21st Arkansas Infantry Regiment (Craven's)

21st Arkansas Infantry (Confederate)
Colonel Jordan Edgar Cravens would survive the war and be elected to the United States Congress from the State of Arkansas
Active	May 15, 1862–May 26, 1865
Country	Confederate States of America
Allegiance	CSA
Branch	Infantry
Size	Regiment
Engagements	American Civil War Iuka-Corinth Campaign Second Battle of Corinth Vicksburg Campaign Battle of Port Gibson Battle of Champion's Hill Battle of Big Black River Bridge Siege of Vicksburg
Disbanded	May 26, 1865

American Civil War

The 21st Arkansas Infantry (1862–1865) was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War. The unit was organized from the consolidation of two understrength Arkansas units in May 1862. The unit participated in the Iuka-Corinth Campaign before becoming part of the garrison of Vicksburg Mississippi. After the capitulation of Confederate forces at Vicksburg, the 21st was paroled and exchanged back to Arkansas where it was combined with the remnants of several there Arkansas regiments to become the 1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment (Trans-Mississippi). Another Arkansas Confederate infantry regiment, commanded by Colonel Dandridge McRae was also labeled the "21st Arkansas". To avoid confusion between two 21st Arkansas Regiments, McRae's regiment was later redesignated as the 15th (Northwest) Arkansas Infantry Regiment (making a total of three 15th Arkansas Regiments).

21st Arkansas Infantry Regiment was organized on May 15, 1862, by consolidating four companies of McCarver's 14th Arkansas and six companies of Lemoyne's 17th Arkansas Regiments, (also known as the 17th and 18th Arkansas Battalions) to form the 21st (McCarver's) Arkansas Regiment.

The unit was composed of the following companies:

Colonels Jordan E. Cravens and William G. Matheny, and Majors W. M. Dowdle and Harrison Moore were in command.

During the Iuka-Corinth Campaign, the 21st Arkansas was assigned to Brigadier General William L. Cabell's brigade of Brigadier General Dabney H. Maury's Division of Major General Sterling Price's 1st Corps the Confederate (Army of the West). During the Second Battle of Corinth, the 21st made a gallant attack on the Union works. The attack was described thus by one participating veteran of the 14th and later 21st Arkansas Infantry Regiment: