Endorsement on Company K muster roll—"Muster Roll of Capt. L. W. Robertson's Co. of Vol. Inf., raised in response to Col. Borland's call of Nov. 5; mustered into the Confederate service Nov. 17 for 30 days, and discharged Dec. 17, 1861; entitled to pay from date of muster to the time set opposite their respective names and to transportation and subsistence from Pocahontas to Smithville, Ark., — miles." Field and staff officer appointments were dated November 23, 1861. The following regimental staff was elected for the unit: Colonel James Haywood McCaleb, Lieutenant-Colonel David G Ligon, (elected from Co. K.) Major John P. Black, (elected from Co. A) First Lieutenant and Adjutant S. W. Temple, (appointed from Co. E.) Quartermaster Elisha Baxter, (elected governor of Arkansas in 1872.) Commissary Hiram A. Kelsey, (appointed from Co. A.) Surgeon H. W. Vaughs, Sergeant-Major T. A. Baxter, Drum Major James J. Vest, (appointed from Co. G.) Wagonmaster Simon Peter Hurn,(appointed from Co. D.) Assistant Wagonmaster James Johnston, Background In May 1861, Pocahontas and the nearby strategically important Pitman's Ferry, in Randolph County, became an important Confederate military depot. Following the transfer of the State Troop regiments to Brig. Gen Hardee, virtually all the regiments stationed in northeast Arkansas were transferred in late September east of the Mississippi River to Bowling Green, Kentucky. Col. Solon Borland was left in command of a small force at Pitman's Ferry. Col. Borland's force was the only defense left in Northeast Arkansas. The forces included: Borland's own cavalry regiment of seven companies, Col. McCown's five companies of infantry, Maj. Desha's four companies of raw troops, Capt. Robert's artillery unit of 60 men but no guns and about 150 recruits brought by Maj. McCray – altogether about 1,286 men. But of these, owing to sickness and casualties Col Borland said he could count on no more than 600 for fighting service, and all were "raw, inexperienced, poorly disciplined and indifferently armed." A second round of recruiting for new regiments was just getting underway when Col. Borland began receiving reports of enemy movements in Missouri. The initial reports seemed to indicate a possible movement on Pitman's Ferry. The Union army was massing troops in southeast Missouri mainly for the purpose of a thrust down the Mississippi River. But this posed a very real threat to all areas of northeast Arkansas. Col Borland indicated that he had reliable information "that there are