Welcome to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas

This Day in Arkansas History

November 5, 1862

James Camp Tappan was promoted to the rank of brigadier general. At the outbreak of the Civil War, Tappan had joined the Confederate army and was commissioned colonel of the Thirteenth Arkansas Infantry Regiment in May 1861. The Thirteenth Arkansas first saw action under Tappan at the Battle of Belmont, Missouri, under the command of General Leonidas Polk, who commended Tappan on his military skills during the engagement. Tappan was a Confederate general, lawyer, and politician from Helena (Phillips County). After the war, he established a law firm in Helena (Phillips County) with Major J. J. Horner and was reelected to the state House of Representatives in 1897, serving until 1900, including a stint as speaker of the house from 1897 to 1898.

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About the Encyclopedia

The CALS Encyclopedia of Arkansas is a free, authoritative source of information about the rich history, geography, and culture of Arkansas. It is updated regularly to ensure the people of Arkansas have an accurate and accessible resource to explore our heritage. We invite you to browse our text entries and media galleries to learn more about the people, places, events, legends, and lore of the 25th state. We are continually adding new entries, photographs, maps, videos, quizzes, lesson plans, and more, so check back frequently to see what’s new.

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Our overview page covers everything you would want to know about our beautiful state, including state symbols, demographics, and more!

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