SHELBY'S MULE &

WAITING FOR THE FEDERALS

The Union folks away up north were one time much afraid,
'Bout something coming from the South, they said it was a raid.
Now I will tell you what it was, if you will just keep cool—
It had long ears, and a long slick tail, and called Jo Shelby's Mule.

That something's up and hell's to pay when Shelby's on a raid.

Once this mule went on a spree, up close to Lexington,
And every time he gave a snort he made the Blue Coats run.
Coming back through “Old Saline” he got into a trap,
He seared Old Brown, kicked up his heels, and came back safe to Pap.

Once I went to see Old Abe and found him in a rage,
Because this mule had started north, and just then crossed “sage.
Indeed, his anger knew no bounds, says I, “Sir, pray keep cool.”
“I can't,” said he, “I've lost so much by Shelby's long tailed Mule.”

In Waverly, he engaged in various enterprises including steam-boating on the Missouri and a hemp plantation. Being successful, Shelby became a member of the Missouri's social and political elite.

One of the Confederacy's most effective cavalry leaders, Joseph 0. Shelby served entirely in the Trans-Mississippi West. 

Early in the Civil War he entered the Missouri State Guard and his assignments included: captain, Shelby's Ranger Company, Missouri State Guard (spring 1861); colonel, 5th Missouri Cavalry (1862); commanding brigade, Marmaduke's Cavalry Division, Ist Corps, Trans-Mississippi Department (summer December 1862); commanding brigade, Marmaduke's Cavalry Division, District of Arkansas, Trans-Mississippi Department January-July 4, 1863 and late 1863-September 1864); brigadier general, CSA (December 15, 1863); commanding division, Army of Missouri, Trans-Mississippi Department (September 18-September 1864); and commanding lst (Missouri) Cavalry Brigade, lst (Missouri) Cavalry Division, Cavalry Corps, Trans-Mississippi Department (September 1864-May 26, 1865).

As a company commander he fought at Carthage, Wilson's Creek, and Pea Ridge before being sent back to Missouri to raise a regiment. As a colonel in charge of a brigade in John S. Marmaduke's mounted division, he fought at Prairie Grove and was wounded at Helena.

A TRIBUTE

TO

JERRY RUSSELL

.

RE-ENACTMENT

*** Battle of Britton Lane –

September 7,8 & 9 , 2007

Britton Lane Battlefield Association

4707 Steam Ferry Mill Road

Medon, Tennessee 38356

Jim Weaver  - President

jnweaver@bellsouth.net

Contact Us   --   (731) 989-7944

http://brittonlane1862.madison.tn.us/

 We Who Study

      Must Also Strive To Save!

AFTER ACTION REPORT

The Civil War Round Table of Arkansas and the Central Arkansas Civil War Heritage Trails sought to reprint the brochure featuring a driving tour of The Battle of Little Rock. For one reason or other revisions were put off repeatedly.

Dogging that revision over the years was Don Hamilton and his committee. Finally, in the last few months things have started coming together.

The brochure is in its final revision. In a matter of weeks if not days, the final product will be on the racks greeting visitors to Central Arkansas.

We need to give three giant cheers to Don Hamilton and his committee for this huge effort.

Another committee had been working with Bobby Roberts at CALS to pick a Yankee to be mounted in one of the dividers at the new facility. The committee met to review the available pictures; with the criteria being an Arkansan that fought in an Arkansas Union unit. Narrowing the search down to three, the committee selected an enlisted man William Villines, 1st Regiment, Arkansas Infantry.

Not much is known about Villines, but we do know about his unit.

Organized at Fayetteville, Ark., and mustered in March 25, 1863. Attached to District Southwest Missouri, Dept. Missouri to December 1863. 2nd Brigade, District of the Frontier, Dept. Missouri, to January, 1864. 2nd Brigade, District of the Frontier, 7th Army Crops, Dept. of Arkansas, to March, 1864. 1st Brigade, District of the Frontier, 7th Army Corps, to February 1865. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 7th Army Corps, to August 1865.

Duty at Fayetteville, AR., until April 1863. Cabell's attack on Fayetteville April 18. March to Springfield, Mo., April 25-May 4, and duty there until July. Newton County June 14. Moved to Cassville July 6. Joined Army of the Frontier at Fort Gibson, C. N., August 17. Pursuit of Cabell to Perryville August 22-26. Perryville August 26.

Devil's Back Bone, Back Bone Mountain, Fort Smith, September 1. Capture of Fort Smith September 1 and duty there until March 1864. Moffatt's Station, Franklin County, September 27, 1863. Mt. Ida November 13. Scout from Waldron to Mt. Ida, Caddo Gap and Dallas December 2-7. Steele's Expedition to Camden March 23-May 3. Prairie D'Ann April 9-13.

Moscow April 13. Camden April 15-18. Jenkins' Ferry, Saline River, April 30. March to Fort Smith May 1-16. Garrison duty at Fort Smith and escort and duty on the Frontier until August, 1865. Skirmish, Bates Township, November 2, and Newton County, November 15, 1864. Mustered out August 10, 1865.

AT THE ARSENAL 

I am pleased to announce that we have added a new temporary exhibit to the World War I Gallery.  It has been developed in conjunction with the Wilson History and Research Center, a local group owned by Robby Wilson.  Mr. Wilson has a great collection of military helmets and ultimately would like to develop his own museum around the collection.  Until that time, he was expressed a willingness to work with area museums to supplement their exhibitory.  We have been working with interims from the Wilson History and Research Center this summer to develop this small exhibit, which will be on display for the next 9-12 months. 

"Pride and the Fall: Mapping the Rise of Conflict in the 20th Century" was developed and paid for by the Wilson History and Research Center and traces the advent of the Central Powers in Europe in 1914 as well as the impact of the American entry into World War I in 1917.  The exhibit features some of the premier items from the center's collection, including a visor worn by Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany and a visor and sword owned by Prince Heinrich of Prussia.

 I encourage you to drop by the visit this newest exhibit at the museum.

Stephan McAteer

FROM THE

CLARKSVILLE, TN CWRT

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PARK HOSTS SPECIAL PROGRAMS FOR LABOR DAY WEEKEND

10 am – 4 pm, and Sunday, September 2, from 10 am 2 pm.

Park Ranger programs will be held Saturday and Sunday, 11 am and 2 pm, at the River Batteries (Park Tour Stop #3).

The Friends of the Fort Donelson Campaign will also conduct programs at various battlefield locations on Saturday, Sept. 1, 2007 (this day only):

10 am - "The Day of Iron Valentines: The Ironclads Versus the River Batteries" (Park Tour Stop #3)

10:45 am - "McClernand Attacks Maney’s Battery"

11:30 am Buckner’s Breakout
2:45 pm - "McArthur's Brigade Defends Dudley's Hill"

3:30 pm - "They Cannot Be Strong Everywhere - Smith’s Attack" (Park Tour Stop #5)

4:15 pm - "Grant and Buckner at the Dover Hotel" (Surrender House Tour Stop #10)

For directions to any of these programs, ask a park ranger at the visitor center.  Programs are subject to changes or cancellations due to inclement weather.  For more information, contact the park staff at 931-232-5706.  We hope to see you here on Labor Day weekend.

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Wartime Waltzing

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56th Annual Clothesline Fair Information at

Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park
 

Tour groups will be guided in front of the historic Borden House along part of the park's walking trail and into the valley where the heaviest fighting occurred during the Battle of Prairie Grove.  Chances are good that there will be a few surprises along the way.

Tours depart every 20 to 30 minutes.  The last tour will conclude around 10 p.m. Parking is available at the east entrance of the Borden House. 

TO STOP 3

From CWRT of Arkansas WebSite

www.civilwar.buff.org

At Shallow Ford (also called Shoal Ford) the Federal cavalry gained the west side of Bayou Meto on the morning of September 6, then pushed southwest toward Bearskin Lake and Ashley’s Mills and the waiting Confederates. The road to Shallow Ford no longer exists. The main body of the Union Army and its supply wagons crossed Bayou Meto on Eagles Bridge, downstream from the Ford. At about the same time Union forces were crossing Bayou Meto.

This road is the original route taken by Steele and Davidson, virtually unopposed to Ashley’s Mills, Stop 3. Approximately a quarter-mile north of Stop No. 3 is the Ashley’s Mills site where encamped Confederate cavalry under Col. Robert C. Newton was attacked on the morning of September 7 by Steele’s advance cavalry. Newton’s command was driven back toward the river, and fighting was continuous between the opposing forces on September 8 and 9. Opposite Ashley’s Mills on Walker’s Corner Road is the Chester Ashley house.

SEE YOU TUESDAY NIGHT 

for Jo Shelby

GOD BLESS

AMERICA

Copyright ©1997 Civil War Roundtable of Arkansa