HISTORY OF THE 42ND MISSISSIPPI INFANTRY 

Company A -- Carroll Fencibles (raised in Carroll County, MS)

Company B -- Senatobia Invincibles, aka the Invincibles (raised in Panola County, MS) 

Company C -- Nelm's Avengers, aka Nelson's Avengers (raised in Yalobusha County, (MS)

Company D -- Capt. Locke's Company (raised in Marshall County, MS)(Now Tate County) 

Company E -- Davenport Rifles (raised in Tishomingo County, MS) 

Company F -- Capt. Clark's Company (raised in Calhoun County, MS) 

Company G -- Gaston Rifles (raised in Calhoun County, MS) 

Company H -- Capt. Powell's Company (raised in Yalobusha County, MS) 

Company I -- Mississippi Reds (raised in Panola County, MS) 

Company K -- Capt. Mears' Company (raised in Itawamba County, MS) 

The regiment was organized at Oxford, May 14, 1862. By order of General Beauregard, commanding at Corinth, from the northwestern and north-central counties of Mississippi a year after the 2nd and 11th Mississippi, they moved to Grenada June 12, and there received orders to proceed to Richmond under Col. Hugh R. Miller of Pontotoc Miss. (originally a South Carolina Wig, Miller had been a prominent attorney, judge and state legislator and former captain of the Pontotoc Minute Men before winning the colonelcy of the 42nd).  July 25 General Lee wrote to the President that it was his intention, as soon as the Forty-second Regiment, lately arrived in Richmond, could be withdrawn from the city, to assign it to Whiting's Mississippi Brigade. 

HEADQUARTERS, July 25, 1862. 

His Excellency JEFFERSON DAVIS,

President of the Confederate States: 

SIR: In reply to the letter of Col. P. F. Liddell, Eleventh Mississippi Regiment, applying for a transfer of his regiment and the Second Mississippi, Colonel Stone, to one of the Mississippi brigades in Virginia, which you have referred to me for my remarks, I have the honor to state that I consider the brigade to which they are now attached a Mississippi brigade. Two of the four regiments, which compose it, are from Mississippi, and a Mississippian commands it. It is my intention, as soon as the Forty-second Mississippi Regiment, lately arrived in Richmond, Colonel Miller, can be withdrawn from the city, to assign it to that brigade, and to attach the Sixth North Carolina, now with it, to Colonel Walker's brigade. I should like to obtain a fourth Mississippi regiment to replace the Fourth Alabama; it would then be entirely composed of Mississippi regiments. If the Eleventh and Second are now withdrawn from it will break up a veteran brigade, distinguished for good service from the beginning of the war in Virginia, and will leave General Whiting, an officer from Mississippi, without a brigade. 

I have the honor to be, your obedient servant, 

R. E. LEE, 

General. 

The regiment, over 1,000 strong, arrived at Richmond July 3, and was in camp of instruction near the city until November 15, 1862 under Col. Hugh R. Miller when as part of General Joseph R. Davis's brigade, Major Feehey, and four companies, were sent to Fredericksburg, where they were on duty guarding the river fords for three days and nights alone, except for one battery and a small body of artillery, against the advance of Burnsides' Army, which crossed and made a desperate attempt to carry the heights after Lee had come up and occupied them in December.  They were repulsed with staggering losses November 22 they returned to Richmond. The regiment meanwhile had been assigned to the new Mississippi Brigade formed under the command of General Joseph R. Davis. (These were perhaps the greenest brigade in the Army of Northern Virginia, consisting of the 2, 11th and 42nd Mississippi along with the 55 North Carolina.) (They had yet to experience hostile fire.)

December 13 they were ordered to Goldsboro, N. C. (According to a sergeant in Stone's regiment: "This section of the country seems to abound in very bad women if all reports are true" While one might whish to question the accuracy of this rumor, several cases of syphilis were recorded in medical entries on the brigade rolls. Also from the Capt. Robert W. Locke's Diary of Company D diary entry in January 1863 "a woman and sister visited us, after parade, until after dark... nice ladies and such should be appreciated [for] I'm told by Lt's Hauze & Ward that Goldsboro is a bad place for lewd women of the basest sort, they have met them when on patrol duty.) From in which region they did some campaigning.  In late February, Davis's command was ordered form North Carolina to the vicinity of Suffolk and the Blackwater River in southeastern Virginia. The camp of the 42nd was close to Ivor Station. During this time no significant actions occurred, but the picket duty was heavy and the men were constantly building defensive works.  Early in the spring to southeast Virginia, where they took part in the siege of Suffolk by General Longstreet, an affair of skirmishers and heavy artillery mainly. 

June 2, 1863, the regiment was ordered to Richmond, and within a week they were at Fredericksburg, where the brigade was assigned to Heth's Division of A. P. Hill's Corps. 

From the Journal of Sergeant Varain of the 2nd Mississippi under Davis comes the following information about thetrip to Gettysburg. This is included to give us an idea of conditions along the way: 

June 16- took up line of March day clear & warm. Crossed the Rapidan on a footbridge. Made 13 miles andcamped at 1 p.m. Drew 3 days cooked rations. 

June 17 - Continued our march. Made 14 miles passing trough Culpepper (2miles) and camped about 1 p.m. A dayclear and warm. 

June 18 - Marched at sunrise taking the road to Winchester & crossing the Hazel Run & a branch of the Rappahannock. After crossing 6the first stream we had to go up a quite steep & rough hill the sun being very hot caused many men to give out and stop at the first shade-all mush to blame of the commanding officer who should have rested the men. 

June 20 - 6a.m. Marched through Front Royal. Waded the north branch hip deep and warm. It was laughable to see so many men crossing the river all in high spirits. The day was cloudy misty and drizzling rain & fog on the mountain. We crossed the river at 2 p.m. while at the rest a heavy rain came up and we all got as wet as if we had been dipped in the river. Went on 2 miles and bivouacked on a hill on the left of the road 15 miles from Winchester.  Made 12 miles today. 

June 21 - Sunday 4 a.m. marched to 9 miles of Winchester & the Pike road on our right 32 miles to Berry's Ferry & went as far as White Post & there we took the left road toward Berryville 5 miles and bivouacked. Made 12 miles today. 

June 22 - Clear & pleasant. Our scouts returned from Fredericksburg region with 4 Virginians helping to 19prisoners & report the Yankees have all left that part of the country and Aqua Creek after destroying all their armystores. Remained in camp all day. 

June 23 - Tuesday Cloudy & Pleasant. At 11 a.m. took up line of March toward Berryville & bivouacked in the same wood we did on our way to Harpers Ferry to Winchester in 1861. We cooked 1 days rations on sticks. 

June 24 - Wed. Marched at 6 a.m. to Charlestown. People seemed glad to see us. Took road to Shepherdstown [West Virginia] we can plainly see several Yankee camps on the Maryland Heights. Reported to be 10,000 strong. Camped 2 miles from Shepherdstown. 

June 25 - Thurs. clear & warm, 5 a.m. marched 3 miles and waded the Potomac River hip deep. Most men took off all their clothing carrying them in their arms and accouterments on their shoulders and heads. A lively scene. Current swift and the bottom rocky, which mad it hard on the feet. We crossed it 1 mile below Shepherdstown. We marched through Sharpsburg & the old Battlefield. This part of the country is like the Shenandoah Valley but the people especially the women I saw are very ugly. We moved on to Hagerstown 11 mi making 17 miles today. We went to town to get books but the stores were all closed. 

June 26 - Friday. Rain marched at 9 a.m. toward Waynesboro Pa. Made 12 miles and stopped to bivouac 2 miles from W'boro. Rain all day. Country fine, houses & barns good. The crops look well. The people refuse to sell anything to the soldiers but gave them milk, bread, butter & C&C. They show little fear of being damaged by our troops. The country is very hilly the roads all turnpikes. 

June 27 - Saturday 5 a.m. Marched to Frankstown 7 miles to Fayetteville 5 miles & 1 mile bivouac making 16 miles today. The people refuse Confederate money. Camp is in the Mountains on the road to Baltimore. The people seem quite friendly and come out to see us. 

June 28 - Sunday Cloudy & rain. Remained in camp all day our commissaries & Quartermasters are gatheringhorses, beef cattle from the people in great numbers. Some of our men forage after chickens eggs, butter, vegetables,apple butter, honey & C in a few cases doubtley get what they should not but at worst nothing to compare with thebrutality the enemy used in our part of the country. It's bad policy & contrary to orders for our men to disturb privatecitizens in any manner & any citizen is to be furnished with a guard if desired besides foraging is very demoralizing tosoldiers.

 June 29 - Monday 11 ½ marched on the Baltimore road 8 miles and camped on a mountain overlooking a beautiful valley. From camp we can see Gettysburg and several villages. Cash town is on the Pike at the foot of the mountain. Quarter & Commissary Masters are still getting in stores of horses & C sending them to the rear. 

June 30 - Tuesday. Rain all day. Remained in camp all day. 6 p.m. the Regiments went 5 miles south on picket. Itrained all night. The night was very dark. 

July 1, 1863, with the main body of Lee's Army beyond South Mountain, Heth's Division, under command of General Davis, was ordered to Gettysburg, where the presence of Federal troops was reported. The brigades of Davis and Orcher were sent in advance, and within a mile of Gettysburg encountered the enemy in strength, also advancing. A line of battle was formed, with the Forty-second on the right. The fight was for possession of the hills west of Gettysburg, which General Lee occupied on the second and third. Davis' Brigade met with desperate resistance and the loss was very heavy. Of the nine field officers present, only two escaped unhurt.

Lieutenant-Colonel Moseley and Major Feeney were severely wounded. The Forty-second took 150 prisoners. 

In the battle of the third, the brigade took part in the famous charge up the slope of Cemetery hill, on the left of Pickett's division. The whole division, under Pettigrew, moved steadily on, closing up the ranks as they were thinned by the storm of shot and shell, and gained the stone wall behind which the opposing infantry was posted. But there the brigade was stopped and almost destroyed. The casualties of the Forty-second were reported as 32 killed, 170 wounded, a considerable number, including the severely wounded, were made prisoners.  The final statements show 62 killed and mortally wounded at Gettysburg; 13 died, as prisoners not long after the battle.  The regiment was engaged in the battle of Bristoe Station, October 14, 1863, and lost 6 killed and 25 wounded, the main part of the casualties of the brigade. The regiment went into battle in the Wilderness May 5, 1864, and shared the gallant record of the brigade under Colonel Stone that day and the next. On this bloody field Colonel Feeney was killed and Lieutenant Colonel Nelson and Adjutant Carr wounded.  The regiment was in battle near Sportsylvania Courthouse May 10 and 12, and at Hanover Junction May 23, with a total less in these May battles of 15 killed, 95 wounded and 9 missing.  They were in battle at Cold Harbor June 2 and 3, and in June took position on the Petersburg lines.  August 18, 19, A. P, Hill attacked the Federals at Reams' Station, on the Weldon Railroad, with the brigades of Davis and Walker under Heth, the brigades of Colquilt, Clingman and Mahone, under Mahone, and three batteries, under Colonel Pegram, and captured 2,100 prisoners, 12 flags, 9 cannon. The other brigades were at night ordered back inside the lines, and Davis and Walker left to hold the advantage gained. In this battle the regiment served with honor and lost in killed and wounded. In the battle of Jones' Farm, October 2, 3, the loss was 8 wounded and missing, and they were again engaged at Hatcher's Run late in October, 1864. In the latter part of February 1865, Col. A. M. Nelson was in command of the brigade and General Davis of the division. Colonel Nelson was yet in command of the brigade when the Petersburg line was broken April 2, 1865, and he was captured, with most of his command. Corporal Charles W. Dolloff, Eleventh Vermont, of Gettys Division, captured the colors of the Forty-second. The Vermont Brigade claimed the honor of being the first to break the line of gray. Captain Tilden was credited with the capture of 2 cannon, 11officers and 62 men of the Forty-second.

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