COLONEL SOLON BORLAND (1811VA-1864TX)

(JUNE 1861 to JUNE 1862) (08/10/09)

CIVIL WAR

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First major United States Diplomant from Arkansas, fourth United States Senator from Arkansas, a United States Army Major, a Confederate Army Colonel. (10/22/08) http://community.webtv.net/billboggess2/UNITEDSTATESSENATOR

Much relevant & documented historical military information was gathered January 2007 on Jim MARTIN's Arkansas Civil War Board, http://history-sites.com/cgi-bin/bbs53x/arcwmb/webbbs_config.pl?noframes;read=14343 from Bryan HOWERTON (H), Danny ODOM (O) and Solon's fifty page Confederate service record (R) from Arkansas History Commission (2/09/07).

The Honorable Doctor Solon BORLAND, Esquire, a distinguished southern gentleman, formerly: North Carolina militia officer, Arkansas' Adjutant General, United States Army major of Mexican war fame, Arkansas' fourth U S Senator, Arkansas' first foreign U S Minister and first minister to countries of Central America, "aid-de-camp" to Arkansas Governor Henry Massie RECTOR, April 1861, then defeated by James YELL, Arcihbald YELL's nephew at Convention election 22nd of May, 43 to 20 for position of major general to coordinate the state military organizations.     Solon, now under Arkansas Military Board, with a cavalry battalion he raised in Pulaski county and organized June 10th, soon to become Colonel Solon BORLAND, Confederate States Army (rank held eight months until discharged May 26,1862) at Camp Warren(?), Camp Borland (?), Pocahontas, Randolph county, Arkansas, on the Current river near Pittman's Ferry, as commander of that battalion he raised, originally known as 1st Battalion Arkansas Cavalry, it becoming 1st Arkansas Mounted Volunteers upon his and its acceptance into Confederate service on July 29, 1861, for twelve months. This group was enlarged and renamed the 3rd Regiment Arkansas Cavalry in December 1861, officially when Trans-Mississippi was created January1862. www.couchgenweb.com/civilwar/3cav_indx.html    According to Major COLLIER's 1965 book, they fought in more skirmishes than did any other Arkansas unit. [Future Governor BAXTER served thirty days under BORLAND, November 1861, later organizing and serving for the Union]       (R) 3 Sep 1861, "Col S BORLAND Regiment of Cavalry will proceed without delay to Little Rock for the purpose of providing clothing for this command.", By order, Brig-Gen William J HARDEE [1815GA-1873AL]. Newspaper article said he was in charge of securing clothing for HARDEE's men.     Solon was appointed commandor of Confederate's Western Department, Upper Arkansas District, November 5, 1861 by General Albert Sidney JOHNSTON (1803KY-1862TN) which was vacated by Major General William J HARDEE, taking with him all good equipment, materials, and experienced troops, leaving behind useless equipment or materials and inexperienced raw recruits, to wit: http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/hertford/letters/borland24.txt http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/hertford/letters/borland21.txt    HARDEE, reportedly was assigned to Arkansas June 25, 1861 to recurit men, arrived July 22nd, was commander till October, Solon appointed that position November 5th of which he pleaded to be relieved in letter of November 10,1861. As of 15 December 1861 Solon is on sick leave in Little Rock for an extended period, possibly not returning to the Upper Arkansas District nor the 3rd Regiment Arkansas Cavalry before being discharged May 26, 1862.       (H)"Borland's battalion, 1st Arkansas Mounted Volunteers, later increased to a regiment and redesignated as the 3rd Arkansas Cavalry, spent the winter of 1861-62 at Pitman's Ferry, Randolph County, Arkansas. They operated as scouts, manned picket posts, and maintained the courier line between Pocahontas and Memphis. Due to BORLAND's concerns about a possible U.S. attack on Pitman's Ferry, his battalion was often forward-deployed into the bootheel of Missouri to keep an eye on possible enemy movements from that direction."    Solon, as afore stated, replaced Major General William J HARDEE as commander of Upper Arkansas District, Western Department, Confederate States Army, until January 10, 1862 when reorganized into The Trans-Mississippi Department, then Major General Earl VAN DORN (1820MS-1863TN) was appointed in command 15 January 1862 by President Jefferson F DAVIS (1808KY-1889LA), (whom Solon served with in both, the Mexican war and U S Senate), leaving Virginia, arriving in Arkansas 29 January 1862.     Solon's letters of record; http://www.simmonsgames.com/research/authors/USWarDept/ORA/OR-S1-V08-C018C.html November 1861, state he had NO longer had a desire of becoming a general even though he was carrying out duties of such, and that he was suffering of ill health. His service record shows he was reimbursed for extensively traveling (1,710 miles) to Little Rock, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi during those twenty weeks of service.       (R) 29 Nov '61, Solon posted his 'General Order' regarding home grown foodstuffs to NOT be shipped out of state in order to stem price gouging to local citizens.

This turned into a political debacle. It was Solon's attempt to protect army and citizens, as had been done in Missouri, from speculators of price gouging Arkansas' shortage of home grown crops. Governor Henry Massie RECTOR, essentially supporting speculators, complained even after receiving former friend Solon's thirteen page letter. This one-term governor, whom the Family, his and Borland's political foes (in power since 1836) manipulated and got his term in office reduced to two years, and had lost controll over state military in May when the Military Board took charge, he its president, with said action condemend by all newspapers (also unhappy because Arkansas' troops were shipped east, leaving no one nor equipment, to protect Arkansas).

Part of page 85, CONFEDERATE ARKANSAS, published for Michael B Dougan in 1976, also view AHQ, Vol XXXVII, 1978, "The Martial Law Controversy in Arkansas, 1861-1865" by Leo E HUFF, page 149.

(R)11 Dec '61, Solon's letter requesting a leave of absence was sent to General Albert Sidney JOHNSTON, later General John Seldon ROANE (1817TN-1867AR), supported with a letter from surgeon Dr WASHINGTON.       (R) Nov 30, 61 to Jany 31, 1862, "Field and Staff Roll". says; Col Solon BORLAND, Absent on leave at Little Rock, Sick.    When Judah BENJAMIN (1811BWI-1884FRANCE) ordered BORLAND to turn over his command to next ranking officer and report to him, I assume (?) that officer to have been Lt Col Benjamin F DANLEY.      (R) 20 Dec '61, Proclamation by Governor Henry Massie RECTOR claiming to over-ride Solon's General Order.

After Maj-Gen Earl VAN DORN was placed in charge of Trans-Mississippi Department, he lost and ran away from the disastrous battle at Elkhorn Tavern (Pea Ridge, -- Dr William SHEA's new book will be printed shortly), Arkansas on March 6-8, 1862 --- back to Pocahontas, Arkansas whose wounded were among the first at St Johns' College in Little Rock, converted into a 908 bed hospital serving over 8,000.       (O)25 Mar ['62] - Col S BORLAND, 3rd Ark Cav, to report in person to Gen VAN DORN at HQ. [how could he, when he's in Little Rock on sick leave(??)]       (H)The Co.[A] was actively engaged on outpost duty & as scouts in the North Eastern portion of Ark. & South Eastern portion of Missouri until the 6th of April 1862, at which time it was ordered to Cornith, Miss.       (O)6 Apr['62] - 3rd Ark Cav left for Des Arc, Ark.       (O)8 Apr['62] - Special Order #42 - VAN DORN orders all cavalry to be dismounted until further orders.       (O)15 Apr['62] - VAN DORN's Special Orders issued at Des Arc: Col BORLAND [Lt Col Benjamin Danley?] and his regiment to proceed to Memphis and report to Gen [Sterling, "Old Pap"] PRICE (1809VA-1867MO).       (H)On the 19th day of April the Co.[A] was dismounted by the order [Special Order #42] of Maj. Gen. VAN DORN. The horses were sent to Dallas Co, Ark. to be taken care of there. The horses ["private" as opposed to "public"] were sent in charge on one non-com officer [Possibly 1st Sgt O C GRAY who retrieved them 23 Nov, 1862] & five privates         "Ordered east of the Mississippi, he [VAN DORN, with what became 3rd Ark Cav & others] arrived to late to take part in the bloody battle where thousands of troops died, at Shiloh, April 6 - 8, 1862 http://www.geocities.com/heartland/acres/1257/shiloh.html.       (O)24 Apr['62] - Memphis, VAN DORN's Special Order #64; Forms brigade under Lt Col Benjamin DANLEY, to proceed to Cornith tomorrow: includes regiments; BORLAND, STONE & SIMS, battalion BROOKS, battery, to be assigned.       (O) 25 Apr ['62] - It was found Lt Col GRIFFITH was senior officer, who then replaced DANLEY NOTE: (R) Jany 31 to April 30 1862, "Field and Staff Roll", says; Col Solon BORLAND, Absent Since 15 Dec 1861 on account of ill health.       (H)01May 1862 - 30 Jun 1862 Morrisville [camp ??].       (H)4 May['62] - Cornith - Army of the West: ROANE brigade; regiments, BORLAND's aggregate, STONE, SIMS, BROOKS battalion, WILLIAMSON's Battalion Ark Inf battery       (O)25 May['62] -Special Orders #98 -list of officers not re- elected and discharged including Col BORLAND & Lt Col DANLEY of 3rd Ark Cav -WILLIAMSONS' Ark bn broken up with 3 companies assigned to 3rd Ark cavalry       (R) Apirl 30 to June 30 1862, "Field and Staff Muster Roll" says; Col Solon BORLAND; "Not reelected at reorganization. Dishcharged May 26/62"     On 14 June 1862 (10 days before death of 16 y/o son, Pvt George Godwin BORLAND while on his way home (being relieved from CSA servce under General PIKE in Texas, because of poor health) --- The Little Rock Arkansas Gazette printed front page, column 1, to wit;

"It is known for sometime that, for several months, the doctor [Solon BORLAND, age 52] has been dangerously ill; his sickness has disabled him so far as to prevent his resuming his duties as a solider in the army for some time to come at least: and best field which he now finds before him for usefulness, is in the practice of his original profession of medicine and surgery. It is useless for us to allude, is the standing of Dr. B. in his profession. That is already known to our readers."