Crawford’s Bn [Inf]
LtCol Wm A Crawford
Wm H Dupuy Adj
Wm Standfield aqm
6/5/62 - Capt Joseph Ingram, Co A -6/5 appointed as per roster dtd 9/12
Bryan Howerton’s post of 10/3/01--Alexander Maxwell enrolled in Capt Ingram's Co at Paraclifta, on 6/5. The company was mustered into Confederate service at Pine Bluff, 6/23, as Co A, Crawford's Bn Ark Inf. Those members of Crawford's Bn who escaped capture at Ark Post were assigned to Co. A, Hardy's Regt Ark Inf, about 2/8/63.
6/16/62 Little Rock, Special Orders #6-Army of the South West-
Capt L A Weatherford is authorized to organize a Company of inf in Bradley County for CSA and report the same at once to Pine Bluff and there report by courier or telegraph to here
[Apptd 7/15 Capt of Co B, Crawford’s Ark Iny Bn]
6/25/62 Hindman to Col Grinstead-move at once to Pine Bluff as many Companies as you have armed and as many more as you can arm to the number of 10-these 10 will constitute your regt you are to remain behind and raise and organize an additional regt if practical-this is urgent
7/11/62 Hindman’s staff officer to Gen Rust- In the reorganization now being effected, the cdg Gen intends that each bgde shall consist of three Regts of Infy one btry of arty and one sqdrn of cav converting the excess of cavalry above this allotment to infantry ASAP and send the horses home…
.....to give you a full understanding of what is intended, I am thinking of forming still another Ark bgde to be composed of Grinstead’s regt, Dawson’s regt, and the various loose companies in south Ark.
7/12/62- S.O. #31 Army of the Southwest
Col R Shaver is assigned to the command of the bgde to be composed of Col Grinstead’s Ark Regt, Dawson’s Ark Regt and an additional Regt to be composed of the companies under command of Col Whittington, the surplus companies with Col Dawson and other Companies in Col Grinstead's and Gen Roan’s district.
7/15/62-Muster in Co B, Crawford’s Bn-Capt L A Weatherford 7/15 appointed as per roster dtd 9/12
7/17/62 Hindman to Col Grinstead-The companies of Captains Brown & Quick of Polk & Pike companies have been ordered to Pine Bluff. You are to move to same place with those of your command where they will be org into a regt with other Companies if necessary by Col Shaver cdg. There who will consult with you as to field officers and report thru Gen Roan
7/18/62 Hindman to Col Grinstead cdg SW Ark-The extra companies of Dawson’s regiment and the extra Companies raised by you will be formed into a regiment, and in case there are not enough of them, other Companies will be taken from other districts
This however will be settled by Col Shaver whom you will report to at Pine Bluff or Gen Roan if he has arrived
7/18/62 Hindman to Col Grinstead-move at once to Pine Bluff with the balance of your regt and the all of extra Companies raised by you w/o decaying to get arms for them suspend the raising of Companies in your district but continue conscripting w/o affording them the opportunity of forming Companies among themselves but to be put in Companies already org at the discretion of Hindman
7/18/62 Hindman’sletter book references to Col Grinstead
-letter ref Capt Brown’s and Hicks’ Companies being ordered to Pine Bluff and for Grinstead to move asap
-his recommendation of D Millan as asst surgeon appd
-letter ordering you to move to Pine Bluff at once without waiting for arms
-letter in regard to forming Dawson’s extra Companies and your extra companies into a regt
7/19/62 Hindman to Col Shaver -suspending raising companies in Roan’s district
7/21/62 Crawford resigns his position as LtCol of Fagan’s 1st Ark
7/25/62 Pine Bluff-“We are camped 9 miles west of Pine Bluff. There are about 3000 of us - a part of Col Grinstead’s command and Col Dawson’s Regt…
-We marched here. It was hot, dry and tiresome sure...
-Address to Pine Bluff, Grinstead’s Regt c/o Col McMillan
-P.S. Our Regt has not been numbered yet but our letters should reach here alright.”
8/2/62 Special Orders #54-Army of the South West
VIII Brig Gen Roan is assigned to the command of the troops at Camp White Sulphur and will establish his hdqrs. there
IX the following arrangement of the troops at Camp White Sulphur is announced
First Bgde-Col Shaver cmdg.:
1 Dawsons’ Regt Ark Inf
2 Grinstead’s “ “
3 Portlock’s “ “
Hart's Battery
8/11/62 LtCol Crawford apptd-Hindman to Shaver at Pine Bluff-LtCol W. A. Crawford has been directed to report to you for command of the additional companies with Dawson’s and Grinstead.
-Doyle Taylor post 2001 in response to Bryan Howerton- …the 33rd Ark originally had 11 companies; the "extra" company was transferred to Crawford’s Battalion in August '62 and became basically Co "B" of that unit. And where I have found names with proper documentations you have included them in your rolls.
8/13/62 Reorganization of 19th Ark
8/20/62 Asst Surgeon Junius Bragg apptd- became a surgeon for Crawford's Bn when the 33rd Arkansas moved to Sulphur Springs.
Dr Bragg's daughter writes: ". . . in May 1861, he enlisted in Company G of the Eleventh Arkansas Infantry as a private. After organization of the regiment in Little Rock, he was appointed assistant surgeon. . . After the evacuation of New Madrid and the fall of Island No. 10, he barely escaped . . .he returned to Camden and was Examining Officer for awhile. Soon he was assigned to field duty with Col. Crawford's Battalion which was sent to Arkansas Post.
9/3/62 Camp White Sulphur, Dear Sister-I have been sick with chills and fever again.
We have been buying peaches here a 1.00 bushel and the boys eat about 100 bushels each day. We eat them raw and cooked and made into pies. I suppose that you have learned from D.B. Coulter that our company has been consolidated into another.
Dave and Lude left here for home. I know how prejudiced the people were against us before we left and under those circumstances I would not have gone home if I had been put in as a private. I am a 2nd Lt., but up for promotion to 1st right away. Our Capt is named Ingram and he is from this neighborhood. I have never heard another word about Henry. I was very much grieved to learn of the news Richard Thornton brought home. I hope it is not so.
A good many of the conscripts are home sick and asking for discharges. I never saw the like in my life. Stout and able bodied men will starve themselves, get dirty and lousy, and look as bad as possible just for an excuse to go home.
If you can get any sort of material please make me some sort of suit. Anything will do. You can cut some of Pa's trimmings off his uniform for mine. Get me a blanket also. Do not decorate my uniform too much or the superior officers will make me give the buttons and braid to them. Put one or two large needles in my package so that I can patch and darn all my rips. Direct to me at Pine Bluff - Col Crawford’s Bn.
9/12/62 Camp White Sulphur from Col Grinstead to Gen Hindman-The extra Companies that I raised–you said I would be asked to recommend officers for them to Shaver and Roan-The men in these Companies are dissatisfied and want someone from Ark as their cdr vs Col “Padlock” [ Portlock] -that Col Shaver had been directed to consult with me as to their officer appts and afterwards the same thing with Gen Roan
9/12/62 date of roster - Capt Joseph Ingram had been apptd Capt of Co A
9/24/62 S O #4-Hdqrs Dist of Ark -A Sgt of Capt Ingram’s Co, Crawford’s Bn detached for special duty as are 2 men of Nutt’s independent Company
9/28/62 par XIII. Dawson's Regt & Crawford's Bn… will report to Col Dunnington for duty in the Fortifications. Col Garland will afford him whatever aid may be necessary, and these officers are charged to act in concert with each other
10/6/62 Hindman to Col Garland- …stay where you are till 10/9 then return to Arkansas Post with all the force of your own command and Roan's command except Grinstead's regiment Ark Inf which has been detached- Upon arrival at Arkansas Post, and upon application of Col Dunnington, you will turn over to him, Col Dawson's regt, Crawford's bn and Clarkson's Co of sappers & miners
10/7/62 Dear Father-I drop you a few lines. We started from Camp Sulphur last Thursday, making our way toward Des Arc on White River.
It rained on us all evening yesterday and day before. We have had the worst roads I ever saw. This country through here is all low and flat. We will go across the prairie and camp at Rock R? 7 miles this side of (Clarendon?). We hear that 6000 Confederates are crossing there going east and 8000 at Des Ark. Col Garland’s Bgde of Texas troops that were at Ark Post are moving in the same direction.
Col Dawson and Col Raines are cdg. We have had a rough time since leaving Pine Bluff…
10/14/62 Wm Standfield aqm Crawford’s Bn signs for food stuffs for Crawford’s Bn at Ark Post
11/2/62 Post of Ark, Dear Sister-I sent you a letter by Mr. Maxwell who was going to Paraclifta. Hope it reached you all right.
We have built 8 log huts for our company and ours is nearly completed. Then one for the officers-There are no planks for floors and we will have to make scaffolds to sleep upon. I am proud of this bed tick. Shall fill it with shucks and sleep like a horse.
It has not rained in some time and I am glad for we have no shelters until our huts are complete. We walked to this place from Sulphur Springs (near Pine Bluff) and I was wet the entire time. The country was covered with water and we waded knee deep in water as cold as Indgins.
They are putting up the best fortifications here I ever saw. They are building houses 3 feet thick and covered over with dirt. Our fort will hold 7000 men and has 5000 in it now. We have 6 or 7 hundred negroes working here on it now. Guess we will be here all winter unless we attack Helena.
Col Garland’s Texas Reg has a good brass band and we enjoy their music. I am in receipt of a letter from Dr. Pettigrew in which he states that Pa tells him Col Gant had written him that Henry was alive and well. I was so happy to hear it. Do wish the little boy was here with me. I also received a letter from Capt J. S. Walker yesterday in which he stated that he would start in a few days across the river. I do wish I could go with him but my Co is not willing for me to leave. I would have to go into Little Rock to see Gen Holmes before I could get off, so I will remain here. I can do as much service here as I could over there anyhow. Capt Walker writes that many of our boys are dead. Mr. Wilkerson brought me your letter - the first time I had heard from home since leaving Sulphur Springs. A boat going up to Helena yesterday loaded with prisoners passed back today full of ladies. They say the Yanks are fortifying Helena.
The woods are full of girls here. Col Garland has tried to rid the country of them but they return every time they are driven off. I wish I could go home. Maybe next Christmas I can get off - if I live. As soon as this river rises we may expect Yankee gun boats and then the fun will commence.
12/12/62 Organization of the Army of the Trans-Miss Dept
2nd Division-Churchill
3rd Bgde Dunnington
19th Ark Dawson
24th Ark Portlock
Crawford’s (Ark) Bn
Marine Btry
Nutt’s La cav
12/25/62 [after]-Surgeon Bragg “Letters of a Confederate Surgeon”-
-reference to Capt Nutt of our bgde
-Crawford went to Little Rock yesterday to see if “Mother Holmes” would not give him about 4 more Companies of the new conscripts.
1/22/63 HQs Trans-Miss Dept, Little Rock, Special Order # 21
Lt Col William A Crawford of Crawford's Bn Ark Infantry, will report for duty without delay to Major General T C Hindman. By command of Lt Gen Holmes
3/17/73 Crawford appears on company roster of Harrell’s Bn Ark cav-formerly Co A of Crawford’s Bn-signs as LtCol inspector & mustering officer
4/3/63 Little Rock-purchase of personal item-Crawford signs cdg independent cavalry
12/30/63 Crawford apptd/elected Col-1st Ark Cav [Crawford’s] [aka 10th]-org 12/30/63 at Camden
Jan/Feb 64-Col 1st Ark--Crawford
Sources:
Surgeon Bragg “Letters of a Confederate Surgeon
Compiled Service Records
Official Records
The Alexander Papers
Abernathy Confederate Letters