2nd and 6th Missouri Infantry Regiment (Consolidated)
| 2nd and 6th Missouri Infantry Regiment (Consolidated) | |
|---|---|
| Active | October 6, 1863 to April 9, 1865 |
| Allegiance |  Confederate States of America |
| Branch |  Confederate States Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | 560 (May 1864) |
| Engagements | American Civil War
|
The 2nd and 6th Missouri Infantry Regiment (Consolidated) was an
Battle of Fort Blakely; the survivors of the regiment were paroled at Jackson, Mississippi
in May after the Army of Tennessee surrendered.
Organization
The
As of the consolidation date, the regiment contained ten companies. Companies A, E–G, and I contained men from the 2nd Missouri Infantry and Companies B–D, H, and K contained men from the 6th Missouri Infantry.[2]Service history
Atlanta campaign and Allatoona
After the consolidation, the regiment was stationed at
William T. Sherman. Later, the unit was sent back to Alabama, where it remained until the start of the Atlanta campaign in May. At the beginning of the Atlanta campaign, the regiment mustered 560 men, making it the largest unit in its brigade.[3]
On June 18, the First Missouri Brigade was engaged in a small action in the vicinity of the Lattimer House. After this action, the brigade then fell back to
flank of the line. The right flank of the skirmish line was later ordered to fall back, suffering heavy losses in the retreat. Union troops then charged Cockrell's main line, but were replused.[6] Flournoy is reported to have fought with the Confederate skirmish line.[7] Despite having won the battle, Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston ordered a retreat from Kennesaw Mountain.[3] On July 3 and 4, the 2nd and 6th Missouri Infantry saw light action near Smyrna, Georgia; several men of the regiment were killed in the actions.[8] The First Missouri Brigade was present at the Battle of Peachtree Creek on July 20. While Major General Samuel Gibbs French, commanding the division the 2nd and 6th Missouri Infantry was in, reported that only skirmishers of his division were engaged, a lieutenant in the 3rd and 5th Missouri Infantry Regiment (Consolidated) wrote that the First Missouri Brigade was subject to "hot and heavy" fire for five hours during the battle.[9]
After Peachtree Creek, the regiment fell back to
enfilade fire from Union artillery. While stationed at Lovejoy's Station, some of the men of the 2nd and 6th Missouri Infantry were engaged in a small action on September 6.[14] Over the course of the entire Atlanta campaign, the regiment reported 196 casualties.[15]
In October, General John Bell Hood, commander of the Army of Tennessee, sent French's division against a Union outpost at Allatoona, Georgia.[15] At the Battle of Allatoona on October 5, the 2nd and 6th Missouri Infantry was aligned on the left of the First Missouri Brigade.[16] The Confederate charge hit the Union line hard, but the main Union position was not taken.[17]. The First Missouri Brigade charged the Union works at least four times. Eventually, Union reinforcements threatened to cut French's line of retreat, and the Confederates fell back from the field.[18] The 2nd and 6th Missouri Infantry lost 91 men at Allatoona.[15]
Franklin and Fort Blakely
After Allatoona, the regiment moved into
Battle of Franklin on November 30.[15] The 2nd and 6th Missouri Infantry was on the left of the brigade's line during the charge.[19] Once the charge hit the Union line, a portion of the brigade was crowded behind Major General John C. Brown's division as the Confederate attacked a farm owned by the Carter family.[20] Some of the Union troops had been placed forward of the main Union line, and these troops were driven back. However, once the Confederates got close to the main Union line, heavy fire met the attackers. Company G of the regiment saw 21 of its 30 members killed or wounded. The regiment's flag was captured during the fight.[21] Cockrell was taken out of the fight with multiple wounds.[22] Franklin cost the 2nd and 6th Missouri Infantry 164 men, which was over 60 percent of the unit's strength.[15] Eight company commanders were among the Franklin casualties.[2]
After Franklin, the regiment advanced to the
Ship Island, Mississippi for some time before being transferred to Jackson, Mississippi, where the men were paroled in May.[24] The rest of the Army of Tennessee had surrendered on April 26.[26]
Notes
See also
References
- ^ McGhee 2008, pp. 189–190.
- ^ a b McGhee 2008, p. 189.
- ^ a b c McGhee 2008, p. 190.
- ^ Gottschalk 1991, pp. 357–359.
- ^ Luvaas & Nelson 2008, p. 267.
- ^ Luvaas & Nelson 2008, pp. 278–279.
- ^ Gottschalk 1991, p. 368.
- ^ Gottschalk 1991, pp. 372–373.
- ^ Gottschalk 1991, p. 382.
- ^ Gottschalk 1991, p. 385.
- ^ Gottschalk 1991, p. 386.
- ^ Gottschalk 1991, p. 399.
- ^ McGhee 2008, pp. 190–191.
- ^ Gottschalk 1991, pp. 400–401.
- ^ a b c d e McGhee 2008, p. 191.
- ^ Gottschalk 1991, pp. 416, 419.
- ^ Gottschalk 1991, pp. 420–424.
- ^ Gottschalk 1991, pp. 424–426.
- ^ Gottschalk 1991, p. 463.
- ^ Sword 1992, p. 207.
- ^ Gottschalk 1991, p. 468.
- ^ Gottschalk 1991, pp. 469–470.
- ^ McGhee 2008, pp. 191–192.
- ^ a b McGhee 2008, p. 192.
- ^ Gottschalk 1991, pp. 520–522.
- ^ Photographic History 1989, p. 262.
Sources
- Gottschalk, Phil (1991). In Deadly Earnest: The Missouri Brigade. Columbia, Missouri: Missouri River Press. ISBN 0-9631136-1-5.
- Luvaas, Jay; Nelson, Harold W. (2008). Guide to the Atlanta Campaign: Rocky Face Ridge to Kennesaw Mountain. Lawrence, Kansas: University Press of Kansas. ISBN 978-0-7006-1570-4.
- McGhee, James E. (2008). Guide to Missouri Confederate Regiments, 1861–1865. Fayetteville, Arkansas: University of Arkansas Press. ISBN 978-1-55728-870-7.
- Sword, Wiley (1992). Embrace an Angry Wind. New York City: Harper Collins. ISBN 0-06-016301-1.
- The Photographic History of the American Civil War. New York, New York: The Fairfax Press. 1989. ISBN 0-517-69266-X.