Col. John M. Harrell, Confederate Military History, a library of Confederate States Military History: Volume 10.2, Arkansas
Clement Anselm Evans, Ed.

---

[409] which he was afterward for two years the proprietor. He was admitted to the bar in 1835 and studied and practiced law until the Mexican war, when he recruited a company of cavalry and was present at the battle of Buena Vista under the command of the famous Col. Charles May. In 1848 he fought a duel with Gen. John S. Roane on account of something said by him in his story of that battle, which the governor considered as reflecting unjustly on the Arkansas regiment. In 1849 he was admitted to the bar of the Supreme court of the United States at the same time with Abraham Lincoln and Hannibal Hamlin. In 1853 he moved to New Orleans, having prepared himself for practice in the courts of Louisiana by reading the ‘Pandects,’ of which he translated the first volume into English. He also made translations of many French authorities. He wrote, besides, an unpublished work of three volumes upon ‘The Maxims of the Roman and French Law.’ In 1857 he resumed practice in Arkansas. He acted for many years as attorney for the Choctaw Indians, and in 1859, assisted by three others, he secured for them an award by the United States Senate of $2,981,247. He was the first proposer of a Pacific railroad convention, and at one time obtained from the legislature of Louisiana a charter for a road with termini at San Francisco and Guazamas. When the war of secession began he cast his fortunes with the South, and was Confederate commissioner to the tribes of Indian Territory. As such he brought the Creeks, Seminoles, Choctaws, Chickasaws and part of the Cherokees into alliance with the Confederate States. On August 15, 1861, he was commissioned brigadier-general in the army of the Confederate States, and at the battle of Pea Ridge he commanded a brigade of Indians. On November 11, 1862, he resigned his commission, on account of some unpleasant relations with General Hindman, and appealed to the authorities at Richmond, when the dispute was settled and the matter