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Little Rock Nov. 13th 1861.
To His Excellency H. M. Rector, Governor of the State of Arkansas and President of the Military Board &c.
Having learned with surprise that you have received no report of my actions as Inspector general of the State of Arkansas with regard to my action in the north west part of this state in the inspection and mustering in of Gen. N. Bart Pearce’s brigade of Arkansas volunteers in the service of said state. I beg leave to be allowed to submit the following report to wit:
On the 15th day of June I received order No. 98, issued by the military board and directed to me, bearing date June 10th, 1861 ordering me into service as inspector &c., and directing me to report myself immediately to the military board for further orders. Immediately upon receiving said order I repaired to Little Rock. On the 21st day of June 1861, I was ordered to repair with dispatch to the Head Quarters of Gen. N. Bart Pearce, commanding State Troops upon the western Frontier. I was further ordered to inspect the regiment of volunteers at Fort Smith, and the two regiments understood to have been formed in Benton County, also the independent companies of artillery then on that line. I was also ordered to inspect and muster into service the companies of cavalry then present, and to organize them into a battalion or a regiment according to the number of companies then present. I was further ordered that as the military board had determined not to accept of any men companies, for a less period than twelve months that I would discharge from the service all companies that had been received for a less period, unless said companies would agree to volunteer for twelve months in that _____. I was to muster them into service, their enlistment dating back to their original entry into service. I was further ordered to explain to each individual offering himself as a volunteer that he was expected to give his consent to be transferred to the Confederate State service should occasion require. When in he would be required to serve for the same period as in the State service, and I was further ordered inspect the quartermaster and commissary stores at each post or cantonment that I might visit, and to have made out statements and returns of all public property there on hand, and estimate of what was necessary for the full equipment and comfort of the troops, and I was further ordered to make out the necessary muster rolls, &c.
Immediately upon receiving said order I repaired to Fort Smith Arkansas. Upon my arrival I found that General Pearce had removed his head quarters to Camp Walker, Benton County, Arkansas. Immediately upon my arrival in Fort Smith I visited upon Major Grace and Major Spring, General Pearce’s commissary and quartermaster general, and informed them that upon my return from Camp Walker that I would require statements of amount of public property and estimate of what was necessary in their departments. Finding no regiment in Fort Smith and only a few companies which were either just taking the route or preparing to do so for Camp Walker, I proceeded without delay to that point. When I arrived on the evening preceding the last day of said month of June, the next day was the day set apart for the regular muster. I proceeded with the assistance of General Pearce to inspect and muster the forces there assembled, when I found that General Pearce had not in his command a single organized regiment. It is true that several weeks prior to this time Col. De Rosy Carroll had been elected colonel of the regiment of cavalry then in General Pearce’s command, but he had been elected by artillery, cavalry and infantry, which whole election irregular and void, and in justice to Colonel Carroll I must say that he stated to me that if the election was irregular that he was perfectly willing to have the election a second time, which was afterwards done and he was again elected. I also found that, with the exception of Capt. Arthur Carroll’s company, the companies composing said regiment had been received for but six months. I also found what was afterwards known as the 3d Arkansas Regiment under command of the senior captain, having elected no field officers as yet. I found them to be well drilled, and in appearance a very effective body of men, and they had also been received for but the period of six months. I also found three other companies not yet embodied with any battalion or regiment. This was the whole force that I found upon my arrival in General Pearce’s command, barely enough to form two regiments and none of them organized, for in Colonel Carroll’s regiment there was no lieutenant-colonel or major, although several weeks had elapsed since General Pearce had ordered an election for colonel in said regiment. In pursuance of my orders I inquired among the officers and men composing the companies who had volunteered for six months as to whether they were willing to go in for twelve months, and I found that they were not willing. I also found that General Pearce had received said troops into the service without having sworn them except the officers. I stated to the men that they would have to be sworn in before they could be considered soldiers. This seemed to excite them and they stated that they would not be sworn; if their patriotism could not be relied on, that they would leave. I informed General Pearce of this and also exhibited and called his attention to that part of my orders directing me to muster out of the service the six months men. As to the swearing in of the men he stated that the idea of swearing in volunteers was a matter unheard of, that it was _____ _____ of volunteer men than had ever been required before, and insisted that the men were regularly mustered into service, as to mustering out of the six months men he stated that he would be compelled to and would disobey that part of my orders. This occurred about the 2nd day of July 1861. As far as regards the willingness of the troops to be transferred to the Confederate States service is concerned, in obedience to my orders herein before referred to, as well as to your Excellency’s verbal instructions (for as you informed me that this was the particular object the military board had in view in sending me up to General Pearce’s brigade, I enquired of both of officers and men and found them nearly all anxious to be so transferred, and continued so up to the Battle of the Oak Hills. Prior to leaving for the north west part of the state I appointed J. C. Johnson my assistant, which appointment was by your excellency approved. On the 3d day of July 1861, I was sent for by Generals McCulloch and Pearce, who informed me that the enemy were between Governor Jackson, of Missouri, and the state of Arkansas, and was within a short distance of our border. General McCulloch stated that troops raised under his proclamation had rendezvoused at Fayetteville, that he and General Pearce were on the eve of starting to the assistance of Jackson, and that the Springfield and Fayetteville road must be guarded, as when they left the State all that part of the border of Arkanssas would be left defenseless, and that he had no offer to take command of his troops at Fayetteville and requested me to take that command, General Pearce joining in the request. I consented, and they each gave me written authority to take command of all the forces belonging to either that I might find at Fayetteville or upon the border where General Pearce had stationed one or two companies. I immediately repaired to Fayetteville and took the route with such forces as had assembled for Missouri, where I remained some ten days but before leaving Camp Walker I dispatched a report of the state of affairs in General Pearce’s brigade, directed to your Excellency, and sent it to Fayetteville to be mailed. Upon leaving Camp Walker I left Captain Johnson to make out the muster rolls and to muster in such companies as might come into General Pearce’s command, and gave him full instructions as to the manner in which they were to be mustered into the service. He concerning that he occupied but the position of a subordinate officer instead of agent of the military board, stated to me that he mustered the companies in accordance with the orders of General Pearce, and consequently did not carry out the orders of the board in swearing in the men. Before closing this report I must state in self defense, for without any explanation it would seem that the whole blame rests upon my shoulders as I had failed to accomplish the mission upon which I was sent. I was in the first place unable to swear General Pearce’s men if they were not willing, nor to muster them out if he was unwilling, and with our border threatened as it was did I think it prudent to try. In the next place with regard to my taking the field instead of attending to the musters. As ordered by your excellency, General Sigel with six thousand troops was between the Missouri forces and our own border. In the Missouri troops was our dependence at that time to keep the enemy out of Arkansas. If they were defeated the last obstacle was removed from their path to our border, and we had no force at that time to oppose them but Mcculloch’s two regiments and the small command of General Pearce, and some two hundred emergency men at Fayetteville and Sugar Creek. With these emergency men I hoped to and am happy to state did draw off strong reinforcements from General Sigel. Believing that I could greatly _____ the intent of the state by taking this command I did so. Before I returned our troops were in motion towards Missouri and, being elected lieutenant-colonel in C.S. service, I was unable to further carry out your orders.
Respect. your obt. servant,
D. McRAE.