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After the battle of Pea Ridge, General Earl Van Dorn was ordered to move his Army of the West across the Mississippi and cooperate with Confederate forces in Northern Mississippi. Van Dorn stripped the state of military hardware of all types, including almost all the serviceable artillery. When General Thomas C. Hindman arrived to assume command of the new Trans-Mississippi District, he found almost nothing to command. He quickly began organizing new regiments, but his most pressing need was for arms for the new forces he was organizing, including the artillery. Hindman's first order, dated May 31, 1862 at Little Rock, General Hindman announced his staff, including the appointment of Major F. A. Shoup, Chief of Artillery.<ref>Howerton, Bryan R. "Hindman's First Order", Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board, posted 21 August 2004, Accesssed 15 December 2012, http://history-sites.com/cgi-bin/bbs53x/arcwmb/arch_config.pl?read=8219</ref> Hindman ordered guns which the United States Arsenal had decommissioned and buried as property markers around the Arsenal in Little Rock, to be dug up and refurbished as best possible as serviceable weapons.<ref>Taylor, Doyle, "Re: Arms availability in the Trans-Mississippi", Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board, Posted 31 January 2004, Accessed 15 December 2012, http://history-sites.com/cgi-bin/bbs53x/arcwmb/arch_config.pl?read=6467</ref> Hindman was almost totally destitute of military quality weapons. And could hardly arm or issue ammunition to the few troops that he had in June of 1862. And that until the shipments of arms in August of 1862, Hindman struggled to arm his conscripts.
After the battle of Pea Ridge, General Earl Van Dorn was ordered to move his Army of the West across the Mississippi and cooperate with Confederate forces in Northern Mississippi. Van Dorn stripped the state of military hardware of all types, including almost all the serviceable artillery. When General Thomas C. Hindman arrived to assume command of the new Trans-Mississippi District, he found almost nothing to command. He quickly began organizing new regiments, but his most pressing need was for arms for the new forces he was organizing, including the artillery. Hindman's first order, dated May 31, 1862 at Little Rock, General Hindman announced his staff, including the appointment of Major F. A. Shoup, Chief of Artillery.<ref>Howerton, Bryan R. "Hindman's First Order", Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board, posted 21 August 2004, Accesssed 15 December 2012, http://history-sites.com/cgi-bin/bbs53x/arcwmb/arch_config.pl?read=8219</ref> Hindman ordered guns which the United States Arsenal had decommissioned and buried as property markers around the Arsenal in Little Rock, to be dug up and refurbished as best possible as serviceable weapons.<ref>Taylor, Doyle, "Re: Arms availability in the Trans-Mississippi", Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board, Posted 31 January 2004, Accessed 15 December 2012, http://history-sites.com/cgi-bin/bbs53x/arcwmb/arch_config.pl?read=6467</ref> Hindman was almost totally destitute of military quality weapons. And could hardly arm or issue ammunition to the few troops that he had in June of 1862. And that until the shipments of arms in August of 1862, Hindman struggled to arm his conscripts.


Hindman sent numerous requests for arms back across the Mississippi River. Hindman was scrapping for everything he could get. In one report he requested that he be sent 12 1841 12 Pound Mountain Howitzer. A gun concidered useless in other theaters because of its short range. Most of the weapons transferred to the Trans Mississippi Dept. from Vicksburg in the "Fairplay Affair" were the caseoffs and unuseable weapons from the various state armouries which had been returned to the those armouries after the Confederates east of the Mississippi had been re-equiped from the "Battlefield Quartermaster" of 7 Days, 2nd Manassas and Harper Ferry.
⚫
When Gen M.M. Parson's Brigade returned to Arkansas from Van Dorn's Army in Mississippi, he brought with him a wagon Train of quartermaster supplies and 25 pieces of unattached artillery and supplies August of 1862. At the same time a shipment of 11,000 arms arrived at Pine Bluff from Vicksburg by way of Monroe, La. out of a shipment of 18,000 that were originally sent. 5,000 of those 18,000 were captured on the steamer "Fair Play" by the Union and 2,500 of them went to Genrl Richard Taylor army in Louisiana. These weapons had come from the arsenal of the entire Confederate States that had been returned to State arsenal as the Confederates had reequiped themselves with the better captured Union arms. It is reported in the OR's reports of the "Fair Play" that some of those weapons had come from captured Union weapons at the Battle of 2nd Manassas. There was a Confederate War Department Investigation over the Capture of the "Fair Play". The story of 25 pieces of artillery being brought to Arkansas by Parsons Brigade in told in Bull's "Missouri Brothers in Gray" and the Hindman Telegraphs about "secret" moves of wagons and a wagon train with Parsons Brigade being sent to Little Rock when it reached Pine Bluff in early August 1862.

Hindman also drew on ordance from Fort Washita in Oklahoma where Gen. Pike complained that he 10 fine Parrot Guns which could not be used for lack of Limbers and harnesses. Somewhere in the muster rolls of the 24th Arkansas there are notes of a few men being on detach assignment to Oklahoma to bring artillery to Camp White Sulphur Springs, near Pine Bluff.

⚫
When Gen M.M. Parson's Brigade returned to Arkansas from Van Dorn's Army in Mississippi, he brought with him a wagon Train of quartermaster supplies and 25 pieces of unattached artillery and supplies August of 1862. At the same time a shipment of 11,000 arms arrived at Pine Bluff from Vicksburg by way of Monroe, La. out of a shipment of 18,000 that were originally sent. 5,000 of those 18,000 were captured on the steamer "Fair Play" by the Union and 2,500 of them went to Genrl Richard Taylor army in Louisiana. These weapons had come from the arsenal of the entire Confederate States that had been returned to State arsenal as the Confederates had reequiped themselves with the better captured Union arms. It is reported in the Official Records of the "Fair Play" that some of those weapons had come from captured Union weapons at the Battle of 2nd Manassas. There was a Confederate War Department Investigation over the Capture of the "Fair Play". The story of 25 pieces of artillery being brought to Arkansas by Parsons Brigade in told in Bull's "Missouri Brothers in Gray" and the Hindman Telegraphs about "secret" moves of wagons and a wagon train with Parsons Brigade being sent to Little Rock when it reached Pine Bluff in early August 1862. The quanity of guns supplied by Parrsons led to the sudden organization and reorganization of several Artillery batteries in August and September of 1862 in Arkansas.
William Mason Hughey lived in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, when the war began. He enrolled in a local mounted volunteer company very early in the war, but the company disbanded, and Hughey joined the "McCown Guards Artillery," commanded by Capt. Datus Whitaker Harris, a company organized in Lafayette County, Arkansas, and eventually attached to the Tennessee Artillery Corps. Sometime in 1862, Hughey returned to Arkansas. Hughey may have accompanied M.M. Parrson's Missouri Infantry Brigade and the artillery train that Parrsons brought with him in his crossing of the Mississippi.
William Mason Hughey lived in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, when the war began. He enrolled in a local mounted volunteer company very early in the war, but the company disbanded, and Hughey joined the "McCown Guards Artillery," commanded by Capt. Datus Whitaker Harris, a company organized in Lafayette County, Arkansas, and eventually attached to the Tennessee Artillery Corps. Sometime in 1862, Hughey returned to Arkansas. Hughey may have accompanied M.M. Parrson's Missouri Infantry Brigade and the artillery train that Parrsons brought with him in his crossing of the Mississippi.


According to a Goodspeed biographical sketch, "An artillery company was raised and placed under his command, and he served under General Hindman in this capacity in the several engagements that took place in Arkansas following that date." If the postwar sketch is correct, it indicates that Hughey did not raise the battery himself, but, rather, one was raised for him. Whether this was a brand-new battery, or a reorganization of Shoup's old battery is not clear.
According to a Goodspeed biographical sketch, "An artillery company was raised and placed under his command, and he served under General Hindman in this capacity in the several engagements that took place in Arkansas following that date." If the postwar sketch is correct, it indicates that Hughey did not raise the battery himself, but, rather, one was raised for him. Whether this was a brand-new battery, or a reorganization of Shoup's old battery is not clear.

The quanity of guns supplied by Parrsons led to the sudden organization and reorganization of several Artillery batteries in August and September of 1862 in Arkansas.


From The Alexander Papers:
From The Alexander Papers:

Revision as of 23:41, 15 December 2012

8th Arkansas Field Battery (Confederate)
Arkansas state flag
Active1862 to 1865
CountryConfederate States of America
AllegianceCSA Dixie
BranchArtillery

The 8th Arkansas Field Battery (1862-1865) was a Confederate Army artillery battery during the American Civil War. Also known as: Hughey's Battery.

Organization

After the battle of Pea Ridge, General Earl Van Dorn was ordered to move his Army of the West across the Mississippi and cooperate with Confederate forces in Northern Mississippi. Van Dorn stripped the state of military hardware of all types, including almost all the serviceable artillery. When General Thomas C. Hindman arrived to assume command of the new Trans-Mississippi District, he found almost nothing to command. He quickly began organizing new regiments, but his most pressing need was for arms for the new forces he was organizing, including the artillery. Hindman's first order, dated May 31, 1862 at Little Rock, General Hindman announced his staff, including the appointment of Major F. A. Shoup, Chief of Artillery.[1] Hindman ordered guns which the United States Arsenal had decommissioned and buried as property markers around the Arsenal in Little Rock, to be dug up and refurbished as best possible as serviceable weapons.[2] Hindman was almost totally destitute of military quality weapons. And could hardly arm or issue ammunition to the few troops that he had in June of 1862. And that until the shipments of arms in August of 1862, Hindman struggled to arm his conscripts.

Hindman sent numerous requests for arms back across the Mississippi River. Hindman was scrapping for everything he could get. In one report he requested that he be sent 12 1841 12 Pound Mountain Howitzer. A gun concidered useless in other theaters because of its short range. Most of the weapons transferred to the Trans Mississippi Dept. from Vicksburg in the "Fairplay Affair" were the caseoffs and unuseable weapons from the various state armouries which had been returned to the those armouries after the Confederates east of the Mississippi had been re-equiped from the "Battlefield Quartermaster" of 7 Days, 2nd Manassas and Harper Ferry.

Hindman also drew on ordance from Fort Washita in Oklahoma where Gen. Pike complained that he 10 fine Parrot Guns which could not be used for lack of Limbers and harnesses. Somewhere in the muster rolls of the 24th Arkansas there are notes of a few men being on detach assignment to Oklahoma to bring artillery to Camp White Sulphur Springs, near Pine Bluff.

When Gen M.M. Parson's Brigade returned to Arkansas from Van Dorn's Army in Mississippi, he brought with him a wagon Train of quartermaster supplies and 25 pieces of unattached artillery and supplies August of 1862. At the same time a shipment of 11,000 arms arrived at Pine Bluff from Vicksburg by way of Monroe, La. out of a shipment of 18,000 that were originally sent. 5,000 of those 18,000 were captured on the steamer "Fair Play" by the Union and 2,500 of them went to Genrl Richard Taylor army in Louisiana. These weapons had come from the arsenal of the entire Confederate States that had been returned to State arsenal as the Confederates had reequiped themselves with the better captured Union arms. It is reported in the Official Records of the "Fair Play" that some of those weapons had come from captured Union weapons at the Battle of 2nd Manassas. There was a Confederate War Department Investigation over the Capture of the "Fair Play". The story of 25 pieces of artillery being brought to Arkansas by Parsons Brigade in told in Bull's "Missouri Brothers in Gray" and the Hindman Telegraphs about "secret" moves of wagons and a wagon train with Parsons Brigade being sent to Little Rock when it reached Pine Bluff in early August 1862. The quanity of guns supplied by Parrsons led to the sudden organization and reorganization of several Artillery batteries in August and September of 1862 in Arkansas.

William Mason Hughey lived in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, when the war began. He enrolled in a local mounted volunteer company very early in the war, but the company disbanded, and Hughey joined the "McCown Guards Artillery," commanded by Capt. Datus Whitaker Harris, a company organized in Lafayette County, Arkansas, and eventually attached to the Tennessee Artillery Corps. Sometime in 1862, Hughey returned to Arkansas. Hughey may have accompanied M.M. Parrson's Missouri Infantry Brigade and the artillery train that Parrsons brought with him in his crossing of the Mississippi.

According to a Goodspeed biographical sketch, "An artillery company was raised and placed under his command, and he served under General Hindman in this capacity in the several engagements that took place in Arkansas following that date." If the postwar sketch is correct, it indicates that Hughey did not raise the battery himself, but, rather, one was raised for him. Whether this was a brand-new battery, or a reorganization of Shoup's old battery is not clear.

From The Alexander Papers:

Head Qtrs, District of Arkansas Little Rock, Arks., Sept. 29th, 1862 Special Orders } No. 8 } I. Col. F. A. Shoup will have charge of the organization of the artillery from N. W. Arkansas. He will assign suitable officers to duty in the company now unorganized, and recommend them for appointment. II. Lieutenants Huey and Miller, P. A. C. S. will report to Col. Shoup for duty. III. John Keely, conscript of Pulaski County is hereby detailed to special duty in Q. M. Dept. and will report to Col. Jno. C. Bass, A. Q. M. at that place for duty. IV. F. M. Benson of Company “B” Matlock’s regiment is hereby detailed on extra duty to work on Telegraph line from this place to Fort Smith, and will report to S. C. Bakery for duty. V. The resignation of Capt. J. C. McGowen, Asst. Quartermaster is accepted to take effect from 1st October next. By command of Maj. Genl. Hind R. C. Newt A. A. Genl.

Hd Qtrs & etc. Camp on Mulberry & etc., Nov. 8th, 1862 Special Orders No. 35 And the following named officer are assigned to duty in “Shoup's Mountain Battery” to be attached to the same brigade: J. C. Shoup Captain W. M. Huey 1st Lieut. W. A. Miller Jr. 1st Lieut. G. F. Halliburton 2nd Lieut. The assignment in each case to be subject to the confirmation of the War Department

There are no muster rolls in the Compiled Service Records from Hughey's Battery.

Battles

Official Records, Series 1, Volume XXII.Headquarters Arkansas Cavalry Brigade Camp near Dripping Springs, Ark. November 29, 1862 Report of Col. Charles A. Carroll, C.S. Army, commanding Arkansas Cavalry Brigade "Captain: In compliance with General Orders, No. -, of even date, I have the honor to make the following report of the conduct of the forces of my command in the engagement of the 28th instant;… Of the mountain howitzer battery attached to my brigade, and commanded by First Lieutenant Hughey, only one section was serviceable. In moving the battery from the first position taken in the morning, the carriage of one of the pieces was so badly broken as to render impossible to moving of it by horses. Notwithstanding the gun thus dismantled was under a galling fire of the enemy’s artillery, shells bursting by the minute around it, the cannoneers dismounted, and, under the direction of their officers, bore the piece, crippled but triumphant, to the rear. Just before reaching the second position taken by my brigade, as alluded to in the above report, Captain Shoup, the commander, and Lieutenant Halliburton, of the battery, met me. The captain at once took command of his company. There was now but one serviceable gun of the four-gun battery, which was placed in position frequently during the day with a skill and energy deserving a more substantial battery. After passing some little distance beyond the top of the mountain, this gun was placed in position and opened on the enemy. Notwithstanding the energy with which it was handled, it was dismantled by the enemy’s artillery, the carriage being broken to pieces by their heavy shot. This casualty was followed by a cavalry charge made with great energy. The officers, unwilling to leave any trophy in the hands of their country’s enemy, took the gun from the shattered carriage and bore this, too, to the rear The losses the brigade sustained were: Colonel Monroe’s regiment, 3 men slightly wounded, 4 horses killed and 1 wounded; Lieutenant-Colonel Johnston’s regiment, 5 men were wounded and 2 men are missing; Captain Shoup’s battery, 3 men were wounded and 4 horses killed." Chas. A. Carroll, Colonel, Commanding Brigade (Col. Charles A. Carroll to Capt. E.G. Williams, Asst. Adjt. Gen., 4th Div., 1st Corps, Trans-Mississippi Army)

Shelby’s report of same action
"I noticed also with much pleasure the gallant conduct of Captain Shoup, who commanded his little howitzer well and delivered his fire with great coolness, effect, and precision. With this battery was a brave and fighting driver, who was conspicuous for his daring and the readiness with which lie obeyed all orders."
Alexander Papers

Footnote Wm H [M] Hughey 1st Lt, Capt-8th Ark Battery

4/2/63 Clarksville, Gen Cabell to Gen Cooper-...requesting that Lt Hughey late of Capt Harris’ btry be appointed Capt of Artillery and ordered to report to me for duty. He was elected 1st Lt in Dec, 1861…He came west of the river with Gen Hindman... He is now in command of a 3 gun battery in my command and I find him competent, faithful and industrious...

7/30/63 W M Hughey signs for forage at Ft Smith as Capt commanding battery

Hughey's Battery was authorized in November 1862. Capt. William M. Hughey's battery was organized by details from various Arkansas regiments -- mostly the 26th and 39th Arkansas Infantry, and 4th Arkansas Cavalry; also a handful of Missouri and Texas details.

The battery was reorganized on June 8, 1863, and reinforced with a couple of dozen details from Monroe's Cavalry Regiment. In the Compiled Service Records of the 26th Arkansas Infantry Regiment there are a handful of entries indicating that some infantrymen had been assigned to Hughey's battery on Sept. 1, 1863 - the day of the Battle of Devil's Backbone. It is unclear if the assignment preceded the battle, took place during the battle, or occurred to facilitate the retreat of Cabell's force after the battle.

It participated in the battles of Fayetteville[3], Devil's Backbone, Camden Expedition, Lake Chicot, and Price's Missouri Raid. Arkansas Historical Quarterly, Vol. LIV, No. 3 (Autumn 1995) about the Battle of Fayetteville. It tells quite a bit about Hughey's Battery, which was the only artillery in action on that field.

This unit accompany Cabell on his raid against Fayetteville in April 1863, and fight at Devil's Backbone in September 1863? I don't have Cabell's Fayetteville report handy, but the Devil's Backbone report is in the Official Records, ser. I, vol. 22, pt. 1, pp. 604-09. On p. 607 he mentions "the gallantry of Captain [W.M.] Hughey, commanding the battery...." it appears that Monroe's regiment, Hughey's battery and a company of Morgan's regiment performed quite well in the engagement.

"General Blunt, finding out that I had abandoned the position I had on the Poteau, sent Colonel Cloud, with 1,500 cavalry, six pieces of artillery, and 40 wagons, loaded with infantry, in pursuit of me. They followed, and attacked the picket I left at Jenny Lind about 9 o'clock on the 1st day of September. The picket skirmished with their advance until they reached the foot of Backbone Mountain, about 16 miles from Fort Smith, where I had formed my command for battle. I placed Monroe�s regiment in ambush at the foot of the mountain, and placed all the different regiments en echelon along the sides of the mountain, near the road; the battery being placed so as to command the whole field of operations. The enemy came dashing up, yelling and shouting, confident of success, their cavalry in advance. When they came within gunshot, Monroe�s regiment opened fire on them, and dismounted every man except two in the front companies. The action soon became general, and, after a heavy fire of nearly three hours and a half, especially of artillery, the enemy were repulsed, with a loss of about 30 killed and from 100 to 150 wounded. My loss was 5 killed and 12 wounded. The number of missing I cannot state, as eight companies of Morgan�s infantry regiment, Hill�s and Thomson�s regiments, and Woosley�s battalion of cavalry ran in the most shameful manner. Hill�s regiment, in running, ran through the provost guard, where I had 80 prisoners under sentence for treason and desertion. These men in running carried all the prisoners off with them. Thomson�s and Hill�s regiments acted in the most disgraceful manner. The eight companies of Morgan�s regiment acted but little better. There was nothing to make these regiments run, except the sound of the cannon. Had they fought as troops fighting for liberty should, I would have captured the whole of the enemy�s command, and gone back to Fort Smith, and driven the remainder of the enemy�s force off, and retaken the place. As it was, I was forced, on account of the smallness of my force, to content myself with repulsing the enemy and protecting the public property. Leaving a party to bury the dead and take off the wounded, I, after posting a heavy picket on the battle-field, withdrew in good order, and marched to Waldron, Scott County, arriving there on the 2d of September."

I must mention the gallantry of Captain Hughey, commanding the battery, and his two lieutenants, Miller and Henley, as well as all his men. Captain Hughey and Lieutenant Miller particularly distinguished themselves with their old iron battery. Monroe�s regiment, under Lieutenant-Colonel O�Neil and Major Reiff (Colonel Monroe being sick), Captain Barry, with his company of Missouri Cavalry, Major Yell, of Morgan�s regiment, with Captains Sims� and Brooks� companies, commanded respectively by those officers, and Captain Sadler and his company deserve especial mention.

Hughey's Battery -- attached to Crawford's Brigade. There is a monument in Old Washington dedicated to the Confederate dead (74) of the battle of Prairie DeAnn. The monument was dedicated by the residents of Washington in 1888 and re-dedicated by the UDC in 2002. The CSA unit inscription provides a good order of battle for the fight:

Gen. Sterling Price commanding

Confederate troops

Arkansas: Gen. J.F. Fagen-18,19,20 Inf.,12 Bn.

of sharpshooters, Woods Cav. Bn.

Blochers and Hughey's batteries

Indian Territory: Col. Tandy Walker 1 and 2

Choctaw and Chickasaw Cav.

Missouri: Gen. J.S. Marmaduke 3,4,7,8 Cav.

Collins battery, 1,5,11,12 Inf.

Hunters Cav., Harris battery

Texas: Samuel Maxey's Tx. Cav. Div.

Gen. R.M. Gano's Brig. 29,30,31 Tx. Cav.

Capt. Wm. B. Krumghaar's 7 Tx. mounted

Artillery Bn.


Colton Greene's reports for May and June of 1864. They were attached to Marmadukes Brigade, Colton Greene commanding. This time period would include the battle at Ditch Bayou. It seems that Colonel Greene thought highly of this unit.

Surrender

Surrendered with General Kirby Smith on May 26, 1865.

References

  1. ^ Howerton, Bryan R. "Hindman's First Order", Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board, posted 21 August 2004, Accesssed 15 December 2012, http://history-sites.com/cgi-bin/bbs53x/arcwmb/arch_config.pl?read=8219
  2. ^ Taylor, Doyle, "Re: Arms availability in the Trans-Mississippi", Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board, Posted 31 January 2004, Accessed 15 December 2012, http://history-sites.com/cgi-bin/bbs53x/arcwmb/arch_config.pl?read=6467
  3. ^ Arkansas Historical Quarterly, Vol. LIV, No. 3 (Autumn 1995)

See also

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