15th Mississippi Infantry Regiment

15th Mississippi Infantry Regiment 1861-1865 Confederate States of America Mississippi 1861 CSA Infantry Regiment American Civil War Battle of Camp Wildcat Battle of Mill Springs Battle of Shiloh Second Battle of Corinth Jackson Expedition Atlanta campaign Battle of Franklin Carolinas campaign Battles Edward C. Walthall The 15th Mississippi Infantry Regiment was a unit of the Confederate States Army from Mississippi. Composed of volunteer companies from North Mississippi, the 15th Regiment fought in many battles of the Western theater of the American Civil War before surrendering in April, 1865, in North Carolina. History thumb|Private Henry Augustus Moore of Co. F, 15th Mississippi Infantry Regiment, with artillery short sword and sign reading "Jeff. Davis and the South!" The companies of the 15th Mississippi assembled at Corinth in the spring of 1861, and were mustered into Confederate service in early June.Rowland Dunbar. 1908 The Official and Statistical Register of the State of Mississippi, Volume 2 https://books.google.com/books?id=BCYLAAAAMAAJ Mississippi Department of Archives and History 614–620 The regiment was sent to Kentucky and joined the forces of General Felix Zollicoffer, fighting in the Battle of Camp Wildcat in October. The 15th fought in the Battle of Mill Springs in January, 1862, where General Zollicoffer was killed and the Regiment suffered heavy casualties, with 44 killed and 153 wounded. Following the battle, General George B. Crittenden reported: "The reputation of the Mississippians for heroism was fully sustained by this regiment. Its loss in killed and wounded, which was far greater than that of any other regiment, tells sufficiently the story of discipline and courage."United States War Department 1895 The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Vol. 7 Serial 7 Washington DC Government Printing Office 109 https://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/007/0109 21 July 2024 Following Zollicoffer's death, Col. Walter S. Statham of the 15th was assigned command of Zollicoffer's brigade. The Regiment fought at Shiloh as part of General John C. Breckinridge's reserve corps, and then was reorganized in May, 1862. The men re-enlisted for 2 years, command of the regiment passed to Michael Farrell, and Lt. Col. Edward C. Walthall left the 15th to organize the 29th Mississippi Infantry. Statham's brigade, including the 15th, was posted to Vicksburg, Mississippi to guard the city against advances by Federal gunboats. During the Battle of Baton Rouge, the 15th was held in reserve, but did not take part in the fighting.United States War Department 1895 The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Vol. 15 Serial 21 Washington DC Government Printing Office 81 https://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/021/0081 21 July 2024 In October 1862, the 15th fought in Brig. Gen. John S. Bowen's brigade at the Second Battle of Corinth. During the later stages of the Vicksburg Campaign, the 15th joined General Joseph E. Johnston's army, fighting at Jackson against Union General William T. Sherman's troops. In 1864, the 15th Mississippi was sent to Georgia to take part in the Atlanta campaign, fighting at various points along the city's defensive lines, including the Battle of Resaca and Battle of New Hope Church. During the subsequent Franklin-Nashville Campaign, the regiment fought at the Battle of Franklin on November 30. The regiment's flag was lost at Franklin, with 4 flag-bearers shot down during the battle.United States War Department 1895 The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Vol. 45 Serial 91 Washington DC Government Printing Office 714 https://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/093/0714 21 July 2024 Col. Michael Farrell, commander of the 15th Regiment, was mortally wounded at Franklin, and command passed to James Binford. Having suffered heavy losses in Tennessee, the regiment retreated to Mississippi. In the spring of 1865, the regiment was sent to take part in the Carolinas campaign, fighting at the Battle of Kinston and the Battle of Bentonville. During the final days of the war, the 15th was consolidated with the 6th, 20th, and 23rd Mississippi regiments into a combined unit designated as the 15th. This unit surrendered on April 26 at Durham, North Carolina. Commanders Commanders of the 15th Mississippi Infantry: Col. Walter S. Statham Col. Michael Farrell, killed at Franklin, 1864. Lt. Col. J.W. Hemphill Lt. Col. Edward C. Walthall, later a US Senator from Mississippi (1895–1894, 1895–1898) Lt. Col. James Binford Organization Companies of the 15th Mississippi Infantry: Company A, "Long Creek Rifles" of Attala County. Company B, "Winona Stars" of Carroll County. Company C, "Quitman Rifles" of Holmes County. Company D, "Wigfall Rifles" of Choctaw County. Company E, "McClung Rifles" of Carroll County. Company F, "Water Valley Rifle Guards" of Yalobusha County. Company G, "Grenada Rifles" of Yalobusha County. Company H, "Yalobusha Rifles" of Yalobusha County. Company I, "Choctaw Guards" of Choctaw County. Company K, "Oktibbeha Plough Boys" of Oktibbeha County (disbanded due to high rates of illness, 1861). Company K, "Choctaw Greys" of Choctaw County. See also List of Mississippi Civil War Confederate units References American Civil War Mississippi Category:Military units and formations established in 1861 Category:1861 establishments in Mississippi Category:Units and formations of the Confederate States Army from Mississippi Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1865 Category:1865 disestablishments in the United States