DODDRIDGE, Arkansas – The J.B. Barton Camp of Fouke, Arkansas, will be having a dedication of seven (7) Confederate Soldiers at the Sulphur Fork Historic Site Camp Blair Cemetery Annex. Frank McFerrin will be overseeing the dedication. The date of the dedication will be October 5, 2019, Saturday, at 10:00 a.m. The public is invited to attend in honoring these heroes. The Red Diamond, SCV #2193, Phil Manyard, Commander, Nash, Texas, will be providing Honor Guard and Color Guard in the dedication.
Several months ago, the J.B. Barton Camp located a Confederate burial site near the confluence of the Sulphur and Red Rivers. Buried at Camp Blair are the seven soldiers of the 13th Texas Cavalry (dismounted) that died from measles and typhoid fever.
The community helped acquire the land and fencing to convert the area into a cemetery and park. Help is needed to locate descendants among the membership and county residents.
Soldiers buried at the site are CPL James W. Gillespie, PVT Samuel Blackstone Gilliland, PVT Henry Jackson Rawls, PVT James W. A. Smith, CPL Kinchin King Stokes, PVT Henry H. Tucker, PVT Charles W. Wright.
Directions to the dedication. From Texarkana, Arkansas: Go South on I-49 at junction of Loop 151 for 22 miles. Take Exit 6, turn right on CR 197 for l mile, then turn left on U.S. 71 for 2 miles. At Doddridge, turn left on AR 160 East, 1.88 miles to Camp Blair. (Hwy 160 runs in an west-east direction through Doddridge. Hwy 160 E. runs East of US 71 toward Red River aka “The Sulphur Fork” and Camp Blair Park is located.
For further information, contact Frank McFerrin, 903-824-4167
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Camp Blair Confederate Cemetery is an 1862 Burial ground for members of Burnett’s 13th Texas Cavalry. The men from Camp Blair, Camp English, Walnut Hill, and Camp Beatey are memorialized here at this annex to Sulphur Fork Cemetery. Camp Blair is named for (SgtMaj)Capt. J. Blair, Quartermaster for the 13th Texas. Camp English is named for Capt George English and Enrolling Officer for the 13th. Camp Beatey is named for LtCol Charles R. Beatey, Enrolling Officer, Inspector, and Commanding Officer of the 13th Texas. Seven men are buried at Camp Blair. Twenty-three other men are memorialized here pending further study and establishment of additional annexes at the location of Camp English at Soldiers Ridge and Camp Beatey.