That's an excellent summary of the manpower situation faced by Arkansas regiments in the Army of Tennessee. Add to that the fact that Hindman and Holmes took it upon themselves to "detain" all soldiers who came back to Arkansas on furlough or sick leave, and attach them to regiments stationed in Arkansas. A big chunk of the 33rd Arkansas Regiment was composed of men who belonged to Arkansas regiments in the Army of Tennessee, but for one reason or other returned to Arkansas for what they thought would be a short stay -- usually on furlough, sick leave, or recruiting duty. Sadly -- and most unfairly -- those men were carried on the rolls of their original regiments as "deserters", since they never returned from furlough, even though they continued to serve honorably as shanghaied soldiers back in Arkansas. Another reason why service records denoting desertion should be taken with a grain of salt.

By the end of the war, ALL of the Arkansas regiments in the Army of Tennessee were so depleted that they were consolidated into just two understrength regiments.