The Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board

Re: Matlock's/Young's Regiment
In Response To: Matlock's/Young's Regiment ()

Bill, the 32nd Arkansas had an interesting history, and an even more interesting mixture of experienced and conscripted troops.

The regiment can be traced back to a mounted company commanded by Capt. Richard Hooker, which was organized at Jacksonport on November 5, 1861, in response to the call from Solon Borland for 30-day volunteers to meet an expected attack on Pitman's Ferry. The threat turned out to be non-existent, and Hooker's company was mustered out on December 5, 1861, at Pocahontas. Hooker recruited and reorganized his company back at Jacksonport, and the company reentered Confederate service on February 26, 1862, greatly expanded with 130 men, including a large number of men recruited by William Hicks. The company was divided into two, forming a mounted squadron which was active in attacking Union forage parties and was involved in two fairly large skirmishes at Searcy Landing and Whitney's Lane. From all accounts, the squadron was pretty effective, well led and had high morale. On June 16, 1862, the squadron was reinforced with four more companies and reorganized as Matlock's Battalion Arkansas Cavalry. One of the companies was a Missouri troop commanded by Capt. William L. Jeffers. Serious morale problems occurred when the company was dismounted on July 7, 1862. Captain Jeffers resigned in protest on July 9, 1862, and many of his men deserted. The entire battalion was dismounted on July 18, 1862, and Jeffers' Missouri company was transferred to another command.

On August 6, 1862, five companies of conscripts were assigned to the battalion, which was reorganized as the 32nd Regiment Arkansas Infantry. The 32nd Arkansas was about the same quality as other regiments organized during this period. The biggest morale problem involved Company F, composed of men from Searcy County who had Unionist sympathies. This company suffered from frequent desertions all through the war. The regiment as a whole had a 25 percent desertion rate, which was about par for the course among Arkansas regiments in the Trans-Mississippi Department. Desertions were somewhat lower in the original mounted companies, somewhat higher in the conscript companies, and significantly higher in Company F (many of whom later joined the Union 3rd Arkansas Cavalry).

I hope this helps a little.

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