these new companies , a draft would be made upon the militia regiments and brigades . As a further enticement , Rector also indicated that these regiments were for home defense and that they would not be transferred to Confederate service without their consent . During the spring and summer following this order , many former militiamen joined one of the newly formed regiments . It may be that the militiamen decided it was better to enlist and remain together than to wait for forced conscription under new Confederate Conscription laws , which were being strictly enforced during the summer of 1862 . Two other new regiments were raised under Governor Rector ' s plan : Rector ' s 1st Arkansas , and Adams ' 3rd Arkansas . When finally inducted into State service , Rector ' s unit would become the 35th Arkansas Infantry Regiment and Brook ' s 2nd Arkansas would become the 34th Arkansas Infantry Regiment . Adam ' s 3rd Arkansas broke under fire during the Battle of Prairie Grove and was broken up in the general re - organization which occurred in the army following the battle . In response to Governor Rector ' s loud protests regarding the defenseless position that Arkansas had been left in following the transfer of General Van Dorn ' s army , the Confederate government assigned Major General Thomas Carmichael Hindman to organize a defense of the state . Hindman had been elected to represent the district of which Benton County was a part , in the US Congress , but the war prevented him from taking his seat in 1861 . Hindman began organizing regiments in the western part of the state , in the summer of 1862 . 34th Infantry Regiment was formed August 16 , 1862 . The unit was assigned to Fagan ' s , A . T . Hawthorne ' s , and Roane ' s Brigade in the Trans - Mississippi Department . The unit was composed of companies from the following counties : Many of the troops had prior military experience in the Arkansas State Troops , having fought at Wilson ’ s Creek . Company F may have been partially involved in the Battle of Pea Ridge as Emergency Company I of McRae ’ s 21st Arkansas Infantry Regiment . The emergency company was led by Captain Pickens . Those who were at Wilson ’ s Creek probably served in the 3rd Regiment , Arkansas State Troops under Colonel J . R . Gratiot . Company F was organized with the regiment at Mt Comfort in Washington County , about 4 miles west of Fayetteville , Arkansas . With the threat of conscription men volunteered quickly and camps of instruction were established . Several of the companies of the 34th were organized at Camp Cunningham near Mount Comfort 3 miles west of Fayetteville . Company H commanded by Capt . Wallace was composed of conscripts . At this time company officers were requisitioning weapons from the civilian population and many recruits brought their own weapons from home . At least one other regiment was organized in the area , the 22nd Arkansas . They were also poorly armed and equipped . Hindman ordered the mounted troops to operate in southwest Missouri to give the infantry time to organize and train . The regiment was officially mustered at Prairie Grove by General Hindman on September 1 , 1862 . It would also be referred to as the 2nd Arkansas Infantry as it was the second full regiment recruited within Hindman ’ s army . The Regimental officers were : Battles . Train , Equip , Retreat ! Sometime in early September 1862 the 34th and 22nd Arkansas moved to Elm Springs . Elm Springs , 12 miles northwest of Fayetteville , was a training camp designed for 5 , 000 . Here the regiment continued to drill and as one soldier put it “ Some of the boys will remember the fun we had there from supper till tattoo . " At Elm Springs the 34th was ordered to turn over their weapons to the ordnance department . This was hard on some of the men as they had very fine shotguns and rifles brought from home . Some men hid their weapons in the surrounding countryside . In this unarmed state the regiments drilled . Supplies and clothing dribbled through and the men began to rely less and less on homemade knapsacks and haversacks . In mid September the unit was ordered to Elkhorn . Upon arrival their weapons were turned over to a Missouri unit . Soon they retraced their path back to Elm Springs . At this time the Federals advanced toward the southwestern part of Missouri . General Holmes summoned General Hindman to Little Rock . When news of the Federal advance reached the 34th the enthusiasm that earlier existed evaporated . Federal cavalry was reported to be marching with all speed to capture the three unarmed regiments . Under orders from General Rains the regiments marched south heading to Judge Walker ’ s farm in southern Washington County . The march was hampered by torrential rains and took two days to cover 15 miles . Captain Fontaine Richard Earle of Company B said “ it seemed as if the heavens had been overcrowded with water and that the flood - gates had been opened for relief . ” Another wrote of the march “ It commenced raining as we were leaving Fayetteville and until after daylight the next morning . It poured in almost ceaseless torrents . What was worse than all , we were not ordered to unload the wagons that night . Consequently we were without anything to shelter us or anything to eat until daylight . ” The home and outbuildings were quickly filled but the balance of the regiment remained exposed to the elements burning much of the Judge ’ s rail fence . The judge ’ s son , Capt J . Wythe Walker remained with his company though within a short walk of his home . The next day , upon seeing his fence destroyed the judge remarked to the troops that he wasn ’ t discouraged as he had plenty of Negroes to split new rails . During the retreat there were many desertions , with the worst loss in the conscript company . Over twenty - five men deserted this company on the retreat . The regiment moved to Spadra Bluff on the Arkansas River near Van Buren , occupying winter quarters that had been built by a Texas cavalry unit the previous winter . With the Regiment at 400 men and assuming equally sized companies , that means approximately 40 - man companies . There they remained for almost a month , continuing their training . At last they were supplied with modern . 577 cal . Enfield rifle - muskets . Based on the returns for Co . F , less than half received Government clothes . At least one soldier received a knapsack of British manufacture . The regiment also had what were probably softpacks . Hindman visited the camp and noticed they had over the proper number of mules and wagons . Therefore , he reduced the transportation by half . Battle of Prairie Grove . On November 15 , 1862 , General Hindman moved the Arkansas infantry to Massard Prairie , 3 miles south east of Fort Smith to drill and organize the divisions . The 34th Arkansas was assigned to Brigadier General James F . Fagan ' s 1st Brigade of Brigadier General Frances A . Shoup ' s 2nd Division , of Major General Thomas Carmichael Hindman ' s 1st Corps of Lieutenant General Theophilus Holmes ' s Army of the Trans - Mississippi . The unit was brigaded with the 35th Arkansas Infantry Regiment commanded by Colonel John King , the 37th Arkansas Infantry Regiment , commanded by Colonel Joseph C . Pleasants and the 39th Arkansas Infantry Regiment , commanded by Colonel Alexander T . Hawthorne . At the very end of November the cavalry was sent north toward Washington County . Here clothing reached the men . Early in December the infantry followed heading north . The 34th Arkansas crossed the Arkansas River on December 2 , 1862 . On December 4 , the column reached Oliver ’ s Store on Lee creek in the Boston Mountains . There the infantry formed a hollow square for religious services conducted by Chaplain Sam Buchanan . The Chaplain of the 34th Arkansas , Peter Moses , was also on hand and battle flags were presented to the regiments of the division . On December 6 , 1862 the 34th Arkansas had arrived at Morrow ’ s and controlled all the approaches to Cane Hill from the south and east . Hindman then learned of the approach of General Herron , who had two divisions just north of Fayetteville . Hindman planned to get behind the Federal division of General Blunt and prevent General Herron ’ s division from combining with Gen . Blunt . The 34th was awakened at 2 : 00 AM and had a cold breakfast and was on the march by 4 : 00 AM . The 34th was in the lead as this was familiar ground . They advanced to a position 50 yards from the Borden Orchard . Hindman ’ s army formed on ridge overlooking Crawford Prairie . The position was very good and there the army waited for Herron to advance . Brook ’ s regiment was posted behind an artillery battery . Company K was posted as skirmishers in front of Blocher ’ s Battery . It would be hours before the battle . Around 2pm the artillery duel started . The pickets of the regiment returned to the line . Blocher ’ s Battery became a lightning rod for Federal artillery and later infantry . During the artillery barrage Lt . M . C . “ Tell ” Duke , the adjutant attempted to raise the spirits of the men by telling a story about the battle of Waterloo . The 20th Wisconsin advanced to take the battery and when their right flank was 50 yards away from the Brook ’ s position the 34th rose with a shout and fired into them . The regiment was ordered forward along with Major Chew ’ s Sharpshooter battalion and Hawthorne ’ s regiment . The regiment slammed into the flank of the 20th Wisconsin , drove them back and retook the battery . As the Confederate counterattack came off the ridge and onto the prairie they came under heavy fire and retreated to their position in the ravine . As the Confederates were reorganizing another Federal attack was launched . This time the 37th Illinois advanced to the summit . Again the rebel brigade rose out of the scrub and fired a point blank volley and charged . The two forces locked in hand to hand fighting . Again the Confederates followed the retreating Federals and ran into heavy fire . As the 34th Arkansas resumed their position on the summit , the tempo of the battle slowed and shifted to another part of the battlefield . The regiment moved about 150 yards to a position where they rested until after sunset . They stayed in position until nearly midnight when the order to retreat came . During the march over the Boston Mountains many of the men deserted to their homes . One participant ( Sam Pittman , Co . K ) wrote : Remainder of the War . The regiment and Fagan ' s Brigade served after this at the Battle of Helena on July 4 , 1863 . Fagan ' s Brigade was assigned to Major General Sterling Price ' s Division of Lieutenant General Theophilus H . Holmes ' s army during the attack on Union forces at Helena Arkansas on July 4 , 1863 . General Fagan ' s 1 , 300 men were assigned to capture Hindman ' s Hill southwest of the city . General Fagan detached on section of Etter ’ s Battery to support Colonel William H . Brooks , who had been directed to take his 34th Arkansas Infantry Regiment along with Captain Miller ’ s and Captain Densons ’ cavalry companies to conduct a feint to the south of Helena in order to tie down Federal Troops and protect Fagan ’ s right flank . This section of Etter ’ s battery would engage in a brisk duel with federal artillery and the Union gunboat , the tinclad U . S . S . Tyler . After expending thirteen rounds , Lieutenant Arnett was compelled to withdraw his gun . Generals Fagan and Price failed to coordinate their attacks due to General Holmes ' vague order to " attack at daylight . " Price interpreted this order to mean an attack at sunrise and Fagan interpreted it to mean an attack at first light . The result was that Fagan was surprised to find his attack on Hindman Hill was opposed by artillery fire from Graveyard Hill , which was General Price ' s objective . General Fagan had expected Price to be engaged already with that battery . Fagan ' s artillery had not been able to reach the battlefield because of felled trees blocking the road . Fagan had no artillery available to silence the Federal guns and had no choice but to order his troops to try to take the hill while under artillery fire . Fagan ' s men reached the summit of the hill and managed to seize the outer fortifications but were pinned down just short of the summit by the two Union batteries . The exposed Confederates were targeted by every remaining gun on the battlefield as well as the heavy guns of the USS " Tyler " . By 10 : 30 General Holmes realized that his position had deteriorated and that he could make no further headway . A general retreat was ordered , and the attack on the Union base had failed . Company B was particularly commended “ for the steadiness with which they advanced , drove the enemy before them , and maintained their positions under a heavy artillery fire . ” The regiment participated in the defenses of Little Rock on September 10 – 11 . General A . T . Hawthorn took command of the brigade in the fall of 1863 , and the brigade was assigned to Churchill ' s Arkansas Division during the Red River Campaign . The regiment spent the winter of 63 - 64 in Camden , Ouachita County . In the Spring of 1864 , the division fought against the advance of Union General Nathaniel Bank ' s army in north - central Louisiana in March and early April 1864 , defeating him at the Battle of Pleasant Hill , Louisiana on April 10 , 1864 . Churchill ' s Division then marched back north into Arkansas to deal with the other part of the Federal advance , General Frederick Steele ' s Camden Expedition . The division arrived after a long forced march at Woodlawn , Arkansas on April 26 , where they rested overnight , then joined the pursuit of Steele ' s retreating army , catching it trying to cross the Saline River near Jenkins ' Ferry . At the Battle of Jenkins ' Ferry , the 34th Arkansas probably suffered more losses than during the rest of the war , with its colonel falling wounded , and many of the officers as well . During the fighting , command of the 34th Arkansas passed to Major Fontaine Richard Earle when Colonel Brooks and other senior officers were wounded . Earle remained in command of the Thirty - fourth until the end of the war . The regiment participated in the following battles : The regiment spent the remainder of the war in southern Arkansas and northeast Texas . Surrender . The unit was near Marshall , Texas , along with the 22nd Arkansas Infantry Regiment when word came of the surrender . Rather than march to Shreveport , Louisiana , as originally directed , the members of the regiments chose to march to Fort Smith , Arkansas and surrendered to General Bussey at that location on June 9 , 1865 . Reunions . The survivors of the 34th Arkansas Infantry conducted regular reunions at the Prairie Grove Battle Field and nearby Cane Hill . Many members of the unit had been recruited from the surrounding counties and the survivors gathered regularly between 1895 and 1916 . Additional Reading . Banasik , Michael E . Embattled Arkansas : The Prairie Grove Campaign of 1862 . Wilmington , NC : Broadfoot Publishing Company , 1996 . Baxter , William . Pea Ridge and Prairie Grove : Scenes and Incidents of the War in Arkansas . Fayetteville : University of Arkansas Press , 2000 . DeBlack , Thomas A . With Fire and Sword : Arkansas , 1861 – 1874 . Fayetteville : University of Arkansas Press , 2003 . Lemke , W . J . " The 34th Arkansas C . S . A . at Prairie Grove . " Flashback , 12 , No . 4 ( December 1962 ) : 3 - 4 . Leuschen , Paul A . " The Thirty - fourth Arkansas Infantry Regiment , Confederate States of America : From its Organization in June 1862 , to its Surrender in 1865 . " Master ' s thesis , University of Arkansas , Fayetteville , 1997 . McColloch , Clem . “ History of the 34th Confederate Regiment . ” Flashback 12 ( December 1962 ) : 5 – 13 . Montgomery , Don , ed . The Battle of Prairie Grove . Prairie Grove , AR : Prairie Grove Battlefield Historic State Park , 1996 . Sallee , Scott E . “ The Battle of Prairie Grove : War in the Ozarks , April ’ 62 – January ’ 63 . ” Blue & Gray Magazine 21 ( Fall 2004 ) : 6 – 23 , 45 – 50 . Shea , William L . War in the West : Pea Ridge and Prairie Grove . Abilene , TX : McWhiney Foundation Press , 2001 . Waterman , Robert E . , and Thomas Rothrock , eds . “ The Earle - Buchanan Letters of 1861 – 1876 . ” Arkansas Historical Quarterly 33 ( Summer 1974 ) : 99 – 174 .