The history of the Arkansas Militia and the Mexican–American War began when the Territory of Arkansas gained admission to the Union as the 25th State on June 15, 1836. Within days the State Governor received a request for troops to relieve federal troops securing the border with Mexico. Ironically the Arkansas National Guard found itself conducting similar missions during the Mexican Expedition of 1916 and again during Operation Jump Start in 2006. Arkansans enthusiastically supported the Mexican–American War in 1846 and many future leaders of the Arkansas Confederate forces gained valuable experience during the conflict. The performance of Arkansas troops during the invasion of northern Mexico and the Battle of Buena Vista did not bring great credit to the state. Following the Mexican–American War, the state's militia forces again fell into decline until the administration of Governor Elias Nelson Conway, just before the outbreak of the Civil War.
Statehood, a call to arms The first use of the Arkansas State Militia occurred in the same month that Arkansas was admitted to the union, June 1836. Several events contributed to the Federal Government's call for troops from Arkansas. The Second Seminole War began in Florida in 1836, at the same time, the Texas War of Independence was underway. Federal Government removed its regular army troops from forts and posts in the Indian Territory in order to supply troops for the fighting in Florida. Many of the remaining regular army troops were transferred to posts along the Sabine River, positioned to either prevent a Mexican invasion or to assist the Texas revolution as directed. President Jackson asked for and was granted funds by Congress to raise a volunteer force from Arkansas to help fill the void left by regular forces along the border with the Indian Territory. Secretary of War Lewis Cass issued a call for troops to Territorial Governor William Savin Fulton on May 15, 1836. Fulton responded by issuing a proclamation calling for 1,000 volunteers. The volunteers were to assemble into companies, elect officers and report to the Governor immediately. The Governor's proclamation was published in the same edition of the Arkansas Gazette that reported on the passage in Congress of the act which admitted Arkansas to the Union.Arkansas State Gazette, June 28, 1836, Page 3, Column 5
Arkansas Regiment of Mounted Gunmen On June 28, 1836, 13 days after the state was admitted to the Union, General Edmund P. Gains (U.S. Army) called upon the Governor to furnish one regiment for the defense of the western frontier. Governor Fulton responded by revising his call for volunteers.Arkansas State Gazette, July 20, 1836 The Governor's call specified that the volunteer companies raised North of the Arkansas River would rendezvous at Little Rock, while those raised South of the river would rendezvous at Washington in Hempstead County.Arkansas State Gazette, August 23, 1836, Page 2, Column 2 The organization of the Volunteer Companies played out against the backdrop of the first political race for the office of Governor of Arkansas. Absalom Fowler, a Whig candidate, ran against James S. Conway, a Jacksonian Democrat. Conway won the hotly contested race in the election conducted on August 1, 1836.Morgan, James L., Arkansas Volunteers of 1836–1837, Arkansas Research, Conway, 1992, , Page 4 By August 18, 1836, Volunteer Companies from Conway, Pope and Pulaski counties had gathered in Little Rock. These three companies marched south for the rendezvous at Washington, Arkansas, and were joined en route by a company from Saline County.Morgan, James L., Arkansas Volunteers of 1836–1837, Arkansas Research, Conway, 1992, , Page 5 These four companies made the rendezvous at Washington with the company raised from Hempstead County, bringing the total to five companies. Being short of the number of companies needed to form a regiment, the unit was formed initially into a battalion, to be commanded by a lieutenant colonel. An election was held at Washington, Arkansas, and Absalom Fowler, the former candidate for Governor, was elected lieutenant colonel of the battalion.Arkansas State Gazette, September 6, 1836, Page 3, Column 1 The other officers were as follows: County Rank Name Lieutenant Colonel Absalom Fowler Adjutant Robertson Childress Sergeant Major Samuel D. Blackburn Quarter Master Allen Martin Surgeon Dr. James Bird Conway Company Captain Thomas Mathers 1st Lieutenant Alexander G. McFarland 2nd Lieutenant Peter Kuykendall Saline Company Captain Robert Brazil 1st Lieutenant Jesse Spencer 2nd Lieutenant Johnson J. Joyner Pulaski Company Captain John R. Cummins 1st Lieutenant William Badgett 2nd Lieutenant William W. White Pope Company Captain Laban C. Howell 1st Lieutenant John R. H. Scott 2nd Lieutenant Samuel Hays Hempstead County Captain Samuel Moore 1st Lieutenant Robert L. Davis 2nd Lieutenant Robert Cross Sevier County Captain Charles Pettigrew 1st Lieutenant Robert Walker 2nd Lieutenant William Whitehead
On the march from Washington, Arkansas, to Fort Towson, the battalion was joined by an additional company from Sevier County, bringing the total to six.Morgan, James L., Arkansas Volunteers of 1836–1837, Arkansas Research, Conway, 1992, , Page 6 The battalion reached Fort Towson on the Red River on September 14, 1836.
An additional Volunteer Company, raised in Randolph County, commanded by Captain John Kavanaught, stopped in Little Rock long enough to participate in the inauguration of the new state's first elected Governor, James S. Conway. Conway dispatched the company to join the volunteers at Fort Towson with an order directing that since the battalion would now have seven companies, in should be formed into a regiment and an election held for colonel commandant. This order was delivered to Lt. Col. Fowler on October 2, 1836, when the Randolph County company reached Camp Vose, near Fort Towson. Lt. Col. Fowler apparently did not believe that the governor had the authority to order an election because the unit was now under the control of the regular army. Nonetheless, a new election was conducted for the office of colonel commandant, adjutant and lieutenant colonel. In this second election, Captain Laban C. Howell defeated Fowler and was elected colonel.Arkansas State Gazette, October 11, 1836, Page 2, Column 5 Fowler had not run for the office of lieutenant colonel, and Charles Pettigrew was elected to this office. Fowler refused to recognize the election but placed Howell, as senior captain, in acting command while Fowler traveled to Little Rock to plead his case to his former political foe, Governor Conway.Arkansas State Gazette, November 15, 1836, Page 2, Column 2 Conway attempted to solve the issue by finding that while Howell had been properly elected Colonel of the Regiment, Fowler was still the duly elected Lt. Col because Conway said he had not directed an election for that office. Lt. Col. Fowler returned to the regiment and continued to claim the right of command, at one point even having Colonel Howell, and several supporters whom Fowler labeled as "mutineers", placed under arrest. General Arbuckle, who was in overall command, had to intervene by threatening to arrest Fowler in order to compel him to release Howell.Arkansas State Gazette, December 13, 1836, Page 2, Column 2 Both would write letters to the paper explaining their view and Fowler would eventually demand a Court of Inquiry in order to clear his name.Arkansas State Gazette, January 17, 1837, Page 3, Column 1 Two additional companies joined the regiment, one from Lawrence County commanded by Captain Willis Phillips in late October and one from Independence County commanded by Captain Marcus W. Reinhardt in late November, bringing the regiment to its final strength of nine companies.Arkansas State Gazette, November 1, 1836, Page 2, Column 1 The regiment was ordered into winter quarters at Fort Gibson. Now secure in his command, Col Howell organized the regiment into the following lettered companies:Morgan, James L., Arkansas Volunteers of 1836–1837, Arkansas Research, Conway, 1992, , Page 10 Company Enrolment Date County A August 9, 1836 Conway B August 12, 1836 Saline C August 18, 1836 Pope D August 31, 1836 Hempstead E August 13, 1836 Pulaski F September 3, 1836 Sevier G September 5, 1836 Randolph H November 24, 1836 Independence I October 31, 1836 Lawrence
While their leaders quarreled the soldiers of the Arkansas Regiment of Mounted Gunman performed scout duty and patrolled the border until they were relieved in 1837 by federal troops. Twenty two members of the 1st Regiment of Arkansas Mounted Gunmen would die in service. Causes of death included accidents and disease, but none was due to hostile action.Morgan, James L., Arkansas Volunteers of 1836–1837, Arkansas Research, Conway, 1992, , Page 20-27 By February 7, 1837, General Arbuckle had discharged most of the Arkansas troops to return to their homes.Arkansas State Gazette, February 7, 1837, Page 2, Column 1
2nd Regiment of Arkansas Mounted Gunmen Through a twist of historical irony, the 2nd Regiment of Arkansas Mounted Gunmen never came into existence, but the 1st Battalion of the 2nd Regiment did. In August 1836, General Matthew Arbuckle (U.S. Army) made a second requisition on Governor Fulton for troops and the governor responded by calling on the counties of Carroll, Crawford, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Johnson, Lawrence, Scott, Searcy and Washington to raise their militia companies.Arkansas State Gazette, September 6, 1836, Page 3, Column 2 The Volunteer Companies for what was intended to become the 2nd Regiment of Arkansas Mounted Gunmen were ordered to rendezvous at either Fayetteville, or Fort Coffee, Indian Territory. Only three companies eventually answered this call for troops.Morgan, James L., Arkansas Volunteers of 1836–1837, Arkansas Research, Conway, 1992, , Pages 30–31
Company Commander Enrolled in Federal Service County of Origin A Captain Onesimus Evans September 27, 1836 Washington B Captain Benaiah Bateman September 30, 1836 Independence County C Captain Thaddeus C. Wilson November 26, 1836 Washington
The three responding companies were organized under a single battalion, commanded by Oneumus Evans, who was promoted to major. Major Evans signed his address to his troops at the end of their deployment as the "Commander, 1st Battalion, 2nd Regiment of Arkansas Mounted Gunmen". The muster rolls for this battalion also bear the designation of 1st Battalion, 2nd Regiment. The battalion was increased to a total of five companies in January 1837 when the first seven companies of the 1st Regiment were mustered out of service. Companies H and I of the 1st Regiment were reassigned to the 1st Battalion of the 2nd Regiment for the remainder of their service. Like their brothers in the 1st Regiment, the members of Evans Battalion spent the winter of 1836–1837 conducting patrols and Indian Territory and occasionally escorting supplies to other army posts further south along the Sabine River. The battalion was mustered out of service between March 27 and April 13 at Camp Washington, near Fort Gibson.Morgan, James L., Arkansas Volunteers of 1836–1837, Arkansas Research, Conway, 1992, , Page 32 The battalion suffered 7 deaths and 5 desertions during its service. None of the deaths were due to hostile action.Morgan, James L., Arkansas Volunteers of 1836–1837, Arkansas Research, Conway, 1992, , Pages 33–34
Aftermath One Regular Army observer of the Arkansas troops on the frontier wrote to the Arkansas Gazette with the following description of their service: