It was successively commanded by Colonels Albert W. Johnson, Alexander T. Hawthorn, John B. Cocke, and Lieutenant-Colonel Cadwallader Polk.

Hindman assumed command of the Trans-Mississippi Department on May 30, 1862, and immediately began attempting to organize the Confederate forces in Arkansas.

To expedite our operations against the enemy, an order has been made, dividing the country east of White River with three districts, a copy of which is enclosed.

It is believed taking the State records as the cases of the calculation, that each district contains persons within the ages of conscription sufficient to form a Regiment.

There may possibly be an iron gun or two in Phillips – such pieces might be mounted and used to advantage, allow no threats of shelling or burning Helena, or doing any other injury to prevent you from striking the enemy whenever you can.

[4]In mid-July 1862, several companies, including a small battalion under Captain Daniel H. Ringo, were added to Colonel Johnson's regiment.

[1] The field officers were Colonels Albert W. Johnson, A. T. Hawthorn, John B. Cocke, Cadwallader Polk,[6] and Lieutenant-Colonel D. W.

This redesignation causes more confusion because this designation had already been given to Lyon's-Hawthorn's-Smith's elite 6th Arkansas Infantry Regiment in the Army of Tennessee, on the east side of the Mississippi River.

[3] On November 15, 1862, Hindman moved the Arkansas infantry regiments to Massard Prairie, three miles southeast of Fort Smith to drill and organize divisions.

They took part in the charges of Fagan's brigade driving back the 20th Wisconsin, 19th Iowa, and 37th Illinois and 26th Indiana regiments when these Union troops ascended the ridge.

He threw forward a heavy force of cavalry on the road towards Cane Hill and made such demonstrations as induced the enemy to believe that he was moving in heavy force upon them in that direction, while in reality he was rushing with his whole infantry and artillery to the right and rear of the enemy, and by sunrise we were completely in rear of Cane Hill, fronting the main body, under Gen. Heron, having completely cut the enemy's lines and divided his army into two parts; one part at Cane Hill, commanded by Gen. Blount, the other at Ray's mill, about five miles distant, under Gen. Heron.

We ought to have thrown our whole force upon one part and destroyed it, before the other could come to its relief; instead of which, we halted, fronted to all points of the compass, in the form of a hollow square, and waited for the enemy to attack us.

I heard the Yankee commander order his men to mount the horses and take away the guns: and then, for the first time, I understood that one of our batteries had been captured.

They responded with an Arkansas "yell" that rang out loud and clear above the roar of battle, rushed forward at a double quick, drove the enemy from the battery, out of the thicket, through a little orchard in our front, down the hill and across the field in utter confusion and dismay back to their batteries, at least a half mile distant.

Again we fell back and reformed, and again the Yankees, with increased numbers and fresh regiments advanced upon our position, making the most stubborn and determined efforts to take it.

But our men had now become accustomed to victory, and they charged with such fury that the enemy broke and fled in the utmost disorder, leaving the ground literally covered with their dead.

Every time that we drove them down the hill, their batteries would open furiously upon us, throwing solid shot, shell, canister and grape.

When I heard the terrible fire on our extreme left, without waiting for further orders, I moved my regiment rapidly in that direction.

I omitted to state that the other regiments of our brigade took no part in this last engagement, remaining in line of battle upon the right, to meet any further movements of the enemy in that direction.

[3] Fagan's Brigade spent the winter of 1863–64 in camp near Little Rock, remaining there until June when the unit began the movements that would lead to the Battle of Helena.

[15] During the attack on Union forces at Helena, Arkansas, on July 4, 1863, Fagan's Brigade was assigned to Sterling Price's Division of Theophilus H. Holmes's army.

However, Captain Watkins' compiled service record states that he was wounded and captured and sent to Overton Hospital at Memphis; then transferred to Johnson's Island Military Prison on August 6, 1863; and forwarded to New Orleans for exchange on January 9, 1865.

[19]The Union forces established a pontoon bridge near Bayou Fourche, and crossed to the south side of the very low Arkansas River.

With his works on the north side of the river now flanked, Price was forced to abandon the city on September 10, after a brief engagement at Bayou Fourche.

Hawthorn's Brigade was initially left behind at Camden, Arkansas, when the rest of the army went to join Lieutenant-General Dick Taylor.

Churchill's Division marched back north into Arkansas to deal with the other part of the Federal advance, Major-General Frederick Steele's Camden Expedition.

The division arrived after a long forced march at Woodlawn, Arkansas, on April 26, where they rested overnight, then joined the pursuit of Steele's retreating army, catching it trying to cross the Saline River near Jenkins' Ferry.

[24] On November 17, 1864, a union spy reported that Hawthorn's Brigade and Churchill's Division was in the vicinity of Camden, in Ouachita County, Arkansas.

[25] On December 31, 1864, General E. Kirby Smith's report on the organization of his forces lists the 34th Arkansas, under the command of Colonel Brooks as belonging to 4th (Hawthorn's) Brigade, 1st (Churchill's) Division, Second (Magruder's) Corps, Army of the Trans-Mississippi.

[27] Union commanders in the Department of the Gulf reported on March 20, 1865, that General Hawthorn's brigade was composed of four regiments and was located a Minden, Louisiana, with the rest of Churchill's Division.