Stood Their Ground Through Three Charges

The 11^th United States Colored Infantry was in action on January 24^th 1865 at Boggs’ Mill in Arkansas.

The 11^th Regiment of the United States Colored Troops was recruited in the autumn of 1863 in Fort Smith, Arkansas.  It was made up mostly of former slaves that lived in the area, as well as a few slaves from the Choctaw Nation.  They were attached to the 2^nd Brigade of the District of the Frontier in the 7^th Corps of the Union Department of Arkansas.  The unit was at first assigned to garrison duty at Fort Smith.

Their first action came in the summer of 1864 when the 265 effectives of the 11^th were sent into the Indian Territory to guard stock and hay at Gunther’s Prairie.  On August 24^th 1864 the 11^th were attacked by about 350 Confederate Cavalry.  There was a hard fight that lasted over two hours with the Confederates making three charges, before they were forced to retreat.  The 11^th lost 3 men killed and 14 missing or wounded.

Returning to Fort Smith until November 1864 when they were ordered east into Conway County, Arkansas.  On January 24^th 1864 they confronted a detachment of the 10^th Arkansas Cavalry at Boggs’ Mill.  The Confederates under the command of Colonel Robert C Newton had taken the mill a few miles from Dardanelle, Arkansas.  The 11^th surprised the Confederates, capturing 18 horses, arms and Newton’s official papers.

After this the 11^th was placed on garrison duty in both Little Rock and Lewisburg, Arkansas through April 1865.  As the Civil War was wrapping up the 11^th was merged with the 112^th and 113^th becoming the 113^th United States Colored Infantry on April 22^nd 1865.

A Department Of The Army

The Union Army’s Department of Kansas was created on November 9^th 1861 with Brigadier General David Hunter as the commander.

The Department of Kansas was created from the Western Department on November 9^th 1861.  The Department covered the area of the Colorado Territory, Dakota Territory, Indian Territory west of Arkansas, Nebraska Territory and of course Kansas.  It’s first commander was Union Brigadier General David Hunter.  The Department became a part of the Union Department of Mississippi on March 11^th 1862.

There would be a Union Department of Kansas two more times before the end of the war.  The second time it was formed on May 2^nd 1862 and included the same area except for Fort Garland in Colorado.  Dakota and Nebraska Territories were taken out on October 11 1862, and the Department was once again absorbed, this time into the Union Department of Missouri.  Then it came back again on January 1^st 1864 with the original make up minus Fort Garland, but with Fort Smith, Arkansas added.  Shortly after November 9^th 1864 the Department was once again merged into the Department of Missouri.