I had the good fortune of working a little bit with David Haimerl when he was preparing his book. So I have lots of notes that pertain to this battalion, including the following:

Clarkson’s Bn

Head Quarters Dept. Ind. Terr.

Camp Davis C.W. Aug 5 1862

Special Order No__

In conformity with special order no. 21 issued by Maj Gen Hindman, the following assignment of officers to duty is hereby made and the confirmation thereof will be recommended.
Viz:

To the "Field and Staff" of Col Clarkson’s battalion Independent Rangers:

M.W. Buster Lt Colonel

J. Quin Morton Major

Matthew H Robinson Quarter Master

John Melvin Commissary

Frank Roberson Adjutant

W.A. Linthicum Asst Surgeon

By Order of the Col Cmdg
J. W. Wells A.A. Genl

Endorsement appears as:
Head Quarters Dept Indian Territory Cantonment Davis
Col D H Cooper Cmdg Dept I.T
Report of Field & Staff of Col Clarkson’s Batt Ind Rangers
Heretofore acted on T.C.H

------------------------------------------

Clarkson/Buster references from Alexander Papers:
[Unless otherwise indicated, Hindman or his chief of staff [Newton] is the author]
[Unless otherwise noted all dates are for 1862]

90-2021-B

90-2021-C

6/16
Camp near Grand River [Ch__a] Choctaw or Cherokee Nation
J J Clarkson, cg R C to Hindman
[Difficult to read many of the words]

Today an order was given me purporting to be an order from you.
Col’s Clarkson & Coleman to report their commands to Col Carroll at Ft Smith-There are many circumstances which lead me to doubt the [genuineness] of the order all of which will fully explained by the bearer.
I would be glad to say much to you of —harassed by Gen Raines & others of his kind. Can only be explained in connection with —that his drunkenness & disqualifies him for all —action. I have had an intercourse with him—leave the bearer to give you the particulars –to their unpleasant subject & hope you—upon some course that will get rid of him—
He has already disgraced his position

Endorsement includes notation M M Buster [must be the bearer]

90-2021-A

7/5 Army of the SW-To Col Clarkson cdg Regt NW Ark-cooperate with your white force with Col Carroll in the defense of NW Ark & he will aid you in defense of IT

11566-A

7/30 to Cooper-best to consolidate the Missouri detachments in Ind. Terr., NW Ark, SW Mo be consolidated under Gen Raines & has made an order to that effect-see enclosed for this reason Capt Johnson Co is not returned to you & you will arrange for the residue of Clarkson’s command to report to Raines-this does not relieve Johnson of disobeying your orders & if guilty will be dismissed from the service

8/4 Col Carroll-The question of Ark men in Clarkson command settled long time ago & orders sent. Mo Men to Raines command & Ark men to yours. No info reached here that he had any Ark men

NARA
8/7 to Richmond AG by ____Buster recommended as Lt Col in Clarkson's command

9/18
Fort Gibson
Provost marshal [Illinois district]
Says he sends copy to Col Cooper cdg Bgde
-sending a copy of order to him from Col WW Buster Col cmdg CN [Cherokee nation or Chickasaw]
-regarding breadstuffs
Copy of Busters letter follows that refers to some of the Co’s & Capt’s in his command

NARA
10/9 Post Monroe, La-Receipt signed by 2nd Lt Pevehouse cdg 56 men of Clarkson’s Mo Bn [exchanged prisoners]

11566-B-1

10/20 to Holmes from Hindman 5 miles west Huntsville

I reached Fayetteville on pm 18th /
The rumors as to movement of our troops were basically correct. Gen Raines with 3 armed Infy Regts, Carroll’s Cav Co, 2 Btrys, 2 miles from Huntsville on road leading to Elk Horn,
Shelby Bgde of Missouri Cav was 4 miles from Huntsville on same road
Bass Bgde Texas Cav was at Holcomb’s 9 miles above Fayetteville on road to Elk Horn
Cooper’s Indian Bgde with Buster’s Missouri Regt & a battery has moved toward Maysville
The 3 unarmed Regts of Infy were 9 miles south Fayetteville on road leading to Ozark
I just rec’d message from Raines as to why these changes were made in position
Bass seemed intimidated & was retreating toward Fayetteville, so I sent forward Bradfute to take over command of that Bgde & to stop the retreat

I then ordered the unarmed Infy to retreat south toward Clarksville

11566-B-2

11/3from camp on Mulberry to Col Brooks’ camp unarmed Infy
I enclose a copy of the order assigning Col Hawthorne to the command of the Regt lately commanded by Col A W Johnson & ordering him here-assign the senior Capt to the command of the Bn now commanded by Col Hawthorne & move them up when armed you will notify the Capt cdg that the Bn will be consolidated with Buster’s Bn & a Regt formed of the two. The field officers will be apptd hereafter.

11/3 Gen Roane-I am informed that in the affair at Maysville Lt Col Buster’s Bn was scattered & the men wandered off in every direction & that 2-3 Co’s of them are over in Franklin Co in this state. Give this info to Capt Sparks pro marshal at Ft Smith & instruct him to have the straggling officers & men arrested & sent back to their commands & that you use energy to collect the Bn again

Next is very faded report by Lt Col Buster cdg Cav Bn
Appears to show 4 Capt’s all with rank of 7/14
Very hard to read

Then full report also hard to read for Buster with remarks by each Co such as: Captured
Independent Rangers

7 Co’s with remarks for each Co incl:
Dismtd most 10/12 one 10/19
Strength ranges from 61-87 per Co
Also a notation of 12 months for the strength column-this may be no of men enlisted for 12 months & says 551 at top of chart as if this was the total strength

NARA
7/1/63 Richmond AG office-authority is hereby granted to Col M Buster to raise a Bn for the CSA in Missouri, said Bn to be regularly mustered in as soon as organized & muster rolls forwarded to this office. If no such Bn is organized within 5 months, the authority is expired.

This message board---Lars says: "Another point of interest is that the Bn, or at least most of it, was dismounted in Oct 1862, before Old Fort Wayne. Banasik states that their horses had been sent to Texas. (M. E. Banasik, Embattled Arkansas: The Prairie Grove Campaign of 1862)"