1st Arkansas Cavalry Regiment (Dobbin's)

1st Arkansas Cavalry (Dobbin's) (Confederate)
Dobbin's Arkansas Cavalry Regiment Battleflag
Active	September 28, 1862–May 25, 1865
Country	Confederate States of America
Allegiance	CSA
Branch	Infantry
Size	Regiment
Engagements	American Civil War Battle of Helena Battle of Bayou Fourche Battle of Little Rock Battle of Pine Bluff Price's Missouri Raid Battle of Fort Davidson Fourth Battle of Boonville Battle of Glasgow, Missouri Battle of Sedalia Second Battle of Lexington Battle of Little Blue River Second Battle of Independence Battle of Byram's Ford Battle of Westport Battle of Marais des Cygnes Battle of Mine Creek Battle of Marmiton River Second Battle of Newtonia
Disbanded	May 25, 1865

American Civil War

The 1st (Dobbin's) Regiment Arkansas Cavalry (1861–1865) was a Confederate Army cavalry regiment during the American Civil War.

The nucleus of what became Dobbins' regiment was Maj. Francis Marion Chrisman's battalion of four companies, organized on September 28, 1862. Chrisman's battalion was assigned to Parson's Cavalry Brigade, 1st Corps, Trans-Mississippi Department, from September to December 1862; after which it was reported as an unattached command in the District of Arkansas until about January 1863, when it was increased to a regiment and designated as the 1st (Dobbins') Regiment Arkansas Cavalry.

The additional companies which were joined with Chrisman's four companies were five "partisan ranger" companies and one "spy" company. "Corley's Spies" (which became Company A, Capt. Samuel Corley commanding) was not a group of secret agents; rather, they were expert scouts who knew the bayous, forests, roads and trails of eastern Arkansas like the back of their hands. They were skilled at moving around undetected by the Yankees. I once found some correspondence regarding the resignation of Corley's first lieutenant, which revealed that "Corley's Spies" had served briefly in the Indian Territory in Albert Pike's command. When the regiment was organized, Captain Corley was promoted to major. Samuel Corley was one of those larger-than-life characters whose daring exploits would make a great book and movie. He was a preacher who talked about Christian love and forgiveness on Sunday, and fought Yankees like the devil during the week. He was killed in action at Fourche Bayou (Battle of Little Rock) on September 10, 1863.

The component companies (and original captains) of Dobbins' regiment were as follows:

Company F was consolidated with Company A on January 3, 1864.

Companiess D & H were consolidated with Company E on January 3, 1864.

The original regimental staff officers were:

The unit is difficult to research because not only was it a loosely organized regiment, but most of the typical paperwork generated by a regiment in the field is missing from the record. Only a handful of muster rolls, and almost no quartermaster or commissary reports, are known to exist.

When organized, Dobbins' regiment was listed as an unattached command in the District of Arkansas until May 1863. From June through September 1863 it was assigned to the Arkansas Cavalry Brigade of General Walker's Division, and in November 1863 listed as Dobbins' Cavalry Brigade, District of Arkansas.