Bryan,

I worked up a time line study for some of the units of the Army of the West for the period of April through August 1862 in order to trace the possible origins for Bridges battalion and Stirman’s regiment.

Since it is somewhat tedious and lengthy, I will not post the full timeline here, but will send it directly to you by e-mail [but only at your request].

I have reached some rather tentative conclusions as a result of studying the events for this army during this period.

The 6th Texas [including Capt. Bridges’ company] and Brooks’ Ark battalion cavalry units had a common brigade background in Arkansas, and when Van Dorn moved the army across the Mississippi River, they continued in the same brigade, but now as dismounted cavalry. The 9th Texas dismounted cavalry and 3rd Arkansas dismounted cavalry filled out the new dismounted cavalry brigade at its formation on 4/24 in Memphis. Williamson’s Arkansas infantry battalion was added in time for the 4/29 announcement of the army’s organization.

I am thinking that Bridges battalion may have had its origin as the brigade’s sharpshooter battalion due to:

First, this order-
#97 May 24
Par XI-Each brigade commander will at once organize a company of selected sharpshooters to be attached to each battery and carefully drilled as skirmishers and armed with long range rifles

Second, this order-
Priceville, June 11, 1862.
General Orders, No. 39.
VII. In accordance with the law, a battalion of sharpshooters will at once be organized in each brigade of this Army

It is likely, or at least possible, that the battalion organization was already started in anticipation of the official posting of GO 39.

Then comes another order that may have resulted in the designation of Stirman’s “Regiment” of sharpshooters rather than continuing with the organization of Bridges extemporized battalion.
#115 June 15
As it is at present impracticable to organize a battalion of sharpshooters for each brigade as contemplated in general order #34 from the War Dept., each division commander will designate one regiment from each brigade to act as sharpshooters.

Therefore, I think it plausible that the brigade was initially organizing a battalion of sharpshooters to be drawn from companies of the regiments in the brigade. This initial battalion was most likely intended to have been Bridges Battalion, with Bridges, of course, being the Captain of a company in the 6th Texas that was selected to help start the formation of the battalion. Perhaps Bridges’ company had initially been selected as the single sharpshooter company designated for battery support.

With only 2 companies, Bridges battalion was not yet of the minimum size of 3 companies as indicated by Order.

Due to order #115, perhaps Bridges battalion was scrapped before it had advanced beyond having only Bridges’ company from the 6th Texas, and a company from the 9th Texas. Instead of continuing this provisional or extemporized battalion, perhaps these 2 companies were simply added to Brooks/Stirman’s existing battalion of dismounted Arkansas cavalry to create the full “regiment of designated sharpshooters.”

The recent additions of companies from the disbanded Williamson’s Ark infantry battalion and 13 company Whitfield Texas legion had resulted in the enlargement of Brooks/Stirman’s battalion to 8 companies, or nearly a full regiment. It must have seemed expedient to simply add the 2 initial companies of Bridges battalion in order to complete the “designated sharpshooter regiment.”

I believe that this is similar to the 2nd Texas Infantry being designated as the sharpshooter regiment for its brigade. The difference being that it was already a full regiment. In other cases, the initial concept of a battalion of sharpshooters was continued, such as with the 12th Ark battalion of sharpshooters.

Since Brooks had been authorized a medical leave on 5/14, apparently Stirman was elevated to the command of Brooks battalion of dismounted Arkansas cavalry. So, instead of Brooks, Stirman was in the right place at the right time to take over command of the designated sharpshooter regiment for the brigade.

These Arkansas units make my brain sore.