Barney Ford (1833-1911) was residing in Independence County, Arkansas, when the war started. He served as a second lieutenant in Co. B, 1st Arkansas Regiment 30-Day Volunteers, from November 19 to December 18, 1861. He next enlisted as a second lieutenant in Co. G, 27th (Shaler's) Arkansas Infantry, at Mount Olive, Arkansas, on May 12, 1862, and was successively promoted to first lieutenant and captain. He was dropped from the roll pursuant to General Orders No. 39, Headquarters Tappan's Brigade, dated November 18, 1863, for allegedly "having deserted his command while at Camp Mitchell." There are questions about the veracity of the charge against him. Col. James R. Shaler, a Missourian commanding the 27th Arkansas, was universally despised by his men. Shaler had a number of run-ins with his company officers, and it is supposed that Ford was a victim of Shaler's retribution.
At any rate, Ford was later elected lieutenant-colonel of Ford's Battalion "Missouri" Cavalry on August 27, 1864. Ford's battalion has been mis-categorized as a Missouri unit, when it was in fact an Arkansas unit, raised by Barney Ford in the Arkansas counties of Fulton, Independence, Izard, Jackson and Lawrence. I believe it was mis-identified because upon its organization it was reported as "Ford's Battalion Cavalry, Freeman's Missouri Brigade". The battalion's only significant combat was during Price's Missouri campaign in the Fall of 1864. Beyond that, the battalion engaged in small unit skirmishes and ambushes. They were so successful that the Feds labeled them as guerrillas; however, Ford and his men were regularly mustered Confederate soldiers. Lieutenant-Colonel Ford surrendered his battalion at Jacksonport, Arkansas, where they were paroled on June 5, 1865.
Ford afterwards moved to Texas, where he died on December 23, 1911. He is interred in Little Saline Cemetery, Menard County, Texas. He was a native of Tennessee.
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