“Don't none of you uns hit thet white hoss”

SWMODave

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1860 Franklin County Arkansas census
Based on 1850 census, the fathers name was Wesley M
Where is Shooks ?

(by H. B. Eastmax , 3D Cav.)

"Shooks!" cried the Orderly Sergeant at the roll call of Co. I, Third Wisconsin cavalry.

“Yer!" was the prompt answer from a tall Arkansan who stood in the ranks.

All the boys of Co. I, would like to know what has become of William Shooks?

He enlisted in Co. I in the fall of 1863, when that company was on provost duty at Fort Smith, Arkansas. We had never seen or heard of Shooks or his father until the latter produced the former at our camp one day, and declared that the boy wanted to enlist.

The old man said they lived “up on Mulberry” - a creek some twelve miles from Fort Smith - and that there "war a right smart of bush whackers 'round thar" and he “reckoned Bill better be 'mong the Fed's, sorter like.”

The boy didn't say much, and the old man didn't seem to be actuated by any particularly patriotic feeling in the premises. He wanted the boy well taken care of, and evidently thought him safer, and surer of rations among us than in a bushwhacking gang. So William Shooks was duly enlisted and invested with the army blue.

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Wisconsin in the Civil War (roster of Company I, 3rd​ Wisconsin Cavalry)
He was a curiosity to us; but a clique of the youngest and toughest boys, who styled themselves, "Tent Six ,” took kindly to him, and would not allow any fun to be made of him. He was eighteen years old, tall for his age, with straight, brown hair, and honest, light blue eyes. He was rather taciturn, had a quaint way of expressing himself and was very observing.

Some of us, at first, considered his demeanor a little suspicious, and it was hinted that Shooks would desert at the first opportunity and carry news to the rebs. But experience soon demonstrated that, whether or not Shooks had studied and understood the momentous questions at issue between the contending armies, he had cast his lot with us in good faith, and would be true to his oath.

He was a good shot, an elegant horse man and a fearless soldier. We all liked and respected him. The last we saw of Shooks was at Madison, when we were mustered out, in the fall of 1865. The boys were bidding each other good bye and preparing to start for their respective homes. All had a kind farewell for Shooks. Many of the boys wanted him to go home with them, knowing that his Arkansas home might be made unpleasant, if not unhealthy for him by his ex rebel neighbors.

But he refused all invitations, and in answer to the question, where he intended to go, said: “Gwine ter hell, I reckon.”

We want to know whether he went. In response to this, it would do us good to hear him once more answer “Yer!"

What we started to write, when we drifted into the martial history of Shooks, was an account of a little episode in which he took a prominent part, at Dardanelle, Arkansas. A small detachment of our regiment were sent as guard on a steamboat carrying supplies from Little Rock to Dardanelle, on Arkansas river, in the fall of 1864 .

While at Dardanelle, the place was attacked by Col. Brooks, whose command consisted of mounted men and a battery. The garrison being weak, our boys were ordered to the front to help resist the attack, and were distributed in a thin line, in a zigzag trench with logs in front for breastworks. The rebs were much more numerous and kept up a pretty sharp fire, both from rifles and artillery. Our troops repelled several assaults, and finally held the field, the Johnnies retreating. During the action, Shooks banged away on his own hook, whenever he had a good shot, but said never a word.

After awhile the boys noticed that Shooks was uncommonly interested in the vicinity of the rebel battery, some 800 yards distant. There were several prominent figures riding around near that battery, and among them a man on a white horse. Shooks, regardless of bullets and shells, peered well over his log and watched the white horse and its rider.

Finally, the eager, determined look went out of his eyes, and an expression of disgust swept over his face, as he exclaimed: “Dogoned ef thet ain't dad!”

Then, standing up so as to be fully exposed, and throwing up his hands with an impatient gesture, while he turned excitedly to the boys on each side of him, he yelled, loud enough to be heard above the din: " Say! don't nary' one uv you uns shoot thet white hoss? Thet's my hoss! Wonder what'n hell dad brought thet hoss down yer fur - might a know'd he'd git shot. Don't none of you uns hit thet white hoss, now! what a dog-goned fool dad is, anyhow, to bring thet hoss down yer!"

You may be sure that none of the boys fired at "thet white hoss."


(unable to find any info on a Wesley Shook (the father) or Shooks being involved with the Confederate force, but it is possible he might have been present as a scout or one of those busy body civilians that tended to show up at many Trans Mississippi battle. So where was Shooks? By 1870, William had married a girl named Sarah, had a one year old son, and was living in Crawford County, Arkansas. During the war, the region of northwest Arkansas, including Crawford county, furnished many men for the Union and with many Union veterans living in the area, many more migrated into the region post war.

A fellow Arkansas soldier who had also joined the 3rd​ Wisconsin, would be awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the above battle at Dardanelle.)

Wisconsin Soldiers and Sailors Reunion

 
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