4th Arkansas Calvary Regiment (Gordon's), CSA

Gordon's Cavalry Regiment [also called 4th Regiment] successor to C. A. Carroll's Cavalry Regiment, was organized in September, 1863. It served in General Cabell's Brigade, Trans-Mississippi Department, and took an active part in the conflicts at Poison Spring and Marks' Mills where twenty-one percent of the 117 engaged were disabled. Later it participated in Price's Missouri Expedition and reported 106 casualties. During the spring of 1865 it disbanded. The field officers were Colonel Anderson Gordon, and Majors J. A. Arrington and William H. Fayth.

From Co  B & C Record of events:

May-Jun 1864 Camp Fishback near Little Rock, AR.

This company was stationed at Dardanelle from date of last muster until May 17. At that date Dardanelle was attacked by Shelby in the night with 2,000 men and four pieces of artillery. The commanding officer of the post had ordered the camp equipage across the river and at the time of attack, it was slowly crossing in a single flat boat, Capt Wood, Co G, in charge. The town was held until it was completely surrounded and for nearly two hours after it had been abandoned by the post commander, but the property could not be saved. All records of the company were lost, except for copies of muster-in rolls found in the Adjutant General’s Office. Some of the men escaped by swimming the river and some by cutting their way through the enemy's lines. Many of the men reported missing in action are in the woods near Dardanelle unable to rejoin the regiment on account of guerrillas.

War Department, 22 Apr 1893

It has this day (22 Apr 1893) been determined by this department from the records on file that the four incomplete companies of this regiment, mustered into service in 1863 to serve one year and the duly mustered recruits therefore, were in the military service of the United States; that these companies were disbanded 28 Mar 1864 at Little Rock, Arkansas and by this disbandment were mustered out of the service of the United States for the reason that their service was no longer required, and that the members of these companies and all one year men of the regiment  not previously separated from the service by death, discharge, desertion or otherwise, were mustered out of service at the time and place and for the reason stated,  except men who previously or subsequently enlisted for three years with a date of enlistment covering the service rendered under their original enlistments.

Partial Roster

Company D

George D. Blackard (1845-1875) Private. Son of Toliver Goldstone Blackard and Mary Penn, husband of Mary Elizabeth Stovall. Buried in Oakland Cemetery, Johnson, County, Arkansas.

William H. Connelly, buried in Oakland Cemetery, Johnson County, Arkansas.

Jasper Hill (1844-1900) Private. Son of Joseph Hill and Emeline Jones. Private. Enlisted 1 December 1863 at Clarksville, Arkansas. Mustered out on 28 March 1864 in Little Rock, Arkansas.

William D. Smedley (1833-??) of Johnson County, Arkansas. Third Lieutenant. Husband of Sarah Ann Hardgrave. Born in Arkansas. Enlisted on 31 May 1862. Captured in Lynn County, Kansas on 23 October 1864 and sent to the military prison on Johnson's Island, Ohio. Released on oath on 16 June 1865.

Daniel Stewart (c1841-1863) Private. Son of Joseph Stewart and Jane Davis. Enlisted 31 May 1862 at Clarksville, Arkansas; killed in action on 3 May 1863.

Joseph Henry Stewart (1843-1940) Private. Son of Joseph Stewart and Jane Davis, husband of Belvaritta Casey. Enlisted 31 May 1862 at Clarksville, Arkansas at the age of 16. Captured 13 March 1865 in Crawford County, Arkansas and held as a POW in the federal prison at Little Rock, Arkansas. Released on oath on 7 May 1865.

Thomas Stewart (1824-1863) Private. Son of Joseph Stewart and Jane Davis, husband of Nancy Dickerson. Enlisted 1 June 1863 at Clarksville, Arkansas. Killed in action on 21 March 1863.

William Marion Stewart, son of Joseph Stewart and Jane Davis. Enlisted 15 December 1863 at Clarksville, Arkansas. Wounded at Elk Horn, left in Arkansas; killed in action 5 September 1863.

Company K

Elias D. Turner (1830-1880) Sergeant-3rd Lieutenant. Son of Henry B. Turner and Mary Russell, husband of 1) Viana Stamps and 2) Mariah Huggins. After the war he served as County Judge of Franklin County, Arkansas and the Arkansas State Representative from the 21st District. Buried in John Huggins Cemetery, Franklin County, Arkansas.

Samuel N. Welton (1839-1908) Private. Son of Bartley Welton and Nancy J. Shastid, husband of Caroline Celia Marrs. Buried in White River Cemetery, St. Paul, Madison County, Arkansas.

Bibliography

• National Park Service, Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, "Electronic."