In her sworn pension application, Jacob Cooper Moles' widow claimed on 1-21-1915 that “He was wounded in the battle of ‘Peach Orchard’ but recovered.”
I originally thought she meant at Prairie Grove. (In that battle, Moles was 1st lieutenant of company “B” of Chew’s Sharpshooters, which was attached to Hawthorne’s Regiment). Col. Hawthorne explained that his regiment, “drove the enemy from the battery, out of the thicket, through a little Orchard.” (written 12-13-1862, published 1-1-1863, Mobile Advertiser and Register).
However, a wounded/casualty list of Hawthorne’s regiment at Prairie Grove was published in the True Democrat (12-31-62) and Moles is not listed as wounded. So was there an orchard at another battle in he fought?
On 12-16-62, he was promoted to captain of Co. K, Hawthorne’s regiment. By August, 64 he was Lieutenant Colonel of Polk’s Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry (letter, 6-3-1911 from War Dept. inserted into his widow’s pension. I don’t know what source the War Dept used back in 1911). There are no military references (that I know of) after Nov. 1864, but he was honorably dismissed at Ft. Smith around May 65. He was identified as Colonel J.C. Moles. (Ark Gazette, 7-26-1875, Southern Standard, 9-30-1876, headstone, etc.) Are there any clues to learn precisely when he was promoted to Lt. Colonel and/or Colonel?
His military record reports him as present in Hawthorne’s, later Cocke’s, later Polk's regiment until the last surviving muster roll, 2-29-64. Since he was present on the muster rolls, and until the end of the war (according to the pension), I am assuming he was present with his regiment when they fought at Helena, Little Rock (September 10, 1863), Jenkins Ferry (April 30, 1864), and any skirmish. Is there a wounded list or references to an orchard for any of the aforementioned battles?
Thank you so much for any clues or information.