Hi Anthony

Damon suggested I contact you about information relating to the composition of Dockery's brigade and its role in the Camden Expedition. My interest is that it appears possible that my great grandfathers actually fought against each other in these skirmishes. It will be hard to prove this conclusively but it is an interesting proposition. I have reprinted my message to him here for you to see.

My paternal GGF was John Harmon Holcomb, an assistant surgeon with the 23rd Arkansas Regiment, company H, recruited out of Clark County. He participated at the 2nd Battle of Corinth and Hatchie bridge and then at the siege of Port Hudson. He was paroled but unclear as to exactly where he went after this. While many of the 23rd regiment went with Price into the Missouri raid, his company did not due to its depleted status. It was replaced with a company out of Craighead county. Bryan helped me with this part. It is possible that he was assigned to another unit and participated in the Camden Expedition with Dockery's Brigade. As a surgeon he would be in demand. (He had resided south of Camden in the 1850's but by 1860 was living in extreme southern Clark County.) I saw some information that some of the prisoners taken in the Longview/Mt Elba skirmish were from the 23rd, indicating at least some of his unit were with Dockery. I have not found any information to confirm his whereabouts but do believe he remained in camp in south Arkansas and did not just return home after his parole from Port Hudson.

My maternal GGF (Vineyard Gann) grew up in the hill country in NW ARkansas and remained loyal to the Union. His regiment, the 1st Arkansas regiment (Company I), eventually became part of Thayer's Frontier Division, which traveled south to join with General Steele's army on the Camden Expedition. I am almost certain he and his brother Daniel Gann (Co E) were on this march by interpreting some of their service records. The Frontier division arrived there on 4/9/1864 and participated in the Battle of Moscow which was the tail end of Battle of Prairie D Ane. This Frontier Division was Steele's rear guard and was attacked by Dockery's Brigade on 4/13 I believe. The Union 1st Arkansas was involved in repelling Dockery's brigade. After this, the Frontier Division moved on to Camden and then on the retreat to Little Rock. It appears to have also been involved at Jenkin's Ferry, according to some Union soldier accounts. I believe Dockery's brigade also was there.

Would appreciate any information you might have on the 23rd AR/Dockery and the Frontier Division/1st Infantry. Also does all this even sound plausible to you? Thanks.