Albert Rust - Civil War Service

Civil War Service

Returning to Arkansas, Rust assisted Van H. Manning in the organization of the 3rd Arkansas Infantry Regiment, and was appointed colonel of that unit. The 3rd Arkansas would become Arkansas's most celebrated Civil War regiment and the only Arkansas regiment to be permanently assigned to General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. In the fall of 1861, Rust and the 3rd Arkansas took part in the Battle of Cheat Mountain under Lee. During the winter of that year he and the regiment were under the command of General Stonewall Jackson. They would go on to serve in almost every major battle fought in the east, including the Battle of Gettysburg, most occurring after Rust was transferred from the regiment.

Rust was raised to the rank of brigadier general on March 4, 1862, and was transferred back to Arkansas, where he was assigned to General Earl Van Dorn's Army of the West. Rust led Confederate troops at the Battle of Hill's Plantation in July 1862. After the Battle of Pea Ridge, most Confederate forces were removed from Arkansas and transferred east of the Mississippi River. Rust fought at the Battle of Shiloh and the Battle of Corinth. In April 1863, Rust was once again transferred back to Arkansas and placed under Maj. Gen. Sterling Price. He later served under General Thomas C. Hindman in Arkansas and General John Pemberton and Richard Taylor in Louisiana.

Rust eventually lost his command based upon questions regarding his loyalty to the Confederate cause. Giving up active military service, he moved to Austin, Texas to be with his family, who had abandoned their home in Arkansas, during the Federal occupation of the place. According to a biographical sketch of Gen. Rust, near the end of the war he became quite outspoken and bold critic of the Confederate government, regularly expressing Unionist sentiments.