30th Arkansas Infantry Regiment

30th Arkansas Infantry (Confederate)
Arkansas state flag
Active	June 18, 1862–May 26, 1865
Country	Confederate States of America
Allegiance	CSA
Branch	Infantry
Size	Regiment
Engagements	American Civil War Battle of Prairie Grove Battle of Helena Battle of Little Rock Red River Campaign Battle of Pleasant Hill Battle of Jenkins Ferry 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 26, 1865

Arkansas Confederate Infantry Regiments
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29th Arkansas Infantry Regiment	31st Arkansas Infantry Regiment

American Civil War

The 30th Arkansas Infantry (1861–1865) was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War. This regiment was also called the 5th Arkansas Cavalry, the 5th Trans-Mississippi Regiment or 39th Regiment after April, 1863. There were two regiments officially designated as the 30th Arkansas Infantry. The other 30th Arkansas served east of the Mississippi River and was redesignated as the 25th Arkansas Infantry. This regiment was converted to mounted infantry for Price's Missouri Expedition in 1864 and was known as Rogan's Arkansas Cavalry.

30th Infantry Regiment was formed on June 18, 1862, with Colonel Archibald J. McNeill as the original commander. The unit was raised as a mounted infantry or cavalry regiment and was originally designated as the 5th Arkansas Cavalry.

In early June 1862 Major McNeill was ordered by Major General Hindman to Crowley's Ridge to conscript roving and unattached companies. The state was facing an invasion in the aftermath of the defeat of General Earl Van Dorn at the Battle of Pea Ridge. Immediately following the battle, General Van Dorn and his Army of the West had been ordered to the east side of the Mississippi to support what would become the Battle of Shiloh. General Van Dorn had stripped the State of Arkansas of all organized units and supplies. General Hindman was placed in command of the new Department of the Trans-Mississippi and immediate began organizing a new army. General Hindman's guidance to Major McNeill and others attempting to organize new regiments in Northeast Arkansas in the face of an imminent invasion threat was to organize rapidly and put each company in the field as soon as completed and attack the enemy.

By June 13, 1862, Major McNeill reported from Madison to General Hindman:

"I found no organization at all here. I think I will have three companies in this county in ten days. I start for the upper part of my district to organize it, in the morning, which is in a better shape of organization. I have sent a scouting party toward Memphis to burn the boats on Blackfish River and ascertain the position of the enemy. I will not leave a stone unturned."

The companies which Major McNeill found and began to organize into a regiment were originally mounted. By June 18, 1862 Major McNeil reported the companies organized under authority given him to raise a regiment. On August 8, 1862, in Special Orders 60, Army of the South West, General Hindman appointed Major A. J. McNeill as commander of McNeill's Regiment of Arkansas Infantry with date of rank to June 18, 1862, the date that McNeill had first reported the formation of his regiment. Companies continued to be added to McNeill's command through the summer, but by July 10, 1862, General Hindman had ordered McNeill's command dismounted and its horses sent home.

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