Arkansas 8th Cavalry Regiment
HISTORICAL NOTES:
There is very little documentation on this unit. I believe others writing about this regiment have conflated the records of the "Desha Rangers" and treated them as the regiment when they apparently a company of a larger group.
The Arkansas 8th Cavalry Regiment AKA The Desha County Rangers was an independent cavalry troop, organized by Captain William S. Malcomb in rural Desha county, Arkansas, December 13, 1862. The Rangers continued to recruit (and conscript) heavily in Desha and Arkansas counties throughout the first half of 1863. A large number of the Rangers had previously served in the Desha County Militia in late 1861.
Though the Desha Rangers were enlisted as an independent company, they were often temporarily attached to various cavalry regiments, depending upon the needs of the army. For a time they were attached to the 5th Arkansas Cavalry Regiment as Company M; and later were attached to Carlton’s Arkansas Cavalry Regiment as Company H.
When operating as an independent troop, the Rangers were usually detailed on scouts. They sometimes served as provost guard, and occasionally were assigned as the commanding general’s escort troop.
Captain William S. Malcomb resigned his commission, due to disability, on September 10, 1863, and was succeeded by Lieutenant Stephen J. Peoples. When Captain Peoples was promoted to major of Carlton’s Cavalry Regiment on August 4, 1864, Lieutenant George Flournoy succeeded him as captain.
The records of the Trans-Mississippi Army are very sketchy from late 1864 to the surrender in 1865; therefore it is difficult to track the activities of the Desha Rangers with any degree of certainty during this period. It appears that they ended the war still attached to Carlton’s Cavalry Regiment.
OFFICERS:
Major John P. Bull
Captain Willian S. Malcomb
Lieutenant Stephen J. Peoples
BATTLES:
Battle of Poison Spring, Arkansas, April 18, 1864. General William Lewis Cabell report of the battle states that this unit killed "at least eighty Negroes". Battle of Marks' Mills, Arkansas, April 25, 1864
Price's Missouri Raid, Arkansas-Missouri-Kansas, September, 1864
Battle of Westport, Westport, Missouri and Kansas City, Missouri, October 23, 1864
Battle of Marais des Cygnes, Linn County, Kansas , October 25, 1864
ROSTERS:
The roster of this regiment contains the names of 1573 men.
Company A – Van Buren County and Jackson County
Company B – Jefferson County
Company C – Independence County
Company D – Sharp County
Company e - Conway County
Company F – Independence County
Company G – Fulton County
Company H – Independence County and Izard County
Company I - Mississippi County
Company K – Van Buren County
Company L – Van Buren County
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
REFERENCES: REF: Wikipedia
Crute - Units of the Confederate States Army
Sifakis - Compendium of the Confederate Armies
The Arkansas 8th Cavalry Regiment AKA The Desha County Rangers was an independent cavalry troop, organized by Captain William S. Malcomb in rural Desha county, Arkansas, December 13, 1862. The Rangers continued to recruit (and conscript) heavily in Desha and Arkansas counties throughout the first half of 1863. A large number of the Rangers had previously served in the Desha County Militia in late 1861.
Though the Desha Rangers were enlisted as an independent company, they were often temporarily attached to various cavalry regiments, depending upon the needs of the army. For a time they were attached to the 5th Arkansas Cavalry Regiment as Company M; and later were attached to Carlton’s Arkansas Cavalry Regiment as Company H.
When operating as an independent troop, the Rangers were usually detailed on scouts. They sometimes served as provost guard, and occasionally were assigned as the commanding general’s escort troop.
Captain William S. Malcomb resigned his commission, due to disability, on September 10, 1863, and was succeeded by Lieutenant Stephen J. Peoples. When Captain Peoples was promoted to major of Carlton’s Cavalry Regiment on August 4, 1864, Lieutenant George Flournoy succeeded him as captain.
The records of the Trans-Mississippi Army are very sketchy from late 1864 to the surrender in 1865; therefore it is difficult to track the activities of the Desha Rangers with any degree of certainty during this period. It appears that they ended the war still attached to Carlton’s Cavalry Regiment.
Crute - Units of the Confederate States Army
Sifakis - Compendium of the Confederate Armies