for the formation of 30 new infantry companies and 20 new cavalry companies. Governor Rector indicated that if there were insufficient volunteers to fill these new companies, a draft would be made upon the militia regiments and brigades. As a further enticement, Rector also indicated that these regiments were for home defense and that they would not be transferred to Confederate Service without their consent. Many new volunteer companies were organized from the militia regiments in the summer of 1862. It appears that the militiamen decided it was better to enlist and remain together, and be allowed to elect their own officers, rather than to wait for forced conscription under new Confederate Conscription laws, which were being strictly enforced during the summer of 1862. Colonel Rector's much reduced former regiment, the remaining portions of Companies A, B, C, and G, were reinforced with troops, many of whom were came from the 58th Regiment Arkansas Militia regiment of Franklin County, the 15th Regiment Arkansas Militia of Pope County, and the 10th Militia Regiment of Johnson County. Colonel Rector's new reorganized regiment, was initially organized at Camp Johnson, on July 11, 1862, near Fort Smith, Arkansas, as the "1st Regiment, Northwest Division, Trans-Mississippi Department" with 1037 men. They were also called Rector's War Regiment, 1st Arkansas Volunteers. The reorganized regiment consisted of the following companies: Company A – Enlisted 12 June 1862, at Fort Smith, commanded by Captain A.J. Cline. This company was made up of men who transferred from Companies B, C, and F, of the 17th Arkansas Infantry. Company B – Enlisted 19 Jun 1862 at Ft Smith, commanded by Captain James C. Bourland. Company C – Enlisted 9–22 June 1862 at Fort Smith, commanded by Captain George W. Bennett. Company D – Enlisted 27 June 1862 at Greenwood, commanded by Captain John M. Inge. Company E – Enlisted 25 Jun 1862 at Charleston, commanded by Captain unknown. These men were largely from Franklin County and many had been present when the 58th Regiment Militia of Franklin County had been activated in February 1862 during the Pea Ridge Campaign. Company F – The first Company F was transferred to the 11th Missouri Infantry on August 27, 1862, and was replaced by a new Company F from which had enlisted 15 Aug 1862 in Benton County, commanded by Captain John Miser. Company G – “The Brown Guards,” enlisted 18 June 1862