They Served Until The End

The 1^st Arkansas Field Battery; also known as the John D Adams Artillery, was mustered into Confederate service December 1^st 1861.

The 1^st Arkansas Field Battery was organized as the John D Adams Artillery, and mustered in the state militia in April 1861.  The unit was named in honor of Arkansas vet John D Adams, who had served in the Arkansas Mounted Gunmen during the Mexican American War, and was wounded at the Battle of Buena Vista.  The Battery became a part of the Confederate army on December 1^st 1861 under the command of officers Captains James J Gaines and Francis McAnally.

They were assigned to Herbert’s brigade, a part of Confederate General Benjamin McCulloch’s Division.  The 1^st Arkansas was armed with four cannon in the fight on March 7^th and 8^th 1862 during the Battle of Pea Ridge.  Following the retreat the Battery moved with the rest of the army to Corinth, Mississippi.  They were reorganized on May 16^th 1862, becoming part of the Army of the West.  The battery would see action at the Battle of Corinth, and Hatchie Bridge in October 1862.

The Battery was assigned to service at Vicksburg during the siege.  It surrendered with the rest of the garrison on July 4^th 1863.  At the time of the surrender 2 of 1^st Arkansas’ guns were on detached service under the command of First Lieutenant Frank A Moore and escaped capture.  This section was attached to the 2^nd Missouri Battery for the rest of the war.  The remainder of the Battery was exchanged in November 1863 and reorganized with four 6 pounder cannon and assigned to the 5^th Artillery Battalion, commanded by Confederate Major William Durbin Blocher.

The men of the Battery were still serving when orders were read from Confederate General Kirby Smith on April 23^rd 1865 announcing Lee’s surrender.  When the Confederate Trans Mississippi Army surrendered in May 1865, the unit was simply disbanded and the men went home.

A Man Of The 37th

Union Lieutenant Colonel John Charles Black was made Major of the 37^th Illinois Infantry September 5^th 1861.

John Charles Black was born January 27^th 1839 in Lexington, Mississippi the son of Rev. John and Josephine (Culbertson) Black.  His father who was a Presbyterian minister moved the family to Danville, Illinois in 1847.  Black attended Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana.

On Lincoln’s call for troops Black along with his brother William P Black join the 11^th Indiana Infantry as privates on April 14^th 1861.  The 11^th was a three month regiment, and after being mustered out of service,  they organized Company K of the 37^th Illinois Infantry.  Black was made the Major of the 37^th on September 5^th 1861.  He was wounded at the Battle of Pea Ridge March 7^th 1862.  On July 12^th 1862 Black was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel of the 37^th.  During the Battle of Prairie Grove, December 7^th 1862 Black led his men against a fortified Confederate position, suffering heavy casualties before being forced to retreat.  Black would be wounded in the action and would be awarded the Medal of Honor for his service there.  He would go on the command a Brigade.  Black resigned his commission August 15^th 1865.

Black passed the bar and opened a law practice in 1867 in Danville, Illinois.  He would become the United States District of Attorney in Chicago, Illinois.  He was the Commissioner of Pensions 1885-89.  Black was elected to the United States Congress in 1893.  In 1903 he made the Commander in Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic.  Black died August 17^th 1915 in Chicago, Illinois, and is buried in the Spring Hill Cemetery in Danville, Illinois.

A Great Man Of Texas

Confederate Brigadier General Benjamin McCulloch of Texas was killed during the Battle of Pea Ridge March 7^th 1862.

Benjamin McCulloch was born in Rutherford County Tennessee the son of Alexander and Frances Fisher (LeNoir) McCulloch.  The family was part of old Virginia planter stock, but McCulloch’s father moved the family west often.  They settled finally in Dyersburg, Tennessee were McCulloch’s neighbor was David Crockett.  In 1835 when Crockett went to Texas, McCulloch and his brother Henry head for the state.  Because of Ben contracting measles the brothers had to hold up for a few weeks, and were saved from being in the Alamo when it fell.

McCulloch fought for Texas under Sam Houston as part of the artillery.  He received 960 acres of land for his service.  He took up land surveying for the Republic of Texas, before joining the Texas Rangers as a lieutenant under Captain John Coffee Hays.  In 1839 McCulloch was elected to the Texas House of Representatives.  By 1842 McCulloch was back fighting Indians and Mexican with the Texas Rangers.  During the Mexican American War he was appointed Chief of Scouts under United States General Zachary Taylor with the rank of Major.  When gold fever struck in 1849 McCulloch traveled to California, where he would become a sheriff in Sacramento.  He was back in Texas by 1852.

With the coming of the Civil War, Texas seceded from the Union on February 1^st 1861 and on the 14^th McCulloch received a commission from Confederate President Jefferson Davis to Colonel.  McCulloch met with Union General David E Twiggs on the morning to February 16^th 1861 and demanded his surrender.  McCulloch was promoted to Brigadier General.  He put together the Confederate Army of the West with men from Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Indians from the Creek, Cherokee and Choctaw nations.  Their first action was at the Battle of Wilson’s Creek on August 10^th 1861, where they defeated Union General Nathaniel Lyon.

McCulloch was in command of the Confederate right wing at the Battle of Pea Ridge.  His troops, after much maneuvering over took a Union artillery battery on March 7^th 1862.  The fight continued through the morning and McCulloch who was riding out in front to scout positions was shot out of his saddle.  He died instantly.  He was buried on the field at Pea Ridge, but was later moved to the battle cemetery in Little Rock.  McCulloch’s remains would be moved finally to the State Cemetery in Austin, Texas.

A Missouri Democrat

William Cecil Price was named United States Treasure on February 28^th 1860 by President James Buchanan.

William Cecil Price was born in 1816 in Russell County, Virginia.  He attended Knoxville College for a time, before returning to Missouri where he worked several jobs while reading for the law.  Price became the Green County Deputy Sheriff in 1840, before being admitted to the bar in 1844.  Price was an active member of the Missouri Democratic Party, and was among those who felt the Missouri Compromise should be repealed.  He supported Claiborne Fox Jackson, and wrote the “Jackson Resolutions” that were read at the Missouri General Assembly in 1848.  The Resolutions stated people in any state or territory of the United States had the right to determine if they would permit slavery, and that any act of Congress against this would allow the slaveholding states to band together.  It was at this time that Price met Judah P Benjamin and Jefferson Davis.  In 1854 Price was elected to the Missouri State Senate, and in 1859 he represented Missouri at the United States General Land Office.

United States President James Buchanan appointed Price the Treasurer of the United States on February 28^th 1860.  When the Civil War started Price resigned his office on March 21^st 1861 and joined the Confederate brigade commanded by his cousin General Sterling Price.  At the Battle of Pea Ridge in March 1862 Price was taken prisoner and spent eight months as a POW at Alton, Illinois.  He was re-assigned by Confederate President Jefferson Davis to recruiting duty in Missouri and promoted to Major.  In 1864 Price resigned his commission.

He moved to Arkansas where he tried farming.  When the war ended Price returned to Missouri and the law.  As the years past Price who was lifelong member of the Methodist Church became intensely interested in theology, and was described as a religious zealous.  He died in 1901.

Another web site to look at for more information is Kansas Bogus Legislature

Death For And At Independence

Confederate Colonel John Taylor Hughes was killed August 11th 1862 during the First Battle of Independence.


John Taylor Hughes was born near Versailles, Kentucky July 25th 1817 the son of Samuel and Nancy [Price] Hughes. As a child the family moved to Fayette, Missouri. He attended Bonne Femme College, and became a teacher. When the Mexican - American War started Hughes enlisted in the First Regiment Missouri Mounted Volunteers. He wrote a book about his experiences which brought him national fame. After returning to Missouri, Hughes became a newspaper editor, school superintendent and in 1854 a Missouri state representative.

Although a strong Unionist, Hughes joined the Confederate leaning Missouri State Guard, along his cousin Sterling Price. He saw early action in the Battles of Carthage and Wilson’s Creek. In March 1862 Hughes took over command at the Battle of Pea Ridge for the wounded Confederate Brigadier General William Yarnell Slack. He spent some time in the early summer of 1862 recruiting for the Confederate army in Missouri.

On August 11th 1862 Hughes commanded his new recruits along with several partisan bands in an attack of the Union garrison at Independence, Missouri. As he was leading a charge in the First Battle of Independence Hughes was shot in the head and died instantly. His troops took the city despite Hughes death. He is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Independence, Missouri.

For more about John T Hughes check this web site John T. Hughes Camp # 614 and The Battle of Independence

The First Republican Congressmen

Union General and the first Republican Congressmen ever elected Samuel Ryan Curtis resigned from Congress August 4th 1861.


Samuel Ryan Curtis was born in Champlain, Clinton County, New York February 3rd 1805. He attended the United States Military Academy, graduating in 1831. Curtis moved to Ohio, where he became a lawyer. He served as a military governor in several cities under occupation during the Mexican - American War. Following the war he moved to Keokuk, Iowa where he became mayor in 1856. It was also in 1856 that Curtis was elected the first Republican to the United States House of Representatives from Iowa’s First Congressional District. He was re-elected in 1858 and 1860.

When the Civil War started Curtis received an appointment to Colonel in 2nd Iowa Infantry. He resigned his Congressional seat. Curtis was placed in command of the Army of the Southwest December 25th 1861, and he moved the headquarters to Rolla, Missouri. His Army won the Battle of Pea Ridge in March 1862. Curtis was promoted March 21st 1862 to Major General, sadly this was the same day he learned of oldest daughter’s death. In September 1862 he was moved to command the District of Missouri, and then again onto the Department of Kansas and the Indian Territory. 1864 found him fighting along the border of Missouri, where he had a victory in the Battle of Westport. After this he was reassigned to the Department of the Northwest, where Curtis tried to handle the Indian uprisings in Minnesota and the Dakota Territory.

After the war was over Curtis return to Iowa. He worked with the railroads until his death December 26th 1866 in Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa. He is buried in the Oakland Cemetery in Keokuk, Iowa.

If you are interested in more information about this man try Samuel Ryan Curtis (1805–1866)