The Flags Of Civil War Arkansas

This comprehensive historical reference offers an in-depth look at the Confederate flags of Missouri during the Civil War. Throughout the 1860s, scores of flags representing the Confederate State of Missouri and its soldiers were unfurled in the fight against the Union armies. Symbolizing the way of life those men sought to protect, these flags provide a unique index to the history of the Civil War in this western state. This comprehensive study of Missouri’s Civil War–era flags presents more than fifty authentic flags, along with information on their origins and the units they represented. The emblems, materials, construction, and dimensions of each flag are also included. From the banner borne by the First Regiment Missouri Volunteer Militia, which serves as a significant reminder of the Camp Jackson massacre, to the famed flag Brig. Gen. Joseph O. Shelby never surrendered, each Missouri ensign represents a moment in history.

A Civil War historian provides an in-depth look at Confederate flags, covering their symbolism, historical background, and political significance. In the decades that followed the fall of the Confederate States of America, much information on the flags of the member states was lost. By the same token, many misunderstandings about these flags have persisted in popular myth. In The Flags of the Confederacy, Devereaux Cannon provides an authoritative and detailed overview of these flags and their various meanings. Devereaux provides essential context for each flag with an overview of the civil and political structures of the Confederate States of America. He also delves into the many stories surrounding each flag’s development and usage, providing both an essential historical reference and a rare window into Confederate life.

While the Monitor and Merrimack are the most famous of the Civil War ironclads, the Confederacy had another ship in its flotilla that carried high hopes and a metal hull. The makeshift CSS Arkansas, completed by Lt. Isaac Newton Brown and manned by a mixed crew of volunteers, gave the South a surge of confidence when it launched in 1862. For 28 days of summer, the ship engaged in five battles with Union warships, falling victim in the end only to her own primitive engines. The saga of the CSS Arkansas represents the last significant Rebel naval activity in the war's Western theater.

The Arkansas River Valley is one of the most fertile regions in the South. During the Civil War, the river also served as a vital artery for moving troops and supplies. In 1863 the battle to wrest control of the valley was, in effect, a battle for the state itself. In spite of its importance, however, this campaign is often overshadowed by the siege of Vicksburg. Now Mark K. Christ offers the first detailed military assessment of parallel events in Arkansas, describing their consequences for both Union and Confederate powers. Christ analyzes the campaign from military and political perspectives to show how events in 1863 affected the war on a larger scale. His lively narrative incorporates eyewitness accounts to tell how new Union strategy in the Trans-Mississippi theater enabled the capture of Little Rock, taking the state out of Confederate control for the rest of the war. He draws on rarely used primary sources to describe key engagements at the tactical level—particularly the battles at Arkansas Post, Helena, and Pine Bluff, which cumulatively marked a major turning point in the Trans-Mississippi. In addition to soldiers’ letters and diaries, Christ weaves civilian voices into the story—especially those of women who had to deal with their altered fortunes—and so fleshes out the human dimensions of the struggle. Extensively researched and compellingly told, Christ’s account demonstrates the war’s impact on Arkansas and fills a void in Civil War studies.

Worthy of the Cause for Which They Fight chronicles the experiences of a well-educated and articulate Confederate officer from Arkansas who witnessed the full evolution of the Civil War in the Trans-Mississippi Department and western theater. Daniel Harris Reynolds, a community leader with a thriving law practice in Chicot County, entered service in 1861 as a captain in command of Company A of the First Arkansas Mounted Rifles. Reynolds saw action at Wilson's Creek and Pea Ridge before the regiment was dismounted and transferred to the Army of Tennessee, the primary Confederate force in the western theater. As Reynolds fought through the battles of Chickamauga, Atlanta, Nashville, and Bentonville, he consistently kept a diary in which he described the harsh realities of battle, the shifting fortunes of war, and the personal and political conflicts that characterized and sometimes divided the soldiers. The result is a significant testimonial offering valuable insights into the nature of command from the company to brigade levels, expressed by a committed Southerner coming to grips with the realities of defeat and the ultimate demoralization of surrender.

Not distributed; available at Arkansas State Library.