Fagan's Division
James Fleming Fagan MAJOR GENERAL MARCH 1, 1828 – SEPTEMBER 1, 1893 James Fleming Fagan first experienced life in the military during the Mexican-American War, through which he rose to the rank of lieutenant. After the war Fagan returned to Arkansas, and served one year with the state legislature. At the outbreak of the Civil War Fagan was one of the first in the state to begin recruiting men, and was elected colonel of the 1st Arkansas Volunteers. He led the regiment through the battle of Shiloh, as well as in the siege of Corinth. After he was commissioned a brigadier general on September 12, 1862, Fagan transferred from his position under General Braxton Bragg to command in the Trans-Mississippi Department. Here he commanded during the battles of Cane Hill and Prairie Grove. Fagan is best known for his actions during the battle of Helena, as well as his participation in the defense of Little Rock. Fagan played a key role during the Camden Expedition, launched by Union forces, and forced the retreat of the expedition from Arkansas. He was promoted to major general on April 25, 1864, and took part in the last invasion of Missouri under General Sterling Price. He last saw combat during the battle of Mine Creek, where is division was overrun by Union forces under the command of Alfred Pleasonton. Fagan served until the end of the war as commander of the District of Arkansas. After the war he served in political posts, and returned to the life of a planter.
FAGAN'S DIVISION.
Major General JAMES F. FAGAN
Cabell's Brigade.
Brigadier General WILLIAM L. CABELL.
Lieutenant Colonel A. V. REIFF.
Monroe's (Arkansas) Cavalry, Colonel James C. Monroe.
Gordon's (Arkansas) Cavalry, Colonel Anderson Gordon.
Morgan's (Arkansas) Cavalry, Colonel Thomas J. Morgan.
Hill's (Arkansas) Cavalry, Colonel John F. Hill.
Gunter's (Arkansas) Cavalry Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Thomas M. Gunter.
Harrell's (Arkansas) Cavalry Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel John M. Harrell.
Witherspoon's (Arkansas) Cavalry Battalion, Major J. L. Witherspoon.
Hughey's (Arkansas) Battery, Captain W. M. Hughey.
Slemons' Brigade.
Colonel W. F. SLEMONS.
Colonel WILLIAM A. CRAWFORD.
2nd Arkansas Cavalry, Colonel W. F. Slemons.
Crawford's (Arkansas) Cavalry, Colonel William A. Crawford.
Carlton's (Arkansas) Cavalry, Colonel Charles H. Carlton.
Wright's (Arkansas) Cavalry, Colonel John C. Wright.
Dobbin's Brigade.
Colonel ARCHIBALD S. DOBBIN.
Dobbin's (Arkansas) Cavalry, Colonel Archibald S. Dobbin.
McGhee's (Arkansas) Cavalry, Colonel James McGhee.
Witt's (Arkansas) Cavalry, Colonel A. R. Witt.
Blocher's (Arkansas) Battery (one section, Lieutenant J. V. Zimmerman.
McCray's Brigade.
Colonel THOMAS H. McCRAY.
45th Arkansas (mounted), Colonel Milton D. Baber.
47th Arkansas (mounted), Colonel Lee Crandall.
15th Missouri Cavalry, Colonel Timothy Reves.
Unattached.
Lyles' (Arkansas) Cavalry, Colonel Oliver P. Lyles.
Rogan's (Arkansas) Cavalry, Colonel James W. Rogan.
Anderson's (Arkansas) Cavalry Battalion, Captain William L. Anderson.
Since General Price's Headquarter's were attached to Fagan's Division the Reports found in the Official Records are from General Price himself.
September 20 (Camp Numbers 22).-Marched to Ponder's Mill, on Little Black; passed several houses burnt; women and children around the smoking ashes; the burning done by a portion of the Twelfth Missouri (Federal)*, commanded by Captain [Lieutenant] Pape, the same that burnt Doniphan yesterday. This morning our men attacked them at this point; killed a lieutenant and 3 men, wounded 4, and took 6 prisoners. Our loss 2 killed and 5 wounded. We captured several horses and small-arms; distance, twenty miles.
September 21 (Camp Numbers 23.)-Marched to Cane Creek; forage abundant; heard from Marmaduke; forty-two miles on march last night; found a Federal who had crawled from the fight of yesterday to a house on roadside; distance, twelve miles.
September 22 (Camp Numbers 24.)-Marched to Greenville, county seat of Wayne County; deserted; only two families in the place. Two companies of Federals passed through toward Ironton to-day. Shelby took Patterson, killing 14 and wounding several; took telegraph apparatus also; distance, twenty-two miles.
September 23 (Camp Numbers 25).-Marched to Cedar Creek; roads rough; distance, eighteen miles.
September 24 (Camp Numbers 26).-Reached Fredericktown; Shelby ahead of us, Marmaduke behind; more killed by 14 than at first reported by Shelby. Citizens generally Southern in sentiment; many coming to greet us; recruiting; distance, twenty miles.
September 25.-Still at Camp Numbers 26 waiting for Marmaduke to come up. He encamped eight miles off.
September 26 (Camp Numbers 27).-On Saint Francis. Shelby went by Farmington with a view of cutting the railroad. Fagan drove in the Federal pickets at Arcadia and took position before the town for the night; distance, twelve miles.
September 27 (Camp Numbers 28).-At Arcadia. This morning Fagan drove the Federals from Arcadia, where they abandoned a very strong position. He also drove them through Ironton. They fell back on Fort Davidson, in Pilot Knob. Fagan formed on the south and east. Marmaduke took possession of Shepherd's Mountain. Heavy skirmishing all day and continued artillery firing by the enemy. About 2 p.m. charge made on the fort, but the men were repulsed, but reformed by brigade commanders, but too late to renew the charge that night. Men placed in position and ammunition replenished; distance, eight miles.
September 28 (Camp Numbers 29).-Enemy evacuated Pilot Knob last night; found many stores of Government goods. (For number of guns, &c., taken, see reports.) Twelve miles.
War of the Rebellion: Serial 083 Page 0643 Chapter LIII. PRICE'S MISSOURI EXPEDITION.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF MISSOURI,
Indian Ford, on Current River,
Six Miles above Pittman's Ferry, Mo., Camp. Numbers 21,
September 19, 1864.
Today we have entered the State of Missouri with our forces, in fine health and spirits. We found the roads very rough and bad, but have not suffered much from that cause. Our strength is nearly 8,000 armed and 4,000 unarmed men-Fagan's division much the largest, Marmaduke's next and Shelby two brigades. Parties of Federals were encountered by our advance, who are now pursuing them. I learned from General Shelby yesterday that 3,000 or 4,000 re-enforcements went to Little Rock; part of Smith's corps.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
STERLING PRICE,
Major-General, Commanding.
Colonel S. S. ANDERSON,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
War of the Rebellion: Serial 083 Page 0623 Chapter LIII. PRICE'S MISSOURI EXPEDITION.
WASHINGTON, ARK., December 28, 1864.
GENERAL: I have the honor to make the following report of my operations in the late expedition into Missouri:
…
On the 12th I arrived at a point on White River eighteen miles above Batesville, and having received information that Brigadier-General Shelby, with his command, was at Powhatan, about sixty-four miles northeast of Batesville and on the selected route to Missouri, I adopted the town of Pocahontas as the point of rendezvous, and directed Major-General Marmaduke, with his own command, his train, and that of headquarters, to march to that point direct, while I proceeded with my staff to Batesville and from thence to Powhatan, while Major-General Fagan, with his division, who had arrived at Batesville, marched to Powhatan on the left.
I arrived on the 13th of September and found Brigadier-General Shelby there with a portion of his command. The next day I reached Pocahontas, a distance of 356 miles from Camden, and there the remaining portion of Shelby's command reported, including the brigades of Jackman McCray, and Dobbin. In fine, the whole army was concentrated. The country over which I had passed was rugged and mountainous in the extreme, and had damaged the transportation to some extent; but it had already been or was on the point of being repaired and on the other hand, by adopting the routes marched over sufficient forage and subsistence had been obtained. The towns and villages through which I had passed had been robbed, pillaged, burned, or otherwise destroyed by the enemy, and were nearly deserted by the former inhabitants; in fact, the whole country presented but a scene of devastation.
Upon arriving at Pocahontas I immediately proceeded to organize the army, which was completed on the 18th, as follows: Fagan's division, commanded by Major General J. F. Fagan, was composed of Brigadier General W. L. Cabell's brigade, Colonel Slemons' brigade, Colonel McCray's brigade, Colonel Dobbin's brigade, Colonels Lyles' and Rogan's commands, and Captain Anderson's battalion. Marmaduke's division, commanded by Major General J. S. Marmaduke, was composed of Brigadier General John B. Clark, jr.'s, brigade, Colonel Freeman's brigade, Colonel Kitchen's regiment, and Lieutenant Colonel R. C. Wood's battalion. Shelby's division, commanded by Brigadier General J. O. Shelby, consisted of Colonel Shanks' brigade, Colonel Jackman's brigade, and Colonel Coleman's command.
Having determined to invade Missouri in three columns, Major-General Fagan, with his division, was ordered to march to Frederickstown, Mo., by the way of Martinsburg(Oxly), Reeves' Station, and Greenville. Major-General Marmaduke, with his division, was ordered to march to the vicinity of Fredericktown, to the right of the route to be followed by Fagan's division, as above designated, varying from it from ten to thirty miles, or as nearly within those limits as might be practicable on account of roads and forage. Brigadier-General Shelby, with his command, was to march to the vicinity of Fredericktown by a route to the left of General Fagan's, varying from it from ten to twenty miles as nearly as practicable on account of roads and forage. The headquarters to march with the center column. At Fredericktown the three divisions were ordered to form a junction. A map of the route to be followed was furnished each of the division commanders. The most stringent orders were issued against straggling and pillaging under the severest penalties, and the division commanders earnestly enjoined to use their utmost endeavors to have the order carried into effect in every particular and without delay.
On the 19th of September the army marched in the order above designated, and on that day I entered Missouri with nearly 12,000 men, of whom 8,000 were armed, and fourteen pieces of artillery,and on the 24th day of September reached Fredericktown, Mo., with the center column,
Brigadier-General Shelby, with his division, was in advance, passing in his route through Doniphan and Patterson, while Major-General Marmaduke, whose route was by Poplar Bluff, Castorville, and Dallas, had not yet come up. On the 19th, before Brigadier-General Shelby reached Doniphan, news of the arrival of the army having been received, a force of the enemy composed of a portion of the Twelfth Missouri (Federal) Cavalry,* then occupying the place, withdrew and retreated to Ponder's Mill, burning the houses of citizens as they passed along, where they were overtaken the next day by scouting parties sent in pursuit and were routed with a loss of a lieutenant and 3 men killed, 4 wounded, and 6 prisoners, besides several horses and small-arms captured. Our loss, 2 killed and 5 wounded.
· Actually the 3rd Missouri State Militia
(The remaining portion of this record has not been due to its length. )
STERLING PRICE,
Major-General, Commanding.
Brigadier General W. R. BOGGS,
Chief of Staff, Shreveport, La.
War of the Rebellion: Chapter LIII, Page 625
SECOND DAY.
SATURDAY, April 22, 1865-10 a.m.
At a Court of Inquiry then held at Shreveport, La., pursuant to adjournment.
Captain T. J. MACKEY, corps of engineers, was then sworn, no other witnesses being present.
Examined by the JUDGE-ADVOCATE:
Moved from Powhatan to Pocahontas on the 16th, a distance of eighteen miles. At Pocahontas we halted two days for the purpose of reorganizing, many recruits being then in camp, and to distribute ordnance to the different divisions. At that point two or more brigades were organized and added to Major-General Fagan's division, under Colonels Dobbin and McCray, and one brigade, under Colonel Freeman, added to Major-General Marmaduke's division, and a brigade, under Colonel Jackman, to General Shelby's division. These four brigades were chiefly of recruits from Arkansas and Missouri. At this point, by direction of General Price, I prepared four or five maps indicating the routes by which the different divisions should move on entering Missouri, it having been determined by General Price to move by three routes to Fredericktown, Mo., 140 miles from Pocahontas. General Price directed me to lay the routes down clearly, so that the subordinate commanders could always communicate with him readily and know where he was. From Pocahontas General Price, with Major-General Fagan's division, moved direct to Fredericktown by Greenville, the middle route. Major-General Marmaduke moved by Poplar Bluff, Dallas, and Bloomfield, by the longest route to the same point. Brigadier-General Shelby moved upon the left. This route leads through Patterson. He encountered the enemy in the vicinity of Doniphan and defeated him without loss to himself, capturing a few prisoners and the telegraph office with its instruments. He again engaged the enemy at Patterson, defeated him, capturing a few prisoners without loss to himself. Prior to this engagement the enemy had burned the town of Doniphan. Doniphan is in Missouri, twenty miles from Pocahontas. General Shelby's engagement at Doniphan was on the 19th, the day after leaving Pocahontas.
On the 22nd General Shelby engaged the enemy at Patterson. The three divisions made their junction at Fredericktown, Mo., on the 24th day of September, 1864. At that point General Shelby had an engagement with the enemy, defeating him with little loss. A very few prisoners taken on the 23rd of September, the day before the junction.
On the morning of the 26th General Shelby, by Major-General Price's order, moved from Fredericktown and in the direction of Saint Louis and the Iron Mountain Railroad. He moved in a northwesterly direction about forty-five miles to cut the road at Mineral Point. General Shelby's order was to burn bridges and depots. He destroyed the two bridges at this point. I learned this officially in the discharge of my duties as an engineer. …
War of the Rebellion: Serial 083 Page 0702 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LIII