Col. Solomon G. Kitchen,
7th Missouri Cavalry
Most of what became the 7th Missouri Cavalry was first raised as a battalion by Henry E. Clark, a wealthy landowner who moved to Beech (sometimes called Bach or Beach), later named Clarkton. Henry Clark before the Civil War hailed from Memphis and along with his partner, R. V. Richardson, constructed river levees down the Mississippi River. In 1855 Clark secured a contract along with 75,000 acres from Dunklin County, to build a plank road from Clarkton (named in his honor) twelve miles east to Weaverville, with the intention of eventually reaching Point Pleasant on the Mississippi River.
In 1862 Clark was authorized by the Confederate government to recruit soldiers for a regiment of cavalry which he commenced doing in Southeast Missouri. By October of 1862 Clark was in full swing and had recruited several companies when on October 26 he was surprised and attacked by an expedition from New Madrid consisting of 400 men from the 2nd Illinois Cavalry, 72nd Illinois Infantry and 2nd Illinois Artillery (Company K). Clark suffered twelve killed (including one of his company commanders, Thomas St. Claire) and thirty-nine captured, including himself (more specific info below under Henry E. Clark). Once he was released from prison in December of 1862, he began gathering what remained of the companies that had scattered after his capture. By April 1863, the battalion organized with only 120 troopers a third of whom were without weapons. This new battalion was led by Lt. Col. Solomon G. Kitchen and operated unattached (I believe the men that Phelan raised in Bloomfield, many of whom were captured January 27, 1863 at Bloomfield, were in Kitchen's battalion). On April 21, 1863. the battalion attacked Union forces at Chalk Bluff and captured nearly thirty prisoners. The 7th Missouri Cavalry missed out on Marmaduke's Raid into Southeast Missouri because they were recruiting, organizing, and scouting from their base of operations at Scatterville, Arkansas.
By May 31, the battalion numbered well over 300 troopers and patrolled in the region gaining recruits. In June, the battalion grew to 560, less than half possessed suitable arms however. Two more companies were added in July and on July 9, 1863 at Chalk Bluff, the battalion was officially made into a Confederate cavalry unit (Kitchen's battalion and those companies gathered by Henry E. Clark consolidated, Kitchen was elected Lt. Col.), the 7th Missouri Cavalry (for a short time it was referred to as the 10th Missouri Cavalry before being changed to the 7th).
On August 16, 1863, the 7th Missouri Cavalry surprised a federal supply train at Round Pond in southern Cape Girardeau County, where it killed or wounded thirty, burned most of the wagons, and captured scores of supplies and horses. The regiment then moved to Little Rock where it performed picket duty keeping a watchful eye on federals approaching the city. After the city was evacuated on September 10, the men of the 7th covered the Confederate retreat destroying pontoon bridges along the way. On October 25, the regiment protected the Confederate flanks at the battle of Pine Bluff, Arkansas and successfully covered the retreat of the Confederates after the defeat there.
In April 1864, the 7th Missouri Cavalry participated under Marmaduke's brigade at Elkin's Ferry and Prairie D'Ann as part of the federal campaign on the Red River. It missed the battles of Poison Springs and Jenkin's Ferry, but was involved in the Confederate victory at Ditch Bayou on June 6, 1864.
In September 1864, Confederate General Sterling Price began his raid into Missouri. Sometime early in the raid, Lt. Col. J. F. Davie's Arkansas Cavalry battalion joined with 7th Missouri to get the regiment up to strength. The now combined unit was used to guard the division supply train and missed the battle of Pilot Knob. A week later on October 1, the regiment participated in an action at California, Missouri, as well as Glasgow on October 15. When Price reached the Little Blue near Kansas City, the 7th led a dismounted charge that turned the battle in favor of the Confederates. The next day, October 22, they fought against the forward federal cavalry troopers at Independence and then Byram's Ford on October 23. Their biggest defeat occurred two days later at Mine Creek where they lost six killed, twelve wounded and fifty seven captured. The entire raid cost the regiment thirteen killed, thirty-nine wounded, and sixty-nine captured. Upon returning to Arkansas, General Price granted furlough's to most of the men in the regiment. With most of the men gone, only about seventy stayed with the army where they formed two companies and merged into the 8th Missouri Cavalry regiment sometime before February 28, 1865. Those that chose to join the 8th were eventually paroled at Shreveport, Louisiana on June 7, 1865 (Companies G and H of the 8th). The men that left the army to return to Northeast Arkansas with Col. Kitchen were paroled at Jacksonport and Wittsburg, Arkansas in May and June. Total deaths suffered by the regiment in the war (most likely the number is higher but records are incomplete), sixteen killed in battle, seventy-three to disease, two murdered, and one executed by federal authorities.
Henry E. Clark info
Henry E. Clark was born on April 14, 1823 in Salem, Monroe County, Ohio. His grandfather immigrated from Ireland in the late 1700s to Virginia. His family moved to Illinois sometime before the Civil War. Clark was in Tennessee by at least 1849. According to the 1860 U.S. Census Clark was living in New Madrid County, Missouri with his wife Martha, two children and two other adults. His occupation was contractor and his total valuation of personal and real estate was $1600.
According to an article in The Daily Memphis Avalanche, April 21, 1883, page 2, Col. Henry Clark's brother, Col. Terrence Clark of Illinois stayed loyal to the Union. Like his Confederate officer brother, Terrence was captured during the war and was imprisoned in Richmond. Another brother, Captain Charles A. Clark, was commander of Company A, 25th Illinois Infantry. He died November 28, 1862. One document mentioned a third brother he had that was in the Union army as well.
When the First Division, Missouri State Guard held an election for their commander at Frenchman's Springs, M. Jeff Thompson beat out Clark for the job of division commander. Clark was appointed Quartermaster of the First Division, Missouri State Guard. He shows up next in the letters of M. Jeff Thompson on December 24, 1861 as apparently taking tolls from Missouri State Guard troops that traveled along his plank road. On January 22, 1862, he is addressed as Col. H. E. Clark (at that time located at Clarkton), and was authorized to procure supplies for state guard and Confederate troops. On the same day in another entry, Thompson also said that Clark was authorized to recruit and swear in troops into Confederate service. On March 5, 1862, still camped at Clarkton, Clark is notified by Thompson where he is moving and that the plank road should be safe. He also informed Clark that he is authorized to obtain supplies with the promise the government will pay anyone that Clark requisitions supplies from.
The expedition that attacked and captured Clark at Clarkton on October 26, 1862, consisted of:
Company D, 2nd Illinois Cavalry - 48 men
Company K, 2nd Illinois Artillery - 72 men
5 Companies of the 72nd Illinois Infantry - 281 men
Total: 401 men and officers.
Overall command fell on Brig. Gen. Thomas A. Davies, commanding District of Columbus. The expedition was commanded by Captain Rodgers of the Second Illinois Artillery. They marched from New Madrid (which fell under the direction of the Department of West Tennessee, District of Columbus) about thirty-four miles southwest to Clarkton. There they surprised Clark and his recruiting force. The artillery lobbed shells into the barracks where the men were and killed Captain St. Clair, a lieutenant, 3 noncommissioned officers, five privates, and mortally wounded two privates. Rodgers deployed the 72nd Illinois on the right and left of the camp and encircled it. Colonel Clark was captured along with a Captain Clark, Captain Saterfield, three lieutenants, two sergeants, thirty-one privates, 100 stand of arms, sixty-seven horses and mules, two wagons, and lots of ammunition. They burned the barracks and powder magazine. The federals only loss were three cannons whose axels broke. Confederate Colonel William Jeffers and the 8th Missouri made a demonstration on Rodgers' forces but did not attack him. Clark spent two months in prison before he was released and returned to Southeast Missouri to regroup his companies that scattered after his capture.
By January 1863 he was back in Southeast Missouri recruiting for his regiment. According to Thompson, while Clark was in prison, he began gathering and temporarily commanding the scattered companies of Clark's battalion.
In late January Clark arrived at Little Rock having been exchanged and had with him several prisoners that had also been exchanged and wished to join his unit. He was granted leave to travel up Crowley's Ridge and resume recruiting and organizing. According to M. Jeff Thompson's autobiography, Clark deferred field command (upon raising enough men for a regiment) to Col. Solomon G. Kitchen, believing his services were best used elsewhere. Kitchen had returned from the east side of the Mississippi River where he had been fighting with McCulloch's Second Missouri Cavalry, but left to raise or join a regiment in Southeast Missouri. Thompson claims that it was him who convinced Kitchen to take the command of Clark's battalion. Kitchen was elected Lt. Col. and Dooley of Dunklin County elected major. Clark then began traveling with M. Jeff Thompson. Thompson later talked about how when Kitchen who had been raising a battalion and then apparently Clark had continued to raise a battalion, when the two combined, there was an election and Kitchen was overwhelmingly elected (July 1863).
Henry Clark took the Oath of Allegiance in February 1865 in Memphis. He wrote a letter for a presidential pardon on August 15, 1865 and listed his home as New Madrid, Mo.
Henry Clark died on March 25, 1883 in Little Rock, Arkansas at fifty-seven years old. His wife at the time lived on Court St. in Memphis and his son lived in Missouri. He was buried in Carlisle, Illinois where his father still lived.
Sources: Dunklin County Historical Society, Volume 1. Thrower Printing Company: Kennett, Missouri. Page 45.
" " " " Volume 2, page 37.
Guide To Missouri Units, 1861-1865, James E. McGhee, University of Arkansas Press: Fayetteville, 2008. 77-80.
"Richardson and Clark: A Sad, Strange, Eventful History." The Memphis Sunday Appeal, Sunday, July 10, 1870. Page 1
The Daily Memphis Avalanche, April 21, 1883, Page 2.
Weekly Public Ledger, Memphis, Tennessee, April 3, 1883, Page 3.
Memphis Bulletin, Memphis, Tennessee, February 28, 1865, Page 4.
US Census, 1860
The Civil War Reminiscences of General M. Jeff Thompson, Morningside: Dayton, OH. 1988 Reprint. Page 189.
Official Records, Series I, Vol. 13. Page 338.
Service Record of 7th Missouri Cavalry (transcribed by Paul Arnold)
Compay A
Capt. James Clark (Many from Stoddard County)
August 9, 1862 at Kennett, Dunklin County.
Company B
James A. Cooper (Stoddard County men)
October 18th 1862, Bloomfield, MO.
Jan and February 1864 Muster Roll.
Camp near Camden
Col. S. G. Kitchen Commanding, Brig comprised of his & Col. Green’s regt being on detached service, which Cpt. Coopers Company composed a part of the same, we marched as follows: We left Camden January 12, 1864, cross the river at Bradley’s Ferry marched five miles to Bradley Farm, 13th marched 20 miles, camp at Chambersville, 14th marched 25 miles, camped near Mount Elba, remained there 3 days, 18th marched 16 miles, camped near Oak Bluff on Saline. 19th marched 15 miles and camped on Horse 16 miles south east of Prinston and remained there until January 29, then returned to Camden which was a march of 25 miles. We had no engagements with the enemy. We went into winter quarters near Camde, Ark. February 4, 1864. The health of the soldiers is very good at present. The Companies improving in reference to discipline.
Capt. James Clark (Many from Stoddard County)
August 9, 1862 at Kennett, Dunklin County.
Company B
James A. Cooper (Stoddard County men)
October 18th 1862, Bloomfield, MO.
Jan and February 1864 Muster Roll.
Camp near Camden
Col. S. G. Kitchen Commanding, Brig comprised of his & Col. Green’s regt being on detached service, which Cpt. Coopers Company composed a part of the same, we marched as follows: We left Camden January 12, 1864, cross the river at Bradley’s Ferry marched five miles to Bradley Farm, 13th marched 20 miles, camp at Chambersville, 14th marched 25 miles, camped near Mount Elba, remained there 3 days, 18th marched 16 miles, camped near Oak Bluff on Saline. 19th marched 15 miles and camped on Horse 16 miles south east of Prinston and remained there until January 29, then returned to Camden which was a march of 25 miles. We had no engagements with the enemy. We went into winter quarters near Camde, Ark. February 4, 1864. The health of the soldiers is very good at present. The Companies improving in reference to discipline.