It's nice that the Federal government decided to allow recognition of Confederate military service. But "Uncle Sam" doesn't have any money of his own. The cash for markers like these comes out of the pockets of citizens like you and me. In practical terms, Confederate veterans and their descendants have paid for their own markers -- Federal employees are just waiting on our orders to arrive.

It wasn't always this way. If I'm not mistaken, VA markers for Confederate veterans became available fairly recently, ca. 1960. Prior to that, taxes taken from the "estranged cousins" and their descendants helped to pay for markers for their former enemies. Talk about adding insult to injury....

Yes, Federal revenues don't usually pay for monuments in battlefield parks or at state and county courthouses. It was never necessary for most veterans who wore blue. After the war the North seems to have been flush with cash for hundreds of regimental monuments like the one pictured below.

Until recently, financial resources of former Confederate states and UDC groups usually limited battlefield commemoration to a single column or statue recognizing all Confederate soldiers from that state.

Aside from the state markers mentioned, if there's a memorial (not a red NPS marker) for any individual Arkansas command at Shiloh, Chickamauga, Vicksburg or Missionary Ridge, I've overlooked it.

Despite the imbalance, I'd have no objection if a veteran's association decided to place for a memorial to Arkansas soldiers in Federal service on a battlefield. However, choices are limited because Arkansans in blue had few opportunities to face organized Confederate opposition. The majority served as scouts and provost guards, escorting wagon trains, skirmishing with guerillas and performing garrison duties.

Would anyone be interested in placing a memorial to the 1^st Arkansas (U.S.) Cavalry at Prairie Grove? If so, would the proposed memorial include General Blunt's complements to Col. La Rue Harrison and his command after the battle?