Posted By: Bryan Howerton Date: Monday, 26 July 2004, at 12:40 p.m.
In Response To: Re: 34th AR Infantry (Barry Graham)
Barry, the events which caused the dissatisfaction in the ranks, leading to the large number of desertions in the 34th Arkansas Regiment were the defeat at Prairie Grove and the order to move the regiment down to the Little Rock area.
The defeat at Prairie Grove left the enemy firmly in control of northwest Arkansas, the home of the 34th Arkansas. The fall back to Little Rock was a routine tactical move, but a rumor among the troops was that they were going to be sent across the Mississippi River to reinforce the Army of Tennessee, and that Arkansas was going to be abandoned. So many of the men simply quit the war and went home. None of them had returned to the regiment by February 29, 1864, the date of the last muster roll on record.

A portion of the address of Col. J. R. Pettigrew, delivered at the Grand Reunion of ex-Confederates at Prairie Grove, on August 19, 1886, is here inserted:

"Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen: Twenty-five years ago this beautiful valley was a military camp; red battle had stamped his foot, and the nation had felt the shock. Peaceful pursuits had been abandoned, and all was busy preparation for the inevitable conflict. In September, [p.228] 1862, at this place, the Thirty-fourth (Brook's) Regiment of Arkansas Infantry was organized; shortly thereafter the regiment went into camp at Mount Comfort, then at Elm Springs, then to Elkhorn, thence to Camp Reagan, then to Spadra, on the Arkansas River, where we received our arms, Enfield rifles; thence we marched to Mazzard Prairie, near Fort Smith, where the regiment became a part of Fagan's Brigade.

All the points named were camps of instruction, and the ‘tramp, tramp’ of the soldier was heard on every hand. The hot blood of youth coursed in our veins then, and the ‘pomp and circumstance of glorious war, was hailed with delight. The enemy was approaching; patriotism and desire to defend homes and firesides was at fever heat. The order to march at length came; the Arkansas River was crossed. At Lee's Creek the head of the column was halted, the different commands massed, and the solemn ceremony had of presentation of battle flags to each regiment. No more impressive scene was ever witnessed in all this land than on that calm winter morning, to see thousands of soldiers kneeling with their faces northward, and the solemn invocation commending them and their fortunes to the arbitrament of arms and the God of battles. Thenceforth the red flag of battle waved over each command. The march was resumed, and on the 7th day of December Prairie Grove was reached.

"The stillness of the early morning was broken by the clash of arms. about 200 of the enemy's cavalry were captured near the church. Our infantry coming up, met the prisoners; enthusiasm and eagerness for the fray were aroused to the highest pitch. We moved rapidly to the battle-field, and the long line of infantry and artillery was placed in position, where we awaited the approach and attack of the enemy. About noon the cavalry were withdrawn, pickets driven in, and the enemy charged the whole line of Fagan's Brigade; the battle of Prairie Grove had opened in earnest, and Fagan's Brigade, from that time until shortly before sundown, repelled charge after charge of the enemy under the gallant Herron. About an hour before sunset the enemy withdrew his infantry, and opened a terrific fire upon our lines. The enemy was reinforced by Gen. Blount's command, which at once opened a terrible fire upon our left. [p.229] Gen. Parsons and his invincible Missourians met him with great gallantry and success. The battle of Prairie Grove, while of short duration, will compare, perhaps, with any fought during the war, in fierceness and desperate gallantry. The rattle of musketry often rose above the roar of artillery, and the bright sunlight gleamed from bayonets held by hands as steady as Napoleon's veterans at Austerlitz or Waterloo. Officers and soldiers were alike brave, and there were feats of individual prowess that stamped the actors heroes. Thus it was the logic of fate that Brooks' regiment received its first shock of battle, and baptism of blood, almost on the very spot of its origin. * * * * Many a gallant life went out in that fierce conflict; Capt. William Woosley (or Owsley), Lieuts. Ben Boone and James Pollard, as brave and good men as ever breathed the breath of life; Tell Duke, the gifted and intrepid lieutenant, whose spirit rose from the din of battle, the rattle of musketry, and the roar of artillery to the peaceful bosom of its God; William Gray, color-bearer; John Sharp, Henry Morrison, Cy Graham, Clem Kirksly, James Gray, and others whose names I cannot now recall, went down in the shock of battle to fill heroes' graves, and left names with immortality synonymous. Brooks' regiment can well claim to be the child of Prairie Grove. It had its origin here, and aided in making its fields and groves historic. * * * *

Night closed the scene at Prairie Grove with the victorious Confederates occupying the field, and the wearied soldier sought whatever of repose he could get on the perilous edge of battle, which he expected to be resumed on the morrow, dreaming, fitfully, perchance, of home and loved ones whom he expected soon to greet; but late at night the order was silently passed along the lines to prepare to march. The soldiers who expected to follow up the victory were not slow in getting ready; such, however, was not the case; it was a retreat, and Gen. Hindman's army were subjected to the trying ordeal of turning their faces from home and loved ones, and a hard-earned victory. Thus we came to Prairie Grove, and thus we left its fields, made forever historic by the valor and blood of patriots."

The regiment served after this at Helena, and were in the retreat from Little Rock. At the action at Jenkins' Ferry they [p.230] sustained greater losses probably than during all their career; here it was that Capt. Walker was killed and Col. Brooks was wounded.

https://uark.as.atlas-sys.com/repositories/2/resources/945
Fontaine Richard Earle Letters

At the University of Arkansas library manuscript division, you can find letters of Colonel Earle: http://www.uark.edu/libinfo/speccoll/earleletaid.html. These letters can also be found in the Arkansas Historical Quarterly 1974 #2 The Earle-Buchanan letters of 1861-1876. This article also provides further reading references

Life of Fontaine Richard Earle by Robert Waterman

Arkansas Historical Quarterly has at least one other article that touches on this regiment: 1978 #4 Civil War letters from James Mitchell to his wife, Sarah Elizabeth Latta Mitchell

Fighting Thirty Fourth, Its Men and Its Service Clem McCulloch WCHS Flashback, XII no 4 [Dec 1962] Washington County Arkansas

34th Arkansas Infantry: A Unit History, a thesis at the university of Arkansas prepared by Paul Leuschen in 1996.