The Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board

Execution of Deserters

I've been researching the records of Arkansans who served in some Iowa regiments. I'll post a complete list when I'm done, but for the time being I thought I'd bring to your attention a little-known postscript to the Poison Spring fight.

Two Arkansas men who had joined the 18th Iowa Regiment were captured at Poison Spring, brought to Camden, court-martialed and found guilty of desertion, and were executed there by firing squad. They were Pvt. Joseph Bishop (a deserter from the 34th Arkansas) and Pvt. Alfred M. Haggard (a deserter from the 35th Arkansas).

Both of these men were reinterred in Baton Rouge National Cemetery after the war.