Hugh,

Posted in response to a post about Asbury/A S, Bryan wrote:

Asbury Shoemaker enlisted in Co. A, 37th Arkansas Infantry, at Little Rock, Arkansas, on May 23, 1863, for three years or the war. He was captured at Helena, Arkansas, on July 4, 1863; sent via Memphis and Cairo to Alton, Illinois, on July 9, 1863; transferred to Fort Delaware on February 29, 1864; forwarded to City Point, Virginia, for exchange on March 5, 1865; and exchanged on March 7, 1865. He was admitted to a hospital at Richmond, Virginia, on March 11, 1865, and released on furlough back to Arkansas. He took the oath of allegiance at Pine Bluff, Arkansas, on May 16, 1865. The descriptive roll (1865) describes him as a farmer, age 20, eyes blue, hair auburn, complexion fair, height 5'7', a resident of Drew County, Arkansas.

Bell's regiment was initially designated as the 29th Arkansas Infantry, but was redesignated as the 37th Arkansas Infantry in December 1862.

Company A was recruited in Ashley County and vicinity.
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As a follow-up, question was asked about the similarity of info for A S and Ambrose. To that, Bryan wrote:
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Suzanne, I personally transcribed the rolls of Co. A, 37th Arkansas Regiment. Just about all the enlisted men of the company who were captured at Helena were transported through various U.S. military prisons on the same dates, and were exchanged on the same date. So, even if it looks as though the records of Ambrose and Asbury Shoemaker is a duplication of one soldier's record, they were in fact two different men (possibly related) who enlisted, served, and surrendered together. On the descriptive roll at the surrender, Ambrose M. Shoemaker is described as a farmer, age 23, eyes gray, hair auburn, complexion sandy, height 5'6", a resident of Drew County. Note that this is different from the description of Asbury Shoemaker.

Also, each of the company muster rolls list both men as present for duty on the same day (Asbury is usually listed as A. Shoemaker; Ambrose is usually listed as A. M. Shoemaker).

And finally, the POW records list them as being prisoners together, and some of the records state their given names -- Ambrose and Asbury.

There are definitely two different men.
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I have only learned about James J Shoemaker/J J Shumaker, this week, and posted to try to learn more about him, possibly his physical description. His enlistment, and Ambrose's with him, pre-dated the enlistment above.

On the roster of Dallas Artillery, Hart's Battery, or Second AR Field Battery, when that was reconstituted August 1, 1862-Listed I found: Shoemaker, Ambrose M--Private. Enlisted at Napoleon, August 1, 1862 and, Shoemaker, James J--Private. Enlisted at Napoleon, August 1, 1862, captured at Arkansas Post.

That, I believe is information to date.
Thanks again,
Edie