The 1st Regiment was commanded by Colonel Patrick R. Cleburne and was organized a Mound City, in the 2nd or Eastern Division of the Army of Arkansas.

[5] This designation also leads to confusion with the other, more famous, 3rd Arkansas, commanded by Colonels Albert Rust and Van H. Manning.

One of these companies, the Frontier Guards, of Crawford County had participated in the seizure of the Federal Arsenal at Fort Smith by Borland's Militia Battalion on April 23, 1861.

[2][16] On the morning of August 10, 1861, while encamped along Wilson's Creek, just south of Springfield, Missouri, the Southern army was attacked by a Union force under Brigadier General Nathaniel Lyon.

Colonel John R. Gratiot's, 3rd Regiment, Arkansas State Troops had been held in reserve during the early part of the battle; however, a renewed Union assault on the Confederate right flank prompted calls for its immediate deployment.

[17] The regiment had reached a point about 40 yards from the enemy when the Federals unleashed a massive volley directly into the charging Arkansans.

The regiment wavered momentarily, as scores of men fell dead or wounded, then charged forward with a roar and smashed into the Federals.

After a vicious, face-to-face fight, using bayonets and clubbed muskets, the Southerners broke the Federal line.

As soon as the regiment was formed it was ordered to an adjacent hill, occupied by Captain Woodruff's battery, to support it, where it remained some hours under a fire of shot and shell.

yourself in person gave orders for my regiment to move on to the scene of action and attack a battery and a large force then forming on the north side of Wilson's Creek, on the ridge, and in the woods.

I proceeded to execute the order under a heavy fire of shot and shell from the enemy's batteries, crossed the creek, and marched up the ridge by a flank movement and in column of fours.

We then faced toward them, and marched in line of battle about fifty paces, when we were attacked by a large force of the enemy in front and on the left flank.

At this moment a battery commenced playing upon our left flank, enfilading the entire regiment with grape, canister, and shell.

After my regiment had silenced all firing upon the north side o Wilson's Creek, fears were entertained that the enemy were collecting in force with a view of attacking Woodruff's battery, which yet remained upon the ground that it had occupied during the day.

The execution which this battery did in the enemy's ranks was prodigious, and its influence was sensibly felt in achieving the fortunes of the day, men and officers behaving with great coolness and courage.

[17]Following the battle, the Garrott's Regiment marched back to Arkansas and was given the opportunity to vote on the issue of being transferred into Confederate service.

In place of the blue union, the flag of the "Pike Guards" has a white field with a painting of the Lady of Liberty.