Roster of the Drew County Grays

The “Drew County Grays” was organized at Monticello, Drew county, Arkansas, on June 16, 1862.  About 110 men served in this company, mostly men from Drew county, with a few from Ashley, Chicot and Desha counties.  Captain William D. Trotter commanded the Grays.  The company marched to White Sulphur Springs, near Pine Bluff, where the 24th Arkansas Infantry Regiment was organized.  The Grays were assigned as
Company E.  The 24th Arkansas was assigned to the First Brigade of Colonel Robert R. Garland, headquartered at Fort Hindman (Arkansas Post).  Part of the 24th Arkansas was stationed at Fort Hindman, and part was stationed at St. Charles, Arkansas.  Arkansas Post was besieged by a combined Federal army/navy force in January 1863.  The garrison surrendered on January 11, 1863, and the troops were sent to the U.S. Military Prison at Camp Douglas, Illinois.  They were exchanged at City Point, Virginia, on April 10, 1863, and spent the rest of the war east of the Mississippi River in the Confederate Army of Tennessee.
That portion of the 24th Arkansas which was at St. Charles, and thus escaped capture, was consolidated with portions of Dawson’s 19th Arkansas Infantry and Crawford’s Arkansas Battalion to form Hardy’s 19th
Arkansas Infantry.  Hardy’s regiment spent the rest of the war west of the Mississippi River in the Confederate Army of the Trans-Mississippi.