One small addendum, which I must add here that also adds to the confusion of Dawson's 19th Arkansas, is that when the Union fleet was first seen on January 9th '63 passing Napolean, Ar. by the Confederate scouts there, it was pretty appearent that their target was Arkansas Post because of the size of that armada.
At this point I believe that the medical staff at the Post evacuated most of the sick from their hospital and sent them to Pine Bluff to make room for the wounded that they would normally expect in such a coming battle. Hence records that state a man was present for muster on December 31, 1862, but was not surrendered at Arkansas Post 11 days later and came up missing in records after that.
This was about 75 to 100 men who survived their illnesses who later become a part of Hardy's Regiment. I do not know again how many men fell thought the paperwork cracks and whose records were lost during this time.
One of those men who was already at Pine Bluff due to his illness was Col. Dawson himself. That is why he was not in command of his regiment during the Battle.
Anyway, (and not to get too deep into Hardy's Regiment at this time) these men along with others from the 24th Arkansas and Crawford batt. were organized together under the command of Col. Dawson at Sulphur Springs. Lt Col Hardy was Dawson's second in command. Due to his illness Col. Dawson never exercise much in the way of command authority over these men. But, in some communications an Official Records you will see this group of men referred to as "Dawson's Regiment" up until the time of Col Dawson's resignation due to health in June of 1863.
For this reason you will find some records, mainly post war pension applications, which will indicate that a men served in "Dawson's Regiment" when in fact the man will have served in what we better know as Hardy's regiment.