6th Arkansas Infantry Regiment - Organization

Organization

The 6th Infantry was mustered into state service in Little Rock, Arkansas on June 10, 1861, a little less than a month after the state first began raising infantry regiments. The 6th Arkansas, also known as the 6th Arkansas, State Troops and the 6th Arkansas Volunteer Infantry, was made up of volunteer companies from the following counties:

• Company A, the "Capital Guards" of Little Rock, in Pulaski County, commanded by Captain Gordon N. Peay. This company was one of the oldest militia organizations in the State. Its Officers were first elected in 1858. The unit played a prominent role in the seizure of the Little Rock Arsenal.
• Company B, the "Yellow Jackets" of Calhoun County, commanded by Captain P.H. Echols. This company was disbanded when the regiment was mustered into Confederate service on July 26, 1861. The company was in state service from May 5, 1861 until July 26, 1861. Fourteen men from this Company were reassigned to Company H.
• Company C, the "Dallas Rifles" of Dallas County, commanded by Captain F.J. Cameron.
• Company D, the "Ouachita Voyageurs" of Ouachita County, commanded by Captain J.W. Kingswell.
• Company E, the "Dixie Grays" of Arkansas County, commanded by Captain Sam G. Smith.
• Company F, the "Lafayette Guards" of Lafayette County, commanded by Captain Sam H. Dill. This company was originally organized June 3, 1861 as a volunteer company in the 40th Regiment, Arkansas State Militia.
• Company G, the "Columbia Guards" of Magnolia in Columbia County, commanded by Captain J.W. Austin.
• Company H, the "City Guards" of Camden in Ouachita County, commanded by Captain S.H. Southerland.
• Company I, the "Lisbon Invincibles" of Union County, commanded by Captain Sam Turner.
• Company J, the "Ouachita Grays" of Ouachita County, commanded by Captain Hope T. Hodnett.

The regiment's first commander was Colonel Richard Lyon. The other regimental officers were:

• Alexander T. Hawthorn, Lieutenant Colonel;
• D. L. Kilgore, Major.
• C. A. Bridewell Adjutant and
• John F. Ritchie, Quartermaster.

The regiment was armed with weapons which the state confiscated when the Federal Arsenal at Little Rock was seized by Arkansas State Militia troops in February 1861. Disposition of the weapons found in the Arsenal is somewhat sketchy, but from various records it can be surmised that the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th Arkansas Infantry Regiments, mustered in June, 1861, were issued M1816/M1822 .69 caliber flintlocks. They retained these weapons until April, 1862 when they were able to exchange them for better weapons scavenged from the battlefield at Shiloh. The unit began with mixed uniforms, but by the end of 1861 given matching uniforms from the Little Rock supply depot. Prior to that, though, they were marched to Pocahontas, Arkansas where they were to be attached to the 2nd Division of the Provisional Army of Arkansas under command of Major General James Yell. While there, the measles broke out in the camp, and many of their soldiers died. When the units were offered the opportunity to vote on whether to accept transfer from state service to Confederate service, one full company, the B company, which originated in Calhoun County, declined to re-enlist. A few other soldiers from other companies also declined extended enlistments. The remainder of the regiment was mustered in to Confederate service on July 26, 1861 at Pittman's Ferry, Arkansas. The 6th Arkansas, along with the 2nd, 5th, 7th, and 8th Arkansas Infantry units was initially assigned to a brigade under the command of Brigadier General William J. Hardee.