The 25th Arkansas Infantry Regiment, formerly known as the 30th Arkansas Infantry Regiment, was an infantry formation of the Confederate States Army in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. The other "Thirtieth Arkansas" served west of the Mississippi River in the Department of the Trans-Mississippi and was also known as 5th Trans-Mississippi Regiment, 39th Arkansas Infantry Regiment, and Rogan's Arkansas Cavalry during Price's 1864 Missouri Expedition.Howerton, Bryan R. "Re: Itinerary of Price's Army", Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board, Posted 8 July 2004, Accessed 5 December 2011, http://history-sites.com/mb/cw/arcwmb/archive_index.cgi?noframes;read=7843
History The 25th Arkansas Infantry was organized as the 30th Arkansas Infantry Regiment on June 18, 1862, when the 11th Battalion Arkansas Infantry was increased to a regiment. Turnbull's battalion is mentioned as a part of a group of units belonging to the "White River forces" under the command of Colonel James H. McCarver of the 14th Arkansas at Pocahontas, Arkansas, on March 31, 1862. The unit is described in a "morning report" of that date as a temporary battalion under the command of Captain Charles J. Turnbull with 484 present for duty.Odom, Danny "Re: 17th Arkansas Regiment, No. 2", Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board, Posted 9 June 2012, Accessed 11 June 2012, http://history-sites.com/cgi-bin/bbs53x/arcwmb/webbbs_config.pl?noframes;read=26502 Special Order Number 47, Army of the West, dated 10 April 1862 at Des Arc, Arkansas, signed by General Earl Van Dorn ordered the infantry companies of Captains Reinhard, Byers, Sloan, Hufstedler, Morgan and Oates to move to Memphis via steamer, under the command of Captain Turnbull and there to report to Brigadier General Albert Rust who was to organize them into a regiment with the companies of Adams, Rodgers, McCray, and Adair, but the election of officers was to be deferred until all the companies were present. Special Order Number 67, Army of the West, dated 27 April 1862 at Memphis, Tennessee, directed that Turnbull's Arkansas Regiment be organized and an election of officers be held at once. By Special Order Number 80, Army of the West, dated 27 April 1862, Lieutenant Colonel Turnbull's Battalion was temporarily detached from Churchill's Brigade and assigned to duty with Colonel M. L. Clark's Artillery Brigade. Also Captain Franklin's Company, the Peyton Rifles of Pulaski County, which had been assigned as Company C of Jones' 8th Arkansas Infantry Battalion was transferred to Turnbull's 11th Arkansas Infantry Battalion in order to increase 11th Battalion to a full regiment which would be designated the 30th Arkansas Infantry Regiment. The regiment was composed of the following companies:
Company A – Enrolled at Randolph County, Arkansas, on March 18, 1863, under the command of Captain Eli Hufstedler of Pocahontas. Company B – Enrolled at Little Rock, Arkansas, on March 1, 1862, under the command of Captain James W. Adams of Saline County. Company C – Enrolled at Jacksonport, Arkansas, on March 13, 1862, under the command of Captain John Thomas. This company was originally organized on November 12, 1861, as "Volunteer Company B" in the 50th Regiment, Arkansas State Militia, Prairie County.Arkansas Military Department Records, List of Commissioned Officers of the Militia 1827–1862, Arkansas History Commission, Microfilm Roll 00000038-8, Page 441 Company D – Enrolled at Pocahontas, Randolph County, Arkansas (included many from Green Co.) March 25−26, 1862 under the command of Captain S. T. Black of Pocahontas, killed at Murfreesboro. Company E – Enrolled at Jacksonport, Arkansas, on March 10, 1862, under the command of Captain William C. Moore. Company F – the "Peyton Rifles" – Enrolled at Little Rock, Arkansas, on March 15, 1862, under the command of Captain J. J. Franklin of Little Rock, elected major at the regimental organization and subsequently lieutenant colonel, succeeded by Captain L. L. Noles, promoted major, first lieutenant John O'Brien then becoming captain. This company was previously briefly assigned as Company C of the 8th Arkansas Infantry Battalion before being transferred to the 25th Arkansas. This company was originally organized on April 20, 1860, as a volunteer company in the 13th Regiment, Arkansas State Militia, under the command of Captain Daniel W. Ringo. The company was assigned to Borland's Arkansas Militia Battalion and participated in the seizure of the Fort Smith Arsenal in April 1861, before the state seceded.Edward G. Gerdes Civil War Page, The Peyton Rifles, Accessed February 4, 2011, Company G – Enrolled at Pocahontas, Arkansas, on March 13, 1862, under the command of Captain Stephen Smith of Pocahontas. Company H – Enrolled at Brownsville, Arkansas, on March 11, 1862, under the command of Captain W. A. Cotter. Company I – Enrolled at Jacksonport, Arkansas, on March 19, 1862, under the command of Captain J. G. Adams. This company was originally organized on November 12, 1861, as "Volunteer Company A" in the 50th Regiment, Arkansas State Militia, Prairie County. Company K – Enrolled at St. Charles, Arkansas, on February 22, 1862, under the command of Captain John A. Wakefield of St. Charles.
Turnbull, of Little Rock, was elected colonel of the regiment. Henry Remington was elected lieutenant colonel, but resigned and was replaced by Eli Hufstedler. James J. Franklin was elected major. After the Battle of Murfreesboro, the regiment was renamed as the 25th Arkansas Infantry. The field officers were Colonel Charles J. Turnbull, Lieutenant Colonels Eli Hufstedler and Thomas S. Simington, and Majors James J. Franklin and L. L. Noles. Major Franklin was wounded at Murfreesboro, and Captain Noles, of Company E became major. He was killed at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, and was succeeded by Captain Cotter, of Company H. Captain S. T. Black, of Company D, was killed at Murfreesboro.
Battles
The new regiment was assigned to Thomas James Churchill's brigade of General Van Dorn's Army of the West by Special Order Number 64, dated April 24, 1862, from Memphis. After the Battle of Farmington, Mississippi, on May 9, 1862, as part of the general reorganization of Confederate forces for the upcoming Kentucky Campaign, the 30th Arkansas was assigned to Colonel Evander McNair's 2nd Brigade of Brigadier General Thomas James Churchill's 3rd Division of Major General Edmund Kirby Smith's Army of Central Kentucky and participated in the Battle of Richmond Kentucky. The unit reported 10 casualties at Richmond.
After the Kentucky Campaign, General Bragg consolidated the Army of Kentucky and the Army of Mississippi into one force known as the Confederate Army of Tennessee. During the Stone's River Campaign, the 30th Arkansas was assigned to Brigadier General Evander McNair's 3rd Brigade of Major General John P. McCown's 3rd Division of William J. Hardee's Corps of the new Army of Tennessee. The regiment lost 7 killed, 51 wounded, and 3 missing during the Battle of Murfreesboro. In accordance with Confederate Adjutant and Inspector General's Office Order Number 131,United States. War Dept. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 20, In Two Parts. Part 1, Reports., Book, 1887; digital images, (http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth154629/m1/982/?q=McGregor : accessed June 29, 2012), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, http://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries, Denton, Texas. ten soldiers of the regiment were recognized for courage and good conduct on the field for the Battle of MurfreesboroUnited States. War Dept. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 20, In Two Parts. Part 1, Reports., Book, 1887, Page 974; digital images, (http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth154629 : accessed 7 February 2012), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, http://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries, Denton, Texas.
Following the Battle of Murfreesboro, the unit was officially redesignated as the 25th Arkansas Infantry. Heavy casualties suffered at Murfreesboro in McNair's Brigade caused several field (temporary) consolidations among its regiments. On February 9, 1863, the 25th Arkansas was temporarily consolidated with the Thirty-first Arkansas. Colonel McCray, of the Thirty-first was placed in command of the consolidated 25th/31st Arkansas.Odom, Danny "Re: Where was 31st Arkansas Infantry at Stones Riv" Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board, Posted 25 June 2012, Accessed 26 June 2012, http://history-sites.com/cgi-bin/bbs53x/arcwmb/webbbs_config.pl?noframes;read=26685
In June, 1863, McNair's Brigade was reassigned to William H.T. Walker's (later French's) Division of the Army of the Department of Mississippi and Eastern Louisiana, under the overall command of General Joseph E. Johnston who was assigned the mission of organizing a force to attempt to relieve Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton's besieged army at Vicksburg. Johnston had been gathering troops at Jackson, intending to relieve pressure on Pemberton's beleaguered garrison. Johnston cautiously advanced his 30,000 soldiers toward the rear of Grant's army surrounding Vicksburg.Korn, Jerry, and the Editors of Time-Life Books. War on the Mississippi: Grant's Vicksburg Campaign. Alexandria, VA: Time-Life Books, 1985. , Page 156. In response, Grant ordered Sherman to deal with Johnston's threat. By July 1, 1863, Johnston's force was in position along the Big Black River. Sherman used the newly arrived IX Corps to counter this threat. On July 5, the day after the surrender of Vicksburg was made official; Sherman was free to move against Johnston. Johnston hastily withdrew his force across the Big Black River and Champion's Hill battlefields with Sherman in pursuit. Sherman had with him the IX Corps, XV Corps, XIII Corps, and a detachment of the XVI Corps. On July 10 the Union Army had taken up position around Jackson. The heaviest fighting in the Siege of Jackson came on July 11 during an unsuccessful Union attack, which resulted in heavy casualties.Gue, Benjamin F. History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century/4 Vol. 4. Iowa Biography, 1903, p. 164. Instead of risking entrapment, Johnston chose to evacuate the state capital and withdrew on July 16. Sherman's forces occupied the city the following day.