Damon
You will notice in the OR's report of Lt Col Drake in my previous citation that he states that there were 300 negros which accompanied his column. But he referrs the 75 he "organized" into his Pioneers as "Recruits".
We know that OR' reports are only "tips" of Icebergs and are only outlines of actions taken written to persons who had full knowledge of the events.
We do know that Black troops accompanied Steele during the Camden expedition. It is my understanding that some of the "Unproven" Negro troops of the Arkansas African Decent troops (either the 3rd or possibly the 4th Ark. AD regiment) came along unarmed, as labor Battalions. I have wondered if Col Drake's use of the word "recruits" does not designate the use of those soldiers as the "pioneers."
Evidently Gen'l Steele had ordered the disarming of Negro militia's especially at Pine Bluff in early 1864. Below is an excerpt from one correspondance between Gen'l Steele and Col Powell Clayton at Pine Bluff on the matter.
Official Records Series 1, vol. 34, Part 1, (Red River Campaign) page 768
No. 39. Reports of Colonel Powell Clayton, Fifth Kansas Cavalry, commanding at Pine Bluff, of expedition to Mount Elba and Long View, &c.
March 27th 1864
.... "If these plans should meet with your approval I hope you will see the necessity of countermanding your order in reference to the armed negroes at this post, letting them remain as a part of the garrison until I return. I think they are absolutely necessary, as a movement might be made in my absence by the enemy at Monticello against the post; besides, all of the negroes are employed daily in strengthening the fortifications."
I wonder what connections this might have anything to do with what was going with the Negro recruits on at Mark's Mill?
I wonder if those recruits may not have accompanied the supply wagon train from Pine Bluff to Camden with the 1st Indiana Cavalry and the 7th Missouri Cavalry that Col Drake lists, and were returning back to Pine Bluff with it. This may explain the lack of records in the African Decent Regiments about the loss of these recruits. Certainly most of the 300 negros mentioned being with the Train would have been used as teamsters for the 240 government wagons.
Any Comments?
Doyle
PS here is an interesting comment from the history of the 4th Arkansas Infantry (African Decent)/57th USCT.
57th U.S. Colored Infantry--Organized March 11, 1864, from 4th Arkansas Infantry (African Descent). Attached to District of Eastern Arkansas, 7th Corps, Dept. of Arkansas, to May, 1864. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 7th Corps, to January, 1865. Colored Brigade, 7th Corps, to February, 1865. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 7th Corps, to August, 1865. Dept. of Arkansas to December, 1866. SERVICE Garrison duty at Helena and Little Rock, Ark., until August, 1864. (A detachment on Steele's Camden Expedition March 23-May 3, 1864, as bridge train guard.) Skirmish near Little Rock April 26, 1864. Operations against Shelby north of Arkansas River May 13-31. Skirmishes near Little Rock May 24 and 28. March to Brownsville, Ark., August 23, and to Duvall's Bluff August 29. Duty there and at Little Rock until June, 1865; then at various points in the Dept. of Arkansas guarding property and on post duty until December, 1866. Companies "A" and "D" mustered out October 18-19, 1866. Regiment mustered out December 31, 1866.