Talk:1st Battalion, Arkansas Cavalry (Stirman's) (Confederate)

For the period from August 1, 1862 till January 1, 1863, Stirman's battalion became a Regiment. Lieutenant Colonel Henry W. Bridges who had commanded Company I, 6th Texas Cavalry Regiment and Bridge's Sharpshooters Battalion in General Phiffer's Brigade, was attached to Stirman's Battalion on 1 August 1862 with his battalion making Stirman a Regimental Commander and a Colonel. Stirman wrote home to his sister about this, saying he commanded 10 companies all dressed in grey. Bridges was his deputy. Early in the battle for Corinth, Bridges was wounded and carried from the field. On the second day, Peter Cozzons in his book The Darkest Days of BWThe War, The Battles of Iuka, Corinth (and Hatchie Bridge), describes the regiment on the far left of Phifer's Brigade. Though trained as skirmishers and sharpshooters apparently they fought on 4 October as Infantry. It happens that they were in an area that gave them no opposition but one artillery battery, This they took out quickly and then proceeded to the center of Corinth. After fighting for two days without resupply and in a very hot October weather, the regiment began to come apart. they were fired on from two sides as they entered the city. Companies were down to 15 to 18 men able to fight, That gives a regiment that was down to 150 effectives. In the center of town they were cought in a cross fire and then a new Union Brigade was used to drive them from the town. Had Cabel's Brigade followed the break through as they should have, the total battle may have changed. Cabel had turned to support the 2nd Texas Infantry Regiment which had lost its commander and was struggling. This one act may have cost Van Dorn the battle, though there were many more instances that were factors.

The next day Stirman was leading his regiment across the Hatchie Bridge when that battle broke out. Sul Ross the acting commander of Phifer's Brigade, directed Stirman back across the bridge to set up support fire. He then set up blocking force and collected the riminents of two brigades that came back across the bridge. They slowly then withdrew across the bridge and took up positions on the high ground.

From this time on, the Union blocking force ended. They had run up against something they could not capture. Two Union Regiments were shot up and disorganized.The third was in the defalaid at the bottom of the hill but could do nothing. Van Dorn took his Army out of harm's way and the battle ended.

A sad fact of history lies in the fact that unit rosters/musters for Stirman's Companies from May 1862 to January 1863 are missing. Casulty data for the battle of Corinth for the 8 Arkansas companies is non-existant or has not surfaced todate. It would be nice to be able to determine those lost by Stirman at Corinth and Hatchie Bridge.

This data comes form many sources. Peter Cozzins book is a main source, but the National Archives fills in data on Ross and the strengths if the units after the battle. Researchers at the Texas History web site also supplied information. Provided by William Nolan, Whitfield Ross Texas Cavalry Brigade &lt;rosstexascavalrybrigade.com&gt;