The Arkansas in the Civil War Message Board

Re: Chew's Sharpshooter Battalion

Alan,

I will try and answer your questions as best as I can.

It's interesting that Gen. Fagan asks for the consolidation of the battalion and Hawthorn's Regiment on December 1st. Can you tell from your source if Gen. Fagan's request for consolidation was intended to be temporary for purposes of the upcoming battle....or was he already requesting a permanent consolidation?

The communication that I posted is all that I could find on the consolidation subject prior to the battle. I can only surmise that since these units had only recently been assigned to Fagan's new brigade, that Fagan was attempting to perfect his organization by such a consolidation. It should be noted that on Oct 19, Brooks reported only 89 privates in Hawthorne's battalion.

I had previously thought that the men of Chew's Battalion had actually been pulled from Hawthorn's existing regiment. It appears that the only connection between these two units prior to consolidation is that Colonel Hawthorn had previously served as commander of Chew's Battalion and that these two units fought side by side during the battle of Prairie Grove. Would you agree?

Yes. See my previous post.
[paraphrased extract]
In a letter from Little Rock, dated Jan. 7, 1863, to his old commander Gen. Hardee, Col A.T. Hawthorn continued his campaign for promotion to Brig. General....giving a summary of events since leaving Hardee and returning to Arkansas.
He states that he was appointed Major of an unarmed Battalion, and then two weeks later elected Colonel of a Regiment whose Colonel had resigned. [Johnson's regiment]
The unarmed battalion referred to by Hawthorne would become Chew's battalion.

I had no idea that what eventually became Fagan's Brigade had already been formed with Col. William H. Brooks serving as commander. I was surprised to see the references to "Brooks' Brigade."

In October, The unarmed troops of Col Carroll's brigade were transferred to the command of Col Brooks. These unarmed troops included the 2nd Arkansas regiment or Brooks' regiment [subsequently the 34th Arkansas], the 3rd [or Adams'] Arkansas regiment, Hawthornes' 1st battalion, [later identified within the brigade as 1st battalion, 4th regiment, as if it was intended to be raised to a 4th regiment], and a consolidated Missouri command.

From The Alexander Papers :
10/19 Camp Reagan
Col C W Adams is asgd. to the command of the 3rd Arkansas regt of Brooks brigade subject to confirmation of War Dept.
Col A T Hawthorne is assigned to the command of the bn composed of co's of Dawsons, Tumlinsons, Perkins and Hay...est ?
Brooks regt Ark vol, Adams regt Ark vol, Hawthorns bn Ark vol and the Missouri troops commanded by Lt Col Caldwell will for the present constitute a brigade under command of Colonel Brooks.

Brooks' command is alternately referred to as Brooks' unarmed brigade, Brooks' brigade or Brooks' command of unarmed men

In November, Brooks' regiment was assigned to Fagan's brigade of Shoup's division. Chew's battalion was unattached within Shoup's division. Adams' regiment was assigned to Shavers' brigade of Frost's division, and the consolidated Missouri command were assigned to Parsons' brigade of Frost's division.

Thus, it can be seen that Brooks' brigade did not continue intact as Fagan's brigade

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