153rd Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 153d Infantry Regiment is a United States infantry regiment, currently represented in the Arkansas Army National Guard by the 1st Battalion, 153rd Infantry, headquartered at Malvern, Arkansas, and 2nd Battalion, 153rd Infantry, headquartered at Searcy, Arkansas, elements of the 39th Brigade Combat Team. The regiment was also represented by the 3rd Battalion, 153rd Infantry Regiment headquartered at Warren, Arkansas until that unit was deactivated on 5 September 2005. The regiment was activated as the 1st Arkansas Volunteer Infantry for the Spanish–American War, but did not deploy overseas. The regiment was activated for World War I, redesignated as the 153rd Infantry and shipped to France as a part of the 39th Division, but became a replacement division and personnel were reassigned to other AEF units. The regiment was activated for World War II and deployed to the Aleutian Islands, participating in the Aleutian Islands Campaign. Recently, elements of the regiment have participated in two deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, in 2004 and again in 2008.
Formation of the 1st Arkansas, State Troops
Two units claimed the name '1st Arkansas' during the American Civil War, one Confederate and one on the Union side, but neither have a direct connection to the 153d Infantry. These units were each recruited in the state by national governments for service in their respective army. Neither of them had any connection to the militia units of the State of Arkansas.The 1st Arkansas was organized from Volunteer Companies organized in the Arkansas State Militia. Several of these Volunteer Companies had participated in the seizure of the Federal Arsenal at Little Rock in January 1861. These units were enrolled in state service on 14 May 1861 at Mound City, six miles upstream of Memphis on the Mississippi River. Captain Patrick R. Cleburne, of the Yell Rifles, was appointed colonel of the regiment. This unit was placed under the command of Col. Patrick Cleburne, and was enrolled in Confederate service on 23 July 1861, at Pitman's Ferry, AR and was initially designated as the '1st Arkansas Infantry'. However, the Confederate War Department discovered that there was already a 1st Arkansas Infantry, under Colonel James Fleming Fagan. The 1st Regiment, Arkansas State Troops, was thus redesignated as the 15th Arkansas Infantry Regiment, on 31 December 1861. Due to battle losses, the 13th and 15th Arkansas Regiments were consolidated on 20 December 1862, just before the Battle of Murfreesboro. Toward the end of the civil war, ten depleted Arkansas regiments, including the 15th Arkansas, were merged to form the 1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry, 9 April 1865. This regiment surrendered with the Army of Tennessee at Greensboro, North Carolina, 26 April 1865. The 15th Arkansas was composed of Militia units from the following counties:
| Company | Name | County | Militia Regiment | Commander | Organization Date |
| Company A | "Harris Guards" | Monroe | 35th Militia Regiment | Capt. James T. Harris | 27 May 1861 |
| Company B | "Jefferson Guards" | Jefferson | 24th Militia Regiment | Capt. Charles H. Carlton | 24 September 1860 |
| Company C | "Yell Guards" | Jefferson | - | Capt. Francis M. McNally | Unknown |
| Company D | "Rector Guards" | Prairie | 50th Militia Regiment | Capt. George W. Glenn | 12 February 1861 |
| Company E | "Napoleon Grays" | Desha | 6th Militia Regiment | Capt. Henry E. Green | 28 February 1861 |
| Company F | "Yell Riflemen" | Phillips | 12th Militia Regiment | Capt. Patrick R. Cleburne | 29 January 1861 |
| Company G | "Hindman Guards" | White | - | Capt. Henry B. Blakemore | 18 April 1861 |
| Company H | "Phillips Guards" | Phillips | 12th Militia Regiment | Capt. George Otey | 29 January 1861 |
| Company I | "Tyronza Rebels" | Mississippi | - | Capt. Robert L. Harding | 3 June 1861 |
| Company K | "Monroe Blues" | Monroe | 35th Militia Regiment | Capt. Gaston K. Baldwin | 16 May 1861 |
No connection between the 15th Arkansas Infantry Regiment and the 1st Infantry, Arkansas State Guard, from which the 153rd Infantry Regiment was created, is formally recognized by the United States Army Center of Military History. Arkansas militia units were very active during the Reconstruction era, but interest in the militia waned in the years after Reconstruction ended and very little activity occurred above the local level for many years.
Post Civil War
While the State Militia was heavily engaged in numerous civil disturbances following the Civil War, most notably the Brooks Baxter War, very little is known about the regimental organization of the units involved in these Reconstruction era conflicts. The Arkansas State Guard did not begin to take its modern form until the late 1890s. It was organized between 1890 and 1894 in the Arkansas State Guard as the 1st Regiment of Infantry, with its headquarters in Little Rock.Post Reconstruction
Officially, the state militia of the 1880s and early 1890s consisted of the 1st and 2nd Infantry regiments, one battery of artillery, one troop cavalry, and one signal unit. In reality, interest in the state militia had waned following Reconstruction, and the state legislature failed to appropriate any funds to support the militia. The legislature had even abolished the office of adjutant general, so the only effective organization during this period was at the company level. Local militia units that existed were supported with private funds: local militia companies, such as the McCarthy Light Guards in Little Rock, participated in drill and ceremony competition; all their funding for travel, uniforms and equipment came from private sources. The McCarthy Light Guards organized in Little Rock in 1887 was named for John H. McCarthy, the local businessman who provided their uniforms. The unit competed in several drill competitions, including the Interstate Competitive Drill at Galveston, Texas, where the unit placed third, at Atlanta in 1889 where they placed second, in Omaha in 1891 where they took second, and at Nashville Tennessee where they took first place. The unit was invited to attend the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. The unit took fourth prize at the Interstate Competitive Drill conducted in its home town of Little Rock in 1894.Reorganization of 1891
In 1891, Captain E. D. Thomas, a captain of the 5th Cavalry was ordered to make an inspection of Arkansas State Guard on behalf of the Inspector General of the Army. Upon reaching Little Rock, Captain Thomas found that the only military organizations in existence at that time in the state were at the local level. Captain Thomas indicated that regimental and brigade level organizations had not been maintained for several years. Thomas indicated that the existing local companies were supported through benevolence and that the state had not even applied to utilize funds for the support of the militia which had recently been approved of by Congress. Captain Thomas' visit apparently spurred the state into action because he indicated that the following order had been issued prior to his departure from Little Rock:The following regimental officers were appointed by Adjutant General Files:
- Col. John D. Waldron, Commander of the First Regiment Arkansas State Guard, effective 1 October 1891.
- Lieut. Col. John M. Dungan
- Maj. G. C. Schogg
- Capt. C. M. Wing appointed as the Regimental Adjutant
- Capt. Chas. E. Taylor appointed as the Regimental Quartermaster
Reorganization of 1897
In January 1897 Governor Daniel W. Jones took office and although the position of adjutant general had still not been re-authorized by the state legislature at this time, Jones appointed Brigadier General Arthur Neill as his private secretary and acting adjutant general. The new governor and adjutant general began a massive reorganization of the Arkansas State Guard; two additional regiments of infantry, another troop of cavalry, and another battery of artillery were added.The state was divided by the Arkansas River into two military districts. The 1st Regiment, Arkansas State Guards was assigned to the Southern District.
| 1st Regiment, Arkansas State Guards | Colonel F.B.T. Hollenberg, | Station |
| Company A | Not yet formed | |
| Company B | CPT James Wood | Little Rock |
| Company C, | CPT C.M. Wright | Little Rock |
| Company D, | CPT R.M. Pearson | Little Rock |
| Company E | CPT Grant White | Hope |
| Company F | Not yet formed | |
| Company G | Not yet formed | |
| Company H | CPT Edward Lucas | Star City |
| Company I | Not yet formed | |
| Company J | Not yet formed | |
| Company K | Not yet formed | |
| Company L | CPT R.W. Reynolds | Lake Village |
Spanish–American War
On 25 April 1898, President William McKinley called upon the State to supply two infantry regiments for the Spanish–American War. As none of the regiments were in acceptable condition to deploy – only two companies were determined fit to be mustered into service intact – the decision was made to create two new infantry regiments from the available manpower. The 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Regiments of Infantry, Arkansas State Guard, were reorganized, redesignated and mustered into federal service between 14 and 25 May 1898 at Little Rock as the 1st and 2nd Arkansas Volunteer Infantry. Governor Jones intended that all sections of the State be represented as far as possible, so the two new Regiments were created from selected State Guard companies and from different sections of the state. Pursuant to the Governor's direction the 1st Arkansas Volunteer Infantry was organized as follows:1st Arkansas Volunteer Infantry
| Company | Former Organization | Station |
| A | Company A, 3rd Regiment, Arkansas State Guard | Hot Springs |
| B | Company, E, 3rd Regiment, ASG | Pine Bluff |
| C | Battery B, ASG | Fort Smith |
| D | Company D, 3rd Regiment, ASG | Fort Smith |
| E | Co E, 1st Regiment, ASG and Co G, 3rd Regiment, ASG | Hope and Dequeen |
| F | Company I, 4th Regiment, ASG | Springdale |
| G | Company B, 4th Regiment, ASG | Helena |
| H | New Unit Organized for the War | |
| I | Company A, 1st Regiment, ASG | Van Buren |
| K | Company I, 3rd Regiment, ASG | Paris |
| L | Company L, 1st Regiment, ASG, | Lake Village |
| M | New Unit Organized for the War |
The newly formed 1st Arkansas Volunteer Infantry did not see combat during the Spanish–American War. The regiment, commanded by Colonel Elias Chandler, along with the 2nd Arkansas Volunteer Infantry was sent to Camp George H. Thomas at Chickamauga Park, Georgia in May 1898. The 1st Arkansas Volunteer Infantry was still there participating in basic training when the war effectively ended with the fall of Cuba and the signing of an armistice in early August. The 1st Arkansas Volunteer Infantry mustered out of Federal Service on 25 October 1899 at Little Rock, Arkansas.