6th Arkansas Infantry Regiment - Battles

Battles

The 6th Arkansas saw no action in the coming months, only taking part in a small raid into Missouri. By October 1861, the regiment, along with the rest of General Hardee's division had been sent to Columbus, Kentucky to become the Army of Central Kentucky. When Colonel Lyon was killed during a river crossing, they fell under the command of Alexander T. Hawthorn. Gordon N. Peay of Company A was promoted to replace Hawthorn as lieutenant colonel. They experienced their first real combat while supporting Terry's Texas Rangers near Woodsonville, Kentucky. On March 29, 1862, the Army of Central Kentucky was merged into the Army of Mississippi in preparation for the Battle of Shiloh. General Albert Sidney Johnston ordered the army to consolidate in northern Mississippi.

The regiment saw its first true battle action during the Battle of Shiloh, where it performed extremely well. The 6th Arkansas was decisively engaged at Shiloh with the Confederate left wing, engaged against Sherman's Federal troops. The 6th Arkansas was able to re-arm itself with "Springfield rifles" (probably .58 cal. M1855 rifle muskets) from Federal weapons left on the field at Shiloh.

In early May 1862, Confederate forces underwent an army-wide reorganization due to the passage of the Conscription Act by the Confederate Congress in April 1862. All twelve-month regiments had to re-muster and enlist for two additional years or the duration of the war; a new election of officers was ordered; and men who were exempted from service by age or other reasons under the Conscription Act were allowed to take a discharge and go home. Officers who did not choose to stand for re-election were also offered a discharge. The reorganization was accomplished among all the Arkansas regiments in and around Corinth, Mississippi, following the Battle of Shiloh. During its reorganization, Colonel Hawthorn chose not to stand for re-election and Samuel G. Smith was elected to the colonelcy. Colonel Smith would later died as a prisoner in a Union hospital during the Atlanta Campaign.

Sent to Chattanooga, Tennessee following the evacuation by Confederate forces of Corinth, Mississippi, the 6th Arkansas became a part of the Army of Mississippi under Major General Braxton Bragg and participated in the Kentucky Campaign.

During the Battle of Perryville, the 7th Arkansas Infantry Regiment took devastating casualties, leaving the regiment all but ineffective. The 6th Arkansas had also suffered heavy casualties in that same battle, so the 7th Arkansas' remaining soldiers were consolidated with the 6th Arkansas. The 6th and 7th Arkansas Infantry Regiments were combined December 22, 1862, and remained consolidated for the remainder of the war. The rolls of each company were, however, continued as though no consolidation had ever been made. The following consolidations also occurred among the companies of the 6th Arkansas:

• Companies A and F, 6th Arkansas were consolidated in May or June 1862.

• Companies D and H were merged on June 20, 1862.

• Companies B and E were consolidated December 22, 1862 and were known as Co D, 6th & 7th Infantry Regiment.

• Companies C and G were consolidated December 22, 1862 and were known as Co E, 6th & 7th Infantry Regiment.

From December 31, 1862 through January 2, 1863 the 6th and 7th Consolidated Arkansas Infantry Regiment was heavily engaged during the Battle of Murfreesboro, losing a total of 29 killed and 140 wounded. The unit was engaged in the Battle of Chickamauga and the Battles for Chattanooga. Colonel D. A. Gillespie was wounded at the battle of Battle of Chickamauga and died in a hospital on October 26, 1862. The combined regiment had 16 disabled at the Battle of Ringgold Gap, totaled 314 men and 265 arms in December, 1863, and sustained 66 casualties at the Battle of Atlanta. The entire regiment was captured along with several other regiments during the Battle of Jonesboro, which was part of the Atlanta Campaign, but were released several weeks later in a prisoner exchange. Returning to the Army of Tennessee, in time to participate in the Franklin-Nashville Campaign. After the retreat from Tennessee, the regiment was moved to North Carolina where they took part in the final charge of the army during the Battle of Bentonville. The 6th - 7th Arkansas actively took part in the following battles, skirmishes and/or campaigns:

• Battle of Rowlett's Station, Kentucky, December 17, 1861
• Battle of Shiloh, Tennessee, April 6–7, 1862.
• Siege of Corinth, Mississippi, April–June 1862.
• Kentucky Campaign, Kentucky, August–October, 1862

• Battle of Perryville, Kentucky, October 8, 1862.

• Battle of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, December 31, 1862 – January 3, 1863.
• Tullahoma Campaign, June 24 – July 3, 1863.

• Battle of Liberty Gap, Tennessee, June 24–26, 1863.

• Chickamauga Campaign, Georgia, August-September, 1863.

• Battle of Chickamauga, Georgia, September 19–20, 1863.

• Chattanooga Campaign, September to November 1863.

• Battle of Missionary Ridge, Tennessee, November 25, 1863.
• Battle of Ringgold Gap, Georgia, November 27, 1863.

• Atlanta Campaign, May to September 1864.

• Battle of Rocky Face Ridge, Georgia, May 5–11, 1864.
• Battle of Resaca, Georgia, May 14–15, 1864.
• Battle of New Hope Church, Georgia, May 25 – June 4, 1864.
• Battle of Pickett's Mill, Georgina, May 27, 1864.
• Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia, June 27, 1864.
• Battle of Peachtree Creek, Georgia, July 20, 1864.
• Siege of Atlanta, Georgia, July 22, 1864.
• Battle of Jonesboro, Georgia, August 31 – September 1, 1864.

• Franklin–Nashville Campaign, Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee, September 18 – December 27, 1864

  Battle of Spring Hill, Tennessee, November 29, 1864.

• Battle of Franklin, Tennessee, November 30, 1864.
• Battle of Nashville, Tennessee, December 15–16, 1864.

• Carolinas Campaign, February – April 1865.

• Battle of Bentonville, North Carolina, March 19–21, 1865.

Toward the end of the war, ten depleted Arkansas regiments, including the 7th Arkansas, were lumped together as the 1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry, April 9, 1865.