Interesting Document. I know there was a court martial later because of the differences Cleburne and General Thomas H. Bradley, I wonder if those documents exist and if so would they also refer to the apparent differences between McRea and Bradley?

It makes me wonder what function McRea was serving at Camp Rector. 17 May would have been just a few days after the State Military Board appointed Bradley as the Commander of the Eastern Division of the army of Arkansas. I think Bradley was elected by the convention on 11 May 1861.

I have no record of Bradley having been in the Arkansas Militia before being appointed by the Convention, but I did find a reference that indicated that he had previously served as a Major General of the Tennessee Militia.

My inpression has always been that there are probaby some missing orders from Governor Rector to the Militia Generals from the period following teh siezure of the Little Rock Arsenal. We find Brigadier General N. B. Burrows, commander of the 8th Brigade, Arkansas Militia in command at Fort Smith, following the Siezure of the Arsenl there, and Camp Rector seems to have been established as an assembly point for troops in the eastern part of the state before Bradley is asssigned to command the easter division.

Camp Rector seems to lie in what would have been the 4th Militia Brigade, Commanded by Brigadier General William H. Robards of Phillips County. Camp Rector seems to have been established on or before 6 May, which appears to be the day that Cleburne left Helena with the Yell Rifles and move to Camp Rector.

I will look tonight and see if I can find a commission for McRea in the List of commissioned officers of the Militia.

Do you mind if I move this discussion to the Civil War Message Board, some of the Cleburne followers there might have some insights.