The tumultuous atmosphere of the age of Reconstruction provided the necessary circumstances that lead to the eruption of the Brooks-Baxter War. The combination of an unstable government and a shattered society failed to settle a simple disagreement over who had the right to the Governor's seat of Arkansas. Hatred rippled through the population over the loss of soldiers and the crippled economy until the Brooks and Baxter dispute provided an outlet through which their long stifled emotions exploded. The attitudes of the Southern population were bitter and distraught, and the former ties that bound the Confederacy together were torn asunder by the force of Reconstruction.

With the victory of the Civil War as the undeniable proclamation that God was truly on their side, the North exulted in the final materialization of their moral righteousness and flooded the uncivilized South with Union soldiers. Their purpose of implementing martial law was to keep the South from revolting and to force the integration of the newly emancipated black population not only into society, but into the ruling government as well. Arkansas was overwhelmingly democratic, but the Republican party remained in tight control because a large majority of the white male population had their voting rights revoked as punishment for their participation in the Confederacy. After the Arkansas government was reinstated and the Confederate leaders were flushed from the ranks, many corrupted officials manipulated the ballots to control the weakened and traumatized economy. The illegal dealings of politicians such as Powell Clayton, a powerful white Republican, created a negative and suspicious view of all Republicans and blacks holding office (Berry).

Meanwhile, the North had grown tired of Reconstruction and decided to pull out the occupying troops and retired self-government to the states. This was disheartening news for the ruling Republican Party because of the overwhelming numbers of ex-Confederates, mostly Democrats, who had previously been banned from the voting poles. Not only was the rising Democrat party a grave threat, but a growing mass of dissension was forming amongst the Republicans (Thomas 427). Several factions split from the main Republican Party and weakened the power base that had been previously supplied by the military occupation. The legacy of the Republican Party had become tarnished, and Powell Clayton's control had only served to corrode the party's image in the public's eye. In 1869, the Liberal Republicans, formed by Joseph Brooks, a Baptist preacher, and James Johnson, a politician, split from the corrupted Regular Republicans controlled by Powell Clayton. Not willing to forsake all Republican ideals, Brooks and Johnson formed this anti-Clayton faction but still left it largely Republican. Recognizing a profitable disunity, the Democrats and the few remaining Whigs seized upon the inner turmoil of the Republican Party by shifting sides repeatedly and throwing support from one faction to another (Berry).

Three years later, in 1872, the Republican party split yet again, this time rallying under the banner of Joseph Brooks who called his new faction the Reform Republicans. With his departure the Liberal Republicans lost their foundation of strength, yet despite their misgivings they continued to support Brooks rather than favoring Clayton. Brooks then elected himself as a candidate for the Arkansas gubernatorial and forced a desperate response from the Clayton party. The Regular Republican's plan consisted of a two-point strategy aimed at blocking Brooks' bid for the Governor's seat. Many of Brooks' votes were removed when Governor Hadley was convinced by Clayton to declare the present voting list invalid, thereby striking many of Brooks' supporters from the voting record (Thomas 429-30). After removing a significant portion of Brooks' support, the Regular Republicans nominated the irreproachable Elisha Baxter as their own candidate for the governor's seat, to counter the ill feelings towards the corruption-riddled Clayton party (Berry).

The ensuing, heated election involved the usual amount of bribery and voter manipulation, accomplished most effectively by the controlling Regular Republicans. Baxter won with a majority of 2,919 votes and was installed into the Governor's office (Thomas 430). However, controversy surrounded Baxter's election - when votes were counted by each side they came out in favor of their own candidate. Brooks bitterly accused Baxter of cheating, completely oblivious to his own dishonest efforts to fix the election. Throughout Baxter's term, Brooks continued to fight the legality of the election while Baxter gathered even more support from ex-Confederates by promising to restore full voting rights. With Baxter safely in office, Clayton expected full control of matters of state for another term. However, to Clayton's chagrin, Baxter refused to have his decisions dictated, and he appointed many officials on merit rather than political sway (Berry). As Governor Baxter became increasingly more independent, an attempt was made to bribe him through Chief-Justice McClure, but Baxter's honesty seemed unfaltering (Thomas 430-41). Republicans were also dismayed when Baxter kept his promise to restore full voting rights to ex-Confederates which would reestablish the large Democratic Party. This decision led to the expected Democratic majority in the next legislature elections and the annihilation of the Republican machine which had ruled Arkansas since the end of the Civil War (Thomas 427).

With the end of martial law in the South and the restoration of ex-Confederate voting rights, the Southern white population again regained control of the government. Many unconstitutional laws soon followed to remove any black influence over politics regardless of the newly established black-suffrage. Laws such as the Grandfather clause and the Jim Crow laws became popular throughout the South and a new wave of bitterness swept over the white population in regards to their ex-slaves. To further add to the mounting chaos, Clayton abandoned his unfaithful and uncontrollable candidate to throw his support to his long hated rival, Joseph Brooks, who had constantly pursued the overthrow of Baxter (Berry).

Clayton flexed his political muscle, and in 1874 Judge John Whytock of the Pulaski County Circuit Court overturned Baxter's governor appointment and declared Brooks the rightful governor of Arkansas. Upon the immediate arrival of the Judge's decision on April 15,1874, Brooks took the oath of office and, with the support of Clayton and the State's militia, stormed into the capital and physically forced Baxter into the streets. Then Brooks quickly fortified the statehouse with Arkansas militia, seized the armory, and established barricades and sniper posts. This act shocked and angered many citizens, and feelings of violence and excitement quickly spread through the war-frenzied state (Berry). Baxter, determined to regain his seat, set up a military post a short distance away and recruited loyal troops. He enlisted the services of the highly respected Confederate General R. C. Newton, to coordinate his reinstatement into the capital, peaceably if possible but forcibly if Brooks engaged his own troops. General R. C. Newton kept Baxter and White in touch through dozens of telegrams and kept count of the casualties on both sides. Admitally, Both Brooks and Baxter tried to avoid needless deaths but small skirmishes broke out on both sides. As the situation intensified, the atmosphere became saturated with an almost tangible feeling of the inevitable, oncoming battle (Telegrams).

Finally, Baxter ordered General R.C. Newton and his troops to march on Little Rock and regain the governor's office. Hundreds of men on both sides converged on the capital, and serious fighting was deterred only by gathered federal troops. Due to the rampant unrest, many small clashes and riots occurred throughout the state, and it was estimated that about 200 men were killed. Brooks and Baxter both tried to sooth the harried nerves of their men and settle the dispute through the federal courts. However, the National Government did not want to become entangled in the bloody situation mounting in Little Rock (Telegrams).

The Arkansas legislature was in favor of Baxter, but the Clayton-ruled courts were supportive of Brooks. Baxter wrote President Grant and appealed that he be restored to office. Although Grant supported Brooks, he declared Executive Order and reinstated Baxter as governor to support the decision of the Arkansas legislature (Grant). Grant ordered Brooks' forces to disperse and return home and the Secretary of State, James Johnson, took temporary control of the governor's position until the Arkansas legislature could meet and officially settle matters ("Press Extra"). The issue had been settled, but the significance of the battle was not about who was the rightful governor of Arkansas. "The Brooks and Baxter War marked the real end of Reconstruction in Arkansas" (Berry).

This period of Reconstruction forced the recognition of former slaves by a beaten, murderously bitter, and previously white dominated society. The Brooks and Baxter War, a historically significant event in Arkansas history, should have been peacefully settled by the Arkansas government, but due to popular feelings and politics, transformed into an excuse for bloodshed. Visible remnants of the South's great loss and the North's intrudence were evident most poignantly in politics. While the North had withdrawn physically, their crushing presence still remained in the Southern government. The dispute between Brooks and Baxter was a product of the lingering hate and bitter excitement left from the Civil War in the scarred South.

Berry, Fred and Novak, John. The History of Arkansas. Little Rock: Rose, 1987.

Baxter, Elisha. Transcript of Dispatch from Gov. Baxter to the President. Arkansas Archives. May 1874.

Grant, Ulysses S. A Proclamation. Arkansas Archives. 15 May, 1874.

"The Question Virtually Settled!" Press Extra. Arkansas Archives. 1874.

Telegrams. Arkansas Archives. SMC Box II, XI, LXXI. Little Rock. 1874.

Thomas, David Y. Arkansas in War and Reconstruction. Little Rock: Arkansas Division, Daughters of the Confederacy, 1926.

-Home