November 20, 2007

During the Civil War, approximately 15,000 Arkansas men, about one-third of them African American, served in the Union forces. While several regiments of infantry and cavalry were raised, only one artillery unit was mustered into Arkansas Union service. That unit, the First Arkansas Light Artillery Battery, is shown here in this 1863 Fayetteville (Washington County) photograph about the time they were mustered into service.