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Loyalty on the Frontier
Written by Lieutenant Colonel Albert W. Bishop of the First Arkansas Cavalry (US), Loyalty on the Frontier, or Sketches of Union Men of the South-west; with Incidents and Adventures in Rebellion on the Border was published during the Civil War. In the book, Bishop recounts the actions of his service and accompanies the narrative with examinations of various pro-Union men from Arkansas.
A New York native, Albert Bishop moved to Wisconsin in 1860 after the death of his wife. Working as a lawyer in La Crosse, he became involved with Republican politics and served in a pre-war artillery militia unit. With the outbreak of the Civil War, he received a commission as a captain in the Second Wisconsin Cavalry. Moving with his company to Arkansas in early 1862, Bishop joined the First Arkansas Cavalry (US) when it organized. Understanding that his experience as a company-grade officer could help him obtain a position in the new unit, Bishop received a commission as the lieutenant colonel of the regiment, serving as the second in command under Colonel Marcus LaRue Harrison.
Seeing little action in the early days of his service in Arkansas, Bishop served as a provost marshal at Elkhorn Tavern (Benton County) in late 1862 and at Fayetteville (Washington County) in early 1863. While at Elkhorn Tavern, Bishop met with several Arkansas Unionists, most notably Isaac Murphy. He listened to their stories and decided to record them, beginning work on what would become Loyalty on the Frontier. Posted to St. Louis, Missouri, on a staff assignment, Bishop completed the work in 1863 and submitted the manuscript in January 1864 to the E. P. Studley publishing firm.
The work is divided into ten chapters, along with a preface, introduction, addendum, and appendix; the final pages include the words to the “Arkansian Battle Hymn.” The first chapter is a biography of Isaac Murphy, with an emphasis on his role in the Secession Convention, where he cast the only negative vote in the final push for the state to leave the Union. Other chapters cover the exploits of additional Unionists, including John Worthington and Charles Galloway. Bishop recounted his experiences as a provost marshal and his time at Elkhorn Tavern in other chapters.
Continuing his service, Bishop commanded forces at Fort Smith (Sebastian County) for a short period before moving to Little Rock (Pulaski County) for medical treatment. He reconnected with Murphy, who appointed him as the adjutant general of Arkansas. While in that role, Bishop wrote a second book, Report of the Adjutant General of Arkansas, for the Period of the Late Rebellion, and to November 1, 1866.
After the war ended, Bishop practiced law in Arkansas and served as the first treasurer of the Arkansas Industrial University—now the University of Arkansas (UA) in Fayetteville—becoming the second president of the institution. Bishop also ran as the Republican nominee for governor in the 1876 election, losing to William Read Miller. He returned to New York later in life and died in Buffalo on November 29, 1901.
The book was republished in 2003 by the University of Arkansas Press as part of the Civil War in the West series, with Kim Allen Scott editing the work and adding an introduction. It remains a good source for researchers who wish to learn more about the experience of Unionists in Arkansas during the war.
For additional information:
Bishop, Albert W. Loyalty on the Frontier, or Sketches of Union Men of the South-west; with Incidents and Adventures in Rebellion on the Border. Edited by Kim Allen Scott. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas Press, 2003. Online at State Historical Society of Missouri Civil War eBook Collection: https://mdh.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/shscivilwar/id/4249/rec/1 (accessed October 17, 2024).
“Gen. Bishop’s Sudden Death.” Buffalo Courier, December 1, 1901, p. 22.
David Sesser
Southeastern Louisiana University
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