Enlisted as a Private
He was listed as:
POW 7/4/1863 Helena, AR*
"B" Co. AR 6th Infantry (Died of smallpox)
Other Information:
Buried: West Alton, IL
* Also of the five men captured was Private W. A. Cook
Sources used by Historical Data Systems, Inc.:
- Index to Compiled Confederate Military Service Records
- Research by R. Ross Houston
........
William Cook, Private, Company B, 6th Arkansas Infantry, captured at Helena, Ark. July 4, 1863, died December 2, 1863 of Small Pox at Alton Military Prison, no other records
M317 : Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Arkansas
........
HELENA, ARK.
JULY 4TH, 1863
Helena, Ark., July 4, 1863. 13th Division, 13th Army
Corps, and the Gunboat Tyler. Ten days prior to the attack on
Helena Maj.-Gen. B. M. Prentiss, commanding the post there,
learned that the Confederates under Holmes, Price, Marmaduke,
Fagan and Parsons were contemplating an attack on the
garrison. He made his preparations accordingly, causing rifle
pits and breastworks to be thrown up and four outlying
batteries to be stationed on the bluffs west of the city, to
be designated by the letters A, B, C and D. At 3 a.m. of the
4th the Federal pickets were attacked by the enemy's
skirmishers and after an hour were obliged to fall back to the
intrenchments. The Confederate attack was massed against
batteries C and D, the former especially being the objective
point. Twice it was charged by the enemy, and twice the
assaulting party was thrown back, but on the third attempt the
gunners were driven from their pieces. Another charge of the
same nature was made on Battery D, but the Confederates
wavered and started to fall back, when the Federal troops in
the battery sallied out, surrounded and captured three times
their number. The men who had been driven from battery C,
together with a dismounted detachment of the 1st Ind. cavalry,
charged that battery and recaptured it, taking a large number
of prisoners. About 10:30 a.m. the enemy withdrew.
Skirmishing was kept up until 2 p.m. to cover his retreat,
when all firing ceased. The Confederates had been under a
galling fire from the four batteries, Fort Curtis and the
gunboat Tyler for four hours and their losses were
consequently heavy; Holmes reported his casualties as 173
killed, 687 wounded and 776 missing, but Prentiss states that
his troops buried 400 of the enemy's dead and captured some
1,200. The Federal casualties were 57 killed, 146 wounded and
36 captured or missing. The garrison consisted of 4,129 men
and the attacking force of 7,646.
Source: The Union Army, vol. 5
...........
Sixth Arkansas infantry
The Sixth Arkansas infantry regiment was organized
at Little Rock in June, 1861, by the election of Capt.
Richard Lyon, of Company H, colonel; A. T. Haw-
thorn, lieutenant-colonel; D. L. Kilgore, captain Com-
pany G, major. C. A. Bridewell was appointed adjutant
and John F. Ritchie, quartermaster. Company A, of
Little Rock, Capt. G. N. Peay, First Lieut. J. E. Rear-
don, Second Lieut. D. C. Fulton, Third Lieut. J. B. Lock-
man. Company B, Calhoun county, Capt. P. H. Echols,
First Lieut. C. A. Bridewell, Second Lieut. H. Hogan.
(This company refused to enter the Confederate service,
but Lieutenant Bridewell, being adjutant, continued with
the regiment.) Company C, Dallas Rifles, Capt. F. J.
Cameron (promoted colonel), First Lieut. Mathew M.
Duffle (promoted captain and major), Second Lieut. Nick
Ketchum, Third Lieut. Robert A. Lea. Company D,
Ouachita county, Capt. J. W. Kingswell, First Lieut.
J. H. Scroggins, Second Lieut. E. N. Hill, Third Lieut.
J. H. Croxton. Company E, Arkansas county, Capt.
Sam G. Smith (promoted colonel), First Lieut. William
F. Douglas, Second Lieut. J. T. Armstrong, Third Lieut.
Charles Notrebe. Company F, LaFayette county, Capt.
Sam H. Dill, First Lieut. E. B. Rutherford, Second
Lieut. Thomas Brown, Third Lieut. R. A. Strickland.
Company G, Magnolia county, Capt. J. W. Austin, First
Lieut. Nick J. Gantt, Second Lieut. Thomas Seay, Third
Lieut. Sam E. Miller. Company H, Camden, Capt. S. H.
Southerland, First Lieut. E. W. Elliott, Second Lieut.
A. J. Griggs. Company I, Union county, Capt. Sam
Turner, First Lieut. E. H. Parks, Second Lieut. Joseph
Goodwin, Third Lieut. Thomas Lockett. Company K,
Ouachita county, Capt. Hope T. Hodnett, First Lieut.
James Barnes, Second Lieut. Joseph W. Martin. After
the reorganization the regiment was marched to Poca-
hontas. Measles broke out in camp, of which a great
many died. In September, 186r, the regiment was trans-
ferred to Confederate service in the brigade commanded
by Brig. -Gen. William J. Hardee. After a raid into
Missouri it returned and camped a short time at Pitman's
Ferry, on Current river. The latter part of September,
1861, the brigade was moved to southeast Missouri;
thence by boat to Columbus, Ky., arriving about October
3d. From there it was sent to Cave City, Barren county,
Ky., where it spent the winter of 1861. While camped
there the Sixth Arkansas regiment smelled its first pow-
der, and that deep affection for Terry's Texas Rangers and
Swett's Mississippi battery was formed, which lasts until
now. Colonel Lyon was killed October ro, 1861, by his
horse falling over a precipice with him, while superintend-
ing the crossing of his regiment over the Tennessee river.
Lieut.-Col. A. T. Hawthorn became colonel, Capt. Gor-
don N. Peay, of Company A, lieutenant-colonel, and
Capt. F. J. Cameron, major. While camped at Cave City
the Sixth Arkansas regiment supported the Eighth Texas
cavalry (Terry's Rangers) and Swett's Mississippi battery
on December 17th, at Woodsonville, Ky., when Colonel
Terry was killed. It occupied this advanced position
until the fall of Fort Donelson, when it returned with the
balance of the army under Gen. A. S. Johnston to Cor-
inth, Miss. Brig.-Gen. W. J. Hardee having been pro-
moted to major-general, Col. T. C. Hindman, of the
Second Arkansas, was promoted to brigadier-general, and
held command until he was made major-general, when
Col. R. G. Shaver was placed in command of the brigade
and led it gallantly at the bloody battle of Shiloh, General
Hindman commanding the division. When Corinth was
evacuated, the brigade retreated to Tupelo, Miss., where
it remained until the latter part of July, 1862. Then the
regiment was sent to Chattanooga with General Bragg,
and from there on the Kentucky campaign. It was pres-
ent when 4,500 Federals surrendered at Munfordville,
Ky., and was in line at Perryville, where Adjt. Sampson
Harris, of Company A, was mortally wounded. Sergt.
W. W. Carter, of Company A, was promoted to lieuten-
ant and succeeded Lieutenant Harris as adjutant. Before
the regiment left Corinth, Miss., about zoo of the Twelfth
Arkansas regiment were organized into two companies
and placed in the Sixth. In December, at Shelbyville,
they were sent back to their own regiment, which had been
exchanged. This reduced the Sixth considerably, and it
was consolidated with the Seventh Arkansas infantry,
about December 15, 1862. The regiment was engaged
in the battle of Murfreesboro, December 31, 1862, and
January I and 2, 1863 ; and in the spring advanced to Bell-
buckle, where it remained until June 24, 1863, when it
was hastily ordered to the front to Liberty Gap, where it
found the Fifth Arkansas struggling with a large force.
It retreated from middle Tennessee to south of Tennessee
river, went into camp at Chickamauga station, a few miles
from Chattanooga, and remained there until about the
1st of September, when Bragg began maneuvering for
the battle of Chickamauga. The regiment was engaged,
actually, or in line of battle, all through the Georgia cam-
paign, and was at Franklin and Nashville, Tenn. From
there to the surrender at Greensboro, N. C., April 26,
1865, this brigade was one regiment.
Source: Confederate Military History, vol. XIV, p. 298
..........
Helena, AR after action report:
Report of Col. A. T. Hawthorn, Arkansas Infantry.
CAMP NEAR BAYOU DE VIEW, July 9, 1863.
SIR: In obedience to orders from brigade headquarters, I have the honor
to submit the following report of the part my regiment took in the action
at Helena on the 4th instant.
At 11 p. m. on the night of the 3d, we left our encampment, 6 miles
from Helena, and marched to take up our position in front of the
intrenchments, my regiment being in the advance. The road over which
we passed (known as the Hill road, from Little Rock to Helena) was
extremely rugged, and it was not without considerable difficulty and
great fatigue to the men that we succeeded in getting within 1 mile of
the enemy's intrenchments. At this point I found the road blockaded
with fallen timber to such an extent that I halted the brigade of which I
was temporarily in command, sent Capt. Miller's company of cavalry,
which had been in advance, to the rear, and sent forward Capt. P. G.
Roper's company (A), deployed as skirmishers. Gen. Fagan now
arrived at the head of the column, and ordering all the field and staff to
dismount, we moved forward as rapidly as possible toward keeping well
in advance of the main body. At 4.05 a. m. my skirmishers reported the
enemy in sight. By order of Gen. Fagan, I moved my regiment in
double-quick by the right flank along the crest of a ridge running at
right angles with the road and parallel with the enemy's first line of
intrenchments, and, without halting, so soon as my left had passed the
road I moved by the left flank in line of battle toward the enemy.
Without waiting for the other regiments of the brigade to form, I gave
the order to charge, which was responded to by loud shouts along my
entire line. The men dashed down the steep declivity amid a perfect
storm of bullets, climbed step by step over vast piles of fallen timber up
the rugged sides of almost perpendicular hills, and finally, after
unheard-of toil and fatigue, scaled the opposing height and drove the
enemy in consternation from their first line of defenses. Here I waited
to recruit my men, whose strength was very much exhausted, and to
give Col. [S. S.] Bell time to form his regiment and move up on my
left. As soon as Col. Bell informed me that he was ready, our two
regiments moved forward together, and, after encountering and
overcoming obstacles similar to and even greater than those in front of
the first line of rifle-pits, drove the enemy out and took possession of
their second line. Col. [J. P.] King had, by order of Gen. Fagan,
under a heavy and constant fire, and after almost superhuman exertions,
placed his regiment 200 or 300 yards beyond my extreme right, partly
in rear of the enemy's third line of intrenchments and nearly at right
angles with the position occupied by Col. Bell's regiment and mine.
I sent a courier to communicate with him, w ho returned with the
gratifying intelligence that his regiment was in position, and was ready
and anxious to charge the enemy. The three regiments now moved
forward with a shout, and notwithstanding the steep hill-sides covered
with immense masses of fallen timber, up and over which we had to
climb, and notwithstanding the perfect hail-storm of bullets that assailed
us at every step, we soon drove the enemy out of his third line of
defense. We soon rallied our exhausted troops, reformed our broken
lines, and again charged the enemy, driving him from his fourth line of
intrenchments. It was now about 7 a. m. My regiment had been hotly
engaged for nearly three hours. The men were completely exhausted.
Numbers had fainted from excessive heat and fatigue. Many had been
killed and wounded, and a large majority in each of our three regiments
were utterly unable to fight any longer. We began to be discouraged.
From the very commencement of the action we had been listening for
the guns of Gen.'s Price, Marmaduke, and Walker, but thus far we
had listened in vain. Every brigade, except ours, had failed to attack at
daylight, as ordered. Even the very guns on Graveyard Hill were
wheeled around and directed against our lines, which they swept again
and again from one end to the other with grape and canister. Just at this
moment the scene changed. Heavy and rapid volleys of musketry were
heard on our left. Gen. Fagan announced to us that our friends were
storming Graveyard Hill, and ordered us to move forward at once. Our
men responded with a shout, dashed down into the deep ravine, climbed
the steep sides of the opposite hill, and just as the noble brigades of
Parsons and McRae swept in triumph across the face of Graveyard Hill,
drove the enemy from his fifth and last line of ride-pits back to his forts
and under cover of his siege guns. An attempt was now made by Gen. Fagan to
capture the fort on Hindman's Hill, which was immediately in our front, but
our men were too much exhausted, and our numbers too few. The attack was
unsuccessful, and resulted in the death and capture of many valuable
officers and men.
It was here that Capt. Walton Watkins, commanding Company D, of my
regiment, was killed while gallantry leading this last and most desperate
charge. His conduct throughout the engagement had been chivalrous and
manly; so much so as to attract universal attention and admiration.
Here also I lost the services of Maj. John B. Cocke, who was severely
wounded and compelled to retire from the field. It affords me much
pleasure to bear testimony to the coolness, courage, and efficiency of
this gallant officer. His services throughout that desperate fight were
invaluable, and his absence was most keenly and sensibly felt.
Lieuts. Richard J. Shaddock, [W. H.] Hinson, [L. R.] Kinniard, and [J.
N.] Thompson* were killed while bravely fighting at their posts.
But to return to the fight. Graveyard Hill was evacuated soon after it
was taken. The other positions to the left of that hill that were to have
been taken at daylight had not even been attacked. The firing had ceased
at all points, except the firing of our brigade and that of our enemies
directed against us. This latter was now most terrific, and the whole
force of the enemy seemed to be directed against our little band. Yet,
notwithstanding their vast superiority in numbers and position,
notwithstanding the repeated attempts of the enemy to flank our position,
both on the right and on the left, we held our position firmly for three
long hours.
At 10.30 a. m. I received an order from Gen. Fagan to withdraw my
regiment from the field. I had marched some 40 or 50 paces, in
compliance with this order, when I received another, requiring me to
leave a small guard to cover our retreat. I called for volunteers, but no
one responding, I returned, myself, and with 9 men, who volunteered
to accompany me, kept up a fire upon the enemy for twenty minutes
longer. The ammunition was now expended, and I thought it prudent to
retire. The enemy were close upon us and advancing from all points.
Not a moment was to be lost. We retreated as rapidly as possible, but
as we descended the first hill the enemy assailed us with a terrible
volley of musketry. Three of our little party fell to rise no more. The
remaining 6, myself, and a Yankee prisoner, whom we had kept with
us all the time, succeeded in making our escape.
My officers and men, with but few exceptions, deported themselves with
great gallantry.
My loss, so far as I have been able to ascertain, is as follows: Killed,
20; wounded, 70; missing, 43.+
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
A. T. HAWTHORN,
Col., Cmdg. Regt.
Capt. WYATT C. THOMAS, Assistant Adjutant-Gen.
Source: Official Records
PAGE 427-32 MO., ARK., KANS., IND. T., AND DEPT. N. W. [CHAP. XXXIV.
[Series I. Vol. 22. Part I, Reports. Serial No. 32.]