Elkanah was also Union.
http://www.couchgenweb.com/civilwar/indx2cav.htm
Second Arkansas Cavalry
Historical Memoranda
From Report of the. Adjutant General of the State of Arkansas
by Albert W. Bishop, Adjutant General of Arkansas, 1867
In July, 1862, authority was given to Colonel W. James Morgan,
of Missouri, to raise a regiment, to be called the First
Arkansas Mounted Rangers, and his headquarters and rendezvous
were established at Helena. Nearly four hundred recruits were
enrolled, and Company A, Captain J. William Demby, and Company
B, Captain Archibald B. Freeburn, were organized and mustered
into the service. Many circumstances had already unfortunately
transpired to make the men displeased with their position.
Their location was unhealthy; they were ignorant of the
economy of a soldier's life; age had incapacitated many of
them for duty; sickness was prevailing to an unusual extent;
and, to add to their embarrassments, Colonel Morgan was
dismissed from the service. Company C at this time lacked but
a few men of its minimum, and when Colonel Morgan's dismissal
became known desertions were frequent, and the company was
never mustered in. The designation of the regiment was now
changed by Governor Phelps to the "Second Arkansas Cavalry
Volunteers." Recruiting still continued, but under many
discouraging circumstances, and, at last, to the relief of
all, the following order was issued:
Headquarters District of East Arkansas
Helena, May 2, 1863
Special Orders, No. 69
The commanding officer of 2nd regiment Arkansas cavalry will
turn over to the proper officers all government property in
the possession of his regiment without delay, and will
forthwith embark, with his entire command, on transports, and
proceed to St. Louis, Missouri, and report to the commanding
general of the department of the Missouri, that the regiment
may be consolidated with some other Arkansas regiment.
Quartermaster's department will furnish the necessary
transportation.
By order of Major General Prentiss:
James 0. Pierce, A.A.A.G.
At this time company C had become entirely disintegrated, the
few remaining men having been transferred to companies A and
B, which themselves were but skeleton organizations when they
set out for St. Louis. Shortly after their arrival the
following order was issued:
Headquarters St. Louis District
St. Louis, Missouri, May 31, 1863
Special Orders, No. 121.
II. In accordance with orders received from headquarters
department of the Missouri, by endorsement of A. F. Eno,
adjutant general and secretary of Arkansas, of May 28, 1863,
companies A and B of 2nd Arkansas cavalry will be consolidated
immediately into one company to be called Company B, 2nd
Arkansas cavalry.
In compliance with orders, Captain A. B. Freeburn, of company
B, First Lieutenant A. A. Irwin, of company A, and Second
Lieutenant Andrew J. Garner, of company B, will be retained as
officers of the consolidated company.
(Special Orders, No. 121 - continued)
Captain James W. Demby, of company A, and First Lieutenant
Harley S. Wait, of company B, will be mustered out of service
of the United States.
Captain D. W. Cheek, A. C. M., St. Louis, Missouri district,
will make the consolidation named in the order.
By order of Brigadier General Davidson:
Henry C. Fillebrown, Captain and Assistant Adjutant General
On the 2nd day of June this consolidation was made and the
supernumerary officers were mustered out.
In August, 1863, John E. Phelps was appointed a commissioner
to take charge of this new organization, and with it as a
nucleus to raise a regiment to be known as the 2nd Arkansas
cavalry. Rendezvousing at Springfield and Cassville, Missouri,
his energy and success were such that on the 18th day of
March, 1864, he was mustered in as colonel, twelve full
companies having been raised. Prior to this event, Colonel
Phelps and his energetic subordinate officers had penetrated
time and again into Arkansas, always bringing out recruits,
and never failing to inspire the loyal citizens of the State
with increased faith in the ultimate triumph of their cause.
With reference to some of the services rendered by this
regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Hugh Cameron, who earlier in the
rebellion was captain of company F, 2nd Kansas cavalry, writes
as follows:
"As captain of company F, 2nd Kansas cavalry, while on duty in
Arkansas in 1862-1863, I never failed to find faithful scouts
and reliable guides among the citizens. When at Dardanelle,
during the months of November and December, 1863, with eighty-
five armed men, (Mountain Feds), surrounded by more than six
hundred renegade Missouri rebels, I was sustained and re-
enforced as often as necessary by the citizens of Pope and
Yell Counties, under the direction of Burk Johnson and the
late William Stout, during which time over five hundred
recruits were added to the federal army, and not a single case
of treachery of the part of army citizen was discovered.
Shortly after this, I became an officer in the 2nd Arkansas
cavalry, and served in the regiment to the close of the war.
And in justice to Arkansas troops let me say, that for
watchfulness, cheerful obedience, and courage, they had, in my
judgment, no superiors. Under the command of judicious and
brave officers, they were seldom defeated or surprised. The
march from Dardanelle to Cassville, Missouri, in January,
1864, with a number of prisoners equal to one-third of the
entire armed force, was as orderly and as well executed as any
ever performed by old and well disciplined troops.
"The encounter on Richland Creek, Arkansas, May 4, 1864, in
which Colonel Jackman and a force of over two hundred rebels
were dislodged and put to flight by Colonel Phelps with one
hundred of his regiment, was as desperate, perhaps, as any of
the war.
"The pursuit of a detachment of eight hundred rebels from Buck
Prairie to Upshaw Farm, Missouri, on the 29th of October of
the same year, resulted in the death of over sixty and the
capture of thirty-seven of the detachment - a number equal to
one-forth of the entire Federal command, composed principally
of the 2nd Arkansas cavalry and Missouri troops.
"A scout through Berryville, Rolling and Marshall Prairies,
Yellville and Talbot's Barrens, Arkansas, a distance of about
four hundred miles, was performed in ten days, without loss of
life or property, in the month of November, 1864, by one
hundred and fifty men of the 2nd Arkansas cavalry. In the
region through which we passed several thousand rebels of
General Price's command were scattered. On this occasion,
rebel Major Mooney and twenty-six of his men were captured and
conveyed to Springfield, Missouri, and several were killed and
wounded, among whom were Major Lauderdale and Lieutenant
Hastings. I have instanced the above to illustrate the
character of the service in which Arkansas troops were
constantly employed - a service dangerous to those engaged as
well as important to the government, but of which scarcely
anything yet is publicly known, and for which the actors have
received comparatively no credit."
Upon this subject it is gratifying also to be permitted to
publish the subjoined letter from Hon. J. P. C. Shanks, a
member of the Fortieth Congress, from the State of Indiana:
Fortieth Congress, United States
Washington, D. C. March 8, 1867
Brigadier General A. W. Bishop, Adjutant General of the State
of Arkansas
"General: .I am informed that you are about publishing,
through the kindness of the United States Senate, your
official report, and that your State being in the hands of
disloyal men, refuses to publish the services of those gallant
men of Arkansas who served their country in the field in
defense of the Union and Constitution.
"Permit me to tender this expression of my high regard for,
and confidence in, the men who composed the 2nd Arkansas
cavalry, commanded by Colonel John E. Phelps, Lieutenant
Colonel Hugh Cameron, and Major Jeremiah Hackett. This
regiment was in my command for some time at and near Memphis,
Tennessee, and in several long and severe marches, and I take
pleasure in attesting the uniform good character of the
troops, and the energy, integrity, and the efficiency of the
officers; and permit me to make especial reference to the
field officers above named.
"I make this statement as a just tribute to those men who were
loyal and true under every adversity.
"With highest regards, I am, sir, yours truly,"
J. P. C. Shanks,
late Colonel 7th Indiana Cavalry and Brevet Brigadier General
During the Shelby raid into Missouri in the fall of 1863,
Colonel Phelps was frequently called upon for scouts and
detachments of men, and in the following winter when
northwestern Arkansas was alive with guerrillas, performed
essential service for the government. Between Fayetteville,
Washington County, where the 1st Arkansas Cavalry was then
stationed, and Batesville, on White • River, held by Colonel
Livingston, Of the 1st Nebraska infantry, then commanding the
district of northeastern Arkansas, there was a wide belt of
country north of the Arkansas River wholly unprotected by
posts or stations, and which were many Union men. These it was
important to relieve, and into this section detachments of the
2nd Arkansas Cavalry were frequently sent, accomplishing much
good in this respect, and breaking up and scattering the
marauding bands with which the country was infested. Once
only, on Richland Creek, were they defeated.
Of an expedition undertaken in January, 1864, and which is
characteristic of much of the warfare of the border, L.
Remiatte, late adjutant of the regiment writes as follows:
"I left Cassville, Missouri, January 17, and went with the
expedition to Burroughville, Searcy County. In several
skirmishes the guerrillas were defeated with loss - at Crooked
Creek, Tomahawk Gap, and on Rolling Prairie. I returned to
Cassville' about the 10th of February, having been left on the
edge of Rolling Prairie in charge of the whole force of the
regiment and the train of refugees collected there under my
protection. Upwards of one hundred and twenty wagons, with all
sorts of trains, were depending upon me to escort them safely
through to Missouri. I had to provide forage for all the stock
or allow them to starve on the road, and yet, in order to
protect the refugees, had to keep them together. By taking
almost impassable roads I managed to avoid difficulty, and at
last succeeded in bringing the train safely through. An attack
made by guerrillas on the Osage was repelled."
Connected with the raid of General Price into Missouri in the
autumn following, the 2nd Arkansas distinguished itself, moved
from Springfield to Rolla, one hundred and ten miles, in
fifty-six hours; in subsequent marches, skirmishes and
battles, it was almost invariably in the advance; and at
Jefferson City, Russellville, California, Booneville, Dover,
Independence, Big Blue, the Osage and Newtonia, behaved most
gallantly. After the battle at Newtonia, the chase was
continued on to the Arkansas River, and throughout it all, the
2nd cavalry were prompt and efficient in the pursuit.
Returning to Springfield, Missouri,'November 15, 1864, they
were ordered across the country to Memphis, Tennessee, which
place they reached on the 25th day of January, 1865. Their
journey through northeastern Arkansas, over mountains and
through swamps, across bayous and swollen streams, was severe,
and guerrillas were a constant source of annoyance and delay.
In Mississippi and Tennessee the regiment was actively on
duty, scouting and guerrilla hunting, until it mustered out
August 20, 1865. It was stationed successively at Germantown,
La Fayette and Lagrange, Tennessee and Senatobia, Mississippi,
capturing at various times over three hundred prisoners.
After the surrender of General Taylor a detachment of this
regiment garrisoned Holly Springs, Mississippi, and on leaving
the place, Lieutenant Colonel Cameron in command, received a
flattering testimonial from the citizens, with reference to
the manner in which he discharged the difficult and delicate
duties devolved upon him while conscientiously and fully
performing his obligations to the government. A merited
tribute to the good order and discipline of the men of the
regiment was likewise bestowed.
At a meeting of the regiment held at Lagrange, Tennessee,
shortly before the muster out, the following resolutions were
adopted:
WHEREAS the necessity for united martial action which called
us together no longer exists, our work being done, and our
cause gloriously triumphant, it becomes us before disbanding,
to make some disposal of the proud old banner which has never
trailed, and which we have borne triumphantly upon many a
bloody field; and
WHEREAS it is desirable that a relic so dear to the hearts of
those who have followed it should be preserved as a
testimonial of what we have done: Therefore, let it be
resolved by the officers and men of the 2nd regiment Arkansas
volunteer cavalry:
1. That we have the names of the battles of "Independence,"
"Big Blue," and "Osage" ordered by the War Department to be
put upon our banner embroidered thereon, and that it then be
presented to the governor of the State of Arkansas to be
preserved among the archives of the State.
2. That we claim that our flag is entitled to have upon it the
additional battles of Richland, Limestone Valley, Pine
Mountains, Jefferson City, Booneville, Dover, Newtonia, and
Upshaw Farm, where our boys did service that our enemies will
long remember.
(This flag was afterwards received by the governor and is now
among the archives of the State.)
3. That we refer with pride to the promotions received by our
commanding officer, Colonel John E. Phelps, who, while
commanding the regiment, was breveted brigadier general of
volunteers, and captain, major, and lieutenant colonel in the
regular army.
4. That the regiment do hereby tender their thanks to Mrs.
Mary Phelps, who presented it with this flag. They are happy
in being able to say to her that she committed it into the
keeping of true soldiers who will long remember the noble
hearted and charitable donor with thankful feelings; and we
deem her worthy of the nation's gratitude and the gratitude of
every officer and soldier in the regiment.
5. That we appoint Major H. H. Maynard, surgeon, Captain D. W.
Roberts, company A, and Captain H. C. Bell, company E, as a
committee to have the names of the battles embroidered on the
flag, and have it forwarded to Little Rock to be disposed of
as directed.
6. That the Memphis, Tennessee, St. Louis, Missouri, and
Arkansas papers be requested to publish these resolutions, and
that Mrs. Phelps and the governor of the State of Arkansas be
furnished with a copy.
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