View attachment 217917
Battle flag of the 16th Mississippi Infantry.
I've wanted to do a thread on the 16th Mississippi for the Regimental Histories forum for a while now, however I could not find a sufficient overview of their record online or elsewhere, so I decided to put together my own and have been working on the following. I know it is not perfect; I could not record every single camp and movement, but I have tried to present a general timeline of their service and give a short description of the regiment's actions in each battle and campaign.
Company A — Summit Rifles (Pike County)
Company B — Westville Guards (Simpson County)
Company C — Crystal Springs Southern Rights (Copiah County)
Company D — Adams Light Guard No. 2 (Adams County)
Company E — Quitman Guards (Pike County)
Company F — Jasper Grays (Jasper County)
Company G — Fairview Rifles, aka Claiborne Rangers (Claiborne County)
Company H — Defenders of Smith County
Company I — Adams Light Guard No. 1 (Adams County)
Company K — Wilkinson Rifles (Wilkinson County)
(For a list of officers see
Here)
The 16th Mississippi Infantry Regiment completed its organization on June 17, 1861, at Corinth, Miss. Carnot Posey, a Mississippi native, attorney and veteran of the Mexican War (serving as an officer in Jeff Davis' 1st Mississippi Rifles), was elected colonel. The ten companies that comprised the regiment mainly hailed from the southwestern corner of the state.
The Sixteenth departed for Virginia on July 26, arriving in Lynchburg five days later. They would spend the winter of 1861-62 in camp at Centreville, Va.
Shenandoah Valley Campaign — As part of Brig. Gen. Isaac R. Trimble's brigade, Ewell's division, in May 1862 the Sixteenth joined Stonewall Jackson in his famous Valley Campaign—the only Mississippi regiment to participate. The regiment was heavily engaged in the battle of Cross Keys, June 8, 1862, Trimble's brigade surprising and decimating Brig. Gen. Julius Stahel's brigade, particularly the largely German 8th New York. The 16th Mississippi suffered a loss of 6 killed and 27 wounded.
Seven Days Battles — Engaged in the battle of Gaines' Mill, June 27, 1862, the 16th Mississippi and 21st North Carolina made a charge across Boatswain's Creek that broke part of the Federal line and, in conjunction with other simultaneous breakthroughs along the line, led to Gen. Porter's retreat. Trimble reported that he had ordered the men
"to make a charge with the bayonet and not stop one moment to fire or reload . . . and that the quicker the charge was made, the less would be our loss." Trimble's brigade was present at Malvern Hill, July 1, and was under artillery fire but was not directly engaged. The Sixteenth lost 15 killed, 51 wounded and 19 missing during the Seven Days, mainly at Gaines' Mill.
After this campaign the regiment was transferred to Brig. Gen. Winfield S. Featherston's Mississippi brigade—consisting of the 12th, 16th, 19th Miss. Regts. and 2nd Miss. Btn. (later the 48th Miss. Regt.)—in Wilcox's division, Longstreet's wing.
Second Manassas — In a skirmish with Federal cavalry at Kelly's Ford, August 21, 1862. In the battle of Second Manassas the Sixteenth was engaged August 30 in tandem with Longstreet's attack on Pope's flank. The loss of the brigade was 26 killed and 142 wounded.
Maryland Campaign — Was at Harpers Ferry. Engaged at Antietam/Sharpsburg, September 17. Featherston's brigade (then commanded by Col. Carnot Posey) marched in support of D.H. Hill's line at the Sunken Road. Attempting a counterattack, the brigade charged over the heads of the troops in the road, fighting over open ground. That cost the 16th Mississippi dearly. Col. Bennett of the 14th NC wrote that the Mississippians
"flowed over and out of the road and many of them were killed in this overflow. The 16th Mississippi disappeared as if it had gone into the earth."
Capt. Abram M. Feltus, acting commander, reported that
"During this time, the losses in the regiment were heavy. A murderous fire of grape, canister, shell, and small arms played on us. Notwithstanding, this regiment gallantly held its position until ordered to retire, which it did in as good order as could be expected from its thinned ranks. When we retired as far as the road a scene of great confusion ensued from the mingling together of different brigades. We continued to fall back until we reached the [Piper] barn, where the remnant of the regiment was rallied in its position on the left of the brigade." The regiment made another advance into the Piper cornfield, eventually falling back and later repulsing a Federal advance in the Piper orchard.
According to Capt. Feltus, of the 228 men carried into action 144 of them were killed or wounded. In a letter to his father, Pvt. Jefferson J. Wilson of Co. C wrote, "
Our regiment suffered more than it ever did before. There was twenty-six killed, ninety-nine wounded, nineteen missing. We supposed that they are killed or wounded. . . . We were under the hottest fires that we ever was before. We went in with thirty-seven men [in our company] and twenty of them were killed and wounded."
And in a letter to his brother, Jefferson says of the battle,
"It was the hottest place I ever was in or ever want to be again soon. I have got my fill of fighting and am willing to let them alone if they will go home and let us alone. I thought the battle at Richmond was a bloody battle, but that was not a circumstance compared to the battle in Maryland. We had to fall back and leave our dead and wounded in the hands of the Yankees."
Fredericksburg — Camped at Fredericksburg through late 1862. Under artillery fire during the battle, December 13, while positioned on Marye's Heights but not directly engaged. The Sixteenth lost 3 killed and 17 wounded. Remained in camp at Fredericksburg throughout the winter. Occasional picket duty on the Rappahannock.
Gen. Featherston having been transferred to the Western Theater, Colonel Carnot Posey was promoted to brigadier general on January 18, 1863, in command of the brigade. Samuel E. Baker assumed command of the Sixteenth as colonel, with Abram M. Feltus promoted to lieutenant colonel and Edward C. Councill major.
Chancellorsville — Advanced up the Orange Plank Road on the first day, May 1. Skirmished throughout the day on May 2. Advanced on Hooker's line at Fairview Heights and the Chancellorsville Crossroads on May 3, charging and overrunning a line of works with abatis and capturing many prisoners. Lightly engaged on May 4. The regiment suffered a loss of 22 killed, 57 wounded and 25 captured.
Every member of the color guard was killed or wounded in the battle and the colors were also lost, but not to the enemy. Cpl. William J. Sweeny, last man to take up the flag, was wounded and sent to the rear with it. With him it vanished, though Col. Baker believed that a man who died at the field hospital might've been buried with it. (For more info, see Flags of the 16th Mississippi below)
Posey's brigade part of Richard H. Anderson's division, his division was transferred to the newly formed Third Corps in June 1863. Returned to camp near Fredericksburg until marching north in the later part of June.
Gettysburg — Arrived on the field July 1 but were not engaged. Posey's brigade was posted on Seminary Ridge on the morning of July 2, Company C of the Sixteenth being sent out as skirmishers. That afternoon the 19th and 48th Missississippi were sent forward, joining the skirmish line west of the Bliss farm. The rest of the 16th Mississippi was later advanced in support of Wright's Brigade's charge on Cemetery Ridge, but arriving too late, it did not advance past the Emmitsburg Road. Col. Baker ordered the regiment to lie down and sent companies A, F and H forward as skirmishers, holding their position until relieved by the 12th Mississippi that night. Skirmished throughout the day on July 3, five companies being deployed at skirmishers. Remaining on Seminary Ridge throughout July 4, Posey's brigade withdrew on the morning of July 5. (See
@Tom Elmore excellent thread on the
16th Mississippi at Gettysburg)
Camped in the vicinity of Orange C.H., Va., after the retreat.
Lightly engaged in the battle of Bristoe Station, October 14. Gen. Posey is wounded in the left thigh by a shell fragment. The wound becoming infected, he later died at Charlottesville, Va., November 13. Col. Baker assumed command of the brigade until senior officer, Col. Nathaniel H. Harris of the 19th Mississippi returned from sick leave in November. Promoted to brigadier general January 20, 1864, Harris commanded the Mississippi brigade until war's end.
Remained in camp near Orange C.H. through winter of 1863-64.