Larry and I have been exchanging information on 12th Louisiana soldiers. He asked me about John Rose and after examining the CMSR, I suggested that he post a query here on the Arkansas CWMB.

The CMSR for John Rose contains a copy of the actual Vicksburg parole certificate. So there is no question that a "John Rose" was captured and paroled there. I read "2nd Alabama Infantry" on the parole certificate which was scratched through with "5th Arkansas Infantry" written above it, as you have noted. I had concluded that this strike through was done by the Federal paroling officer on 8 JUL 1863, but perhaps it was done by a War Department archivist when putting these records together circa 1900.

It is likely that John Rose was either a straggler from the 5th Arkansas (cut off from his command, sent to Vicksburg on detail, sick in hospital at the beginning of the siege but able bodied at the end), or perhaps a recent recruit being sent to the 5th Arkansas who was trapped inside Vicksburg when the siege began on 18 MAY 1863. There were a large number of men away from their commands who were trapped inside Vicksburg. We have no Confedeate enrollment data for this soldier - date or place. Larry has assumed he enrolled at Brownsville because (1) it was near home for the "John Rose" he is researching, and (2) many of the other members of Company G were enrolled there according to data posted on the Gerdes website. I found a separate 5th Arkansas Infantry regimental history on line that stated that the regiment was part of Johnston's command during the Siege of Jackson in July 1863. This would support both the "straggler" and "recruit enroute to command" theories I am presenting here.

I was hoping that someone could comment further on the history of the 5th Arkansas Infantry.

Hugh