First, I'm not convinced that Parsons brought any more artillery with him than Gorham's battery.
Second, judging by Hart's timeline, he crossed back into the Trans Miss before Parsons and his bigade did. The obvious inference is that Hart brought guns with him, but I have yet to find corroborating material.
Can't recall what I my have since you regarding Hart's battery, but perhaps some of the following information will be useful in completing the timeline for him.
3/2 Effective total of McCulloch's division, at Strickler's
3/11-Actual strength present of McCulloch's division
3/17 organization
3/22 Gen Orders, #10, HQs Trans-Ms District, Van Buren, disbanding Hart’s Btry Light Arty “for shameful conduct in the presence of the enemy.”
3/24 Frog Bayou camp Price’s G O #3-Hart's btry disbanded for bad conduct at Elkhorn
3/25 HQ Arty Bgde Camp Churchill Clark G O #7
6/15 Special Orders #5 Army of the South West
6/19 Shoup at Devall’s Bluff to Hindman re disobeying Nelson-Have just recd a message from Col Nelson
6/19 Hindman to Col Shoup, Devall’s Bluff via Des Arc-your orders to Nelson approved-hasten him back to Devall’s Bluff. Morgan’s bn of Inf and Hart’s arty leave by the train this morning for Devall’s Bluff -will try to send 3 large guns from Pontchartrain boat tomorrow if able- boat cdr goes on train to see you today
6/19 Hindman to Shoup-Devall’s Bluff train now leaving w/Hart’s men and guns, Morgan’s Bn, ammo and stores
6/20 Little Rock arsenal-requisition by Capt Hart for canister & case shot for Hart’s btry-appd by Hindman
6/21 Hindman says-Pike, Dawson and Woodruff ordered here due to dire emergency
6/30 Nelson to Newton... Hart’s three small pieces on the left at angles to strengthen my left so as to leave me more men to use on my right in case they attempt to flank me
7/17 Priceville, MS
Head Quarters Trans Miss District
Little Rock, Arks., July 19, 1862
Major:
I have now at my different camps of instruction in Arkansas and on the march to them, thirty (30) regiments of infantry, averaging very nearly, if not quite one thousand (1,000) men to the regiments. Of these not three thousand (3,000) are armed.
In Missouri six (6) regiments are forming for which I have no arms.
In the Indian country, there are four (4) or five (5) regiments, whose arms are worthless.
I have gathered up, by purchase and impressments, about all the arms within my district. It is perfectly certain that not one thousand more guns more guns can be obtained. Of those that I have, only about 800 are valuable, balance being shotguns and common rifles.
In response to my previous appeal for arms, Gen. Beauregard ordered turned over to my Ordnance officer, Maj. Lockman some 450 damaged shot guns and rifles - and sent me a worthless battery - these I have received.
Curtis is devastating eastern Arkansas - a gunboat and transport fleet is at the mouth of the Arkansas River. A federal force of between 1,000 and 5,000 is in the Cherokee nation. Another federal column of about the same strength is in North West Arkansas.
If arms and ammunition were furnished me, I could do something in the way of defence - without them, I am nearly powerless.
There are old muskets and batteries in abundance east of the Mississippi: I apply for them - The requisitions I send do not cover the fourth of my wants. I have stated the facts. Begging and complaining cannot add to their strength.
Very Respectfully
T. C. Hindman
Maj. G. W. Brent } Maj. Genl. Comdg.
Chief of staff Hd Qtrs }
West Dept, Tupelo Miss }
7/21 Hindman to Col R. G. Shavers, Pine Bluff-Let Major Johnson remain until he accomplishes the object of his mission. I will send Hart’s Btry to you tomorrow
8/1 HQs Army of the South West Circular- The misconduct of a comparatively small number of bad men is bringing all the troops into disrepute. Through mistaken feeling of Kindness, their offences have been again and again forgiven, or else but, lightly punished. This course has increased, instead of lessening, the evil. A different one will henceforth be adhered to. Discipline, of the strictest sort, will be enforced, at all hazards.
The service records for the 2 in Morgan's outfit say they were "shot for desertion at Camp Texas, Aug 1"
8/2 Hindman to Col Nelson cdg Bgde-detail men from the Ark troops Of your command-40 men to report to Maj Randell cdg Arty Bn to form a part of Hart’s btry
8/2 HQs Army of the South West to McRae cdg-The Major Gen cdg directs that you at once detail from your command thirty seven men, to report to Maj. C. H. Rundell, cdg Bn at this place to form a part of Capt. Hart’s Btry. The men will be detailed from the Ark troops. They will bring with them their small arms and accoutrements complete. Each man will be furnished with a descriptive roll by his Company in proper form approved by his Regtal and Bgde cdr.
8/2 Special Orders #54-Army of the South West
8/4 Special Orders #56-Army of the South West
8/5 Hindman to Gen Cooper-…I have now in camp at this place and Pine Bluff about 18,000 effective men, well armed. I have in camps of instruction between 6,000 and 8,000 men, either wholly unarmed or else armed with guns that are of little value, such as shot-guns, rifles, carbines, &c. The arms brought out by Capt Hart, together with those brought by Gen Parsons, have relieved me of embarrassment and enabled me to make effective the greater part of my command. If Major Bankhead arrives safely, as I think he will, I can then arm the balance of my men. I am waiting anxiously to hear of that officer's arrival on this side of the river.
HEADQUARTERS TRANS-MISSISSIPPI DISTRICT,
August-transfers from 24th Ark to Hart's battery
8/7 Little Rock, Hindman to Gen Roan, Pine Bluff-I send you herewith a dispatch of today from Capt Branderleey to Col Danley. The force and object of the enemy must be ascertained as soon as possible and the valley of the Ark protected, if it can be done. Send out as strong a Cav detachment as possible. You can order Major Johnson and Lt. Col Gidding’s command to this side of the White River and use them between the two rivers. Take command of the troops and batteries of Gen {M M.} Parsons of Missouri and let them take position at or near Red Fork or lower down if safe. Hart’s Btry left for Pine Bluff yesterday morning and ought to reach you to-morrow. A heavy Gun to be mtd on shore at Pine Bluff left on “Key West” today.
8/8 Hindman to Gen Roan cdg Pine Bluff – HQs Army of the South West, Little Rock -Hart’s Btry was 20 miles on the Pine Bluff road at one o'clock yesterday, moving slowly on account of the extreme hot weather and bad condition of horses and roads. He has only about one fourth the proper number of men. - Will need about 60 more. - They should be detailed and ready to report to him when he arrives. - A courier might hurry him on.
9/28 S O #39 The following arrangement of troops not included in the First Army Corps, Army of the West, is announced,
4/1/63 Camp Chase, Ohio-Col Garland’s report of the 1st Bgde, Army of Lower Ark & White River in the action at Ark Post on 1/10 & 1/11/63-
CASUALTIES.
Hebert's (infantry) Bgde.................................. 4,637
Greer's (cavalry) Bgde..................................... 3,747
-----
Total................................................................. 8,384
Artillery (Hart's, Gaines', Good's, and Provence's btrys), 18 guns
2d (Churchill's Bgde:
...
Hart's btry 3 guns, 3 caissons, no ammunition
Frost Arty Bgde
Gaines' btry
Good's btry, 6 guns
Gorham's btry, 4 guns, iron
Guibor's btry, 6 guns
Hart's btry, 4 guns
Kelly's btry, 5 guns, iron
Kneisly's btry, 5 guns, iron
Landis'' btry, 4 howitzers
Provence's btry, 6 guns
Teel's btry, 4 guns
Champion's Cav
Per GO #3 of Gen Price, the arty co known as [Wm] Hart’s Btry is hereby disbanded-those that wish to reenlist in other btrys can do so to redeem the reputation they have lost of a few bad men of this Btry
...
Col F Shoup will assume command of Col Pleasant’s “1st Trans Miss Inf,” Daniels’ Lamar Arty and Hart’s Co of Arty [with the heavy arty] and move tomorrow to Devall’s Bluff. If Col Nelson is not there Col Shoup to assume command-If Nelson there Col Shoup will report to him as second in command
Endorsed by Hindman: I desire to know forthwith how it has happened that Col Shoup is short of provisions- Also whether Morgan’s Bn has left.-What rations have gone or will certainly go with it-If it has not gone when will it start-When will Capt. Hart’s Co go?
I found here under Gen Roan about 1000 badly armed Tx mtd men, 8 Co’s of Ark Inf wholly unarmed a 6 gun btry with 40 men
… Capt. Daniel’s Co is so prostrated by sickness he can only serve four of his pieces.
G O #15 By order of Major-General Price: THOMAS L. SNEAD, Assistant Adjutant-General.”
I. It having been satisfactorily proven to a court of inquiry, convened for the purpose of investigating the conduct of certain men, formerly members of the Arty company known as Hart’s Btry, at the battle of Elkhorn, that those men were guilty of no misconduct on the battle-field, it is hereby ordered that they, viz, Charles E. Steele, M. M. Tice, W. D. Moore, John Kennedy, B. L. Allen, William Masterson, N. B. Milton, and James Pitkins be, and they are hereby, relieved from the censure contained in Gen Orders, #10, dated HQs Trans-Ms District, Van Buren, 3/22, disbanding Hart’s Btry Light Arty “for shameful conduct in the presence of the enemy.”
II. The court of inquiry of which Capt Guibor is president is hereby dissolved.
The severest penalties will be inflicted, without hesitation, upon offenders of all grades. Desertion, Mutiny, Disloyalty, and Plundering, or any attempt at either, or manifestation or expression of any such intention, will be punished with death.
Two men of Morgan’s Regt of Ark Inf [26th Ark Inf] and two men of Hart’s Btry have suffered death today. - Their names were Amsick McCance and Michael Donahoo of Morgan’s Bn and Thomas J and John Welch of Hart’s Btry. - Their crime was desertion. Let this example be remembered. Good men have nothing to fear; Bad men must reform, or share the fate of these deserters.
VIII BGen Roan is assigned to the command of the troops at Camp White Sulphur and will establish his hdqrs. there
IX the following arrangement of the troops at Camp White Sulphur is announced
First Brigade-Col Shaver cmdg.:
1 Dawsons’ Regt Ark Inf
2 Grinstead’s “ “
3 Portlock’s “ “
Hart's Battery
Capt. Hart’s cdg Btry will go to Pine Bluff and report to Gen Roan
Roan will detail the necessary number of men to fill Hart's Btry
I have six batteries containing forty brass pieces and one Btry of iron guns. I have a Co of Arty encamped near this place, to which I will give the 8-gun Btry coming in charge of Major Bankhead. By some blundering mistake a box of friction primes intended for me was left at Grenada. I have sent a courier to meet Major Bankhead, and if he has not a full supply of them the courier is to go on to Grenada to request Major Chambliss to send forward those left by Capt Hart.
If, therefore, Major Bankhead reaches me in due time, as, from your dispatch and Major Chambliss's letter, received by same courier, I am led to believe he will, I will have in a short time from 24,000 to 26,000 Inf, about 6,000 Cav, and fifty-four pieces of Arty near this place, to which I will give the 8-gun Btry coming in charge of Major Bankhead. By some blundering mistake a box of friction primers intended for me was left at Grenada. I have sent a courier to meet Major Bankhead, and if he has not a full supply of them the courier is to go on to Grenada to request Major Chambliss to send forward those left by Capt Hart
This letter was intercepted by Union forces. See Curtis to Halleck, August 15, 1862, p. 571.
OR-Vol XIII. Beginning p 874
[Smith Bankhead-Polk’s chief of artillery
[N R Chambliss, Maj & Ord officer, Grenada, Ms, Gainesville, Ala, etc]
Little Rock, Ark., August 5, 1862.
General S. COOPER,
Adjutant and Inspector General, Richmond, Va.:
GENERAL: I some time since made an earnest appeal to General Bragg to send me the old refuse arms and batteries now lying idle in arsenals on the other side of their river. This was before the stores sent by Captain Hart and General Parsons reached me, and before I was advised of Major Bankhead's success in getting arms and munitions for me. I have authorized the raising of independent companies among the people, and have placed those companies under the charge of the provost-marshal's department. I inclose you copies of my orders* on the subject. These companies have proved to be of benefit already, and could be made vastly useful if I had guns, even old shot-guns and rifles, to give them. As you are probably aware, nearly every gun in this State has been purchased or impressed by the Government, and many men not subject to conscription withhold from the independent companies of their counties only because they hear I can get no guns. This organization is not only useful now in matters of police, but may be more so in future as a powerful reserve, to be called into place when necessity requires it. If you arm it now you foster and secure it. For that reason I make the same appeal to you which I made to General Bragg. Let me have the old shot-guns, rifles, condemned muskets, and useless cannon which I have mentioned, to place in the hands of independent companies. I can make them useful. They are doing and will do no good were they are. I can use the batteries along the streams which the enemy's boats may attempt to navigate. If you can send them to me I urge upon you to do so as soon as possible.
Very respectfully,
T. C. HINDMAN,
Major-General, Commanding
Garland Brigade (unattached)
Garland's reg Tex Inf
Wilkes' reg Tex Inf
Gillespie Tex reg Inf
Portlock's regt Ark Inf
Denson's co La Cav
Hart's Ark Btry
Nutt's co La Cav
The bgde was composed of:
6th Tx Inf of 27 off, 515 men
24th Tx DC of 41 off & 536 men
Hart’s Ark btry of 6 guns of 4 off & 79 men
Capt Denson’s Mo [La] Cav of 2 off & 31 men
Total present Jan 9 of 107 off & 1690 men, agg 1797
Total K-W-M=157
6th Texas Infantry, killed 8, wounded 24, missing 21;
24th Texas Cavalry (dismounted), killed 12, wounded 17, missing 25;
25th Texas Cavalry (dismounted), killed 2, wounded 8;
Hart's Battery, killed 3, wounded 13, missing 22;
Denson's Cavalry, wounded 2.
Total, killed 25, wounded 64, missing 68; total, killed, wounded and missing, 157.
All the horses pertaining to Hart's Battery were either killed or wounded.
http://www.angelfire.com/ar2/sulphursprings/cmcensus.html
Capt. William S. Hart cmdg
Hart's Battery was reconstituted on August 1, 1862, at Camp White Sulphur Springs, Arkansas. Few of the members of the original Dallas Artillery rejoined the second organization. The battery was augmented with a large number of unassigned recruits from depots at Monticello and Little Rock, and transfers from several Arkansas regiments, especially the 24th Arkansas Infantry. Assigned to Garland's Brigade of Texas Infantry and left About September 20, 1862.
SISK, D. W.
Private - enlisted Jun 8, 1862 at "Murfrese" by Capt Arnold, Transferred from 24th Arkansas Infantry, August 18, 1862. Died of disease, Sept 13, 1862
WILLIAMS, ELIJAH
Private - enlisted Jun 8, 1862 at Murfresboro, AR., by Capt Arnold, Transferred from 24th Arkansas Infantry, August 18, 1862, Died of disease, Sept 25, 1862
http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-regiments-detail.htm?regiment_id=CARHARTYAL
Hart's Battery, Arkansas Light Artillery
Overview:
Hart's Battery was organized in Dallas County, Arkansas, during the late summer of 1861 with 4 officers and 70 men. The unit fought at Elkhorn Tavern, then a section was transferred east of the Mississippi River. This section was eventually consolidated into Cobb's Kentucky Battery. The rest of the company was engaged at Arkansas Post and captured in January, 1863. When exchanged and reorganized, it was attached to the Trans-Mississippi Department and often called 2nd Field Battery or 2nd Battery Mounted. At the end of the war it was with the Reserve Battalion at Marshall, Texas. Captain William Hart was in command.
http://www.couchgenweb.com/civilwar/hartsbat.html
[see this site for roster]
...With the censure lifted, at least officially, Hart’s Battery was reconstituted on August 1, 1862, at Camp White Sulphur Springs, Arkansas. Few of the members of the original Dallas Artillery rejoined the second organization. The battery was augmented with a large number of unassigned recruits from depots at Monticello and Little Rock, and transfers from several Arkansas regiments, especially the 24th Arkansas Infantry.
Hart’s star-crossed battery reorganized just in time to be part of another disaster. Assigned to Colonel Robert R. Garland’s Texas Brigade at Fort Hindman (Arkansas Post), with 83 officers and men and four guns, the battery was captured with the rest of the garrison when Confederate forces surrendered on January 11, 1863. The surrender is still a subject of controversy today, and the Arkansas Post troops were forced to live under a cloud of suspicion; however, from all accounts, Hart’s Battery served their guns professionally and courageously during the siege.
After being exchanged in April 1863, Hart’s Battery was again reconstituted, and spent the remainder of the war in the Trans-Mississippi Army. There are few references to Hart’s Battery during the last year of the war. A report of the organization of the army on September 30, 1864, shows Hart’s Battery in the army siege train, manning large siege guns, presumably around Alexandria, Louisiana. On November 19, 1864, Hart’s Battery was redesignated as the Second Arkansas Field Battery. At this time, it was assigned to the reserve artillery battalion, equipped with four mounted guns. No later reference has been found, nor has any record of the paroles of the men of Hart’s Battery been located.
2001 -copyright -The above information may be used for non-commercial historical and genealogical purposes only and with the consent of the page owner may be copied for the same purposes so long as this notice remains a part of the copied material. EDWARD G. GERDES
http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-regiments-detail.htm?regiment_id=CARHARTYAL
Hart's Battery, Arkansas Light Artillery
Overview:
Hart's Battery was organized in Dallas County, Arkansas, during the late summer of 1861 with 4 officers and 70 men. The unit fought at Elkhorn Tavern, then a section was transferred east of the Mississippi River. This section was eventually consolidated into Cobb's Kentucky Battery. The rest of the company was engaged at Arkansas Post and captured in January, 1863. When exchanged and reorganized, it was attached to the Trans-Mississippi Department and often called 2nd Field Battery or 2nd Battery Mounted. At the end of the war it was with the Reserve Battalion at Marshall, Texas. Captain William Hart was in command.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_Arkansas_Light_Artillery
5/9 The battery participated in the Battle of Farmington, Mississippi, on May 9, 1862. During this engagement, Captain William Hart, of the Dallas Artillery, served one of Provence's guns as a gunner, Hart's Battery having been ordered disbanded following a poor performance at the Battle of Pea Ridge