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

[107] officers within his district, authorizing him to purchase or impress arms, ammunition and the necessary supplies, and assigning to him a quartermaster and commissary. Of these staff officers, bonds were required in the penalty and according to the form prescribed by law. Military posts were established. . . . Measures were also adopted for manufacturing many important articles for army use. . . . Machinery was made for manufacturing percussion caps and small arms. . . . Lead mines were opened and worked; a chemical laboratory was established and successfully operated in aid of the ordnance department, and in the manufacture of calomel, castor oil, spirits of niter, the various tinctures of iron and other valuable medicines. Most of these works were located at or near Arkadelphia, on the Ouachita river, 75 miles south of Little Rock. . . .

Being made responsible for the defense of north Louisiana, I assigned Brigadier-General Roane to that command, with instructions to enroll and organize the men subject to conscription. He found at Monroe two regiments and a battalion of unarmed infantry, and an artillery company without guns. Steps had been taken by me to render these troops efficient and to add to them, when without any notice to me, Brigadier-General Blanchard was placed in command of the conscripts of north Louisiana by the secretary of war. . . .

With the view to revive the hopes of loyal men in Missouri, and to get troops from that State, I gave authority to various persons to raise companies and regiments there, and operate as guerrillas. They soon became exceedingly active. . . Missourians in Arkansas, belonging to the old State Guard, were strongly desirous to revive that organization. Embarrassment on that score was prevented by accepting their general officers—Brigadier-Generals McBride and Rains—into the Confederate service, conditioned upon the approval of the secretary of war. . . .

Being apprised that there were large bodies of troops in Texas unemployed, I applied to Brigadier-Generals Hebert and [H. E.] McCulloch to send or, if practicable, bring them to me. The action of both these officers was prompt, liberal, and patriotic, and I take this opportunity to acknowledge my obligation to them. They sent me many fine regiments, some of which came armed, and others were armed by me.