Some input: My ancestor, Sgt. J. D. Pearce was one of the few survivors to be there to surrender on April 26th, 1865.
It was my understanding that only a handful were left and that maybe 100 of the men of the 8th made it home.
But I have never been able to find or contact the descendants of maybe 10 of those men. I honestly do not believe more than a handful were left to come home to Arkansas.
In years past, I have been in touch with a group of re-enactors in Michigan who were called the 8th Arkansas in honor of the 8th's strong fighting ablilty during battle.
In other words, they played the tough Confederates.
My cousin who lives in Colorado is something of an authority on the 8th.