A History of the 8 Arkansas Infantry

Secession through Shiloh

Compiled by; Randy Maxfield

As delegates to Arkansas’ Secession Convention in the winter of 1861, both Jesse N. Cypert and F. W. Desha opposed
secession. But with the bombardment of fort Sumter, both had changed their minds. And with Lincoln's’ call for 75,000
volunteers to put down the ‘rebellion,’ the State of Arkansas did secede. Jesse Cypert was soon defending the State as Captain of Company ‘A’ (Searcy Greys), of the Seventh Arkansas Confederate Infantry Battalion; Lt. Colonel F. W. Desha (Desha’s Battalion): commanding.

As the State and the Confederacy began to get organized, William K. Patterson, “a lawyer of ability” sent out the call for men to fill the ranks of the newly formed 8th Arkansas Infantry. Companies ‘A’ and ‘D’ of Desha’s Battalion formed Company ‘A’ of the new Regiment, with the balance of the Seventh and Ninth Battalions also being absorbed. Both Desha and Cypert were discharged after failing to win subsequent re-election. Lt. Colonel Crouch, Major John Price, Surgeon L. H. Dickson, Assistant Surgeon Gee and Quartermaster Tom Watson made up the Regimental staff. In July of 1861 the Regiment was formally mustered into Confederate service at Jacksonport, Jackson County seat, and thriving river port, servicing steamboats that plied the White and Black Rivers, being at their confluence and east bank. The entire Regiment had been raised from the
north-central and eastern counties of the State; an area that changes from the Mississippi delta cotton plantations to Ozark
foothills. They were issued smooth bore flintlocks, .69 in caliber and of the 1816 pattern. (Drawn from the recently ‘liberated’ Federal arsenal at Little Rock). Accompanied by a grand ceremony, the local women presented the Regiment with a battle flag, of the 1st Confederate National pattern, and bearing the inscription: “March on, March on; all Hearts are Resolved on Victory or Death”.

March they did, and by August 28, 1861 in Cave City, Kentucky. The Regiment was un-brigaded but part of the Central
Division of Kentucky by October 23. October 28 the Regiment was made part of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Central Army of Kentucky.

Brigade General Simon B. Buckner, in November of 1861 sought to create a standard battle flag for the units pouring in from the South and came up with the now famous white-moon-on-a-blue-field. This become known as the ‘Hardee’ pattern, and the 8th Arkansas adopted theirs: about 34” x 37” (and blue field of cotton soon faded to green).

The occupation of Kentucky soil violated the States declared neutrality and Federal General U.S. Grant attacked the took Ft. Henry on February 6th, 1862, and Ft. Donelson on February 16th. This forced General Albert Sidney Johnson to rally all
Confederate forces to Corinth, Mississippi. The 8th Arkansas was re-assigned to the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Western Dept., on February 22. Within weeks nearly fifty-thousand troops had been assembled. Meanwhile U.S. Grant was organizing his forces about Ptitsburg Landing, Tenn., and General Johnson had resolved to deal with him before Federal Gen’l Buell linked up with Grant and vastly outnumbered the Confederates, saying, “I intend to hammer ‘em. I think we will hammer them beyond doubt.” The 8th Arkansas was made part of the 3rd Brigade (under S.A.M. Wood), 3rd Corps (Hardee’s), Army of the Mississippi, on April 6th, and slept that night so near the enemy that could enjoy the Federal bands. That evening Gen’l Johnson rode out and announced that “Tonight we will water our horses in the Tennessee River.” At dawn the Confederates exploded into the unsuspecting camps of Federal General Prentiss. The 8th Arkansas was in the first wave and suffered heavy casualties as the attack climaxed midfield at a place later referred to as the “Hornets Nest”. General Wood had been disabled by the fall of his mount. Gen’l Hardee was wounded. Next morning General Buell’s advanced guard arrived and the Union counter attacked hurling back the forces of Bragg and Breckinridge. By the battles end 23,000 were counted as casualties. Gen’l Albert Sidney Johnson was killed and the Arkansas 8th could muster only 262 men fit for duty. The stunned Confederates retreated form Shiloh and returned to Corinth.