Head Quarters, Dist. of Ark’s,
Camp Bragg, 23rd Nov. 1863.

General Orders, No. 54.

I. At a General Court Martial, convened at the Head Quarters of Price’s Division at Camp Bragg by virtue of Special Orders, No. 192, Par. I, of date Oct. 24th, 1863, from these Head Quarters, and of which Brig. Gen. Thos. F. Drayton, Drayton’s Brigade Missouri Infantry, is President, were arraigned and tried:

1st, Col. Arch S. Dobbin, P.A.C.S.
Charge. Disobedience of orders in the face of the enemy.

Specification, 1st. In this, that the said Col. Arch S. Dobbin, commanding Regt. Of Cavalry, and at the time commanding Walker’s Brigade, did positively refuse to obey the orders of Brig. Gen. J. S. Marmaduke, commanding all the Cavalry in and around Little Rock at that time, Brig. Gen. Marmaduke having shown the said Col. Dobbin a written order from Maj. Gen. Sterling Price, then commanding Dist. of Ark’s, assigning the said Brig. Gen. Marmaduke to the command of all the Cavalry. All this near the city of Little Rock, Ark’s, on the 10th day of Sept. 1863, and while a portion of the Cavalry was actually engaged with the enemy.

Specification, 2nd. In this, that the said Col. Arch S. Dobbin, having reported in person to Maj. Gen. Sterling Price, then commanding Dist. of Ark’s, as under arrest by order of Brig. Gen. J. S. Marmaduke, on being released from said arrest by Maj. Gen. Price was ordered by him back to his command, did refuse to obey said order, saying he would not serve under Brig. Gen. Marmaduke as his command was opposed to it. All this at the city of Little Rock, Ark’s, on the 10th day of Sept. 1863, while a portion of the Cavalry was actually engaged with the enemy.

II. Finding and Sentence of the Court.

The Court having maturely considered the evidence adduced, find the accused, Col. Arch S. Dobbin, 1st Regt. Ark’s Cavalry, P.A.C.S., as follows:

Of the 1st Specification of Charge, Guilty, except the words in brackets (Brig. Gen. Marmaduke having shown the said Col. Dobbin a written order from Maj. Gen. Price, assigning Brig. Gen. Marmaduke to the command of all the Cavalry).
Of the 2nd Specification of Charge, Guilty.
Of the Charge, Guilty.

III. The proceedings of the Court in the case of Col. Arch S. Dobbin are approved. The offense of which he was convicted is of a character so grave, and, in an army like ours, might result in consequences so ruinous, that the recommendation of the members of the Court cannot be disregarded. Col. Arch S. Dobbin accordingly ceases to be an Officer of the C.S. Army from this date.

By Command of Lt. Gen. Holmes,
J. F. BELTON,
Lt. Col. & A.A. Gen.