19th Regiment, Arkansas Infantry (Dawson's) - Confederate

Brief History
19th (Dawson's) Infantry Regiment completed its organization at Nashville, Arkansas, in November, 1861. Many of the men were recruited in Crawford, Polk, Sebastian, and Yell counties. After being involved in the Battle of Elkhorn Tavern, the unit was captured at Arkansas Post in January, 1863. Exchanged and reorganized, it was assigned to Deshler's, Liddell's, and Govan's Brigade, and consolidated with the 24th Regiment in September, 1863, and with the 8th Regiment in November. It participated in many campaigns of the Army of Tennessee from Chickamauga to Atlanta, endured Hood's winter operations in Tennessee, and fought its last battle at Bentonville. The 18th/24th lost thirty-eight percent of the 226 engaged at Chickamauga, and the 8th/19th reported 16 casualties at Ringgold Gap and totalled 363 men and 285 arms in December, 1863. During the spring of 1864 part of the 19th served in Dawson's Infantry Regiment in the Trans-Mississippi Department. At the Battle of Atlanta the 8th/19th had 97 men disabled and only a few surrendered in April, 1865.

See also: EDWARD G. GERDES, Arkansas Civil War Regiments, Rosters and Muster Rolls,

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties of Origin
Men often enlisted in a company recruited in the counties where they lived though not always. After many battles, companies might be combined because so many men were killed or wounded. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first.

19th (Dawson's) Infantry Regiment completed its organization at Nashville, Arkansas, in November, 1861. Many of the men were recruited in Crawford, Polk, Sebastian, and Yell counties.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 1,943 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Other Sources

 * Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier or sailor. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in 'Arkansas in the Civil War' and 'United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865' (see below).


 * National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, is searchable by soldier's name and state. It contains basic facts about soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, a list of regiments, descriptions of significant battles, sources of the information, and suggestions for where to find additional information.


 * Arkansas in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for Tennessee, and how to find them.. These include compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865 describes and explains United States and Confederate States records, rather than state records, and how to find them. These include veterans’ censuses, compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.