I have not run across "Official Orders" in my studies as I can remember. However, it is my impression his command of that Battalion was more or less an afterthought of the command structure in Little Rock as to what to do with two "ophan" companies down at Pine Bluff. I believe that higher command had bigger things in the works for Lt. Col William Crawford than the command of a small battalion of only two Companies.

Originally I believe that Col Crawford was sent to command this Battalion to raise it a Regiment. The prospects of garnering that number of enlistees in Southeast Arkansas with the conscript law were good at the time. But the order by Gen. Holmes to Gen Roane in Sept '62 and the move to Clarendon and St. Charles seem to have stopped that process. With the events of late 1862 and January 1863, Crawfords Battalion became more or less an arm of Portlocks 24th Arkansas Infantry. With the loss of so many men from the 24th Ark. due to sickness at Sulphur Spring, Clarendon and St Charles, Crawfords Battalion seemed to act as a manpower reserve for the 24th.

I believe that during this time Col. Crawfords was recalled to Little Rock, But I do not have an exact date. But I believe it was in maybe early December. I do not know if Col Crawford ever returned to his command before Arkansas Post or not. I don't believe he did. In any case his command was effectively broken up with part of the command marching off to Arkansas Post with the 24th Arkansas just to surrender and go north to Prison while the rest returned to Pine Bluff to be organized into what was to become Charles Dawson's/William Hardy's 19th and 24th Arkansas Infantry regiments consolidated.