The prominent and active men in the State of Arkansas, and particularly all who held official positions, were allied politically with the South Carolina conspirators, while the majority of the people, in the early stages of the insurrection, were loyal. Hence, the leaders were slow in their movements to carry the State out of the Union; but when the Confederate government had become organized, and transferred to Richmond, and the rebellion had been fully inaugurated by the attack on Fort Sumter, followed by the proclamation of President Lincoln, they deemed that the time had come for the development of their plans. The Governor of the State, Henry M. Rector, on the 22d of April, 1861, directed the seizure by State troops of the United States stores at Napoleon; followed on the 24th by the capture of Fort Smith by the forces under Colonel Borland. The Legislature being convened at Little Rock, an unconditional ordinance of Secession was passed on the 6th of May, and on the 18th the Confederate Congress at Richmond declared the admission of Arkansas to the Southern Confederacy. It was the misfortune of the loyal men of the State that they did not number in their ranks any citizens of power and influence, who had energy sufficient to organize the Unionists, and oppose a barrier to the acts of the enemies of the Federal Government. Unarmed and unorganized, while the conspirators were in a state of preparation for any resistance that might be made, protest and opposition were of no avail, and the loyal men of the State were compelled to submit, and endure the persecutions and depredations of the more numerous secessionists. A great deal of excitement was occasioned during the month of November by the discovery that the Union men of Izard, Fulton, Independent and Searcey counties had secret organizations and societies for mutual protection and co-operation. This accidental disclosure exasperated the conspirators, who adopted the most violent measures to disperse the Unionists, and break up their associations. Many were taken to Little Rock and hanged, while others were arrested in the woods, attempting to escape beyond the State, and shared the same fate. Large numbers of refugees, however, succeeded in reaching Missouri, where they remained, and subsequently, under Captain Ware, a member of the Arkansas Legislature, organized as a military body at Rolla, Missouri, and entered the service under General Curtis, receiving large accessions on the marching of Curtis’ expedition into the State.