The Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board

Chew's Sharpshooter Battalion

I've been interested in finding more information about this short-lived unit and its commander that fought at Prairie Grove. I did some research on it and thought I would give a little history of it here since I've never seen Chew's Battalion discussed before. This is by no means authoritative and if anyone has other information on this battalion or recognizes any errors here I welcome any input.

It appears that this battalion was a sharpshooter battalion in name only. Had it survived after the battle of Prairie Grove it probably would have become one in time. I have no date as to when this unit was formed, but believe it was in November, 1862 just weeks before the battle of Prairie Grove. From internet sources I found out that Pindall's 9th Battalion of Missouri Sharpshooters (Major Lebbeus Pindall commanding), was organized after November 10th, 1862. I'm guessing that Chew's Sharpshooter Battalion was organized during the same timeframe. This is speculation, but it appears that the initial plan was to have two sharpshooter battalions- one each from Missouri and Arkansas.

No known roster of the battalion exists that I'm aware of. Fortunately the casualty list of this unit at Prairie Grove did survive as it was published in the True Democrat in Little Rock on December 31st, 1862. It reveals that the vast majority of its ranks were filled from Hawthorn's Arkansas Infantry Regiment. Hawthorn's Regiment went through some reorganization of companies, but to keep things simple I'll connect the companies in Chew's Battalion to those in Hawthorn's Regiment that can be viewed on the Edward G. Gerdes website:

Company A, Chew's Battalion corresponds to Company G, Hawthorn's Regiment.

Company B and Company C of Chew's Battalion originally belonged to Tumlinson's Independent Cavalry Company and then became Company K, Hawthorn's Regiment.

Company D, Chew's Battalion corresponds to Company H, Hawthorn's Regiment.

The connection to Hawthorn's Regiment is not surprising as the brief mention of this unit in the official records indicate that the battalion and regiment fought side by side during the battle. The casualty list mentioned previously, also includes Hawthorn's Regiment and the two are recapitulated together as if the two units served as one. I'm guessing this is because Chew's Battalion was so new and untrained in sharpshooter tactics that it was thought best to have it serve alongside the regiment from which most of it's men had just recently come from. I've read previous discussions on this board about the role of sharpshooters during the Civil War that have been very informative. It appears from these discussions that there were two primary roles, the main one being to serve as brigade skirmishers and the other was serving as snipers. It is well documented that all four infantry regiments of Fagan's Brigade sent out their own skirmishers, so Chew's men did not act as skirmishers for the entire brigade. To date, I've seen no evidence that they served in any sniper capacity during the battle. So it seems their primary role was serving as an infantry battalion alongside Hawthorn's Regiment during the fighting at Prairie Grove. In that role, they took part in the charges of Fagan's Brigade driving back the 20th Wisconsin, 19th Iowa, and 37th Illinois and 26th Indiana regiments when these Union troops ascended the ridge.

I initially had problems finding information about the battalion's commander, Major Robert E. Chew, who was killed during the battle. This is a very rough sketch gathered from online genealogical sources. He was born circa 1822 in Virginia, the son of John Winslow and Ann Thornton (Voss) Chew. The family moved to Humphrey Co., Tennessee and by 1850 they were living in Fayetteville, Arkansas. In the census of that year the father was listed as the postmaster and Robert, 28, was listed as a farmer. The father passed away in 1855 and at some point the family moved away- probably to Missouri. I don't know if Robert ever married. If someone can locate him in the 1860 census that might give the answer.

What confused me was that I could find no record of Robert's service in either Arkansas or Missouri. I found a query in the Confederate Veteran magazine by a nephew stating that his uncle belonged to a Tennessee regiment and was killed at Prairie Grove. The nephew said he was told that his uncle's sword and watch had been recovered from his body and was hoping these items could be reunited with the family. I thought the reference to a Tennessee unit was a typical postwar mistake made by a family member, as no Tennessee units were at Prairie Grove. When I looked into it, I was surprised to learn that he had served as a captain in Co. H, 2nd Tennessee Infantry (Col. J. Knox Walker commanding). This explains the nephew's reference to his uncle in a Tennessee regiment. This regiment was formed entirely in Memphis, so Robert apparently had moved to this city sometime before the war started. The Official Records mentioned that Capt. Chew had assisted in the recapture of an artillery piece at the battle of Belmont, Missouri. At Shiloh the 2nd Tennessee Infantry suffered severe casualties and afterwards was consolidated into four companies. This probably left Captain Chew without a company to command. Apparently through Arkansas connections, he managed to get transferred back across the river to serve as a staff officer for Gen. Thomas C. Hindman. In that capacity, late in September, 1862, he met face to face with General William T. Sherman when he hand delivered a letter to him from General Hindman and returned with a reply. I thought that was a bit of interesting trivia. Sometime in October/November, 1862 Robert received a promotion to major and was given the assignment of commanding his own sharpshooter battalion.

While having nothing to do with the battalion, I discovered some interesting information during my research concerning Robert's younger brother, Francis Chew. Francis was accepted to the United States Naval Academy in 1859. When the war broke out he sided with the Confederacy and initially served as master on the ironclad CSS Palmetto State in Charleston Harbor. Later he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant and served as an officer on the famous Confederate raider CSS Shenandoah. For those of you who have North & South magazine, an article entitled "Equatorial Temptations" appeared in the December, 2006 issue (Vol. 9, No. 6). It has several quotes by him and his photo appears on page 80. His diaries and an autobiography which tells about his growing up in Arkansas and Missouri are in the Southern Historical Collection at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I've never seen this source, but imagine it would be great for anyone wanting to research the Chew family.

In addition to Major Chew, there are two other men listed in the casualty list that do not appear on the roster of Hawthorn/Cocke's Regiment. One is Captain S.W. Perkins, commanding Company C. I believe I may have located him as there is a Samuel W. Perkins who served in the 13th Texas Infantry and the 35th Texas Cavalry. A post on the Texas Message Board noted that these two units were consolidated together. Samuel started as a captain and eventually was promoted to lieutenant-colonel of the 35th. I couldn't find any other soldiers with the initials S.W. Perkins that would match. The other soldier not appearing in Hawthorn's Regiment is Private Henry C. Hunton of Company C who was mortally wounded. The only record of his service is with Company E, 17th (Griffiths) Arkansas Infantry in which he enlisted at age 18 on November 19, 1861 at Fayetteville. His record has the notation, "Sick at home west of the Mississippi River." The 1850 census shows the Hunton family living in Illinois Township, Washington County. I believe this township was in the same proximity of the battlefield, so it appears that for Major Chew and Henry Hunton, this battle was being fought in the same location of their homes. Perhaps the Hunton family knew Robert Chew and explains why Henry joined, as the battalion doesn't seem to have any other Washington County connections. I imagine that members of Henry's family were able to come to him after the battle was over and help care for him. There is no record stating the day Henry died. If it wasn't for the surviving casualty list of Chew's Battalion, it might never be known what ultimately happened to Henry C. Hunton. As far as the compiled service records go, he just disappears after having served in the 17th Arkansas.

Here is the casualty list that appeared in the True Democrat. When additional information was available from other service records, I placed that in parenthesis next to his name.

Field and Staff.
Killed- Maj. R.E. Chew (Robert E. Chew)

Company "A". 1st Lt. W. Greenleee, com'dg: (Willis Greenlee)

Wounded- 1
Private N. Chaney, in ankle severely (Ninevah Chaney, leg amputated)

Missing- 1
Private John Davis

Went into action officers 2, enlisted men 21.

Company "B". 1st Lt. J.C. Moles, comd'g: (Jacob C. Moles)

Killed- 1
2d Lt. W.J. Holland

Wounded- 8
Brev't 2d Lt. C.M. Howard, in thigh severely
Corporal J.M. McLean, in side severely (John McLain)
Private H.W.C. Hudgeons, in hand slightly (Henry W.C. Hudgeons)
Private W.S. Brooks, in breast severely (died January 8, 1863.)
Private J.H. Larrimore, in shoulder severely (John H. Larrimore)
Private S.S. Mobley, mortally (Co. K roster reports him absent through August, 1863- unaware of his death?)
Private G.W. Hancock, breast slightly (George W. Hancock)
Private B.M. Whisenhunt, in thigh severely (Benjamin M. Whisenhunt)
Private J.B. Whisenhunt (J.B. Whisenhunt does not appear on the casualty list in the True Democrat, but his record in Hawthorn/Cocke's Regiment and Tumlinson's Cavalry Company both note that he was wounded.)

Missing- 3
Private A.D. Fry
Private J.R. More (J.R. Moore)
Private J. Martin (? No J. Martin, there is an Isaac Martin and a T.H. Martin)

Total killed, wounded and missing- 12. Went into action officers 3, enlisted men 28.

Company "C". Capt. S.W. Perkins, comd'g:

Wounded- 3
Corporal J.H. Mangrum, in arm and head severely (There is a J.H. Mangrum in Co. K, Hawthorn's Regiment but Tumlinson's Cavalry Company only shows an Isaiah H. Mangrum. With the same middle initial I can't help thinking this is the same man.)
Private Sim Linn, in hand slightly (Simeon Linn)
Private H.C. Hunton, mortally (Henry C. Hunton)

Went into action officers 3, enlisted men 23.

Company "D". S.L. Hayhurst, commanding: (Samuel Q. Hayhurst)

Killed- 1
Private H.B. Hater (H.B. Haytor)

Wounded- 9
Brev't 2d Lt. L.R. Kinnard, slightly in arm and foot (Lewis R. Kenniard. Later KIA at Helena, 7-4-63)
Sergt. N.C. Bunch, in arm slightly (Nat. C. Bunch)
Private James Fanning, slightly in shoulder (reported AWOL 10-30-62. He obviously returned to the company for the battle, no further record.)
Private T.C. Whitely, mortally (Died 12-30-62 from wounds)
Private A.A. Houston, slightly in leg
Private J.S. Green, in shoulder slightly (?- No J.S. Green but there is a W.S. Green who died 1-15-63 at hospital in Fort Smith.)
Private J.T. Holt, in shoulder slightly
Private G.W. McGhee, in arm slightly
Private John Loftus, in shoulder slightly (John Loftess)

Missing- 1
Private D.M. Brown

Total killed, wounded and missing- 11. Went into action officers 3, enlisted men 32.

Adding up the numbers, Chew's Battalion went into action with 12 officers and 104 enlisted men. They suffered 3 killed, 22 wounded (five of them mortally), and 5 missing for a total loss of 30.

According to Michael Banasik in his book, "Embattled Arkansas: The Prairie Grove Campaign of 1862," Chew's battalion was consolidated with Hawthorn's regiment on December 14th by order of General Hindman. So it would appear that this battalion existed for barely a month, if even that. While Pindall's Sharpshooter Battalion became a fixture with the Missouri troops, it appears that the death of Major Chew at Prairie Grove brought an end to the army having a similar Arkansas unit.

Allan

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