Organization of troops in the Department of the Missouri, commanded by Maj. Gen. John M. Schofield, December 31, 1863
Fayetteville, Ark.
Col. M LA RUE HARRISON [1st Arkansas Cavalry]
1st Arkansas Cavalry, Maj. Ezra Fitch.
1st Arkansas Battery, Capt. Denton D. Stark.
...............
Denton D. Stark
Residence Chicago IL; 21 years old.
Enlisted on 9/12/1861 at Chicago, IL as a 1st Lieutenant.
On 9/18/1861 he mustered into "H" Co. IL 37th Infantry
He was discharged for promotion on 6/15/1862
On 6/15/1862 he was commissioned into "B" Co. AR 1st Cavalry
He was discharged for promotion on 4/1/1863
On 4/1/1863 he was commissioned into AR 1st Light Artillery
He Resigned on 11/17/1864
Promotions:
* Adjutant
* 1st Lieut 6/15/1862 (As of Co. B 1st AR Cavalry)
* Capt 4/1/1863 (As of 1st AR Light Artillery)
Intra Regimental Company Transfers:
* from company B to Field & Staff
Other Information:
died 8/29/1923 in Alameda, CA
(Applied for a pension in 1904)
Sources used by Historical Data Systems, Inc.:
- Illinois: Roster of Officers and Enlisted Men
- Index to Compiled Military Service Records
- Official Army Register of the Volunteer Force 1861-1865
- Union Blue: History of MOLLUS
- 1st Arkansas Union Cavalry - Arkansas Research
- 1st Arkansas Union Light Artillery - Arkansas Research
........
First Arkansas Light Artillery
Historical Memoranda
From Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Arkansas
by Albert W. Bishop, Adjutant General of Arkansas, 1867
In January, 1863, Denton D. Stark, then adjutant 1st Arkansas
cavalry volunteers, received authority to raise the first
battery of Arkansas light artillery. April 1st the battery was
full, but was not mustered into the service until August 31,
1863. Meantime and until the 25th of April, of this year, it
was stationed at Fayetteville, Arkansas (though officers and
men were absent in Missouri procuring horses when the battle
of the 18th of April took place,) when, by orders from
headquarters of the Department of the Missouri, northwestern
Arkansas was evacuated. From May 4 to September 21, 1863, the
battery was stationed at Springfield, Missouri, receiving
while there guns and equipments. In September, Lieutenant
Robert V. Thompson, with one section of the battery,
participated in an expedition under the command of Colonel M.
LaRue Harrison, through southwestern Missouri and northwestern
Arkansas, in pursuit of Colonel Coffee's command, then raiding
in that section of country, and proceeded thence to
Fayetteville, Arkansas. The remaining two sections of the
battery, under command of Captain Stark, left Springfield,
Missouri, September 21, 1863, for Fayetteville, marching at
first, however, as far north as Greenfield, Missouri, under
Colonel Harrison, who was then in pursuit of General Shelby.
Moving then to Fayetteville, one section of the battery took
part, about October 20, in a skirmish with the enemy, under
Colonel Brooks at Cross Timbers, Missouri. The battery
remained at Fayetteville until March 19, 1864, when, by order
of Brigadier General Thayer, it marched to Fort Smith. On the
23rd of March it joined the expedition to Camden, forming a
part of Colonel Adams brigade. It was present in the skirmish
at Moscow, on or about the 13th day of April, with four guns
in action, and relieved the 2d Indiana battery, under a severe
fire from the enemy's artillery. Leaving Camden with the
retreating force under General Steele, April 28, it reached
Little Rock May 3, 1864, and moved thence with the frontier
division of the Army of Arkansas to Fort Smith. In October,
1864, one section of the battery, under Lieutenant Mayes, was
sent with other troops in pursuit of Colonel Gano, who had
captured a supply train between Fort Scott and Fort Smith,
making a forced march to Cabin Creek, north of Fort Gibson,
where they came up with the enemy retreating, but he escaped.
The battery occupied Fort No. 2, at Fort Smith, until the 30th
day of August, 1865, when it was mustered out of the service.
The men were principally residents of Benton, Washington,
Madison, Crawford, Sebastian, Franklin, Johnson and Sevier
counties; were faithful, brave, and efficient, and reflected
great credit upon the battery and the State.