- Joined
- Feb 3, 2018
- Location
- SWVA
The 44th Mississippi Infantry was organized from the 1st (Blythe's) Mississippi Infantry Battalion, which was formed late in 1861. It was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel A.K. Blythe, who became Colonel of the regiment after it was expanded from the battalion by early 1862. It was known as Blythe's Mississippi Regiment until June 1863, when it received its number.
The regiment fought at the Battle of Shiloh with Bushrod Johnson's Brigade. On April 6 the regiment suffered heavy casualties, which included Blythe (killed while leading a charge), Lieutenant Colonel David L. Herron, and Captain R.H. Humphreys. Major James Moore took command of the regiment, which fought on April 7 with only 200 men left. Preston Smith, who took command of the brigade after Johnson was wounded, found that the men of the regiment "were of such quality that they were entrusted alone with the support of a battery after the other regiments had fallen back for ammunition. Smith gave honorable mention to Lieutenant Brownrigg, Captains Sharpe and Nesbit, and the other company officers whose conduct came under his observation. With Marcus J. Wright's Tennessee Regiment and Joe Wheeler's Alabamians they reinforced Chalmers in time to take part in the last desperate charge against overwhelming odds."
On April 26 at Corinth, the regiment transferred to Trapier's Brigade. After Bragg reorganized the army, it became part of Chalmer's Brigade, serving with it in the Kentucky campaign. After the capture of the L&N railroad at Cave City, the regiment fought in the Battle of Munfordville, disastrously attacking through abatis alongside the 10th Mississippi. Moore (who had become the Lieutenant Colonel) was mortally wounded, and Major J.C. Thompson took command. The regiment lost 4 killed and 38 wounded at Munfordville.
Blythe's Regiment fought at Perryville, where Company K lost a man killed on October 8. It moved to Danville and Harrodsburg, skirmished at Lawrenceburg during the retreat of Bragg, crossed the Cumberland Gap, reached Knoxville on October 31, and advanced from Chattanooga to Murfreesboro in November. At Murfreesboro Chalmers' Brigade was on the right of Polk's Corps with its right on Stone's River opposite from Palmer's Division; they were under artillery fire from the Union lines for two days. At 11:00 on December 31 the regiment fought in the charge of the brigade, but Chalmers was knocked unconscious by an exploding shell and the charge dissolved. The regiments of his brigade were briefly separated, but rallied, fighting at the Round Forest for the rest of the battle. Blythe's Regiment lost four killed, 31 wounded, and 17 missing at Murfreesboro.
The regiment retreated to Shelbyville and Tullahoma in January 1863, and in July "crossed the Tennessee, marched over Lookout Mountain, and went into camp near Chattanooga". From July 13 to August 23 the 44th was tasked with picket duty at Bridgeport, Alabama, being withdrawn when Rosecrans advanced. The 44th fought at Chickamauga with Sharp's Brigade of Hindman's Division, losing 81 killed and wounded out of 272. Among the casualties was Major John C. Thompson.
After the end of the battle the regiment marched to the Red House ford, but were recalled to besiege Chattanooga. On November 25 it fought at Missionary Ridge, then retreated to Dalton, where it went into winter quarters. Colonel James Barr commanded the combined 10th and 44th Regiments in January 1864. The 10th and 44th fought at Rocky Face Ridge on May 8, and were on the field but not actively engaged at Reseca, though they "sustained considerable loss" to Union shellfire. Lieutenant Colonel R.G. Kelsey took command of the regiments after Reseca.
The 44th fought under Hood at New Hope Church and Kennesaw Mountain, suffering heavy casualties at Peachtree Creek and Atlanta. At Ezra Church they charged into the crossfire of the 55th and 116th Illinois, "losing within two of half of its entire number". The regiment retreated and entrenched a line of battle along the hills, fighting at Jonesboro on August 31. Sharp's Brigade distinguished itself at the Battle of Franklin, where the commander of the 10th and 44th, Lieutenant Colonel Sims, was wounded. The regiment lost two men killed and 13 wounded at Franklin. The 44th fought at Nashville, losing its battle flag at the Battle of Brentwood Hills. (flag information)
After recrossing the Tennessee, the regiment and its brigade were furloughed until February 12, 1865. Ordered to move to the Carolinas, they assembled at Meridian on February 14, starting east four days later. The brigade was halted at Montgomery due to the Mobile campaign, but moved to Augusta and then North Carolina beginning March 4. On April 3 the brigade numbered only 420 men. When the army was reorganized near Smithfield on March 31, the 10th, 44th, and the 9th Battalion were consolidated under the command of Major W.C. Richards. On April 9 the brigade was consolidated at the 9th Regiment.
Sources:
Military History of Mississippi, 1803-1898
Units of the Confederate States Army by Joseph H. Crute
Slaughter at the Chapel by Gary Ecelbarger
- Company A -- Tombigbee Rangers (raised in Lowndes County, MS)
- Company B -- Mississippi Swampers (raised in Coahoma County, MS)
- Company C -- Calhoun Avengers (raised in Calhoun County, MS)
- Company D -- Capt. Dockery’s Company & Blythe Rifles (raised in Yalobusha County, MS); also, DeSoto Beauregards (raised in DeSoto County, MS)
- Company E -- Blythe Rifles (raised in Yalobusha County, MS)
- Company F -- Palo Alto Confederates (raised in Chickasaw County, MS)
- Company G -- Autauga Guards (raised in Alabama)
- Company H -- Pettus Rangers (raised in Marshall County, MS)
- Company I -- Sawyer’s Independent Company (raised in Alabama)
- Company K -- Amite Mississippi Rangers, aka Amite Rangers (raised in Amite County, MS)
- Company L -- Tom Weldon Rebels, aka Polk’s Body Guard (raised in Adams County, MS)
The regiment fought at the Battle of Shiloh with Bushrod Johnson's Brigade. On April 6 the regiment suffered heavy casualties, which included Blythe (killed while leading a charge), Lieutenant Colonel David L. Herron, and Captain R.H. Humphreys. Major James Moore took command of the regiment, which fought on April 7 with only 200 men left. Preston Smith, who took command of the brigade after Johnson was wounded, found that the men of the regiment "were of such quality that they were entrusted alone with the support of a battery after the other regiments had fallen back for ammunition. Smith gave honorable mention to Lieutenant Brownrigg, Captains Sharpe and Nesbit, and the other company officers whose conduct came under his observation. With Marcus J. Wright's Tennessee Regiment and Joe Wheeler's Alabamians they reinforced Chalmers in time to take part in the last desperate charge against overwhelming odds."
On April 26 at Corinth, the regiment transferred to Trapier's Brigade. After Bragg reorganized the army, it became part of Chalmer's Brigade, serving with it in the Kentucky campaign. After the capture of the L&N railroad at Cave City, the regiment fought in the Battle of Munfordville, disastrously attacking through abatis alongside the 10th Mississippi. Moore (who had become the Lieutenant Colonel) was mortally wounded, and Major J.C. Thompson took command. The regiment lost 4 killed and 38 wounded at Munfordville.
Blythe's Regiment fought at Perryville, where Company K lost a man killed on October 8. It moved to Danville and Harrodsburg, skirmished at Lawrenceburg during the retreat of Bragg, crossed the Cumberland Gap, reached Knoxville on October 31, and advanced from Chattanooga to Murfreesboro in November. At Murfreesboro Chalmers' Brigade was on the right of Polk's Corps with its right on Stone's River opposite from Palmer's Division; they were under artillery fire from the Union lines for two days. At 11:00 on December 31 the regiment fought in the charge of the brigade, but Chalmers was knocked unconscious by an exploding shell and the charge dissolved. The regiments of his brigade were briefly separated, but rallied, fighting at the Round Forest for the rest of the battle. Blythe's Regiment lost four killed, 31 wounded, and 17 missing at Murfreesboro.
The regiment retreated to Shelbyville and Tullahoma in January 1863, and in July "crossed the Tennessee, marched over Lookout Mountain, and went into camp near Chattanooga". From July 13 to August 23 the 44th was tasked with picket duty at Bridgeport, Alabama, being withdrawn when Rosecrans advanced. The 44th fought at Chickamauga with Sharp's Brigade of Hindman's Division, losing 81 killed and wounded out of 272. Among the casualties was Major John C. Thompson.
After the end of the battle the regiment marched to the Red House ford, but were recalled to besiege Chattanooga. On November 25 it fought at Missionary Ridge, then retreated to Dalton, where it went into winter quarters. Colonel James Barr commanded the combined 10th and 44th Regiments in January 1864. The 10th and 44th fought at Rocky Face Ridge on May 8, and were on the field but not actively engaged at Reseca, though they "sustained considerable loss" to Union shellfire. Lieutenant Colonel R.G. Kelsey took command of the regiments after Reseca.
The 44th fought under Hood at New Hope Church and Kennesaw Mountain, suffering heavy casualties at Peachtree Creek and Atlanta. At Ezra Church they charged into the crossfire of the 55th and 116th Illinois, "losing within two of half of its entire number". The regiment retreated and entrenched a line of battle along the hills, fighting at Jonesboro on August 31. Sharp's Brigade distinguished itself at the Battle of Franklin, where the commander of the 10th and 44th, Lieutenant Colonel Sims, was wounded. The regiment lost two men killed and 13 wounded at Franklin. The 44th fought at Nashville, losing its battle flag at the Battle of Brentwood Hills. (flag information)
After recrossing the Tennessee, the regiment and its brigade were furloughed until February 12, 1865. Ordered to move to the Carolinas, they assembled at Meridian on February 14, starting east four days later. The brigade was halted at Montgomery due to the Mobile campaign, but moved to Augusta and then North Carolina beginning March 4. On April 3 the brigade numbered only 420 men. When the army was reorganized near Smithfield on March 31, the 10th, 44th, and the 9th Battalion were consolidated under the command of Major W.C. Richards. On April 9 the brigade was consolidated at the 9th Regiment.
Sources:
Military History of Mississippi, 1803-1898
Units of the Confederate States Army by Joseph H. Crute
Slaughter at the Chapel by Gary Ecelbarger
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