been organized on as a volunteer company in the 14th Regiment, Arkansas State Militia, under the command of Captain G.F. Smith. Company G, the "Brownsville Rifles", commanded by Captain Robert S. Gantt, organized at Brownsville, Arkansas, on May 31, 1861. This company had originally been organized on May 2, 1861, as a volunteer company in the 50th Regiment, Arkansas State Militia, Prairie County. Company H, commanded by Captain John L. Kuykendoll, organized at Gainesville, Arkansas, on September 28, 1861. Company I, the "Austin Rifles", Commanded by Captain B.H. Cozart, organized at Brownsville, Arkansas, on June 14, 1861. This company had originally been organized on May 22, 1861, as a volunteer company in the 50th Regiment, Arkansas State Militia, Prairie County. Company K, the "Arkansas Toothpicks", commanded by Captain Augustus B. Washington, organized at Wittsburg, Arkansas, on June 13, 1861. Unlettered Company, Commanded by Captain Poindexter Dunn. A letter from a member of the Brownsville Rifles to the Des Arc Citizen described the outcome of the election for regimental officers: The regiment was armed with weapons which the state confiscated when the Federal Arsenal at Little Rock was seized by Arkansas State Militia troops in February 1861. Disposition of the weapons found in the Arsenal is somewhat sketchy, but from various records it can be surmised that the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th Arkansas Infantry Regiments, mustered in June, 1861, were issued M1816/M1822 .69 caliber flintlocks. They retained these weapons until April, 1862 when they were able to exchange them for better weapons scavenged from the battlefield at Shiloh. Battles The regiment moved with the rest of General Hardee's division to Bowling Green, Kentucky, where Hardee's Division became the Army of Central Kentucky. After the losses of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson in February 1862, Confederate General Albert Sidney Johnston withdrew his forces into western Tennessee, northern Mississippi, and Alabama to reorganize. and then retreated through western Tennessee to northern Mississippi. In the reorganization of forces, the 5th Arkansas was assigned to Hindman's (later Liddell's) brigade, Army of Mississippi in March, 1862. At the time the Battle at Shiloh took place, the 5th Arkansas was on picket duty along the Memphis & Charleston Railroad, about 7 miles north and west of Corinth. Colonel David C. Cross pleaded with Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston to permit the 5th Arkansas to take part in the movement towards Shiloh, but Johnston replied that "the post