The 8th Arkansas Field Battery (1862–1865) was a Confederate Army artillery battery during the American Civil War. The battery spent its entire existence in the Department of the Trans-Mississippi. It was also known as Hughey's Battery.
Organization William M. Hughey lived in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, when the war began. He enrolled in a local mounted volunteer company very early in the war, but the company disbanded. Next Hughey joined the "McCown Guards Artillery", commanded by Capt. D. Whitaker Harris, a company organized in Lafayette County, Arkansas, and eventually designated as Company B, 1st Tennessee Heavy Artillery. Sometime in 1862, Hughey returned to Arkansas. Hughey may have accompanied General Hindman when he came to the state in May or he may have accompanied General M.M. Parson's Missouri Infantry Brigade and the artillery train that Parson brought with him in his crossing of the Mississippi. According to a Goodspeed biographical sketch, "An artillery company was raised and placed under his command, and he served under General Hindman in this capacity in the several engagements that took place in Arkansas following that date."Howerton, Bryan R. "Hughey's Battery" Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board, Posted 18 June 2012, Accessed 19 December 2012, http://history-sites.com/cgi-bin/bbs53x/arcwmb/webbbs_config.pl?noframes;read=26613
When General Thomas C. Hindman arrived in Arkansas in late May 1862 to assume command of the new Trans-Mississippi District, he found almost nothing to command. He quickly began organizing new regiments, but his most pressing need was for arms for the new forces he was organizing, including the artillery. With Hindman's first order, dated May 31, 1862, at Little Rock, he announced his staff, including the appointment of Major Francis A. Shoup, Chief of Artillery.Howerton, Bryan R. "Hindman's First Order", Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board, posted 21 August 2004, Accessed 15 December 2012, http://history-sites.com/cgi-bin/bbs53x/arcwmb/arch_config.pl?read=8219 On September 29, 1862, General Hindman issued Special Order No. 8 from Little Rock which directed F. A. Shoup, now a Colonel, to take charge of the organization of the artillery from North West Arkansas and assigning certain "suitable officers to duty in the company now unorganized, and recommend them for appointment." These suitable officers included Lieutenants Huey(sic) and Miller. By November 8, 1862, Lieutenants Hughey and Miller were helping Captain James Shoup organize a battery. Special Order No. 35, from Camp on the Mulberry River, assigned the following officers to duty in "Shoup's Mountain Battery":Hindman's Copybook of Telegraphs, May 31st to October 9th, 1862, Army of the Southwest, Dept. of the Trans Mississippi. Peter W. Alexander papers, Columbia University Library, New York. J. C. Shoup Captain. W. M. Huey(sic) 1st Lieut. W. A. Miller Jr. 1st Lieut. G. F. Halliburton 2nd Lieut.
Shoup's Mountain Battery was involved in the Battle of Cane Hill, November 28, 1862, and the Battle of Prairie Grove on December 7, 1862. Col. Charles A. Carroll took note of Hughey's performance in his report of the engagement at Cane Hill:United States. War Dept.. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 22, In Two Parts. Part 1, Reports., Book, 1888; digital images, (http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth154600/m1/58/?q=shoup : accessed December 29, 2012), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, http://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries, Denton, Texas.
In the re-organization of the Army of the Trans-Mississippi following the defeat at Prairie Grove, a decision was made by General Hindman to disband Shoup's battery due to the poor quality of its guns. The battery personnel, which had been made up of men detailed from various infantry units were disbanded, the men sent back to their original commands and the officers, including Lieutenants Hughey and Miller were relieved of duty.Copybook of Orders and Letters from Thomas Hindman's Command, 2 Jan. - 4 Mar. 1863. Peter Wellington Alexander Papers, Box 9, Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Columbia University in the City of New York. Accessed 8 February 2013,
By March 1863, First Lieutenant William M. Hughey and Second Lieutenant W. A. Miller, formerly of Shoup's Mountain Battery were organizing a new battery with men taken from the Camp of Instruction at Dardanelle, Arkansas.United States. War Dept.. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 22, In Two Parts. Part 1, Reports., Book, 1888; digital images, (http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth154600/m1/314/?q=Hughey : accessed December 29, 2012), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, http://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries, Denton, Texas. On April 2, 1863, General Cabell wrote from Clarksville Arkansas to General Cooper:Odom, Danny, "Re: Hughey's Battery" Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board, Posted 6 July 2012, Accessed 17 December 2012, http://history-sites.com/cgi-bin/bbs53x/arcwmb/webbbs_config.pl?noframes;read=26782
Service
Action at Fayetteville, Arkansas The newly formed battery accompanied Brigadier General William L. Cabell on his Fayetteville raid in April 1863.Arkansas Historical Quarterly, Vol. LIV, No. 3 (Autumn 1995) Confederate Brigadier General Cabell departed Ozark, Arkansas, with 900 cavalry and Hughey's Battery with the intent of dislodging the Union from Fayetteville, Arkansas. Approaching the city from the south, the Confederates captured nine Union soldiers near West Fork, Arkansas, at night on April 17. The following morning the Confederates climbed East Mountain and Hughey's Battery fired south into the city. Cabell's cavalry rushed the city streets around 6:00 am intending to attack the Tebbetts House which held the Union command. The attackers halted and waited for cannon fire from the Hughey's Battery stationed on the mountain to damage the headquarters. Confederates pressed their attack into Fayetteville, capturing Union soldiers and destroying a supply train before the Union rallied and repelled the Southern troops. Union soldiers began approaching the Hughey's Battery upon East Mountain under cover. By this time the battery was under attack and out of ammunition forcing its withdrawal. General Cabell described the battery's effect:
During the Action a Fayetteville, the battery suffered two horses killed, two horses wounded, one man killed and several wounded. William Hughey was himself wounded in the arm in the battle of Fayetteville.Mahan, Russell, The Battle of Fayetteville: April 18, 1863; Historical Enterprises, Santa Clara, Utah, 2019. The battery retreated with General Cabell's forces back to Fort Smith. Cabell occupied Fort Smith through the summer of 1863.United States. War Dept.. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 22, In Two Parts. Part 2, Correspondence., Book, 1888; digital images, (http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth154590/m1/833/?q=Hughey : accessed February 08, 2013), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, http://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries, Denton, Texas.
The battery was reorganized on June 8, 1863, and reinforced with a couple of dozen details from Monroe's Cavalry Regiment. By July 30, 1862, Hughey was signing for forage at Fort Smith as captain, commanding battery. In the Compiled Service Records of the 26th Arkansas Infantry Regiment there are a handful of entries indicating that some infantrymen had been assigned to Hughey's Battery on September 1, 1863, the day of the Battle of Devil's Backbone. It is unclear if the assignment preceded the battle, took place during the battle, or occurred to facilitate the retreat of Cabell's force after the battle.Howerton, Bryan R. "Re: Transfers from the 26th to Hughey's Battery" Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board, Posted 14 May 2004, Accessed 29 December 2012, http://history-sites.com/cgi-bin/bbs53x/arcwmb/arch_config.pl?read=7362 General Cabel's report on the Battle of Devil's Backbone mentions "the gallantry of Captain [W.M.] Hughey, commanding the battery...." It appears that Monroe's regiment, Hughey's Battery and a company of Morgan's regiment performed quite well in the engagement:United States. War Dept.. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 22, In Two Parts. Part 1, Reports., Book, 1888; digital images, (http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth154600/m1/610/?q=Hughey : accessed December 29, 2012), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, http://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries, Denton, Texas.
Red River Campaign, Camden Expedition Hughey's Battery, attached to Colonel William A. Crawford's Brigade, of Major General James Fleming Fagan's Division was engaged in the Camden Expedition in the spring of 1864, including the actions at Battle of Prairie D'Ane, Battle of Poison Spring, and the Battle of Marks' Mills.United States. War Dept. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 34, In Four Parts. Part 1, Reports., Book, 1892; digital images, (http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth146033/m1/813/?q=Camden Gause : accessed July 05, 2012), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, http://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries, Denton, Texas
According to Colton Greene's reports for May and June 1864, Hughey's Battery was attached to Marmaduke's Brigade, Colton Greene commanding. This time period would include the Battle at Ditch Bayou, a.k.a. Battle of Lake Chicot, on June 6, 1864.CWSAC Battle Summary, The American Battlefield Protection Program, Old River Lake, Accessed 20 December 2012, It seems that Colonel Greene thought highly of this unit.
Prices' Missouri Raid The battery took part in Price's Raid in Missouri during the fall of 1864, assigned to Brigadier General William L. Cabell's brigade of Major General Fagan's Division.Jenkins, Paul B. The Battle of Westport (Kansas City, MO: Franklin Hudson Publishing Co.), 1906United States. War Dept.. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 41, In Four Parts. Part 4, Correspondence, Etc., Book, 1893; digital images, (http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth145061/citation/?q=Hughey's Arkansas Battery : accessed December 20, 2012), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, http://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries, Denton, Texas. The battery is mentioned in Union Army Reports of the Battle of Fort Davidson, also known as the Battle of Pilot Knob, on September 27, 1864:
The battery apparently lost tow guns and a number of horses during the Second Battle of Independence Missouri on October 21, 1864.John B. Sanborn, "The Campaign in Missouri in September and October 1864", Minnesota Historical Society, pp. 37-38,
During the remainder of Prices raid, the battery was present or engaged in the following battles:
Price's Missouri Raid, Arkansas-Missouri-Kansas, September–October, 1864 Battle of Fort Davidson, Missouri, September 27, 1864 Fourth Battle of Boonville, Missouri, October 11, 1864 Second Battle of Lexington, Missouri, October 19, 1864 Battle of Little Blue River, Missouri, October 21, 1864 Second Battle of Independence, Missouri, October 21–22, 1864 Battle of Byram's Ford, Missouri, October 22–23, 1864 Battle of Westport, Missouri, October 23, 1864 Battle of Marais des Cygnes, Linn County, Kansas, October 25, 1864 Battle of Mine Creek, Missouri, October 25, 1864