Here is a history of Company B 2nd Arkansas Rifles which is as close as I can come to providing battle history for Company E., Hezekiah Cashes company.
History
of
Company B, 2nd Regiment
Arkansas Mounted Rifles
from a paper written by Dr. J. A. Henry, M. D.
The concept of a mounted rifles regiment was to provide the firepower of an infantry regiment with the mobility of a cavalry unit. More often than not, these units, rather than possessing the advantages of each group that they attempted to combine, multiplied the disadvantages. The 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles served as an actual mounted rifles regiment for a relatively brief period of time. Transferred to the east bank of the Mississippi River in the spring of 1862, the regiment was dismounted and, although there were frequent request to have it remounted, it continued in service as infantry for the rest of its career.
Company B, 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles, was originally organized at Galla Creek, Arkansas, in May and June of 1861. It was made up of men from the area now known as Pottsville, Russellville, Atkins and as far east as Point Remove. This company originally was composed of 86 men and commanded by Ben T. Embry, a successful farmer and merchant, who resided at what is now Atkins, Arkansas.
This company originally organized as cavalry and were required to furnish their own horses and accouterments. They traveled approximately 150 miles to the Osage Prairie, outside Bentonville, Arkansas where they were sworn into Confederate service on June 15,1861. Ben T. Embry, the original Company Commander, was promoted to Lt. Col. of the Regiment and 1st Lt. Peter W. Parker became the Captain. The Regiment was designated 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles and command was given to Col. James McIntosh, a West Point graduate from Kentucky.
The regiment's first battle was fought 34 days after induction into the Confederate Army. This was the Battle of Oak Hill (Wilson's Creek), Missouri on August 10,1861. During this engagement five men were lost from Company B. They were: John Ford, Norristown; Joe Bunker, Russellville; Lawson Hill, Pottsville; and Carrol and John Sweeden, both from Point Remove.
Elements of the 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles were engaged in the Battles of Custenenlah in the Indian Territories. They fought and defeated the Seminoles and other tribes which had been enlisted by the Union Army to engage Southern forces.
At the Battle of Elk Horn Tavern (Pea Ridge) the 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles fought under Gens. Ben McCulloch and James McIntosh on the first day of the battle. After their deaths, Col Ben T. Embry assumed command of the cavalry. The 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles were not engaged in action on the second day.
The Regiment spent their first winter of the war with the majority of Arkansas and Missouri units on the Arkansas River and near Spadra Bluffs at Clarksville.
The 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles were ordered east of the Mississippi River along with the rest of the Confederate forces in Arkansas in April 1862. They went to DeVall's Bluff where they were transported by steamboat to Memphis, Tennessee. There were not enough boats to transport their horses and some of the older men were left in charge of them thinking that they would be remounted later. The Regiment fought so valiantly as Infantry in coming battles that they were never remounted although they were allowed rations for their horses in their pay.
When the Confederate regiments reorganized at Corinth, Mississippi in 1862, Col Ben T. Embry left the Regiment and returned home to become as war-time Senator. He was replaced by Harrison Flannigan, a lawyer form Arkadelphia, who was elected as Colonel of the Regiment.
With the beginning of the Kentucky Campaign the Regiment was under the command of Gen. Kirby Smith and entered Kentucky by way of the Cumberland Gap where they were sniped at continuously by the mountaineers. In Kentucky they fought the battles of Perryville and Richmond and went on to Lexington to help inaugurate a Confederate Governor for Kentucky. The Regiment moved as far north as Covington, Kentucky, just across the Ohio River from Cincinnati, Ohio. During the Kentucky Campaign the Regiment marched 850 miles, fought two major engagements and were caught in an 18 inch snow as they returned through the Cumberland Gap without a single tent, worn out shoes and tattered summer uniforms.
After their arrival back in Tennessee, the 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles were made part of McCowan's Division. In the Battle of Murfreesboro (Stone's River) the regiment fought on the left flank of Bragg's army. They drove the Federals back 4 miles. The 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles captured a sizeable number of officers and men of the 22nd Indiana Infantry, including that unit's commanding officer, Col. Michael Gooding. The unit was included in the Roll of Honor posted after the battle rewarding certain selected individuals for heroism or valor. During the battle the regiment took 130 casualties, 23 (the most) from Company B. The regiment then retired to the Duck River, where they spent the winter months.
In the spring of 1863 McNair's Brigade, McCowan's Division, which contained the 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles, was disengaged from the Army of Tennessee and sent to attempt the relief of Vicksburg from the east. There they fought the Battle of Jackson and engagements along the Big Black River.
In early September, 1863, the 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles were moved by rail from Meridian, Mississippi to Mobile, Alabama, up thru Florida and Georgia and disembarked from the railway at Ringo, Georgia. They were then placed in the woods for the night. Here they made contact with the Federals and skirmished late into the afternoon, they were the first Confederate troops to be engaged. Thus was the beginnings of the Battle of Chickamauga.
On the first day of Chickamauga McNair's Brigade, containing the 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles, fought close to Reid's Bridge and way heavily engaged throughout the day. On the second day the regiment was placed under the command of General Longstreet, who had been sent from Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. General Longstreet selected McNair's Brigade as his right front lead brigade. The brigade broke through the Federal lines (3 lines of entrenchments) and was then enfiladed by the fire of 10 Federal cannons protected by a Federal Regiment. McNair's Brigade turned to it's right, charged the Federal regiment, routed them and captured all 10 of the cannon. After being re-supplied the Brigade continued in the fight for Snodgrass Hill.
During the Battle of Chickamauga, McNair's Brigade suffered approximately 40% casualties. For their actions during the battle, McNair's Brigade was selected as the premiere brigade in the battle and was again honored by being included in the Roll of Honor. Sgt. Moses Alexander Harrelson of Company B, 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles was listed on the Roll of Honor for bravery at Chickamauga where he lost a leg and was permanently disabled. The mourning after the battle the remaining able bodied troops of the brigade were placed on railcars and returned to Meridian, Mississippi. Due to the 10% law in Mississippi the 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles were well fed and had comfortable winter quarters.
With the wounding of Col. Evander McNair at Chickamauga, the Brigade was placed under the command of Brig. Gen. Daniel H. Reynolds. For the remainder of the War it would be known as Reynold's Brigade.
In early May 1864, the 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles was again transported by rail to Dalton, Georgia. There they were immediately placed on detached duty along with the 1st Arkansas Mounted Rifles and given the task of guarding Dug Gap. It was here on May 8th that General Hooker's Corps attempted to penetrate into the valley which led 100 miles to Atlanta. The 1st and 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles held against this entire Corps all day and prevented its entry into the valley. The time that they gained allowed the Confederate Army to organize for the Battle of Resaca which occurred May 13-14, 1864.
During the 100 days of fighting in the Atlanta Campaign the 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles was part of Stewart's Corps, Walthall's Division, Reynold's Brigade. They were out of range of small arms fire for only 2 days during the campaign. In this campaign they fought at Dug Gap, Resaca, New Hope Church, Pine Mountain, Kennesaw Mountain, Moore's Mill, Peach Tree Creek, and Ezra Church. The regiment's colors were captured sometime during the campaign. On July 30, 1864, they were recaptured by Ross' Texas Cavalry Brigade at Newman, Georgia and were returned to the regiment. On August 30th they were pulled from the lines at Atlanta and sent to Jonesboro where they aided in the repulse of Kilpatrick's Cavalry. They were then in the Battles of Jonesboro and Lovejoy Station. At the end of the Atlanta Campaign the 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles were among the troops delegated to burn the supplies and blow up the ammunition when Hood evacuated the city.
At the Battle of Franklin, Tennessee on November 30, 1864, the 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles charged the best of the Federal works on the right center of the Confederate line. The Confederates lost 7,000 men, including 5 Generals at Franklin.
At Nashville, Tennessee, December 15-16, 1864, the 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles were heavily engaged at Granny White Pike. After the battle, during the withdrawal, Reynolds' Brigade was selected to fight the rear guard action in the retreat of the Army of Tennessee from Nashville. General Reynolds was given command of 5 brigades in this rear guard action and along with General Nathan B. Forrest successfully covered the withdrawal of the Army from Nashville.
The 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles crossed the Tennessee River on Christmas Day 1864. They spent the winter near Tupelo, Mississippi. In the Spring of 1865 they were transported to North Carolina and placed under the command of their most favorite General, Gen. Joseph E. Johnson. Their last engagement of the War was at Bentonville, North Carolina on March 19-21, 1865. Just prior to this battle the five regiments making up Reynolds' Brigade were consolidated into the 1st Consolidated Arkansas Mounted Rifles. These five regiments were 1st Arkansas Mounted Rifles, 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles, 4th Arkansas Infantry, 9th Arkansas Infantry and the 25th Arkansas Infantry and had been so decimated that they could not function effectively as separate units. These regiments had fought most of the War in the same Brigade. The men of Company B, 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles were placed in Company C of the 1st Consolidated Arkansas Mounted Rifles. This company had 38 men and 2 officers.
They fought their last battle and were subsequently paroled. While being transported back home, they were forced to march to Greensboro, North Carolina, then across the Blue Ridge Mountains, approximately 300 miles to Greenville, Tennessee. There they were placed on a train whose engineer was drunk and when crossing a bridge at too great a speed caused a wreck which killed and injured a number of the men.
Company B, 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles had 86 men in its original roster. In 1865 at the surrender of the Army of Tennessee there were only 8 men remaining of the original 86. Out of the regiment that was originally composed of 1,200 men, there was only 84 of the original roster.
The 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles had fought from the western reaches of the Confederacy to its eastern shores. They had fought in 9 states and over 30 engagements. The 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles had become known as one of the finest and hardest and most reliable fighting units in the Army of Tennessee.
J. A. Henry, M.D. (Grandson of Silas A. Henry, one of the original members of Company B, 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles and one of the 8 survivors of the company who were present for the parole at the end)
Battles and Engagements
August 10, 1861...........................................................Oak Hill (Wilson's Creek), Missouri
December 26,27 1861.......................................Chustenenlah, Indian Territory (Oklahoma)
Dec 29, 1861 - Jan 4, 1862......Operations against Hopo-eith-le-yo-ho-la, I. T. (Oklahoma)
March 6-8, 1862..................................Battle of Elk Horn Tavern (Pea Ridge) (Arkansas)
August 30, 1862........................Richmond (Mt. Zion Church and White's Farm), Kentucky
October 8, 1862......................................................................................Perryville, Kentucky
Dec 31, 1862 - Jan 2, 1863.................................Murfreesboro (Stone's River), Tennessee
May 14, 1863.....................................................................................Jackson, Mississippi
September 19-20, 1863...................................................................Chickamauga, Georgia
Feb 16 - March 17, 1864..................................................Operations about Mobile Bay, AL
May 8, 1864................................................................................................Dug Gap, Georgia
May 13-15, 1864...........................................................................................Resaca, Georgia
May 15-27, 1864.........................................................................New Hope Church, Georgia
June 14, 1864....................................................................................Pine Mountain, Georgia
June 27, 1864.........................................................................Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia
July 19, 1864......................................................................................Moore's Mill, Georgia
July 20, 1864................................................................................Peachtree Creek, Georgia
July 22, 1864..................................................................................................Atlanta, Georgia
July 28, 1864..........................................................................................Ezra Church, Georgia
Aug 31 - Sept 1, 1864...............................................................................Jonesboro, Georgia
Sept 2, 1864..................................................................................Lovejoy's Station, Georgia
November 30, 1864...............................................................................Franklin, Tennessee
December 15-16, 1864.........................................................................Nashville, Tennessee
December 25, 1864................................................Skirmish at Richland Creek, Tennessee
March 19-21, 1865....................................................................Bentonville, North Carolina
April 26, 1865....................................................Surrendered at Greensboro, North Carolina