Jim,

I don't usually answer questions about regular military outfits, but I want to express my gratitude for your wonderful work with this website. My specialites center around guerrilla warfare and the northern Enrolled Missouri Militia.

Crute's 1987 "Units of the CSA" on page 202 sheds some light on this mystery of yours. While discussing Clark's 9th MO Inf Regt Crute writes that about Nov 1862 "the two Arkansas companies of this regiment seceded and merged into Buster's Arkansas Cavalry Battalion."

You will find Buster in the 1860 Census of Greenfield, Dade County, MO as Michael W. Buster, age 35, born in TN; with wife Elizabeth, same age and place of birth; with son John W. age 13, born in TN; dtr Lydia E. J. age 11, born in MO; and four smaller children born in MO.

Carolyn Bartels' 1995 "The Forgotten Men" on page 43 asserts that Buster was adjutant in 1861 of 5th MO Inf Regt in 8th Division of Missouri State Guard, in which he was slightly wounded at Wilson's Creek on 10 Aug 1861. "Price's Lieutenants" on page 236 puts both Clarkson and Buster in that regiment with Clarkson as colonel and CPT Michael W. Buster as adjutant. The footnote cites the rest of Buster's service as LTC in Clarkson's MO Cav BN of Independent Rangers, LTC in 9th MO Inf Regt, commander of Buster's Arkansas Cav Bn of the 1st Indian Brigade in the Confederate service. The source given is Estes, "List of Field Officers, Regiments, and Battalions in the Confederate Army" pages 11, 39, and 40.

Crute on pages 206 and page 319 of the 1888 Newton County, MO history also states that both Buster and Clarkson
were officers in what was called the Indian Battalion or Kansas Indian Battalion earlier in 1862.

I hope that helps. I always get lost when I delve into regular Confederate outfits.