38th Infantry Regiment, began when General Hindman issued Special Order Number #12, Army of the Southwest, dated 22 June 1862, which authorized a Captain W C Adams to raise one or more companies of mounted infantry in Lawrence and Randolph Counties and to immediately attack enemy without waiting on special orders. [1] On July 23, 1862, General Hindman wrote to Captain Adams and ordered him to take command of the companies now raised, organized and armed in the counties of Randolph, Green, Lawrence and Poinsett and move them to a rendevous point near Jacksonport, ....and make a temporary organization of them into battalion or regiment depending on the number of men and companies.... to be used against enemy vigorously on Crowley's Ridge." [2] on August 2, 1862, Special Order #43, Trans Mississippi District appointed . W.C. Adams Lieutant Colonel and Capt. M. Baber as Major of a battalion composed of seven companies. Lieutantt Colonel Adams was authorized to assign staff officers with the approval of General McBride. He was directed to immediately dismount his command and march to McBride's camp. The intent was that the battalion to be increased to regiment as soon as possible.[3] When the regimet was finally assembled in September, 1862, it contained men from Yell, Izard, Lawrence, and Craighead counties. Its commanders were Colonel Robert G. Shaver, Lieutenant Colonels William C. Adams and Milton D. Baber, and Major R. R. Henry.[4] Early in June, 1862, Colonel Shaver, with General Hindman, was transferred to the Trans-Mississippi Department. The 38th was formally organized at Jacksonport, Arkansas on September 8th, 1862. Colonel Shaver was unanimously elected colonel and he continued in command during the various campaigns and battles in the department. In the fall of 1864, at the reorganization of the Army of the Trans-Mississippi, Colonel Shaver was again elected colonel of the 38th, and on the same day, in a different field, he was also elected colonel of Shaver's 27th Arkansas Infantry. Gen. Kirby Smith consolidated these two regiments, and they were known thenceforth until the surrender in May, 1865, as Shaver's Infantry Regiment.[5] The unit was inducted into Confederate Service on September 21, 1862 at Jacksonport, Arkansas. The unit was composed of volunteer companies from the follwing counties:[6]
Company A, Commanded by Captain James L. Sexton, organized at Lauratown, Arkansas on 17 June 1862.
Company B, Commanded by Captain Joshua Wann, organized in Lawrence County, Arkansas on 19 Jul 1862.
Company C, Commanded by Captain James J. Wyatt, organized at Camp Adams, Randolph County, Arkansas on 19 July 1862 .
Company D, Commanded by Captain William J. Sanders, organized at Smithville, Arkansas on 19 July 1862 .
Company E, Commanded by Captain M. Beshoar, organized in Pocahontas, Randolph County, Arkansas on 8 July 1862 .
Company F, Commanded by Captain Alfred Gay organized in Evening Shade, Arkansas on 16 Jul 1862.
Company G, Commanded by Captain John R. Wells, organized in Powhatan, Lawrence County, Arkansas on June 7, 1862.
Company H, Commanded by Captain William A. Black, organized in Randolph County, Arkansas on July 15, 1862.[7]
Company I, Commanded by Captain R. W. Echols, organized in Independence County, Arkansas on August 6, 1862.[8]
Company K, Commanded by Captain Louis E. Knight, organized at Sulphur Rock, Arkansas on 7 Aug 1862.
Company L, ???
Company M, Formerly organized as Company F, 10th Missouri Infantry Regiment.[9]