In honor of the Texans that gave their lives on this date in 1862 defending Arkansas from the Yankee invasion, I am posting all of the newspaper accounts of this battle that I found for my book, "The Press Covers the Invasion of Arkansas, Vol II".
I think often of these men, lying in unmarked graves, far from family and home. Something needs to be done to make this right. Would anyone be interested in forming a Battlefield Preservation Organization dedicated to the battle at Cotton Plant?

The first story is from the Houston Tri-Weekly Telegraph, 6 August, 1862.

Tri-Weekly Telegraph, Houston CS
Campaign in Arkansas
Battle of Cotton Plant – Gallantry of Texians
Camp on Bayou Metoe near Brownsville, Arkansas July 22, 1862
Presuming that a brief history of our movements since leaving Texas, will be interesting to a large proportion of your readers, I avail myself of the opportunity afforded by the return of Dr. McNeil to Houston, and send you a synoptical sketch of our campaign up to the present moment.
You remember that the 12th Texas Dragoons, commanded by Col. W.H. Parsons, left Houston to rendezvous at Colbert’s Ferry on Red River, en route to Fort Smith. While on the march however, Col. P. received orders from General Van Dorn, to change his route to Des Arc, by way of Little Rock. The regiment consequently assembled at Clarksville in red river county, Texas, whence they proceeded by squadron for the capital of Arkansas. But on reaching a red river their destination was again changed and they were ordered to push forward rapidly to pine bluff, whence they would be transported by water to Memphis. These orders were executed in the face of unparalleled difficulties. Many of the streams being swollen to such an extent that the ferrymen frequently declared their passage impracticable. In such cases these soldiers took possession of the boats and crossed themselves without a single accident in the entire command. Texians have surmounted the proverbial difficulties of being water bound in Arkansas.
From Pine Bluff, Col. P. travelled rapidly by steamer with his advance squadron to Memphis, where he heard for the first time, that Gen. Curtis with a large force was advancing upon Little Rock. General P GT Beauregard immediately countermanded the order for the transportation of the remaining company’s two Memphis, and directed Col. P. to return with his advance to Little Rock. The colonel only remained long enough to obtain the funds necessary to pay off his regiment and supply the bounty of $50 per man, when he hurried back to Little Rock, paid his man, reorganized them under the conscript act, and was a second time elected by acclamation to command them.
Upon the return from Memphis we heard for the first time, of the splendid fight near Searcy, in which Major Rogers, with a detachment of regiment, only 100 strong, after a forced march of over 50 miles engaged 400 of the enemy in ambush and in the short space of an hour killed 180 Federal soldiers, losing only lieutenant McDonald and 2 privates.
Our regiment no sooner reorganized, than on 28th of May, Col. Parsons was assigned the command of all Confederate troops north of Arkansas River shipping and ordered forward with the regiment to select and establish a line of defence, he proceeded at once to occupy the southern bank of Bayou Des Arc, whence foraging and reconnoitring parties were thrown out in the face of the enemy, obstructing their advance and forming abattis for defence in case of attack.
These offensive demonstrations caused Generals Oysterhaus and Carr, commanding the Federal advance, to relinquish their line of operations on Little Red River and retreat hastily to Batesville; thus it was the Federal army received their first check in advance upon Little Rock. Our commander immediately established his base of operations upon Little Red, established headquarters at Searcy, in White county, and commenced a concentration of forces at that point. In a few days Gen. Rust arrived and assumed command, preserving the existing lines. The day succeeding his arrival, two of our videttes were captured by a body of the enemy, reported to be reconnoitring in force, three or four mile north of Searcy, when Col. Parsons was ordered in command of his own regiment, with Taylor’s and Fitzhugh’s regiments of Texas cavalry, to cross over and investigate their movements. He pressed rapidly forward, leaving a portion of Taylor’s regiment at the ford, in reserve, and sending Fitzhugh to the right and east to intercept a flank movement; then with our regiment and an advance of 100 men, under Taylor, followed after the Federal. About 12 miles north of Searcy, Col. Taylor engaged them and reported to Col. P., who promptly formed line of battle and fell upon their flank. The enemy soon gave way and rushed, panic stricken, from the field.

We were then pressed forward in line of battle, and bivouacked on a deserted camp of the enemy, within 3 miles of their main body, where we remained until ordered to return. The audacity of this affair will be appreciated when I state that Col. Wood, of the Iowa cavalry, told Capt. Morgan (bearer of the truce flag) that at the moment of attack, he had, in position, 1,000 men, whose slight loss of 17 killed and 4 prisoners, arose solely from the rapidity with which they left the field. Parson’s force engaged was not 400, while he was 10 miles from any support, and the enemy near a large encampment of their forces, who stood upon their arms until 12 M. of the next day. In this skirmish several prisoners were taken. Among them a non-commissioned officer, by Capt. Ayres. Shortly after this engagement, we were moved up towards Batesville, to an encampment 30 miles north-west of Searcy, where we remained a few days and then sending the train with the sick and baggage to the rear, Parsons’, Sweet’s, Taylor’s, Darnell’s and Fitzhugh’s regiments were ordered to advance upon the flank and rear of the enemy. They moved without forage and baggage, and with no rations save parched corn, by forced marches over a mountainous country, a distance of 150 miles, and only returned when needed to prevent a junction of the Federal army with their gunboats in White river.

Marching with great celerity they reached Duval’s Bluff on that stream, then to Des Arc, where they crossed over and proceeded across the lake to attack the centre of Curtis’ army with a force of a few hundred men. The enemy in ambush fired on Parsons’ advance, when the regiment was formed in line of battle by the Colonel, aided by Lt. Col. Burleson, Maj. Farrar and Capt. Ayres. The boys fell rapidly under a galling fire from a concealed foe, but encouraged by their officers stood like veterans and pressed on the enemy’s position until they broke cover. Then the double barrels and six shooters of Texas well avenged the brave who had fallen. Parson drove them from their position and held his ground more than three hours, until ordered by Gen. Rust to return, when he brought the entire command off in good order and perfect safety. I should here state that one company of Sweet’s regiment and one of Fitzhugh’s were the only ones of their respective commands brought into action. They suffered severely and did gallant service. For the part taken by our regiment in this fight, the Colonel received the warmest thanks of General Rust, who told him that he had covered himself, his regiment and his State all over with glory. That it was deserved and nobly earned the list of casualties fully proves; especially when considered that from sickness and details on detached service, scarcely more than 400 of the regiment stood the brunt of the fight.

The brigade was then placed in position on the lake to resist an attack, but much to our surprise Gen. Curtis declined the contest and proceeded by forced march to Helena, on the Mississippi river, where he is now stationed.

We were consequently ordered to fall back on Bayou Metoe, where the entire cavalry was dismounted, save the old 12th, which, thanks to its fine drill and fighting reputation still preserves its mounts.

Our Colonel has been appointed to command the 1st Brigade 1st Division Army of the West, composed of Texas troops, and at present is in the advance; the other regiments having been ordered to Little Rock for more thorough organization.

Col. Sweet has done good service and is wounded by the fall of the second horse killed under him during the campaign. Col. Fitzhugh also is badly wounded, but improving. Col. Taylor, too, has shown himself a fearless officer. In the Cotton Plant affair, he was ordered to move around the enemy by a very circuitous route, but owing to the stupidity of his guide, was placed in such a position, that for the obstinate stand of Parsons’ Regiment, he must have been cut off and sacrificed. Col. Darnell, too, has shown himself a vigilant, effective officer. The enemy’s loss in this engagement as reported by citizens, reached in killed and wounded, 300 or 400. We lost fully one eighth of all engaged. Even this dreadful mortality, worse than decimation, was light when the disparity of forces, (ten to one) is taken in consideration.

The boldness of the attack evidently saved the entire army, for the enemy being thoroughly deceived by the daring move of our regiment, and thinking it was certainly sustained by a large force, fell back before the mere handful opposed to them for nearly a mile. Thus you perceive our regiment has won an enviable reputation at the very opening of the campaign. They are proud of their country, their Colonel and themselves, and you may rest assured, that the honour of our well beloved State will never be tarnished while its flag is borne on the field by the 12th Texas Dragoons. I append a list of Doctors Embree, Reagan and Goodwin.

Before concluding this rambling account, I would say that in the Telegraph of the 19, just received, we observe a description of a fight reported, in which we are said to have taken a battery, but were unable to hold it after several unsuccessful charges. This account was sent you from Brenham on the 7th. It had no foundation of course, but singular as coincidence, our regiment was on that very day, the 7th, actually engaged in the battle near Cotton Plant, which your report describes very well save always the unsuccessful charges. Yours, &c, JTS

The following is a list of casualties in Parsons’ Regiment, Texas Dragoons, in the Cotton Plant Fight, as reported by Dr. Embree J Goodwin:

Capt. Maddox’ Company.-WF Luter, private, mortally wounded, (since dead); Lieut. BF Holder, wounded slightly; HH Harrison, private, wounded slightly.

Capt. Neal’s Company-AW King, private, killed; AR Childers, private, killed; WJ Neal, captain, wounded severely; JV Higgins, E Ariola, privates, wounded severely; JB Eastham, private, slightly wounded; JF Barnes, private, missing (taken prisoner, but escaped and recently come in).

Capt. Highsmith’s Company.-N Ponce, JB Standefer and WL Peveiser, privates, killed; TJ Owen, private, mortally wounded, since dead; BS Reed, JR Robinson, JM Perry, JR r JH Dancer, wounded severely; J Goft and T Standefer, wounded slightly; JE Pettie, missing, since found wounded.

Capt. JC Brown’s Company.-Lieut. Cureton, killed. Privates FW Webster, killed; EM Gregory, mortally wounded, (since dead); LT Folston and DC Nance, wounded severely.

Capt. Hawkins’ Company.-JS Burnett, corporal, killed; NM Massie, musician, killed; ES Forney, private, killed; JW Cornelius, sergeant, and privates OS Farron, JM Loyd, wounded severely; JB Pruet and HM Moor, wounded slightly.

Capt. Morrow’s Company.-AR Ragsdale, private, and CN Britt, corporal, killed; J West, private, wounded severely; privates HC Wilberger, JH Poke, WS Sapp, and sergeant BF Knight, wounded slightly.
Capt. Veal’s Company.-JT Pace, private, killed; T Booth, sergeant, and private RB Rooken, wounded severely; privates JO French and RS Elkins, wounded slightly.

Capt. Keyser’s Company.-A Rainer, private, killed; Lieut. JM Noble, wounded slightly.

Capt. Brown’s Company.-WR Hammond, sergeant, wounded severely; private JW Meeks, wounded slightly.

Note.-Capt. Weir’s Company does not appear, as they were at the time near Batesville on detached service under Col. Sweet, where they saw service, and behaved with bravery.