Countering Irregular Activity in Civil War Arkansas -- A Case Study
Abstract
Civil War Arkansas endured many forms of irregular or guerilla warfare, including activity that approached insurgency. It was a complex arena that resembles the present day, and it illustrates much of contemporary counterinsurgency doctrine. Arkansas was a Southern state with a significant Unionist population and this divide fueled and shaped much of the conflict. Arkansas was unique in that its Confederate commander, seeking to make up for conventional weakness, initiated guerilla warfare directed at Union forces. In response, Union commanders who were merely ordered to protect lines of communication responded with punitive actions against individuals and communities who did little to reduce the guerilla activity, thus alienating the local population. As the war progressed, the guerilla bands shifted from military targets, becoming progressively more terrorist, criminal, and once a Unionist state government was installed, insurgent. The Union Army's role also changed as the main war moved on from the Mississippi basin and Arkansas became an early field for Lincoln's plan to reincorporate rebel states. The Union's emphasis thus shifted to extending Federal authority, and its organization and tactics evolved into a successful combination of locally raised troops, intelligence-led operations, isolation of the guerillas, and political reconciliation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 27, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA469132
Entities
People
- C. Collett
Organizations
- United States Army War College