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Faulkner County had divided loyalties during the Civil War. Soon after the war started, Col. A.R. Witt helped organize several companies for the 10th Arkansas Infantry (C.S.). After fighting at Shiloh, the 10th was captured at Port Hudson, La. Its men were paroled, Witt escaped, and in late 1863 they rejoined as irregular troops, Witt's Cavalry. Other Faulkner County men joined the 3rd Arkansas Cavalry (U.S.) in late 1863, and Unionists formed bands of irregular soldiers. These men fought Witt's men in bitter guerrilla battles in the hills.
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Witt's Cavalry continued to hold out after the eastern Confederacy surrendered, asking that local Unionists be disarmed and out-of-state troops with no "personal grudges" occupy the area. After the war, veterans of both sides formed chapters in Conway and on Decoration Day, May 30, 1890, they held a reconciliation celebration, marching from downtown Conway to Oak Grove Cemetery where they decorated the graves of comrades and each side fired 3-gun salutes before sharing supper from the cemetery's Ladies Auxiliary. Col. Witt was buried in Oak Grove in 1903.
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