147 years ago CSA Captain Mellon formed Company I of the "Bloody" 7th Arkansas Vol. Infantry. The bloody adjective resulted from the 7th Arkansas' catastrophic losses at the Battle of Shiloh. The 7th Arkansas Regiment was commanded by Col. "Fighting Bob" Shaver. The regiment formed when men and boys from Randolph County in northeast Arkansas signed up in droves at Pocahontas and marched east across the Mississippi River. Those that survived did not return home until four years of heavy combat had passed. Today's Company I honors those brave Southern patriots every time we take the field in drill and battle reenactments.
Our Civil War infantry company is known as a mainstream family friendly organization. Following our forefathers, we do occasionally sleep on the ground under the stars when on an overnight campaign march. Most of the time we use 1860's tents erected in the vicinity of a warm campfire. Nevertheless a few of our soldiers elect to sleep in the open or under a fly, weather permitting. Fighting side by side over a realistic Civil War battlefield, as well as camping together, is a perfect weekend hobby for fathers and sons. Mothers and daughters also dress in 1860's period clothing to add to the ambiance in camp. Nearly all of theevents that we attend have sutlers (vendors) selling reproductive merchandise from the mid 19th century. It's easy to get startedin reenacting, the cost is reasonable, and it's a whole ton of fun!Our primary impression is Confederate, although we do dress in the "blue suit" of Federal infantry to even up sides when called upon to do so. As Federals, we become a dismounted cavalry unit (no horses) wearing distinctive red leggings.
The solid support of our 1st Arkansas Battalion is most appreciated indeed. The 1st Arkansas Battalion is part of General Willie Huckabee's Trans-Mississippi Brigade. Click on their link for a lot more information.Note that members of the 7th AR/5thKS reside all over the state of Arkansas, as well as Mississippi. Where you live makes little difference. Civil War reenactments take place just about everywhere in Arkansas, eastern Oklahoma, southern Missouri, western Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee.
A sizable contingent of 7th Arkansans reenacted Civil War battle at the 145th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania. Last year some of us traveled to the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia to participate as the 2nd Mississippi Infantry at the 145th Anniversary of the Battle of 1st Manassas (Bull Run). For this one, our company dressed in Revolutionary War black tricorn hats and red battleshirts--we were easy targets out there!The 7th AR fielded 17 men at last year's reenactment of the Battle of Shiloh near the MS-TN border. Others fell in with us to bring our total to 27, which was a most significant turnout for a long distance event. Although we did not sleep under the stars at Shiloh (30 degree temps), the 7th still had a most realistic experience typical of the War: At 4:00 AM our 100 man battalion marched to battle to seek out and eventually engaged the "enemy" in near total darkness. Flashes of musket gunfire soon lit up the dawn!
The 7th AR/5thKS Redlegs Dismounted Cavary, Co. I, has established itself as the largest War Between the States reenactment company in northern Arkansas. Visitors to this site interested in receiving more information should contact our Adjutant John Malloy 870-269-5573.
Respectfully,
Capt Louis Riggs
7th AR/5thKS Redlegs Dismounted Cavalry, Co. I