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Arkansas State Gazette Saturday, February 9, 1861 A most extraordinary excitement was aroused in this city during the past week. It appears that a rumor had gained credence that the S.H. Tucker was on her way to this city with a large body of U.S. soldiers, for the purpose of reinforcing the Arsenal at this place. Cannon were taken to the river, and every arrangement was made to effectually resist her approach - and the Tucker didn't come. On Tuesday our quiet citizens were again greatly excited by the fact of the approach of several volunteer companies from different parts of the State, who having been informed by telegraph or otherwise that the Arsenal here was to be reinforced, and that it was the desire and intent of the citizens, not only to repel such an invasion of U.S. soldiers but to take forcible possession of the Arsenal, had rushed to our assistance with an ardor and patriotic zeal worthy of the highest commendation , and for which, we are sure, they will ever be held in the highest estimation by our people. The number which came here from different portions of the State are variously estimated at from 800 to a thousand men, a portion of whom have already returned to their homes. On the (by our citizens unexpected) arrival of these troops, we understand that notwithstanding the fact that they had received orders to march to this place, the Governor explicitly disavowed all knowledge of the transaction, but after consultation with his advisors, and at the urgent solicitation of the citizens of Little Rock, he assumed the responsibility, for the purpose of avoiding if possible a conflict between the troops of the State and the U.S. command in charge of the Arsenal. Capt. Totten, on the demand being made in the name of the State, requested that he be allowed 24 hours to consider - and within that time, with a just and manly view of the whole matter, which still adds more to his fame, and in consideration of the frightful slaughter which must have ensued, of the great sacrifice of life and property which must have taken place in the city, and of the immolation finally of his own gallant corps, he concluded to evacuate the post, his men under arms, to the proper authorities of the State, and marched his company out within the time prescribed by himself. And by way of remark here, it may be proper to state, that Lieut, Dearing, one of the officers of the company, a Georgian, who had resigned his position in the Army upon secession of his native state but whose resignation had not been accepted, came gallantly to the counsels of his superior officer, and boldly took a position, at once just, sensible, and magnanimous. His praiseworthy conduct is the theme of every tongue. The names of the different volunteer companies which assembled in the city, as far as we have been able to learn, were: The Phillips Guards, Capt. Otey; the Helena [Yell] Rifles, Capt. Cleburne; the Southwestern Guards, Capt. Schaife; the Lagrange Cavalry, Capt. Gist; the Jefferson Volunteers, Capt. Carlton; a command of men from Jefferson county, under Capt. Collins; in addition to which there were companies from Prairie, White, Saline, Hot Spring, Montgomery, Monroe, and St. Francis, under officers whose names we have not been able to learn. The two companies from this county were also ordered out by the Governor, and appeared in force. The troops, on their arrival, were in command of Capt. Johnson, of Helena, but were afterwards taken command of by Ex-Gov. Roane, of Jefferson. Brigadier General Holt, we believe, finally assumed the control of the whole body.   The Little Rock Crisis of 1861 In the autumn of 1860, Little Rock (as well as the rest of Arkansas and the South) was in a state of turmoil as Republican Abraham Lincoln had just been declared the President-elect. With the exceptions of Virginia, Missouri, and Kentucky, Lincoln had not received a single vote from, nor was he even listed on the ballots for the other Southern states. So it was that on the afternoon of December 6, 1860, the packet
boat from Fort Smith tied up at the Little Rock steamboat landing,
located at the foot of Commerce Street, and disembarked 76 Federal
soldiers, the men of Battery F, 2nd U.S. Artillery, under the
command of Captain James Totten. Battery F had been on temporary
duty at Fort Smith when it was ordered on November 21 to move
to Little Rock and establish a garrison at the Federal arsenal
there. Captain Totten departed Fort Smith that same day, intending
to take a seven day furlough in Little Rock in order to spend
some time with his parents, who lived there. Battery F followed
on November 27, under the command of Totten's executive officer
1st Lt. Anderson Merchant and 2nd Lt. St. Clair Dearing.
The Arsenal consisted of some 28 buildings, including a large central storehouse known as the Tower Building, as well as a home for the commanding officer, officer's quarters, enlisted men's barracks, ordnance repair shops, and a variety of other buildings necessary for the operation of a frontier military post. Located in a grove of stately oak trees, the Arsenal had been constructed some distance outside the city limits, but by 1860 Little Rock had expanded so that private homes abutted the grounds on the north and west sides. Approximately three hundred yards to the east stood the castle-like building that housed St. John's College, Little Rock's first institution of higher education. Today, the only remaining structure is the Tower Building; the other buildings having been razed near the turn of the 20th century to clear space for present-day MacArthur Park. In 1860 a two-story brick house, home of the post commander, stood immediately west of the Tower Building (where the Arts Center is today) and a small single-story post headquarters stood to the east. Behind the Tower building troop barracks and junior officers' quarters formed a neat quadrangle, and beyond these was a cluster of stables and shops for the post's ordnance functions. Actively garrisoned through the 1840's, the Arsenal had been in caretaker status with a minimal staff for several years before the arrival of Battery F. Totten's father, Dr.William Totten, was an old soldier who had served at several posts at the Arsenal since 1839, and was well-known within Little Rock, and was an especial favorite of the town's children. Captain Totten relieved his stepbrother, Captain William Fatherley, as Military Storekeeper and commander of the Arsenal and its facilities. Captain James Totten was 43 years old, and a regular Army officer of some 20 years' service, having graduated from West Point in 1841, and was a combat veteran of both the Mexican and Seminole wars of the 1840s. He was a popular local resident, but some of his friends thought it curious that, for the past several weeks, he had withdrawn from social contacts and was seldom seen away from the Arsenal.
While Captain Totten's personal family ties made him a welcomed addition to the Little Rock community, many saw the presence of his soldiers in a different light. Totten's battery of regulars had spent the past year and a half as peacekeepers in the Kansas Territory, primarily overseeing elections and trying to keep the peace between free soil and border ruffian activists in "Bloody Kansas." Their arrival at the Little Rock Arsenal in the tumultuous aftermath of the 1860s presidential elections was viewed by many in the community, including Governor Rector, as a move by the Federal government to quash the increasing sentiment for secession in the southern states. Totten's arrival and status as the son of one of Little Rock's more respected citizens led to a number of parties and social gatherings over the holiday period, still, there was a great deal of uncertainty and uneasiness as to why now - of all times - the federal government had again chosen to re-garrison the Arsenal. The holidays passed as the local residents continued to eye their new neighbors cautiously. Then the spark needed to light this potential powder keg was struck. By January 30, 1861, sufficient telegraph poles had been raised and wires had been strung to reach the city, and Little Rock was in real-time communication with the rest of the country. It had taken the firm of Snow & Ketchum & Company only five weeks to extend the telegraph from Des Arc to the capital city, and this, as it turned out, was historically significant. The arrival of the telegraph can be said to have marked the beginning of Arkansas' involvement in the Civil War. Whereas it once took weeks to send a message from Little Rock to Memphis, communications would now be nearly instantaneous, and a message could be passed by telegraph to Washington, D.C. in little more than an hour. The day before the final telegraph connection was made, John M. Harrell, the U.S. Attorney for the Federal court in the capitol city, was invited by the telegraph company officials to compose the first message to be dispatched from Little Rock. Harrell had lived in Little Rock since 1853. He was an attorney, a native of North Carolina, and a graduate of the University of Nashville, Tennessee. Subsequently, he would serve in the Arkansas State Troops and rise to the rank of colonel, commanding a cavalry unit. Harrell pondered what the historic first message from Little Rock should be and decided that, if nothing else, it should be newsy. So he composed a report of recent events, including the election of Charles Mitchel to succeed Robert Johnson as United States Senator. Then he added the rumors that had begun to dominate local conversation in the past week, that more troops, this time from Fort Gibson, 80 miles west of Fort Smith, were en route to Little Rock to reinforce Captain Totten's artillery unit at the arsenal. This latter information turned out to be a bombshell igniting the concerns of pro-Southern Arkansans. Further fueling the fires of suspicion concerning Harrell's
intention is the tone and content of the telegram he composed.
It was datelined "Little Rock, Arkansas," and it began
by saying: The telegram then included two or three other less significant bits of news, including the report that he himself had resigned as U.S. Attorney for Arkansas. Harrell's report, which simply recorded what the citizens were thinking on the streets, and in the stores and taverns of the town, galvanized Governor Rector to recognize the political opportunities to bring Arkansas into alliance with the other states of the Cotton Belt, and to act accordingly. Sensing the increased political status and influence he stood to gain by fanning the flames of secessionist sentiment, he quickly composed a letter to Totten to clarify the federal intent and military status at the Arsenal. The State of Arkansas Captain: Any assurances that you may be able to give touching the observance of these two latter conditions will greatly tend to quiet the public mind, and prevent a collision between the sovereign people of Arkansas and the government troops now stationed at this point. Respectfully, HENRY M. RECTOR While Rector's letter apparently did not surprise Totten, given that his post was the talk of the town, it did place him on the spot of having to make an unpleasant decision, in that he had no instructions form his superiors on how to handle any action or uprising against his troops' presence. Totten pondered his options, and on the next morning wrote his reply to Rector: Headquarters, Little Rock Arsenal Sir: As you will readily understand, I cannot give your excellency any assurances as to what instructions may in future be issued regarding this arsenal and the Federal troops now stationed here, but I can assure you that, so far as I have been informed, no orders, such as you refer to in your two propositions, have been issued, nor do I believe, privately and unofficially, that any such orders will be given by the Federal government. I have furthermore to remind your excellency that as an officer of the Army of the United States, my allegiance is due to that Government in whose service I am, and that I act by its authority and permission, and until absolved from that allegiance my honor is concerned in the faithful performance of what I may conceive to be my duty. I shall forward your communication to the Secretary of War to be laid before the President of the United States, and ask instructions relative to the matter contained in it, and, if not prohibited by these authorities, I will cheerfully inform your excellence what these instructions are. In the meantime, let me say, in conclusion, that I most cordially concur with your excellency in the desire to avoid collision between the Federal troops under my command and the citizens of Arkansas, and shall do everything in my power which an honorable man in my position can or dare do to prevent so deplorable an event. I am respectfully, JAS, TOTTEN Totten's next action was to forward Rector's letter and his own assessment of the situation to the Adjutant General at the War Department in Washington, D.C: LITTLE ROCK ARSENAL, SIR: I have the honor herewith to inclose a copy of a communication received this day from his Excellency Henry M. Rector, governor of the State of Arkansas, and also a copy of my reply to his excellency's communication. Please submit both these communications to the Secretary of War for the decision of the President of the United States, with the request that instructions be sent me as to my future action in the premises. I also request that means and money may be sent me to carry out the orders I may receive. I forward, in the same mail with this, copies of the communications, herein mentioned, to the general commanding the Department of the West. I deem it necessary in this connection respectfully to inform the authorities concerned that, in my opinion, most positive and unequivocal instructions are called for, in order that I may not mistake the intentions of the administration regarding the matter at issue. I believe there is trouble ahead for this command, and that by the 4th day of March coming decided action will be absolutely imperative in the officer who may then command this arsenal; and, if left to his own discretion, he may not in everything correspond with the wishes of the Federal authorities. Whatever orders may be given, I respectfully ask that they may be sent by a reliable agent, and not by the mails, as there appears to be some reason in believing that they are not entirely trustworthy at present. I would not myself, in the present instance, trust to this doubtful medium of communication if I had means at my disposal of sending an officer to Washington, and, indeed, if I can procure the necessary funds, I may yet forward copies of the various communications now inclosed by such an agent as indicated. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, JAS. TOTTEN, Col. S. COOPER, Samuel Cooper forwarded Totten's request to the Secretary of War, who then took it to President James Buchanan for his decision. Overwhelmed and feeling helpless to confront the increasing number of Southern states leaving the Union, Buchanan made no decision, and this as well as Totten's subsequent requests would go unanswered. Anxiety now began afflicting both the city's residents and the Federal troops encamped in and around the arsenal. Captain Totten increased the number of sentries patrolling the fringes of the Arsenal compound and he confined his troops to the post. Fraternization with civilians was not forbidden, but there was little of it because prudence suggested to both sides that antagonisms should be avoided. Evaluating his options to defend the post, Totten was dismayed to see that if shooting broke out, whether with small arms or the battery's field guns, it was nearly impossible to avoid hitting the private homes built near the perimeter of the arsenal, with a strong certainty that the innocent residents of these houses could be killed or injured. And if he should have to use his cannon against any attackers, the core of Little Rock's business district lay only half a mile away in his direct line of fire, and any overshots could and would cause untold collateral damage to these facilities For now, Totten fortified and established a strongpoint in the basement of the Tower building (where the Arsenal's small arms and other stores were kept on the upper floors) to repel any direct assault or attack. Guards around the post were doubled, and access to civilians who were not strictly on government business was sharply curtailed. However rumors and tavern talk continued to keep the local citizens stirred up. On February 3, another rumor was spread claiming that the steamboat S. H. Tucker was on the way to Little Rock with United States soldiers. This prompted several of Little Rock's pro-Southern citizens to place three cannons with guards at the river wharf to turn the steamer back . By sunset that same evening the Tucker had not arrived, so the cannons were fired to unload them, and were taken away. Governor Rector later privately admitted that the guns had been placed there on his order. At this point, Little Rock's excitement was rising steadily but it was still controlled. However, Harrell's telegraph had been broadcast throughout the eastern part of the state, creating far greater excitement in eastern and southern Arkansas, the heart of the state's planter culture. In preparing for inauguration of telegraph service to Arkansas' capital city, the Memphis, Tennessee, telegraph office opened all its lines, north, east and south, so that the rest of the nation could participate in this historical event. One of these lines ran from Memphis to the city of Helena, Arkansas, located on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. Helena was a city dominated by plantation owners, and had long been strongly pro-secession. The citizens of Helena need only look across the river to see the newly-foreign nation of Mississippi, and had long since seen the political handwriting on the wall. They expected war, and, like many other small Arkansas towns, they had militia units organized and trained. The reaction in Helena to the Little Rock message of more troops being en route to reinforce the arsenal was immediate. The message confirmed the city's long-held fear that the Federal arsenal was a menace because it was a hub from which all of Arkansas could be controlled. Helena thus decided the arsenal had to be neutralized. Their first reaction was to immediately telegraph the Governor
to offer assistance in preventing any Federal reinforcement.
The same morning that Totten sent his reply to Rector, the Little
Rock telegraph operator found in his hands a message from Helena:
the citizens had met in mass meeting, and tendered the governor
500 volunteers to take the arsenal and expel the Union troops!
This message, signed by several prominent citizens of Phillips
County, was immediately taken to Edmund Burgevin, adjutant general
of the Arkansas State Militia, who in turn took it to Governor
Rector.
In Helena, Patrick R. Cleburne prepared himself for war by purchasing a saddle horse and various articles: a comfort, a box of wads and two pounds of shot, a box of percussion caps, and for his uniform, a pair of sleeve buttons. Cleburne was a local attorney, who had immigrated some ten years ago after having served in the British army. In Helena, he had been a successful druggist before studying law, had been involved in local politics, and when a local militia company, the "Yell Rifles" formed late in 1860, Pat Cleburne was unanimously elected its captain. The Yell Rifles and another company which had been organized in the county, the Phillips County Guards, prepared to depart for Little Rock. With Captain Cleburne on horseback at the head of the command, the two companies marched along Ohio and Rightor streets to the wharf. By steamboat they went down the Mississippi to Napoleon, and then up the Arkansas River, arriving at Little Rock on February 5. The enthusiastic citizens from Phillips County were greeted at the dock by one lone person, a private citizen. The two companies formed on the hurricane deck of the boat, loaded their pieces, and marched to the Governor's mansion at 300 Spring Street. Governor Rector professed surprise to see them and in a short address disavowed any knowledge of the telegraph message which had brought the volunteers to the aid of their state, and said that he was opposed to taking the arsenal unless the situation worsened. Disappointed and chagrined, the Yell Rifles and the Phillips Guards marched to the State Capitol grounds and set up camp for the night - resolved to seize the arsenal, come hell or high water. During the night they were joined by other volunteer companies from different parts of the state where the same telegram had been received. Little Rock awoke on the morning of Tuesday, February 6, 1861
to find itself an armed camp. In addition to the 200+ men of
the Yell Rifles and the Phillips County Guards, the number of
armed militiamen had swelled to 800, including the Jefferson
Guards of Pine Bluff, the Southwestern Guards, and the LaGrange
Cavalry, and troops were still pouring into the city. Eventually
more than a thousand men would assemble, representing Phillips,
Jefferson, Prairie, White, Saline, Hot Spring, Montgomery, Monroe,
and St. Francis counties. In addition to the organized militia,
a steady stream of haphazardly-armed individuals wandered into
town seeking to get a piece of the coming action. The Capital Guards were considered to be the cream of the city's young manhood, with men from a wide variety of legal, banking, medical, and mercantile backgrounds. Like the citizens of Little Rock, they were conservative in their politics, and this led to an immediate clash with the other militia gathering near the State House. The Capitol Guards formed an outer cordon around the militia camped on the State House grounds, and tempers began to flare among the militiamen, with a great deal of catcalls and verbal hostility directed toward the Little Rock company. While the Capital Guards took their posts, the Little Rock City Council was called into emergency session. Captain Peay served as recorder of this session But, after an hour's debate, all the councilmen did was adopt a resolution declaring the armed movement to be disrespectful to the constituted authority of the state and the armed men to be nothing more or less than a mob. COUNCIL CHAMBER, Resolved as a sense of this council, That if there be any impending danger or necessity which requires the seizure of the U.S. Arsenal at this place, it would become the duty of the governor, as the executive head of the State, to order such seizure to be made by the organized military power of the State. But that all unauthorized attempts to seize the arsenal by persons without orders from the governor is an insult to his station and authority, and deserves the reprehension of all our people, and calculated to injure the cause of States rights, and we earnestly recommend the governor to interpose his authority to check any such movements if unauthorized by him. Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be immediately communicated to the governor, and that a committee, to consist of the whole council, be appointed for that purpose, and the same committee to communicate with the leaders of such movement. C. P. BERTRAND, Mayor pro tem. COUNCIL CHAMBER, At a called meeting of the city council, held at 4 o'clock
p.m. of this day- The following preamble and resolutions were introduced
by Alderman Geo. C. Watkins: "And whereas the arsenal is so located that any attack or defense of it would involve the destruction of much of the property of private citizens of Little Rock, and the loss of many lives of our citizens, and the probable sacrifice of the officers and their command in charge of the arsenal: Therefore, "Resolved, That this council do earnestly deprecate a hostile collision in their midst between the forces of the State and the United States troops stationed at the arsenal, and hope that the same may be avoided if it can possibly be done consistently with a proper sense of duty and honor on the part of those upon whom rests the responsibility of a collision and the deplorable consequences that would inevitably result from it. "Resolved further, That a copy of these resolutions be furnished to the governor of the State, and also a copy of the same to the officer in command of the arsenal at this place." A true copy from the record: "Whereas many good citizens of this State have come to Little Rock in obedience to what they supposed to be the orders of the governor, to assist in taking the U.S. Arsenal at this place; and whereas the governor disavows such orders as being without his authority or sanction: Therefore, "Resolved, As the opinion of this meeting, that it is the duty of the governor to assume the responsibility of this movement or to interpose his authority and influence to prevent it. "Resolved further, That in case there be, in opinion of the governor, any danger or necessity for seizing the arsenal, we earnestly recommend him, as the only way to prevent the effusion of blood, to order the same to be done in his official capacity and in the name and by authority of the State, and to that end that he make an official demand upon the officers in charge of the arsenal to surrender the same to the State authorities. "Resolved further, That in our opinion the governor, as the executive head of the State, may rely upon the sympathy and co-operation of all good citizens in what he may do by authority of the State and her organized military power. "The foregoing resolutions were, this 6th day of February, 1861, unanimously adopted by a mass meeting of the citizens of Little Rock, Arkansas. "RICH'D H. JOHNSON, Chairman. Main Street, despite the chill February air, was alive with excitement. Hosts of men, women and children walked over to watch close order drilling by the newly-arrived "soldiers." There was widespread complaining that the City Council had done nothing to abate the dangerous situation. This prompted cooler minds to intervene, and someone - someone lost to history called for a citizens' rally. Within minutes, a hundred or more men had gathered, and those who spoke made the emphatic point that, if the arsenal were to be neutralized, it was state authorities who should do it, not a band of armed citizens, even though trained militiamen might be among them. It was thus proposed, and the rallied men, nearly a mob, shouted its approval, that a delegation be sent to Governor Rector to ask him to demand the surrender of the arsenal and its supplies. The Governor, constitutionally the commander of the state's
military forces, was fully aware of the developing menace and
the danger of citizens being killed in a pre-emptive attack on
Captain Totten's forces. Thus, he decided to stall for time in
the hope he could temper the citizenry. He gave the rally committee
a firm promise that he would take definitive action to neutralize
the arsenal within a matter of days, and thus he abated the immediate
danger. Meanwhile, Rector and Burgevin sought to bring some organization
to their impromptu militia, and former Governor John S. Roane,
a general in the Arkansas State Militia, was sent to take overall
command of the assembled troops. LITTLE ROCK, February 6, 1861. I have to inform the authorities that companies of armed citizens from various sections of this State have already arrived, and it is said there will soon be five thousand here for the express purpose of taking this arsenal, Instructions are urgently and immediately asked. Collision seems inevitable if this arsenal is to be held. JAMES TOTTEN, Col. S. COOPER,
With the militia organized, Governor Rector assembled the Helena militia companies, which seemed to be the most organized of the troops, and quietly moved them into position to surround the Arsenal grounds. This done, Governor Rector dispatched a formal demand to Captain Totten for the surrender of the arsenal to state authorities. The courier was General Thomas. D. Merrick, Commander of the First Division, Arkansas Militia. Totten must have surmised the contents before he opened it: EXECUTIVE OFFICE, SIR: There is now in this city a considerable number of the citizens of this State who have come here, under arms, with the avowed purpose of taking possession of the U.S. Arsenal. Reliable information has been received that a large force of citizens are on the march to this place for the same purpose. This movement is prompted by the feeling that pervades the citizens of this State that in the present emergency the arms and munitions of war in the arsenal should be under the control of the State authorities, in order to their security. This movement, although not authorized by me, has assumed such an aspect that it becomes my duty, as the executive of this State, to interpose my official authority to prevent a collision between the people of the State and the Federal troops under your command. I therefore demand in the name of the State the delivery of the possession of the arsenal and munitions of war under your charge to the State authorities, to be held subject to the action of the convention to be held on the 4th of March next. This course is the only one which can possibly prevent the effusion of blood and the destruction of the property of the citizens and the Government. I beg leave to assure you that the steps which the citizens have seen fit to take is not prompted by any personal distrust of you, but the jealousy which naturally exists towards the authorities of the United States under the present unhappy condition of the country. This communication will be handed you by T. D. Merrick, general of First Division of the Arkansas Militia, who will call on you personally, accompanied by his staff, and who will receive from you your response. Respectfully, your obedient servant, HENRY M. RECTOR, Captain TOTTEN, James Totten could read the handwriting on the wall. If he defended the Arsenal, surely many innocent citizens would lose their lives and property in the ensuing battle, as returned fire could not miss the houses surrounding the Arsenal grounds. Other factors were at work on Totten as well. Many private
citizens visited him at his quarters and quietly urged him to
yield rather than resist, citing the loss of innocent life and
property in the homes near the Arsenal, as well as the likelihood
of igniting statewide, if not national, civil war. Even Totten's
junior officers urged a peaceful solution. Lt. St. Clair Dearing,
who served as the post's adjutant, had resigned his commission
on the previous day after hearing that his native Georgia had
gone out of the Union two weeks beforehand. St. Clair was required
to continue his service pending the acceptance of his resignation,
and also urged Totten to avoid a fight with the surrounding militia. LITTLE ROCK ARSENAL, SIR: In the present trying circumstances by which the undersigned finds himself surrounded, as a Federal officer, he is anxious to learn officially from your excellency, before answering your demands for the surrender of the U.S. Arsenal at this place, the following important points, viz: 1st. If this arsenal and all the munitions of war stored therein are left intact as at the hour of 3 o'clock p.m. to-morrow, by the United States forces now in charge of them, will the governor of the State of Arkansas officially take charge of said arsenal and munitions of war in the name of the United States Government., and hold them in that light until future circumstances shall legally absolve him from the responsibility? 2d. If the United States forces now garrisoning Little Rock Arsenal evacuate said post, and leave the munitions of war intact as at the hour of 3 o'clock p.m. to-morrow, will the governor of the State of Arkansas officially guarantee to said forces an unmolested passage through the State in any direction the officer commanding said troops may elect, and guarantee, moreover, to said forces the right of carrying with them all the public and private property they brought with them to said arsenal, all which has been purchased for or by them, and all which has been sent to them since stationed at said arsenal, consisting of ordnance and ordnance stores, clothing, camp and garrison equipage, and barracks and mess furniture, as also provisions and all their individual or private property, 3d. If the arsenal and munitions of war stored therein are left intact as at the hour of 3 o'clock p.m. to-morrow, will the governor of Arkansas, in his official capacity, guarantee to the United States forces now in charge thereof the right of marching away from said place with all the honor due to them as Federal officers and soldiers who do not surrender their trust, but simply evacuate a post for want of instructions from their superiors in office, and in doubt as to the propriety of bringing on civil war among their fellow-countrymen? Explicit and detailed answers to each and every one of these questions will have great influence upon the undersigned in his answer to the communication of the governor of Arkansas, which is promised by 3 o'clock p.m. to-morrow. I am, very respectfully, JAMES TOTTEN, The past two days' developments in Little Rock alarmed many important people outside Arkansas. The city's new telegraph circuit had carried to Washington the news that the Helena militia had arrived in the capital city, and on February 7, urgent telegrams were received by Governor Rector, by the Arkansas Adjutant General Edmund Burgevin, and by R. H. Johnson, editor of the Arkansas True Democrat. All of these urgent wires pleaded for the state to forego an attack on the arsenal. The messages were signed by Congressmen R. W. Johnson and Albert Rust, by U.S. Senator William King Sebastian, and by the widely respected attorney and poet Albert Pike. U.S. SENATE, Washington, February 7, 1861. WASHINGTON, February 7, 1861. WASHINGTON, February 7, 1861. Governor Rector quickly agreed to the terms suggested by Totten, provided only personal effects were removed from the premises and further that Totten remove his command immediately beyond the State's borders. The Federals could depart with their personal equipment and weapons, but the cannon, stored at the Arsenal before Totten's arrival, must be left behind. As it happened, concern for what might occur had been as acute with Captain Totten as it was with Governor Rector, and this was demonstrated by the promptness with which the commander responded to the governor' call for surrender. EXECUTIVE OFFICE Capt. JAMES TOTTEN, U. S. Army, SIR: Your communication of the 6th instant (yesterday), propounding to myself certain propositions, explicit and detailed answers to which would have great influence upon you in your answer promised the governor of Arkansas by 3 p.m. to-day, was received at about 11 o'clock this morning. After mature reflection I propose to accept your first, second, and third propositions, with the following understanding: That being informed your command brought no cannon with you-so none are to be taken away. You shall have a safe passage out of the State in any direction you may please with your command, provided, however, you do not station yourself within the limits of the State of Arkansas or on the borders thereof. Whatever your command, either of private or public property, brought with them you will be permitted to take away. I have the honor to be, captain, respectfully, your obedient servant, HENRY M. RECTOR, The terms agreed, Totten began making preparations to withdraw his troops. He briefed his company officers of the terms of withdrawal from the Arsenal, and Lt. Dearing drafted the necessary orders, published to the soldiers at the next morning's formation:
HEADQUARTERS LITTLE ROCK ARSENAL, Little Rock, Ark., February 8, 1861. The troops of this command, consisting of Company F, Second Artillery, and all the enlisted men of the Ordnance Department, will be prepared to move to-day from this post to a camp to be selected by the commanding officer on the banks of the Arkansas River. The command will depart as soon as the necessary transportation can be provided. By order of Captain Totten: ST. CLAIR DEARING, In return for evacuating his garrison, Totten's terms required Rector to assume custody and responsibility for the government stores and equipment in the Arsenal. Executive Office Capt. James Totten Sir: I am in receipt of your communication of this instant and announce that on to-morrow, at 11 a.m., the Executive, by conference with yourself, will prepare the stipulations agreed to touching the U.S. Arsenal under your command, and at 12 o'clock he will receive from you that post, with the privilege on your part to remove any articles belonging to your command, at such time as you may find convenient. Respectfully, HENRY M. RECTOR
An inventory was quickly completed between Totten's offices and those of the State Militia, and the agreement for transfer of the Arsenal from Federal to State control was drafted and signed (in quadruplicate) by Totten and Rector. Memorandum this day made and signed by James Totten, captain of Second Artillery, in the. Army of the United States, and Henry M. Rector, governor of the State of Arkansas. This paper, marked A, signed by us, is the demand made by the governor upon Captain Totten for the delivery of the U.S. Arsenal at this place to the State authorities. The paper marked B, signed by us, is a copy of the response of Captain Totten to that communication. The paper marked C, signed by us, is the response of the governor accepting, as therein stated, the terms of the paper B. It is further witnessed, that on this day, at the hour
of 12 m., said Captain Totten, with his command, doth retire
from said arsenal, and deliver the same, with all its stores,
arms, and munitions of war, intact, to the governor of Arkansas,
pursuant to the tenor and purport of said papers A, B, C. And
the said Capt. James Totten protests that he has thus acted because
in the presence of a greatly superior armed force, and which
he became satisfied would soon become overwhelming by re-enforcements
in case of resistance, involving the sacrifice of his command,
without regard to the probable loss of life on the part of the
assailants; because any defense of the arsenal in the city of
Little Rock, whether successful or unsuccessful, would necessarily
involve, to a greater or less extent, the destruction of property
in the city, and the loss of lives of the peaceful citizens mid
families dwelling therein; because, being without instructions
from his Government, he took, of necessity, the responsibility
of doing what he thought proper and best under all the circumstances,
desiring to avoid cause of civil war in this Government, by the
first instance of a hostile and bloody collision, yet protesting
for himself and in the name of his Government against events
beyond his control, and which have actuates him to this course. HENRY M. RECTOR, JAS. TOTTEN, This formality completed, Totten bid his farewell to the Governor and stepped outside his quarters to the Arsenal's parade ground, where Battery F. and the Capital Guards were drawn up in formation. Calling the Battery to attention, Totten gave orders to march by the right flank, and the Federals marched off in columns of four, turning north onto Commerce Street toward the river landing where they had debarked only two short months ago. Behind them, the Capital Guards swung into column as well, providing an escort for the Federals to the landing, as well as potential assistance in case of any trouble with the crowd of bystanders watching the proceedings. As the 2nd U.S. Artillery departed, Captain James Otey's Phillips County Guards assumed the role of garrisoning and occupying the Arsenal grounds on behalf of the State Militia. Totten marched his battery down Commerce Street to the intersection with Markham, and then turned onto the Pine Bluff road, which followed the bank of the Arkansas River to the southeast. Trying to put some breathing room between themselves and the still-hostile militia in Little Rock, the Battery halted and pitched camp at Fletcher's Landing, some seven miles downstream from the city. It would take several days for a steamboat to arrive to pick them up, and for the next three days Totten finished his correspondence with the War Department to apprise them of what had happened, and to seek further orders for his battery. LITTLE ROCK, ARK., February 9, 1861. SIR: I have the honor herewith to inclose for the information of the President copies of four distinct papers relative to a solemn and ever-to-be-regretted act which has been forced upon me through the necessities of the circumstances surrounding me. The papers marked A, B, C, and D explain the whole sad affair from beginning to end, in connection with information previously communicated, and comment on my part, therefore, seems unnecessary at present. I have been forced, as the inclosed papers will show, to retire with my command from Little Rock Arsenal, and yield my charge into the hands of Henry M. Rector, governor of the State of Arkansas, who has taken charge of the same in the name of the United States, to hold it in that light until legally absolved from the trust. I hope I have acted in the whole matter in a manner which will meet the approbation of the Federal authorities. My object throughout these trying circumstances has been to avoid bringing about bloodshed and civil war in this immediate vicinity among peaceable, law-abiding, and loyal citizens of the United States. In doing so, I sincerely believe, in the absence of all instructions, I have only done what appears to be the course indicated by the present administration in its past course, so far as I am informed. It gratifies me beyond measure to be able, on this occasion, to bear honest testimony to the honorable, high-toned, loyal, and law-abiding action taken by the great majority of the most respectable citizens of Little Rock. From the richest to the poorest, I am happy to say, there was but one sentiment, and that was in opposition to the course of the governor and those who counseled and aided him in the deed done. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, JAS. TOTTEN, Col, S. COOPER, Hearing of Totten's withdrawal, Senator Johnson sent yet another telegraph to the Governor: U.S. SENATE, February 9, 1861. As Totten completed his letter to the War Department, the ladies of Little Rock, in appreciation for his decision not to fight at the arsenal in order to avoid bloodshed and the destruction of their nearby homes and property, procured a presentation sword as a memento of his courage, and their appreciation. Little Rock, Arkansas Capt. Totten: On the second side, "When woman suffers, chivalry forbears; The soldier fears all danger but his own." Needs no comment - its point and application is manifest. That our sufferings and danger were uppermost in your thoughts - this you feared! You feared the danger of civil war, and the consequences to your country. You scorned the niche which history will assign to him who sheds the first blood in a war so unholy, in which even victory would be misfortune, if not disgrace. Brighter far are the laurels of the hero who saves his country thus - than though their freshness was borrowed from the nourishing blood of thousands. Accept this tribute of our respect and gratitude, wear it in defence of your country, but sooner let it rust in its scabbard, than draw it in the cause of injustice or oppression". 107 women of the city were listed as having participated in this presentation . Captain Totten accepted the honor, replying with the following impromptu speech: "LADIES: In the hour of my severest trial, and after I had done what my conscience (cheered on by the counsels of your best citizens, and as good as any country ever boasted - your fathers, your husbands, brothers, and friends, ) taught me was right and honorable to preserve your blissful homes, and peace in your midst; as well as to prevent what every patriot must feel, would be the greatest of all evils, civil war throughout our glorious and once happier country. You came to me, along with many others not named above, like "ministering angels," and reassured me, giving me additional and boundless confidence in the cause I had adopted, in the absence of instructions from my superiors. I receive the Sword in the light you tendered it, and without one jot or tittle of vanity to persuade me that it is bestowed upon me, merely, as an individual compliment. I see it in this token, sentiments higher and nobler far than any individual should under the circumstances, arrogate to himself - such sentiments as springing spontaneously throughout the whole community of which you are the best representatives, do honor to humanity, and such as should ever dwell in the hearts of our country's noble Women, giving them the power over men whereby to encourage them in deeds of right and justice. I will bear this tribute of your approbation, then with me through life, with all its hallowed and pleasing reminiscences clustering fresh around it, and it will be cherished as a great heirloom to transmit to my children when I am no more. It shall be borne in the defence of my country always, when right, and never in any land or against any people on the side of wrong, injustice, oppression, or their constitutional rights. In conclusion, ladies, whom I am most proud, happy, and honored in calling my friends, permit me to bid you a heartfelt, warm adieu, with the sincerest wishes, for the future prosperity of you and yours; and in saying farewell, let me thank you again and again for the thousand kindnesses received at your hands and those of your fathers, your husbands, and your brothers, while it was yet my happiness to sojourn in your hospitable city. I am, ladies, with sentiments of profound respect and admiration,
JAMES TOTTEN, Captain Pat Cleburne was pleased at the outcome, but shocked when following the surrender the Little Rock women who were Union sympathizers presented the Federal commander with a handsome sword. With the Governor's authorization, Cleburne procured a supply of minie balls for his company from the stockpiles of ammunition at the arsenal. He returned to Helena with the Yell Rifles, while the Phillips Guards remained in Little Rock to garrison the Arsenal. The following day, Totten completed his report to the War Department: LITTLE ROCK, ARK., February 10, 1861. I have retired with my command from Little Rock Arsenal, and the governor of Arkansas, in the name of the United States, has charge of all the public property, to hold the same until legally absolved from the trust. I have reported particulars by mail, and shall duplicate them, and explain the whole matter thoroughly. I shall order and proceed with my command to Saint Louis, where I beg that orders may be sent me for my future guidance. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, JAS. TOTTEN, Col. S. COOPER,
CAMP AT FLETCHER'S LANDING, This command, consisting of Company F, Second Artillery, and the enlisted men of the Ordnance Department formerly garrisoning Little Rock Arsenal, will embark to-day on the steamboat Madora, and proceed direct to Saint Louis, Mo., and report to the general commanding the Department of the West for orders as to its future movements. JAMES TOTTEN, Totten's command left Fletcher's Landing on February 12, 1861 aboard the steamboat Madora, and proceeded to Jefferson Barracks, near St. Louis, Missouri. This trip took 10 days, with the Battery arriving on February 22. Inside the Arsenal, the Confederates inventoried some 10,247 weapons, 250,000 musket cartridges, and 520,000 percussion caps, as well as the four bronze cannon of Bragg's old battery. Long arms in the Arsenal's inventory consisted of:
Of this number, approximately 9600 weapons were serviceable, or ready-for-issue. Note there were only 1,364 percussion weapons available. Disposition of the weapons found in the Arsenal is somewhat sketchy, but from various records it can be surmised that the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th Arkansas Infantry Regiments, mustered in June, 1861, were issued M1816/M1822 .69 caliber flintlocks. They retained these weapons until April, 1862 when they were able to exchange them for better weapons scavenged from the battlefield at Shiloh. The 9th and 10th Arkansas, 4 companies of Kelly's 9th Arkansas Battalion, and the 3rd Arkansas Cavalry were issued flintlock Hall's Rifles. The 9th Arkansas were able to exchange at least some of most of these while stationed in west Tennessee in the fall of 1861. Arkansas seceded from the United States on May 6, and on May 21, 1861, the Arkansas delegates to the Confederate Provisional Congress deeded the Arsenals at Little Rock and at Fort Smith (which had been seized late in April) to the Confederate States of America. Know all men by these presents: That whereas the State of Arkansas, by her Convention duly assembled, by ordinance passed the 11th day of May, A.D. 1861, authorized and empowered Robert W. Johnson, Albert Rust, Hugh F. Thomason, William W. Watkins, and Augustus H. Garland, her delegates to the Provisional Congress assembled at Montgomery, in the State of Alabama, for the Government of the Confederate States of America, to cede to said Confederate States, among other property, the arsenal at Little Rock, in the State of Arkansas, and Fort Smith, at the city of Fort Smith, in said State of Arkansas, together with the land, improvements, appurtenances, and buildings to each belonging and attached; and whereas the Provisional Congress aforesaid did, by act of the 21st day of May, 1861, accept such cession as provided for in said ordinance, and authorized the Secretary of War to accept from said delegates of the State of Arkansas a deed of cession for such property: Now, therefore, we, the delegates aforesaid, do hereby grant, convey, and cede to the Confederate States of America the arsenal at Little Rock and the fort aforesaid at the city of Fort Smith, in said State, and all the land, improvements, buildings, and appurtenances thereto attached and belonging; and we do hereby convey unto said Confederate States all the right, title, and interest of the State of Arkansas in and to all the property aforesaid. Witness our hands and seals this 21st day of May, A.D.
1861. THE STATE OF ALABAMA, In retrospect, what happened in Little Rock in 1861 has many parallels to the Central High School incident of 1957. In each case, the governor attempted to curry favor with a reactionary group for personal political gain, and in both cases, it backfired on him. Rector's finagling in the Arsenal crisis demonstrated to many of his supporters that he would do little to implement the platform on which he had sought the Governor's office. Although Rector had been elected for a 4-year term, his penchant for arbitrary actions led the Secession Convention to revise the State's new Confederate constitution later that spring to provide for two-year terms for the Governor and other elected officials, specifically to provide a quicker opportunity to vote Rector out of office. This they did in the 1862 elections, replacing Rector with Harris Flanagan. For the next 125 years, Arkansas officials would run for two-year terms, until this was changed back to four years in 1988. James Totten continued to command Battery F through the first year of the War. Upon their return to St. Louis, Battery F was assigned to the Department of Missouri, and later that summer became part of BG Nathaniel Lyons' Union army which seized key facilities to hold Missouri for the Union. On August 10, 1861, Totten's Battery would play a key role in providing fire support for the Federal forces on Bloody Hill during the Battle of Wilson's Creek, the first battle in which Arkansas men participated. An even greater outcry from the Little Rock citizenry arose when they accused Totten of wielding the same sword they had given him at Little Rock against the Arkansas troops at Wilson's Creek; one fellow even wrote Totten a letter challenging him to a duel for forsaking his "promise" not to wield that sword against the South. Nothing came of this challenge, however. Mary Weaver (one of the ladies of Little Rock who organized the sword presentation) wrote to her son, Omer Weaver, bitterly commenting that, "Totten is in Missouri wielding the sword we gave him against us!'' Ironically, Totten's Battery would duel William E. Woodruff, Jr.'s Pulaski Light Artillery Battery, which Totten had assisted in training back in Little Rock, and which was equipped with the same bronze cannon that Totten had left behind at the Little Rock Arsenal. Woodruff's Battery had initially selected the name "Totten Artillery" in honor of their mentor, but shortly before Wilson's Creek changed their name upon finding that Totten continued to serve with the Union forces. Lieutenant Omer Weaver became the first Arkansan to be killed in action in the Civil War, at Wilson's Creek, struck by a solid shot fired from one of Totten's cannon. James Totten was given a brevet promotion to brigadier general
in the summer of 1862, and led a brigade of infantry shortly
before the Prairie Grove campaign of 1862. He continued to serve
in an obscure role as a troop leader in the Trans-Mississippi,
his advancement presumably being hindered by the contents of
the canteen he was so fond of carrying. (1) O'Donnell, William W, The Civil War
Quadrennium, Horton Brothers Printing Co., Little Rock, AR
(1985) p. 5. Most of the equipment, arms, and machinery at the Little Rock Arsenal was removed to east of the Mississippi River by order of Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn in April and May of 1862, and accountability for it is lost at that point. By all appearances, the equipment was sent down the river to Napoleon, Arkansas, and from there to Jackson Mississippi, where it was probably destroyed during the Vicksburg campaign in the early summer of 1863. Major General Thomas C. Hindman, sent to command the district of Arkansas in May, 1862, found the state nearly destitute of military material. Hindman established another armory at Arkadelphia, and revived the Little Rock Arsenal as a collection point and depot for armaments and ammunition manufacture for small arms. Hindman recorded: "Machinery was made for manufacturing percussion caps and small arms, and both were turned out in small quantity, but of excellent quality. Lead mines were opened and worked, and a chemical laboratory was established and successfully operated in aid of the Ordnance Department and in the manufacture of calomel, castor oil, spirits of nitre, 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 from Little Rock. The tools, machinery, and the material were gathered piecemeal or else made by hand labor. Nothing of this sort had been before attempted on Government account in Arkansas to my knowledge, except for the manufacture of small arms, the machinery for which was taken away by General Van Dorn and there was neither capital nor suffieicient enterprise among the citizens to engage in such undertakings… A further supply, along with lead and caps, was procured from the citizens of Little Rock and vicinity by donation, purchases, and impressments. This ammunition, and that which I brought with me, was rapidly prepared for use at the Laboratory established at the Little Rock Arsenal for that purpose. As illustrating as the pitiful scarcity of material in the country, the fact may be stated that it was found necessary to use public documents of the State Library for cartridge paper. Gunsmiths were employed or conscripted, tools purchased or impressed, and the repair of the damaged guns I brought with me and about an equal number found at Little Rock commenced at once. But, after inspecting the work and observing the spirit of the men I decided that a garrison 500 strong could hold out against Fitch and that I would lead the remainder - about 1500 - to Gen'l Rust as soon as shotguns and rifles could be obtained from Little Rock instead of pikes and lances, with which most of them were armed. Two days elapsed before the change could be effected." The Confederate ordnance establishment at Little Rock was reactivated in August, 1862. Looking around for a suitable person to head this activity, General Hindman turned to the Confederate Navy and borrowed Lieutenant John W. Dunnington. Lt. Dunnington was the commander of the gunboat C.S.S. Ponchartrain, which had been brought to Little Rock in hopes of converting it to an ironclad. Materials to accomplish this were completely lacking, and while the boat was laid up, several of her heavy guns were removed and used for other purposes, such as the river battery at St. Charles which blew up the Union gunboat Mound City earlier that summer. Dunnington commanded the St. Charles Battery
in this action, which brought him to Hindman's attention. Lt. Col. Dunnington's "Returns for the month of August, 1862, at Little Rock Arsenal, C.S.A.," are found in Vol. 149, Chapter IV of the "Captured Rebel Ordnance Records," and are most enlightening as to the scope of Confederate ordnance activities at Little Rock during this crucial time. According to Dunnington, "When I assumed command at this Post, all material had been removed to Arkadelphia. There were no persons employed. No shops were open for repair of arms or for fabricating ammunition. Material, tools, etc., had to be procured as well as the employment of laborers. Work commenced the last part of the month." The military force at Little Rock under Dunnington's command consisted of four officers: himself, Major John B. Lockman, Captain C.C. Green, and 2nd Lt. W.W. Murphy. In addition to these, he had 20 enlisted men and a civilian force composed of a foreman, 2 clerks, 3 gunsmiths for repairing small arms, a laboratorian, 26 laborers in the ammunition laboratory, and a carpenter for making packing boxes. During the month of August, 1862, the following
work was performed: Lt. Col. Dunnington continued to build up his works at Little Rock until November 1862, when Captain Sanford C. Faulkner (composer of The Arkansas Traveler) was placed in charge of the Arsenal. Dunnington presumably returned to his naval duties and the Ponchartrain. A "Summary of the Work Done for November,
1862, Little Rock Arsenal" shows: Perhaps the most illuminating points of the above "Summary of Work" and those for following months are that the standard ammunition made was ."buck & ball", indicating that the .69 caliber smoothbores and shotguns remained the predominant caliber weapon in use, and of this, nearly one sixth or more of all small arms ammunition was still for flintlock weapons, indicating that no less than a sixth of the Confederate troops in this vicinity were still armed with obsolete flintlock weapons. The "Summaries of Work done at Little Rock Arsenal, C.S.A." continue at about the same pace and scale from August 1862 until August 1863. Appended to the "Summary" for August, 1863 is the ominous notation, "During the last week in the month, nearly all stores at the Arsenal have been packed and sent to Arkadelphia, in obedience to orders from Chief of Ordnance, District of Arkansas." This then marks the beginning of the evacuation of ordnance activities from Little Rock, with the city being surrendered to the advancing Federal troops of Frederick Steele's Arkansas Expedition on September 11, 1863. The evacuation of the ordnance stores from
Little Rock to Arkadelphia was only a stopgap measure. Looking
back over the years, it seems hardly likely that these stores
were even unpacked once they reached Arkadelphia. What is more
probable is that everything salvageable at Arkadelphia was added
to the Little Rock stores, and what was left of Confederate ordnance
west of the Mississippi continued on the only route left open
- South. Approaching from the east on September 10, the 3rd Arkansas (Union) Cavalry, com-manded by Colonel Abraham H. Ryan, was the first Federal unit to enter Little Rock. It was a relatively uneventful arrival because General Mar-maduke had abandoned his delaying tactics and had moved south with the commanderless brigade of General Walker. He directed his retreat toward Arkadelphia to rejoin the main body of Confederates. One report tells a possibly apocryphal story that the last Confederate shot fired in Little Rock came from a cannon pointed east from the northern perimeter of the Little Rock arsenal. General Davidson's cavalrymen entered the grounds of the Arsenal and raised the Stars and Stripes on the flagpole in front of the Tower Building, where it had been missing for more than two and a half years. Under Federal occupation of the city, the Arsenal again became an entity of the U.S. Army Ordnance Department, and served in that role until the Arsenal was closed in 1890 and deeded to the City of Little Rock in exchange for the land that became Fort Roots. Little remains of the Arsenal now except the Tower Building, some scattered brick sidewalks, and a few underground tunnels, now sealed and closed to the public. The wreckage of the Ponchartrain lies in the mud on the bottom of the Arkansas River just east of the I-30 Bridge (at the proposed location of the Clinton Library), burned and scuttled as the Yankees entered the city. Captain Sanford Faulkner lies in the Mt. Holly Cemetery, far better known for the Arkansas Traveler than for his service to the Confederacy. A single cannon, now known as the "Lady Baxter" salvaged from the wreck of the Ponchartrain and placed in service in another of Arkansas's political disputes, now reposes on the lawn of the Old State House as a reminder not only of the Brooks-Baxter War, but also of of Colonel Dunnington and the Arkansas Ordnance establishment. |
Built in 1838 to shore up the
state's defenses against potential Indian attacks, the Arsenal
served as a storehouse and repair facility for military weapons
to be used in case of mobilization. By 1855, the Little Rock
Arsenal had been designated as a Class 3 "Arsenal of Deposit"
under the control of the U.S. Army's Ordnance Department. This
meant the arsenal served primarily as a storage depot for weapons
intended for the local state militia should these forces need
to be mobilized. Under the Militia Act of 1812, each state was
authorized to draw a specific dollar amount worth of militia
weapons from the National Armories at Springfield, Massachusetts,
and Harpers Ferry, Virginia. These weapons were then transferred
to the appropriate state arsenal. Weapons at the Arsenal remained,
however, under Federal control - the local militia units authorized
by the Legislature for each county typically maintained their
own meeting halls and armories. For example, Little Rock's militia
company, the Capital Guards, maintained their own weapons and
armory in their basement headquarters near the intersection of
Markham and Main Street.
This image from an 1870 city directory
shows the Arsenal grounds and vicinity, including how Little
Rock's residential area crept up to the post boundaries. The
near impossibility of returning fire without inflicting civilian
and non-combatant casualties was a major factor in Capt. Totten's
decision to yield the Arsenal rather than fight it out with the
state militia.
James Totten was a veteran, no-nonsense
combat officer. While his troops had served in Kansas and arrived
in Little Rock armed as infantry, a battery set of cannon was
on hand at their new station at the Arsenal, and it must have
been a bit of joy for the troops to begin training with the field
pieces once more. Totten was an effective drill master. The following
summer when Totten was drilling his troops in Missouri for the
campaign that would lead to Wilson's Creek, an Iowa soldier recalled
that he was known as "Old Bottle-Nose" because he always
carried a canteen full of brandy in the field, and could curse
colorfully and fluently in Old Army style while giving orders.
"Swing that piece in line goddamn you, sir!" "Forward
that caisson, goddamn you, sir!" The soldier alleged that
the men would walk half a mile to listen to Totten for five minutes
anytime.
Rector offered an option "Suppose
you frame a dispatch as follows: 'The governor has no authority
to summon you to take possession of a Federal post, whether threatened
to be reinforced or not. Should the people assemble in their
defense, the governor will interpose his official position in
their behalf.'" This reply, intended to be "neither
yes nor no," was quickly dispatched, with the immediate
effect of arousing, not only the citizens of Helena and vicinity,
but all the planting regions of the state which received the
news, and the movement to seize the arsenal was immediately set
afoot.