The Arkansas State Archives preserves a vast collection of research materials pertaining to the Civil War in Arkansas. These materials include official military records, pension applications, personal and official correspondence, photographs, artifacts, battle maps, and more. The selection below is only a small portion of our holdings on the Civil War.
-
Broadside, General Orders Number 5
Order issued by Brigadier General J.M. Thayer commanding troops to cease "stealing, pillaging and burning fence rails." The order states commanders should account for what is taken so compensation may be made. If damage is not accounted for, officers' pay can be garnished as compensation. Commanders are ordered to provide detailed reports of where they camped, routes marched and property taken.
-
Captain S.L. Brown
Carte de visite photograph of Captain S.L. Brown of the 1st Iowa Infantry, African Descent. Brown was stationed in Helena, Arkansas during the winter of 1863-1864.
-
Certificate of Disability for Exemption from military duty, R.J. Jennings
Certificate of disability for exemption from military duty for R.J. Jennings. Jennings was exempt from military duty due to a hernia.
-
Certificate of transfer of clothing to Company G, 2nd Arkansas Volunteers
Certificate of transfer of clothing to Company G, 2nd Arkansas Volunteers. Captain A.L. Hanger certifies the transfer of clothing and equipment to Lieutenant A.D. Littleton of Company G, 2nd Arkansas Volunteers. The 2nd Arkansas was a Union regiment of African-Americans organized in Helena and participated in the Battle of Helena. In March 1864, their designation was changed to the 54th U.S. Colored Troops.
-
Claim for Guns, Arkansas Military Board
Claim for guns in the amount of 595 dollars. The claim was allowed.
-
Correspondence, R.C. Reed to Governor Harris Flanagin
Correspondence from R.C. Reed at Camp Trader to Governor Harris Flanagin in Washington, Arkansas. Reed writes that he is sending Flanagin some dispatches that arrived the night before and says that Colonel Trader "refused to have any thing whatever to do with them" after he saw the address. Reed hopes that Flanagin will look at them.
-
David O. Dodd funeral notice
Funeral notice for David O. Dodd, a teenage boy executed as a spy by Federal troops.
-
Diary, Richard Perry Harrison
This is a diary kept by Richard Perry Harrison, a Confederate soldier in Arkansas during the Civil War.
-
Election results, 1st Arkansas Battalion
Election results from a poll book for the First Arkansas Battalion of Cavalry, State Troops, at Camp Trader. Allen Pettus received the most votes for lieutenant colonel.
-
General order number 10
General Order Number 10 in which Assistant Adjutant General W.D. Green orders William E. Woodruff and his family to be "put outside of these lines" for sympathizing with the Confederates. He commands that Woodruff's property be seized and used for military purposes. Extracts from Woodruff's letters provide proof of his taking the loyalty oath as well as his remaining southern sympathies.
-
General order number 8
Governor Harris Flanagin orders five companies of Arkansas Mounted Volunteers to combine and form the First Battalion and to elect a lieutenant colonel as their commander.
-
Illustration, DeValls Bluff
Illustration from a page in Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper depicting DeValls Bluff during the Civil War.
-
Illustration from Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, "Hanging of Mrs. Hillier by Men in Disguise, The Stocks, Cages at Little Rock Penitentiary, Hanging Union Men, Bringing in Union Men, Hanging and Flogging, and Prisons in Little Rock."
Illustration from Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper showing the "Hanging of Mrs. Hillier by Men in Disguise, The Stocks, Cages at Little Rock Penitentiary, Hanging Union Men, Bringing in Union Men, Hanging and Flogging, and Prisons in Little Rock."
-
Illustration of Helena, Arkansas during the Civil War
Illustration of Helena during the Civil War sketched by the newspaper's "special artist."
-
Letter, Benjamin C. Totten to Governor Harris Flanagin
Benjamin C. Totten informs Governor Harris Flanagin that Colonel Joseph Harolson, a legislator from St. Francis County, was captured at his home and sent to the penitentiary in Little Rock where he died. His neighbor, Colonel Bagby was also captured on the same night, imprisoned, and subsequently died.
-
Letter, C.G. Scott to D.C. Williams
Letter from C.G. Scott in Little Rock to D.C. Williams. Scott complains about the radical party and writes that they will "produce another civil war." He praises General Steele as a "kind hearted" gentlemen who has offered everyone equal protection and in return "all he asks of us is to behave ourselves." Scott wishes to be able to return to Van Buren and notes that Little Rock has suffered very little compared to other southern towns.
-
Letter, E.W. Gantt to Governor Isaac Murphy
Letter from E.W. Gantt to Governor Isaac Murphy discussing Gantt's upcoming lecture circuit tour.
-
Letter, E.W. Gantt to John Caldwell
Letter from E.W. Gantt in Cincinatti, Ohio, to John Caldwell. Gantt thanks Caldwell for the invitation to make a speech in the city but regrets that he will be unable to do so. He expresses his hope that within four months Arkansas will be back in the Union under a constitution that will forever abolish slavery. Referring to his "southern brethren," Gantt advises Caldwell to approach them with no words of peace "save that which thunders from the mouth of every cannon or flashes from the point of every gleaming sword." He believes they will surrender only when their armies have been "dispersed in deadly conflict."
-
Letter, F.D. Callender to Colonel John G. Hudson
Letter from F.D. Callender in St. Louis to Colonel John G. Hudson in Helena. Callender, the Major of Ordinance, sends corrected receipts to Colonel John G. Hudson, 60th Colored U.S. Infantry, in Helena.
-
Letter from E.W. Gantt to Governor Isaac Murphy
Letter from E.W. Gantt to Governor Isaac Murphy introducing Murphy to Colonel Cummings and telling Murphy that Cummings wants to discuss enlisting black soldiers.
-
Letter, F.W. Compton to Governor Harris Flanagin
Letter from F.W. Compton in Princeton, Arkansas, to Governor Harris Flanagin. Compton recommends George G. Lea be appointed probate judge. He questions the legality of the Governor making the appointment by pointing to an 1848 state law which states that probate judges, circuit judges and prosecuting attorneys are to be elected by the people. He ends the letter by discussing his concerns over approaching Federal troops and the attempt of the Federal government to organize a new state government in Arkansas. Compton was a Dallas County judge and an Arkansas Supreme Court Justice. George Lea was his brother-in-law.
-
Letter, George C. Watkins to Governor Harris Flanagin
Letter from George C. Watkins in Camden to Governor Harris Flanagin in Washington, Arkansas. Watkins urges Flanagin to visit headquarters and speak to General Fagan. He also writes that General Holmes has promised to send an agent "toward the Arkansas River to settle with and pay those people who have been deprived, and in many instances robbed of their property."
-
Letter, James Abraham to Governor Harris Flanagin
Letter from James Abraham in Rondo to Governor Harris Flanagin in Washington, Arkansas. Abraham discusses a band of Jayhawkers who are in Sevier County. He believes it would take a force of at least 100 men to arrest all of them.
-
Letter, Jane Holt to Loyal Case
Letter from Jane Holt to Loyal Case. Holt inquires about whether her sons property had been confiscated and to inform Case that she would "take the oath" in the morning.
-
Letter, John H. Jameson to Thirsaline Jameson
Letter from John H. Jameson in a Union prison camp in Alton, Illinois to his wife, Thirsaline. Jameson assures his wife that he is doing well and asks her to send him her likeness if she can but not clothes. He instructs her to tell Uncle Dodge that he has not seen Stephens and Coleman and he doesn't believe they are in the prison.