9th Missouri Infantry Regiment

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9th Missouri Infantry Regiment
Clark's Missouri Infantry
ActiveNovember 16, 1862 to June 7, 1865
Country Confederate States of America
Branch Confederate States Army
TypeInfantry
Size594 (December 1, 1862)
EngagementsAmerican Civil War

The 9th Missouri Infantry Regiment (originally Clark's Missouri Infantry) was an

Mosby M. Parsons' brigade for most of the battle. After spending the summer of 1863 harassing Union Navy shipping on the Mississippi River, the regiment was reorganized, with elements of an Arkansas unit being replaced with the 8th Missouri Infantry Battalion. After the reorganization, the regiment fought in the Battle of Pleasant Hill and the Battle of Jenkins' Ferry in April 1864. On June 7, 1865, the men of the regiment were paroled; they would eventually be sent back to Missouri via steamboat
.

Organization

Colonel John B. Clark Jr.
Colonel John Bullock Clark Jr.

The 9th Missouri Infantry Regiment originated when

lieutenant colonel, and James Quinn Morton served as the original major.[2] As of November 16, the regiment contained eight companies, designated with the letters A–E and G–I. Companies A, B, C, and H contained men from Missouri while the others contained men from Arkansas; the Arkansas men came from Clarkson's Independent Ranger Battalion.[3][a]

Service history

1862

The unit, known as Clark's Missouri Infantry, was assigned to the brigade of

William A. Weer's brigade, but heavy Union artillery fire blunted the charge.[7] Parsons' brigade was eventually able to force back Weer's brigade by turning the Union left flank, and another charge was made. The regiment was also on Parsons' left for this charge, but heavy Union artillery fire forced the regiment to retreat in the early stages of the charge, which eventually failed.[8] The regiment suffered 26 casualties during the battle.[1][9] After Prairie Grove, the regiment retreated to Van Buren, Arkansas, where it remained until December 28.[1]

1863

On January 4, 1863, while the regiment was in the process of transferring to

Major General Frederick Steele. On September 10, the 9th Missouri Infantry evacuated Little Rock and retreated to Arkadelphia, Arkansas.[11]

Reorganization

On September 30, the Arkansas-raised companies of Clarkson's former Independent Ranger Battalion were transferred out of the regiment to form a new battalion and were replaced by six companies from the 8th Missouri Infantry Battalion.[11] Clark retained nominal command of the unit, although Richard H. Musser was appointed as lieutenant colonel of the regiment. Richard Gaines was the regiment's new major.[12] As of September 30, the regiment contained 10 companies, designated with the letters A–I and K; all of which were Missouri-raised.[12]

The new regiment was then assigned to the brigade of Brigadier General

Thomas F. Drayton, with which it transferred to Camp Bragg on October 20, where it spent the rest of 1863 in winter quarters.[13]

1864–1865

Battle of Pleasant Hill
Battle of Pleasant Hill

On January 12, 1864, Clark was elevated to brigade command, and Musser replaced Clark as commander of the regiment.[b] On January 29, the regiment left Camp Bragg and moved to a location in Hempstead County, Arkansas. In March, the 9th Missouri Infantry began moving towards Shreveport, Louisiana, which it reached on March 25. Additionally, on the 25th, a new division was formed from Parsons' brigade and Clark's brigade; Parsons commanded the new entity. Parsons' division left Shreveport on April 3 to come to the aid of Major General Richard Taylor, who was resisting a Union advance up the Red River. The unit reached Taylor at Pleasant Hill, Louisiana on April 9.[14] At the Battle of Pleasant Hill later that day, Parsons' division was on the right of the Confederate line, and Clark's brigade was to the right of Parsons' other brigade, which was commanded Colonel Simon P. Burns.[15] The initial charge was successful, breaking through the line of a Union brigade and capturing two artillery batteries.[14] However, a Union counterattack hit Parsons' flank, and the Confederate attack broke, with the men retreating in disorder.[16] The 9th Missouri Infantry officially reported 113 casualties, although Musser later stated that he believed the true count was about 175 men.[14]

After Pleasant Hill, the unit moved north to confront Steele, whose Union force was occupying

2nd Kansas Colored Infantry Regiment, the Confederate attack was unable to crack the Union line.[20] The Kansas regiment also captured three Confederate cannons.[21] The battle ended with Steele's force escaping across the Saline. The regiment suffered 52 casualties at Jenkins' Ferry. Jenkins' Ferry was the last major combat action the regiment saw; the unit spent the rest of the war stationed at various points in Arkansas and Louisiana. On June 7, 1865, the survivors of the regiment were paroled at Alexandria, Louisiana; the steamboat B. L. Hodge transported the men back to Missouri.[22]

Notes

  1. ^ Companies F and K do not appear to have existed.[3]
  2. ^ Musser was promoted to colonel on March 4.[12]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f McGhee 2008, p. 215.
  2. ^ McGhee 2008, pp. 214–215.
  3. ^ a b McGhee 2008, p. 214.
  4. ^ Shea 2009, p. 292.
  5. ^ Shea 2009, p. 217.
  6. ^ Shea 2009, pp. 227–228.
  7. ^ Shea 2009, pp. 233–234.
  8. ^ Shea 2009, pp. 234–238.
  9. ^ Shea 2009, p. 240.
  10. ^ McGhee 2008, pp. 215–216.
  11. ^ a b McGhee 2008, p. 216.
  12. ^ a b c McGhee 2008, p. 217.
  13. ^ McGhee 2008, pp. 217–218.
  14. ^ a b c McGhee 2008, p. 218.
  15. ^ Johnson 1993, pp. 154–155, 159.
  16. ^ Johnson 1993, pp. 160–162.
  17. ^ McGhee 2008, pp. 218–219.
  18. ^ Forsyth 2003, p. 194.
  19. ^ Forsyth 2003, p. 159.
  20. ^ Forsyth 2003, p. 162.
  21. ^ Forsyth 2003, pp. 164–165.
  22. ^ McGhee 2008, p. 219.

Sources

  • Forsyth, Michael J. (2003). The Camden Expedition of 1864. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc.
    ISBN 0-7864-1554-1
    .
  • Johnson, Ludwell H. (1993). Red River Campaign: Politics and Cotton in the Civil War. Kent, Ohio: Kent State University Press.
    ISBN 0-87338-486-5
    .
  • McGhee, James E. (2008). Guide to Missouri Confederate Regiments, 1861–1865. Fayetteville, Arkansas: University of Arkansas Press.
    ISBN 978-1-55728-870-7
    .
  • Shea, William L. (2009). Fields of Blood: The Prairie Grove Campaign. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press.
    ISBN 978-0-8078-3315-5
    .
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