Hello. As you probably remember, I am a member of the local museum group.
We are currently trying to assemble some more information regarding men from
the area who served in the Civil War. We already have the diorama of the Battle
of Brownsville, Civil War swords, photos, including a picture of a Missouri man
killed at Reed's Bridge, and a giant photo of some of the veterans from this area,
so we are serious about this.
Is there a written history or perhaps a book about the 2nd Mounted Rifles?
A large number of the local men joined Company C., 2nd Mounted Rifles.
In the information from the site we printed off, it states that 49 men were
enrolled at Bentonville. The question is, "was this a mistake?"
The rest of the group enrolled at Brownsville which was serving as the Prairie County
seat at that time. From Brownsville to Bentonville would have been quite a ride on
a horse for that day. Was Bentonville even in existance at that time anyway?
I know that traveling down good roads and riding along in a comfortable car takes
probably four hours to get to Bentonville from central Arkansas in this day and time,
so it would have been quite a long trek for a man on horseback.
Example: "Hicks, Issac, age 32, enlisted July 1861 at a camp near Bentonville."
Issac Hicks had been in this area now known as Lonoke County for many years
before and after the war. So was Joe Eagle and the Leggetts. Yet they all show up as
enrolling at Bentonville. Did it really happen that way?
Thanks a bunch.
Linda T. Acrey
Lonoke County Museum
Lonoke, Arkansas