I am researching Arkansas militia activity during the early statehood period, before and during the Mexican War. I have found the Genealogy Bank, with this data base of early Arkansas Newspapers to be very helpful in finding references during this period, but one of the most important I have found is almost illegible. I wonder if anyone knows where original copies of the Weekly Arkansas Gazette, for 1836, are stored, if they still exist at all.

On May 4, 1836, Territorial Governor Fulton had issued an order directing that Brigadier General Hill organize his brigade and place it in readiness to take to the field for active service due to the concern of settlers in Miller county that Indians were massing for an attack. The Governor had sent General Hill to Miller county with a bundle of militia commissions and authorized him to call into service as much of the militia as necessary and report his finding.

On June 14, 1836, the Weekly Arkansas Gazette printed a letter to Governor Fulton from Brigadier General George Hill regarding his activates in Miller County. Unfortunately about a third of the report is unreadable. Of interest, one of the men that Brigadier General Hill commissioned, Albert H. Latimer, was a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence.

Here is what I can decipher of the report:

Headquarters, 1st Brigade, Ark Militia,
Hempstead county, A.T,. May 31, 1836
His Excellency, William S. Fulton, Gov. and Commander-in-chief, of the Militia of Ark.
SIR- Your order of the 4th inst. came in hand on the 7th; and in obedience there-to, I immediately issued my General Order of the date last mentioned, Commanding the Commandants of Regiments, and separate battalions, within my command, immediately to organized their respective commands, and hold them in readiness for active service, and proceeded to authorize the raising of an Independent Company of mounted riflemen, in Hempstead County, which was accordingly raised ain on the 11th instant; Thomas Gambling was elected and commissioned Capt. and _________ and Robert L. Davis Second Lieut. Thereof. And I also also issued another order to Col. Rutherford and Lieut Col. Patt of , the first Commandant of the Hempstead county Regiment, both dated the 10th instant, requiring them to hold their respective commands in readiness for immediate active service. And having ordered Daniel Ringo, my Aid de Camp into service on the 10th Instant, on the 11th I proceeded with said Ringo towards Miller County, and on the 12th Instant ordered Maj. Davis, Commandant of the militia Sevier county, immediately to organize and hold his command in readiness for active service. On the 14th I reached the frontier settlements in Miller county, where there was a public meeting of the citizens of that vicinity, to volunteer companies being present, and finding that there existed much alarm in the breast of many of the citizens, and not being able to learn whether there existed an just cause of fear from the Indians on the frontier, I authorized the raising of an Independent Company of mounted riflemen in Miller county, which was raised immediately, and Albert H. Latimer elected and commissioned Capt. Wade H. Vining 1st and Robert S. Hamilton 2d Lieutenants, thereof, all of whom were there duly qualified on the said 14th.
And for the purpose of getting correct information as to the situation and disposition of the Indians on the frontier, I ordered Capt Latimer to send out two separate detachments of his company, one to consisted of six, and the other of twelve men, with orders to the one to go to the Cherokee towns and villages, on the south side of the Sabine, and to the other to go in the direction of the Cross Timbers, west and south of the settlements; and if it was found safe to do so, to proceed as far as the Cross Timbers, and for each detachment to ascertain as fare as practicable the disposition of the Indians on the frontier, and to report the same to me by the 26th inst. at James Clarks in Miller county, which detachments were respectfully dispatched on the 16th inst. and proceeded on their respective tours in pursuance of such order. And on the same day I proceeded westward and on the 17th, reached Mr. Peters a place about 40 or 45 miles south west of Fort Townsen, where the citizens had erected a small fortification, which was incomplete but would require but little time complete it, would afford a temporary protection for a portion of frontier should they be assailed by Indians, and inspire the surrounding settlements with confidence, and prevent their abandoning their settlements in case of alarm, as many of the settlers to the south east of that point about 10 or 15 miles, did at the time of the late alarm, and fly to the settlements below for security and protection. Not having received and satisfactory information, on the 18th I proceeded towards Fort Towson and, on the 20th reached Dockville in neighborhood of said Fort, and requested of the command officer of that post, such information as it might be in his power to provide and was answered by Col. Vo.. that he had no authentic information on that subject--- that his command consisted of 4 companies the 3rd U.S., 6 companies of the 7th U.S. Infantry and three companies
[Several illegible lines]
The numbers and ….
22d, I proceeded …..
James Clark’s ….
And there on the 27th….
Of Capt Latimore’s company….
Cherokee towns , had….
And reported that they…..
order, and…. and the Indians ….
following their usual….
ly disposed to be….
citizens and governor…..
way they were overtaken….
do Indians who prof…..
Friendly dispositions, and gave…..
stand that their tribe
friendly and a peace with…..
both the Cherokee and C….
that they had act at any….
signed hostilities towards…
zens. While at Doakville I….
Hughs, who was directly….
(as he informed……
many…..
marches, Pawanee, and …..
Indians, who informed….
were entirely friendly
from which as well as….
formation which I can…..
doubtful of the …
Indian…….
Hughs, I ordered…….
any force at the…..
tier, the citizens to be entirely free….
come….
[illegible line]]
All which is respectfully….
Excellency, I have the

George Hill