5th Regiment, Arkansas State Troops

5th Regiment, Arkansas State Troops
Arkansas State Flag
Active	1861
Country	Confederate States of America
Allegiance	CSA
Branch	Infantry
Engagements	American Civil War Battle of Wilson's Creek
Disbanded	August 1861

American Civil War

The 5th Regiment, Arkansas State Troops (1861) was an Arkansas State infantry regiment that served during the American Civil War. Formed in mid-1861, the regiment was assigned to the command of Brigadier General Nicholas Bartlett Pearce, Commander, 1st Division, Provisional Army of Arkansas. It was disbanded after the Battle of Wilson's Creek in August 1861. Another Arkansas unit also had the designation 5th Arkansas, the 5th Arkansas Infantry Regiment which belonged to the Confederate Army of Tennessee. There is no connection between the two units.

In the spring of 1861, as the secession crisis deepened, many additional volunteer companies were being formed in the Arkansas State Militia. The Militia Law of Arkansas as published in 1860 provided for a two-tiered militia system. Section one of the law made all able-bodied free white male inhabitants between the ages of 18 and 45 liable for service. Section 57 of the Militia Act established the second tier of militia organization, the volunteer company. The act allowed each county to raise up to four volunteer companies. These volunteer companies were to be either infantry, riflemen, cavalry, or artillery. While the volunteer companies were to be separate from the regular militia units, they remained under the supervision and authority of the local militia regimental commander, who was required to set the time and place of the election of officers for volunteer companies and certify their election to the governor. Volunteer Companies were allowed to select and acquire their own uniforms and their officers were authorized to wear the uniform of the company. While the standard militia units were organized into lettered companies organized roughly along township boundaries, volunteer companies usually adopted colorful names to set them apart. One example of the volunteer militia company is the ""Bell Point Guards", which would eventually become Company G of the 5th Regiment, Arkansas State Troops. The unit was originally organized and on July 10, 1860 in the 51st Regiment, Arkansas State Militia, of Sebastian County. The unit was composed primarily of German immigrants from Sebastian County.