John D. Cain

Company E, 1st Arkansas Infantry Volunteers, USA

Born 1842 in Georgia.
A farmer who married Nancy Cearley, 27 Oct 1855, and lived in Cedar Glades, Montgomery County, Arkansas.
Enrolled 1 March 1863, Fayetteville, Arkansas, Company E., 1st Regiment Arkansas Infantry Volunteers, for a period of three years.
Mustered in as a Private, 10 March 1863, Fayetteville, Arkansas, Company E., 1st Regiment Arkansas Infantry Volunteers.
Captured 27 September 1863 in Franklin County, Arkansas and was confined at Richmond, Virginia.
Paroled 6 Oct 1863 and returned to his unit.
Detailed November 1863, by Major General Steel, commanding, Department of Arkansas, to recruit and organize a company for 12 months service in the the 3rd Arkansas Infantry Volunteers. Order later amended to recruit and organize a company for 12 months service in the the 4th Arkansas Cavalry Volunteers.
Paid on 15 November 1863 through 31 October 1863.
Recruiting for the 4th Arkansas Cavalry Volunteers in the vicinity of Dardanelle, Arkansas, late November-early December 1863.
Detailed January 1864, by Colonel James M. Johnson commanding U.S. Recruiting Service, Western Arkansas, Special Order #3, to recruit and organize a company for three years service in the the 4th Arkansas Cavalry Volunteers.
April 1864 detailed, by written authority, Headquarters, 4th Arkansas Cavalry Volunteers, per Special Order #3, to recruit and organize a company for service in the the 4th Arkansas Cavalry Volunteers. This order was approved by Colonel James M. Johnson, commanding 1st Arkansas Infantry Volunteers.
On 15 April, 1864, while discharging his duty in Montgomery County, Arkansas, was killed by rebel guerrillas near Sugarloaf Mountain, Montgomery County, Arkansas not far from his home in Cedar Glades.

John Dixon Cain was incorrectly listed as a deserter but this listing was purged from the records in accordance with the following statements from the commanding officer of the 1st Arkansas Infantry Volunteers and other sources attesting to the brave and honorable service rendered by our ancestor who paid the ultimate price in the war between the states. The following documents were graciously provided by Gloria Cain.

Historical background note

Spring of 1862. A Confederate home guard unit was operating along the Little Rock - Mount Ida road and soon Southern recruiting officers started rounding up men between the ages of sixteen and forty-five from along the Blakely, Moccasin and Blocker creeks in the northwestern part of Montgomery County, Arkansas for induction into the Southern Army, men who sympathized with the North. They were taken to the southern part of the state and at a given time, this group deserted under the guidance of Mike Blocker, a member of the group who had some knowledge of the land. They worked their way through swamps, cane brakes and back country until they finally reached home.

Meantime, a movement was started in the northern part of the state for Union sympathizers to organize into troops and resist. Contact had been made with men of like feelings in northern Montgomery County and the area from Cedar Glades and east and north through the Blakely sector. A Federalist camp was established on the headwaters of Blocker Creek, east of Pilot Knob of Blue Ouachita Mountain. Some of the Unionists names were: Fisher, Kinsey, Bledsoe, Caldwell, Vaughn, Muse, Blocker, Speer, Breshears, Phillips, Kizziar, and Irons. Most of these are allied families. When there numbers increased to thirty they decided to move north through the mountain trails and establish contact with a group of Federalists in the vicinity south of Dardanelle. This was a group of irregulars cooperated with the efforts of the regular Union troops in moving down the Arkansas River to combat units of Southern Army of the Confederacy moving up from Yell and Montgomery Counties. About three days after joining ranks with the regular forces, the men from Blakely participated in a skirmish north of Plainview. As Union irregulars they were forced to operate on their own initiative most of the time. A number of skirmishes were fought from Dardanelle south to Cedar Glades.

When Little Rock was taken by the Union in September 1863, the Federalist dominated all Arkansas north and east of the Arkansas River. The Confederates controlled all that was west and south of the Arkansas River. The area between the Arkansas and Ouachita Rivers was No Man's Land. Dangerous country. Most of the men from central Arkansas were formally inducted into the 4th Arkansas Calvary Volunteers US under Colonel Lafayette Gregg. Others were in 3rd AR USA under Colonel Abraham Ryon. Lieutenant Spiva was placed on a recruiting detail for the new Fourth AR Vol. Cav. and during December and January 1864 went from farm to farm in Montgomery County encouraging men to enlist. There was a skirmish at Cedar Glades 1 March 1864. Reference: 'Montgomery County: Our Heritage'. Vol. 1. page 340. "They Can't Go Home" pg 24-25.