Dandridge McRae

Dandridge McRae
Dandridge McRae, taken between 1861 and 1865
Born	(1829-10-29)October 29, 1829 Baldwin County, Alabama
Died	April 23, 1899(1899-04-23) (aged 69) Searcy, Arkansas
Place of burial	Searcy, Arkansas
Allegiance	Confederate States of America State of Arkansas
Service/branch	Confederate States Army
Years of service	1861–1864 (CSA)
Rank	Brigadier general
Commands held	15th Arkansas Infantry Regiment (Northwest) 28th Arkansas Infantry Regiment McRae's Brigade
Battles/wars	American Civil War
Other work	lawyer, later Deputy Secretary of State, Arkansas

Dandridge McRae (October 10, 1829 – April 23, 1899) was an American lawyer, court official, and Inspector General of Arkansas State Troops, as well as a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He served in several key battles that helped secure Arkansas for the Confederacy, prolonging the war in the Western Theater.

Dandridge McRae was born in Baldwin County, Alabama. He graduated in 1849 from South Carolina College, where he was a member of the Euphradian Society and the Corps of Cadets. McRae moved to Searcy in White County, Arkansas. He was admitted to the bar and served as clerk of the county and circuit courts for six years.

McRae began his military service in Arkansas on September 12, 1860, when he was commissioned as the captain of a volunteer militia company named the "Arkansas Guards" in the 21st Arkansas Militia Regiment, of White County. He led this company as part of the militia forces which seized the Federal Arsenal at Little Rock in early February, 1861. After the arsenal seizure, McRae returned to White County and organized a volunteer cavalry troop, the Border Rangers, in Searcy, Arkansas, in April 1861, where he was elected and served as captain. McRae had also been appointed by Governor Henry Massey Rector to serve as the inspector general of the new Arkansas State Troops. McRae was first sent to Camp Rector at Hopefield, (near modern-day West Memphis, Arkansas) to begin the mustering in of troops. During this time McRae is occasionally referenced by other militia commanders as General McRae, probably in connection with his role as inspector general. McRae left Hopefield shortly after the Arkansas State secession convention dispatched a political general, Thomas H. Bradley of Crittenden County, to assume command. McRae was next dispatched to Northwest Arkansas to assist Brigadier General Nicholas Bartlett Pearce in the mustering of Arkansas State Troops in the Western Division of the Provisional Army of Arkansas.