Randy,

The 15th Texas Infantry marched from Waco and arrived in Fort Smith in February 1863 and joined a brigade at Little Rock with Col. Joseph Warren Speight in command.

After reflecting about the date of Joseph Robert Williams death, I concluded that he likely died after the 15th Texas Infantry arrived in Fort Smith or at Little Rock. Therefore, he could be buried at Fort Smith or in the National Cemetery at Little Rock as your information suggests. Col. Speight's brigade, including his 15th Texas Infantry Regiment, did not begin the winter march back to Texas until February 1863 which was after J.R. Williams died. When the brigade arrived back in Texas, the 15th Texas Infantry had not seen any action.

In the spring of 1863, Col. Speight's Brigade was marched from Clarksville Texas to Louisana and in November, the brigade was in the engagements at Stirling's Plantation and Bayou Bourbeaux. Col. Speight became too ill to command and resigned. In early 1864, Brig. Gen. Prince Camille de Polignac took command and the brigade skirmished with the federals at Valdalia and Harrisionburg Louisiana. In the summer of 1864, Polignac's Brigade joined Maj. Gen. Richard Taylor's Division and went on to help defeat the federals in the Red River Campaign and stopped another federal invasion of Texas.

The soldiers of the 15th Texas Infantry that were killed in action during the skirmish at Bayou Bourbeaux in November 1863, were buried in a common grave without markers at the battle site by the federal colored Pioneer Burial Corps. The Bayou Bourbeaux battle site is on private property with no access to the public.