Confederate Regulars?

[2ndNHDOC]

Going through my copy of "Fox's Regimental Losses" I ran across a referance to seven regiments of Confederate Regular Infantry and six regiments of cavalry as well as one light artillery battery. This has sparked a curiosity in me. I have searched the forum and the net and have not really come across much if any information on them. I am looking for where they fought what they wore what they were armed with etc. They were engaged most likely since Fox credits them with over 1000 KIA out of the 13 regiments and one battery. I am more interested in infantry. If any of you could provide a good source or any info I would be most greatful.

Thanks in advance
Brian Schwatka

[markj]

Re: Confederate Regulars?

Try these on for size.

Weinert, Richard P. The Confederate regular army, 1861-1865. Unpublished dissertation, 1964, ii, 127 pps.

This is available on microform and you may be able to obtain it via interlibrary loan.

Also refer to what appears to be the book that arose from Weinert's dissertation:

Weinert, Richard P. The Confederate Regular Army. Shippensburg PA: White Mane Pub. Co., 1991, vi, 135p., illus., maps. ISBN: 0942597214 (alk. paper) : 0942597273 (lim. ed. : alk. paper).

Also refer to the attached Adobe pdf file of a 1962 military history journal article (also by Weinert, who seems to have been the recognized expert on this subject). WARNING: This file is 1.57 mb.

You might also want to check the bibliography listings at the U.S. Army Center of Military History. This is almost certainly one for the Confederate States Regular Army.

http://www.army.mil/cmh/

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: Confederate Regulars?

There were several CS regular units serving in the Army of Tennessee.

[marlin teat]

Re: Confederate Regulars?

The First Confederate [aka 1st Georgia (Confederate)] contained companies from Georgia, Mississippi, Florida, and Alabama. They were garrisoned at Fort Gaines but shortly after the Santa Rosa Island fight the regiment was divided into two btlns. One btln. stayed at Gaines and the other went north to the A.O.T. Eventually both btlns. were eventually raised to full regimental strength but, oddly enough, were not renamed. Therefore there were two company A's, to company B's, etc. The two btln.s were reunited before the Chickamauga campaign and served in Jackson and Henderson's brigade through the Atlanta and Franklin campaigns.

They drew their uniforms and arms through the brigade so there was no distinction.

My great-grandfather, Williamson Goodwin, was Captain of 2nd company F. This company contained a large number of men with previous military experience in the Mexican War and the average age at enlistment was 31.

[Michael Comer]

Re: Confederate Regulars?

My wife's g-g-grandfather was initially in the 18th Arkansas but then went into the 3rd Confederate Infantry. He was captured at the Hornet's nest at Shiloh, his unit being in Shaver's brigade.

I am curious as to how the recruiting was done for the Confederate regulars. Here is a man who went into a state unit but ends up as a regular early in the war. I would assume that the regulars must have sought recruits in state units to supplement those that might enlist directly into the standing army.

Does anyone know if this was the case and if there were incentives offered to join the regulars? I have wondered why he would have left a unit raised near his home and full of friends and companions to become a part of the regular Confederate army. Of course, some of those friends might have gone with him which could have influenced his decision.

[1stMaine]

Re: Confederate Regulars?

494-497

Comrades,

The "regulars" were actually the Provisional Army of the Confederacy. Of the Infantry, there were 9 Regiments numbered as such, plus a number of other foot organizations, including the "Confederate Zouaves", 2 "Foreign Battalions", and so forth.
In nearly every case, the unit was a State regiment, in some cases 2 or more consolidated (though from the same State), which had been designated as one of the Provisional Army units. Thus, for example, the 3rd Confederate Infantry was created from the former 18th Arkansas Regiment combined with the 1st Arkansas Battalion, the newly merged unit being referred to as the 1st Consolidated Arkansas Infantry Regiment. FWIW, this unit had a Hardee pattern flag, and is documented by Todd as having both Enfield rifle-muskets and British accouterments.
In other words, the "Confederate" designation was simply a name, and nothing more when given. It was expected that after the end of hostilities, these "Provisional" regiments would drop their state affiliations, and be retained as the core of the "Confederate Regular Army", in the same manner as the US Regulars.
Frederick Todd's "American Military Equipage 1851-1872" has a list of all the Provisional units, as well as the various Indian units raised, etc, on pp 494-497. This list identifies the original units by name which recieved the "Provisional" designations, and some brief info where applicable to each.
Respects,

[Silas]

Re: Confederate Regulars?

Links on some Confederate regular units. There are many things to be found when searching the A/C forum, but don't be afraid to conduct a search outside the forum. For example, the regimental histories hosted by Tarleton contain a treasure trove of information.

[Michael Comer]

Re: Confederate Regulars?

Good info and many thanks. I will look for some publications and further information on the subject.

[Possum Skinner]

Re: Confederate Regulars?

There are also some units that were named like regular Confederate regiments, but weren't actually regular or provisional troops. My ggg uncle was a member of the 8th Confederate Cavalry, under Wheeler, but they were never regulars. They were designated this because they were a mixture of Alabama and Mississippi companies.

[markj]

Re: Confederate Regulars?

Incidentally, I checked the Humanities Library catalog here at Purdue University and we do have the following title mentioned in my previous post:

Weinert, Richard P. The Confederate Regular Army. Shippensburg PA: White Mane Pub. Co., 1991, vi, 135p., illus., maps. ISBN: 0942597214 (alk. paper) : 0942597273 (lim. ed. : alk. paper).

If you want me to check on anything, let me know.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

[Michael Comer]

Re: Confederate Regulars?

I'll see if I can get an inter-library loan for that book on the regulars. In the meantime, does anyone know offhand how certain state units were chosen to be classified as Confederate Army units? It would seem that not everyone in a state unit would be overly enthusiastic about becoming the core of a standing army after serving through the war. They would be wanting to end their army lives and return to civilian life. There must have been some criteria I would think or perhaps certain soldiers in the chosen state unit(s)who wanted to be regulars after the war pledged or "enlisted" in the standing army . Much obliged for any info.

[1stMaine]

Re: Confederate Regulars?

There are also some units that were named like regular Confederate regiments, but weren't actually regular or provisional troops. My ggg uncle was a member of the 8th Confederate Cavalry, under Wheeler, but they were never regulars. They were designated this because they were a mixture of Alabama and Mississippi companies.

Comrade,
According to Todd, listed above, this unit was, in fact, part of the Provisional Army. It is listed as in service from 1862-1865, and known as Wade's Cavalry, 8th Confederate Cavalry, composed of Misssissippi and Alabama troops. It's likely that, as with some other units, the initial enlistment of these men was for 1 year. When a portion of them reenlisted, they were consolidated and became this new unit.
As I referred to in my earlier post, the Provisional Army and the "Confederate" designation was more of an administrative nomenclature. These units would have been retained after the war as the "Regular" army, when the volunteers disbanded and mustered out, and would have been the building blocks for further Confederate military expansion.
Respects,

[K Bartsch]

Re: Confederate Regulars?

FWIW, here's a list of significant regular CS infantry units organized directly by the CS government usually from pre-existing companies from the various states -- I've only included the ones that lasted more than a few weeks:

Confederate 1st Inf Bn -- 5 co's, reenlistees from 2d Alabama & 1st Confed. inf Regt (April '62), fought in the west until after Ft Pillow, moved east in time for the Wilderness, surr, @ Appomattox

Confederate 1st Foreign Inf Bn -- 3 co's, from foreign PW's in Richmond (Sep '64) 6 co's added at Salisbury NC (Dec '64) No battle honors listed.

Confederate 1st Inf Regt -- change of designation from 36th GA (Jan 62). Consolidated w/66th GA (Sep '64) fought in the west, first fight Chickamauga, last fight Bentonville.

Confederate 2d Inf Regt -- change of designation from 25th MS (Jan 62). Disbanded May 62. Companies "spread to the wind" assigned to: 1st MS Sharpshooters Bn, 55th AL Inf Regt, 2d SC Arty Regt, 1st MO Inf Regt , 9th AR Inf Regt. Fought at Shiloh during its four month existence.

Confederate 3rd Inf Regt -- change of designation from 18th AR Inf Regt (Jan '62) Consolidation w/5th Confed. Inf Regt ('63 & '64). Fought in teh west. First fight Shiloh, last fight Bentonville, and every major battle in between in the west east of the Mississippi.

Confederate 4th Inf Regt -- Organized at Ft Pillow TN from mix of co's from AL, TN and MS (Dec '61.) Surrendered at Island No. 10 (Apr '62), Exchanged at Vicksburg (Sep '62). Disbanded and co's to 42d TN Inf Regt, 54th AL Inf Regt ( Oct '62). Only fight: Island No. 10.

Confederate 5th Inf Regt -- Formed from consolidation of 2d and 21st TN Inf Regt's (Jul '62). Later, consolidated w/3rd CS Inf Regt ('63 & '64).
Fought in the west. First fight, Perryville, last fight the Carolinas Campaign, and everything in between

Confederate 8th Inf Bn -- From 6 co's of foreign-born PW's at Salisbury NC (Feg '65) Only fight: Salisbury (April '65)

Confederate 5th Co, AKA CS Retributors Inf Co. -- Org in Canada, mostly from escaped PW's for "special service" (Jun '64.) Arrested in Canada (Oct '64). Only fight: St Albans (Oct '64)

Confederate Brooks Inf. Bn -- Org from 6 co's of PW's (late '64) Accepted for CS service (Nov '64) Disbanded and returned to prison for conspiring to desert. One fight: Savannah Campaign (Nov-Dec '64)

Confederate Tucker's Inf Regt -- Consolidated from co's of foreign -born PW's from camps in Richmond, Slisbury, Florence (SC) and the 1st Foreign Inf Bn (Feb '65) Served as pioneers and engaged during Carolinas Campaign.

Additionally, there were 5 engineer units, organized late-war. A little over a dozen cavalry outfits, again, mostly in the west (AoT) and generally mid to late war. Finally,

Confederate 1st Arty Btty -- Org for 5 years in CS Regular Army from Infantry School of Practice, New Orleans Barracks (Oct '61.) First fight New Orleans (Apr '62) , last fight Red River campaign (Mar - May '64).

Confederate White's Horse Arty Btty -- Org Jul '62. First fight Murfreesboro, last fight Carolinas campaign, and everything in between in the AoT AOR.

(Source: "Compendium of the Confederate Armies," Stewart Sifakis, Facts on File, NY, NY. 1995)

Cordially,

[Possum Skinner]

Re: Confederate Regulars?

Tim,

I was refering to research that I had done about the regiment. Here is an excerpt from the only real transcription of this unit at the ADAH in Montgomery.

The end that fair record may be made and preserved commemorative of sacrifices made, trials, hardships and sufferings endured, perils, wounds and death encountered by flood, field and in prison-pen, of the six Alabama and four Mississippi volunteer companies, composing what the Confederate Government pleased to designate by the misleading, if not meaningless, title of 8th Confederate Cavalry Regiment, the following monograph has been prepared for Alabama's Department of Archives and History. An outline history of this splendid regiment of "light horse" has already been written and deposited with the Department by my gifted friend, Col. John Witherspoon DuBose, not being a member of this particular Regiment, has, I fear, been over partial to the writer and exalted him above his deserts in telling the story of 1000 men, many hundreds of whom were fully deserving of equal if not greater honor. I have therefore written to commemorate the deeds of my comrades and companions in arms, and to bring out more fully some facts in reference to the organization and to bear testimony not only to my Alabama comrades, but to the equally heroic Mississippians who were so intimately associated with them; the more so since I learn that virtually no record of their deeds has been preserved in the Archives of Mississippi.

The "Second Mississippi and Alabama" had its title soon after changed by the War Office to 8th Confederate"; a cumbersome title, altered to a dubious one, since there was no regiment of regulars in the cavalry arm of the Confederate service.

The companies comprising the Regiment at the time of its organization were:
· Co. "A" (Talladega) -- A. W. Bowie, Captain (resigned, 30 May 62)
· Co. "B" (Chambers) -- Rev. Jefferson Falkner, Captain.
· Co. "C" (Lowndes County; MS) -- George Abert, Captain.
· Co. "D" (Pickens) -- B. B. McCaa, Captain.
· Co. "E" (Lowndes County, MS) -- Thomas W. Golden, Captain.
· Co. "F" (Chickasaw County, MS) -- I. W. Fields, Captain.
· Co. "G" (Lowndes County, MS) -- Felix W. Flood, Captain.
· Co. "H" (Randolph) -- John Thompson, Captain.
· Co. "I" (Tallapoosa) -- John T. Wright, Captain.
· Co. "K" (Chambers) -- Francis Pickard, Captain.

Here is also a link I found to a full transcription of the above on Ken Jones' pages at Tarelton http://www.tarleton.edu/~kjones/8csahist.html

Reason for edit:Added link to post

[Plug Hat]

Re: Confederate Regulars?

Michael's question on recruiting...I read once the Confederacy (as the norm) filled existing units to the max extent rather than raising entirely new regiments like the North did; beacause the Northern states were assigned "quotas" to fill. Can anybody confirm/deny or comment? To me, this was a far better policy as the fact that new men being put in the company of Veterans quickly assimilated and became combat ready much faster than those trying to teach themselves? The con would be the new men would have to "prove themselves" prior to be accepted or even spoken too. This basic question on how to properly organize, train, and equip has been an interest of mine for years. Look forward to the comments, thanks!