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Curtis Carter Birmingham was about 45 years of age at the outbreak of the War of Northern Aggression
. Born near Fayetteville, TN, he and his wife Mirioum Southerland Birmingham moved their family to a
farm in Pulaski County, Arkansas. When Arkansas seceded, Curtis's two older sons, Calvin Curtis and
John Reuben, joined the 2nd Arkansas Mounted Rifles. The 2nd fought in many battles (mostly as dismounted
riflemen) including Wilson's Creek, Elkhorn Tavern, Richmond (KY), Murfreesboro, Jackson, Franklin,
Chickamauga, and Bentonville.
At first Curtis stayed at home with his younger children, including two more sons, Milton and Berry. By
late 1863, more than half of Arkansas had been occupied by Yankee troops. These troops and native
"Redlegs" made life miserable for Confederate sympathizers. At this time, Curtis learned of the forming
of a regiment 100 miles south in Camden. He then got his horse and gun, and with sixteen year-old Milton
and fourteen year-old Berry, rode south to join Wright's 12th Arkansas Cavalry Regiment. Curtis and Berry
were enrolled as Privates, Milton as a Corporal. The three fought in the battles of Poison Springs and
Mark's Mills in Arkansas, and Pilot Knob, Independence, and Marais des Cygnes in Missouri. The regiment
then returned to Southern Arkansas and served until it surrendered on May 26, 1865.
During the war, Corporal Milton Valentine Birmingham was shot by a Union sniper. As he lay on the ground, he shouted to his compatriots "Don't let me die with this damn Yankee ball in me!" They dug out the round from Milton's body on the spot. But Milton didn't die. He continued to ride with his regiment.
History 12th (Wright’s) Regiment Arkansas Cavalry
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John Crowell Wright, lieutenant-colonel of the 26th Arkansas Infantry, resigned from that regiment to take command of a newly-organized battalion of cavalry. On December 17, 1863, the 2nd Battalion Arkansas State Troops, was organized with seven companies from southern Arkansas, and Wright was elected lieutenant-colonel.
By mid-January, 1864, three additional companies had been attached to Wright’s battalion, and, on February 15, 1864, the battalion was officially enrolled in Confederate service as the 12th (Wright’s) Regiment Arkansas Cavalry. The regiment was assigned to Colonel Crawford’s Brigade of Brigadier-General Fagan’s Cavalry Division in Major-General Price’s cavalry corps of the Confederate Army of the Trans-Mississippi Department. The other units assigned to this brigade were Crawford’s 10th Arkansas Cavalry, and Poe’s and McMurtrey’s Arkansas cavalry battalions.
Wright’s Cavalry was engaged in the battles associated with the Camden Expedition in the Spring of 1864, particularly in the battles at Poison Springs and Marks’ Mills. Later that year, the regiment took part in Price’s Missouri Campaign in the Fall of 1864, and was engaged in the battles of Pilot Knob, Independence, and Marais des Cygnes. Returning to southwestern Arkansas in November, 1864, it served in that area to the end of the war, and was included in the general surrender of Confederate forces in the Trans-Mississippi Department on May 26, 1865.
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~ Company "A" ~
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Company "A", enlisted at Camden, Arkansas, on December 10, 1863, comprised mostly of men from Bradley County, Arkansas. There is one extant muster roll for Company A, covering the period January 1 to February 29, 1864, when the company was stationed at Cut Off, Drew County, Arkansas. The following endorsement accompanied the muster roll:
“My Company was organized at Camden, Arkansas, on the 10th day of Dec. 1863, and have been in the direction of the Arkansas river ever since. /s/ JNO. T. KIRK, Capt. Comdg. Co.”
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