Rufus W. May enlisted as a Private in Captain Simpson's Company, South Arkansas Regiment*, August 17, 1861 at Camp near Mt. Vernon/Miller Spring, Mo by Captain Simpson for a period of 12 months, on November 1, 1861 he was listed as on furlough in Montgomery County October 2 to March 1, 1862, served as a Teamster/Ambulance Driver on extra duty August/September 1863, killed in battle July 19, 1864, most likely at Peachtree Creek

* This company subsequently became Company F, 5th Regiment Arkansas Infantry

James H. May, age 44, served as Major on the Field & Staff of the South Arkansas Regiment of Infantry* enrolling on August 17,1861 at Camp near Mt. Vernon, Mo., appointed Lt. Colonel November 4, 1862, resigned August 8, 1863

* This regiment subsequently became the 4th Regiment Arkansas Infantry

M317: Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Arkansas

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Fourth Arkansas infantry

The Fourth Arkansas infantry was organized at Miller's
Springs, Lawrence county, Mo., August 17, 1861, by the
election of Col. Evander McNair, of Hempstead county;
Lieut. -Col. A. Bryce Williams, of Hempstead county;
Maj. J. H. Clay, of Montgomery county. The regiment
was reorganized at Corinth, Miss., May 8, 1862. The
companies were commanded as follows : Company A, of
Calhoun county, Capt. Joseph B. McCulloch, succeeded
by First Lieut. George Eberhart, Second Lieut. Wiley C.
Brown, Third Lieut. H. G. Bunn (who afterward became
major, lieutenant-colonel and colonel of the regiment).
Company B, of Hempstead county, Capt. Rufus K. Gar-
land, elected to the Confederate Congress and succeeded
by First Lieut. Henry J. Bonner, Second Lieut. J. W.
Paup, Third Lieut. John L. Loudermilk; Henry J. Bon-
ner, made captain at the reorganization. Company C, of
Montgomery county, Capt. F. J. Erwin, First Lieut.
Nathaniel Grant, Second Lieut. J. Scott, Third Lieut. J.
Bates. Company D, of LaFayette county, Capt. Joseph
C. Tyson, First Lieut. Charles A. Jenkins, Second Lieut.
James M. Meyers, Third Lieut. Chesley G. Williams;
on reorganization Samuel W. Mays was made captain.
Company E, of Hempstead county, Capt. John A. Rowles,
First Lieut. Samuel Ogden, Second Lieut. Augustus Kyle,
Third Lieut. Ellis G. Winstead; on reorganization
Augustus Kyle was made captain. Company F, of Mont-
gomery, Capt. J. M. Simpson, First Lieut. J. W. Laven-
der, Second Lieut. Arthur Mayberry, Third Lieut. P. D.
Davis; Captain Simpson was mortally wounded in the
battle of Elkhorn, and First Lieut. J. W. Lavender be-
came captain. Company G, of Pike county, Capt. James
F. Black, First Lieut. William B. Gould, Second Lieut.
John N. McCollum, Third Lieut. H. Clay Polk; on reor-
ganization W. B. Gould became captain. Company H,
of Polk county, Capt. William H. Earp, First Lieut.
James M. Helton, Second Lieut. F. M. Bolin, Third
Lieut. Josiah Earp. Company I, of Polk county, Capt.
Joseph B. Williamson, First Lieut. Caleb Cox, Second
Lieut. George W. Mason, Third Lieut. George W. Walker;
on reorganization J. W. Blackburn, of Benton county,
became captain. Company K, of Calhoun county, Capt.
0. H. Black, First Lieut. Joseph Wilmon, Second Lieut.
A. W. Land, Third Lieut. Peter Johnson; on reorganiza-
tion Thomas A. Smith became captain.

The regiment participated in the battles of Elkhorn,
Richmond, Ky., Murfreesboro, Jackson, Miss., Chicka-
mauga, Resaca, New Hope Church, Kenesaw Mountain,
Dug Gap, Peachtree Creek, Atlanta, Ezra Church, Love-
joy's Station, Jonesboro, Franklin, Nashville, Sugar
Creek, and Bentonville, the last prominent battle of the
war. This regiment early won distinction in the com-
mand of the gallant Ben McCulloch. Its colonel, Evander
McNair, was promoted to brigadier-general and earned
enviable fame early in the war.

Source: Confederate Military History, vol. XIV, p. 287