The 34th North Carolina Infantry Regiment was an

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...

of the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. As part of the

Army of Northern Virginia The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was also the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most oft ...

it fought in the Eastern Theater until the

surrender at Appomattox The Battle of Appomattox Court House, fought in Appomattox County, Virginia, on the morning of April 9, 1865, was one of the last battles of the American Civil War (1861–1865). It was the final engagement of Confederate General in Chief, Rober ...

Formation

The 34th North Carolina Infantry was organized at

High Point, North Carolina High Point is a city in the Piedmont Triad region of the United States, U.S. state of North Carolina. Most of the city is in Guilford County, North Carolina, Guilford County, with parts extending into Randolph County, North Carolina, Randolph, ...

, on October 26, 1861. In March 1862, the regiment was reorganized at Goldsboro, under the Confederate Conscription Act; the men enlisting for "three years or the duration of the war."

Organization

* Company A —

Ashe County Ashe County is a county located in the United States state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 26,577. Its county seat is Jefferson. History Historical evidence shows that Ashe County was inhabited by Native Americ ...

, Captain, S. N. Wilson. * Company B — Rutherford County,

Cleveland County Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the United States, U.S. U.S. state, state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along ...

, Captain John Edwards. *Company C — Rutherford County, Captain M. 0. Dickerson. * Company D — Rowan County, Captain William A. Houk. *Company E — Lincoln County, Captain John F. Hill. *Company F — Cleveland County, Captain, Abram G. Walters. *Company G — Mecklenburg County, Captain William R. Myers. *Company H — Cleveland County, Captain Samuel A. Hoey. *Company I — Rutherford County, Captain James 0. Simmons. *Company K — Montgomery County, Captain David R. Cochran. Source: Latimore 1901, p. 581.

Operations

The 34th North Carolina Infantry spent the winter of 1861/62 drilling at High Point and

Raleigh Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southeas ...

. Many men suffered the

childhood diseases The term childhood disease refers to disease that is contracted or becomes symptomatic before the age of 18 or 21 years old. Many of these diseases can also be contracted by adults. Some childhood diseases include: Diseases from three years to ...

they had been spared as youths. Come

spring Spring(s) may refer to: Common uses * Spring (season), a season of the year * Spring (device), a mechanical device that stores energy * Spring (hydrology), a natural source of water * Spring (mathematics), a geometric surface in the shape of a ...

, the regiment was transferred to

Fort Branch Fort Branch was a fort built by the Confederate Army especially to defend against attacks from the Union Army along the Roanoke River in North Carolina. The fort was originally built in 1862 along Rainbow Banks in Martin County, southeast of Ham ...

, near

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilt ...

, on duty against Union

gunboat A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies. History Pre-steam ...

s on the

Roanoke River The Roanoke River ( ) runs long through southern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina in the United States. A major river of the southeastern United States, it drains a largely rural area of the coastal plain from the eastern edge of the App ...

.Latimore 1901, pp. 582. At the beginning of the

summer Summer is the hottest of the four temperate seasons, occurring after spring and before autumn. At or centred on the summer solstice, the earliest sunrise and latest sunset occurs, daylight hours are longest and dark hours are shortest, wit ...

of 1862, it was transferred to Pender's Brigade,

A. P. Hill's Light Division A. P. Hill's Light Division was an infantry division in General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia during the American Civil War. Originally including six brigades, the division's first commander starting May 27, 1862 was the ...

. The regiment was soon engaged in the

Seven Days Battles The Seven Days Battles were a series of seven battles over seven days from June 25 to July 1, 1862, near Richmond, Virginia, during the American Civil War. Confederate General Robert E. Lee drove the invading Union Army of the Potomac, command ...

, fighting in the battles of Mechanicsville,

Gaines's Mill The Battle of Gaines' Mill, sometimes known as the Battle of Chickahominy River, took place on June 27, 1862, in Hanover County, Virginia, as the third of the Seven Days Battles ( Peninsula Campaign) of the American Civil War. Following the incon ...

, and

Frayser's Farm The Battle of Glendale, also known as the Battle of Frayser's Farm, Frazier's Farm, Nelson's Farm, Charles City Crossroads, New Market Road, or Riddell's Shop, took place on June 30, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, on the sixth day of the Sev ...

. Although not directly engaged at

Malvern Hill Malvern Hill stands on the north bank of the James River in Henrico County, Virginia, USA, about eighteen miles southeast of Richmond. On 1 July 1862, it was the scene of the Battle of Malvern Hill, one of the Seven Days Battles of the American ...

, it came under heavy

artillery Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...

fire for several hours. In August 1862, the Light Division was transferred to

Stonewall Jackson Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (January 21, 1824 – May 10, 1863) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, considered one of the best-known Confederate commanders, after Robert E. Lee. He played a prominent role in nearl ...

's command; the 34th North Carolina participating in the battles of Cedar Mountain,

Second Manassas The Second Battle of Bull Run or Battle of Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, in Prince William County, Virginia, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of the Northern Virginia Campaign waged by Confederate ...

, Ox Hill,

Harpers Ferry Harpers Ferry is a historic town in Jefferson County, West Virginia. It is located in the lower Shenandoah Valley. The population was 285 at the 2020 census. Situated at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers, where the U.S. stat ...

. After the last battle, the regiment was in charge of the

pontoon bridge A pontoon bridge (or ponton bridge), also known as a floating bridge, uses float (nautical), floats or shallow-draft (hull), draft boats to support a continuous deck for pedestrian and vehicle travel. The buoyancy of the supports limits the maxi ...

, and participated in the paroling of the large number of

prisoners of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held Captivity, captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold priso ...

. After a speedy march, it reached

Sharpsburg, Maryland Sharpsburg is a town in Washington County, Maryland. The town is approximately south of Hagerstown. Its population was 705 at the 2010 census. During the American Civil War, the Battle of Antietam, sometimes referred to as the Battle of Sharpsb ...

in time to participate in the

battle A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...

. During the withdrawal to

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

, the regiment participated in the defeat of the pursuing Union army at the

battle of Shepherdstown The Battle of Shepherdstown, also known as the Battle of Boteler's Ford, took place September 19–20, 1862, at Boteler's Ford along the Potomac River, during the Maryland campaign of the American Civil War. After the Battle of Antietam on Se ...

. After Shepherdstown, the 34th North Carolina could enjoy quite a long period of rest, until engaged at the

battle of Fredericksburg The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. The combat, between the Union Army of the Potomac commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnsi ...

in the middle of December. Edwin Forbes Pickett's Charge

The winter of 1862/63 was spent in winter quarters at Moss Neck. The winter was severe, the

supply Supply may refer to: *The amount of a resource that is available **Supply (economics), the amount of a product which is available to customers **Materiel, the goods and equipment for a military unit to fulfill its mission *Supply, as in confidenc ...

faltering, the provisions low, yet the

morale Morale, also known as esprit de corps (), is the capacity of a group's members to maintain belief in an institution or goal, particularly in the face of opposition or hardship. Morale is often referenced by authority figures as a generic value ...

of the regiment remained high. During the

battle of Chancellorsville The Battle of Chancellorsville, April 30 – May 6, 1863, was a major battle of the American Civil War (1861–1865), and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville campaign. Chancellorsville is known as Lee's "perfect battle" because h ...

, it participated in the flanking movement of Stonewall Jackson's command. The regiment then returned to Moss Neck, where it remained until the army in early June broke camp for the Gettysburg campaign. At the

battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. In the battle, Union Major General George Meade's Army of the Po ...

, the 34th Regiment suffered heavily, both during the first and during the third day. The total loss of the 34th North Carolina Infantry at Gettysburg was 104 of its 311 men. General Pender had been promoted to command the Light Division, so the regiment fought under General

Scales Scale or scales may refer to: Mathematics * Scale (descriptive set theory), an object defined on a set of points * Scale (ratio), the ratio of a linear dimension of a model to the corresponding dimension of the original * Scale factor, a number w ...

as brigade commander. He was wounded during the battle, and the brigade command was taken over by Colonel Lowrance of the 34th North Carolina. During the retreat to Virginia, the regiment fought at the

Battle of Williamsport The Battle of Williamsport, also known as the Battle of Hagerstown or Falling Waters, took place from July 6 to July 16, 1863, in Washington County, Maryland, as part of the Gettysburg Campaign of the American Civil War. It is not to be confuse ...

; many men were captured by the pontoon bridge.Latimore 1901, p. 587. The 34th North Carolina was present at the

battle of Bristoe Station The Battle of Bristoe Station was fought on October 14, 1863, at Bristoe Station, Virginia, between Union forces under Maj. Gen. Gouverneur K. Warren and Confederate forces under Lt. Gen. A. P. Hill during the Bristoe Campaign of the American ...

, but it was not actively engaged. It fought at the

battle of Mine Run The Battle of Mine Run, also known as Payne's Farm, or New Hope Church, or the Mine Run campaign (November 27 – December 2, 1863), was conducted in Orange County, Virginia, in the American Civil War. An unsuccessful attempt of the Union A ...

, enduring the cold weather with great pain. The regiment spent the winter of 1863/64 at Orange Court House, where they received new recruits. They were mostly between 40 and 45 years of age, and not very able or willing soldiers. Soldiers kept deserting, no doubt because of the lack of supplies. Come spring, and the campaign season, the regiment fought at the battles of the

Wilderness Wilderness or wildlands (usually in the plural), are natural environments on Earth that have not been significantly modified by human activity or any nonurbanized land not under extensive agricultural cultivation. The term has traditionally re ...

;

Spotsylvania Court House The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, sometimes more simply referred to as the Battle of Spotsylvania (or the 19th-century spelling Spottsylvania), was the second major battle in Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Maj. Gen. George G. Meade's 1864 ...

, where its losses were few, fighting as they did behind

breastworks A breastwork is a temporary fortification, often an earthwork thrown up to breast height to provide protection to defenders firing over it from a standing position. A more permanent structure, normally in stone, would be described as a parapet or ...

; Hanover Junction, where it suffered heavy casualties, losing three

color bearer A standard-bearer, also known as a flag-bearer is a person (soldier or civilian) who bears an emblem known as a Standard (flag), standard or Military colours, standards and guidons, military colours, i.e. either a type of flag or an inflexible b ...

s. At the

battle of Cold Harbor The Battle of Cold Harbor was fought during the American Civil War near Mechanicsville, Virginia, from May 31 to June 12, 1864, with the most significant fighting occurring on June 3. It was one of the final battles of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S ...

it was not actively engaged, but came under rapid Union fire for a long time. During the

siege of Petersburg The Richmond–Petersburg campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War. Although it is more popularly known as the Siege of Petersburg, it was not a cla ...

, the 34th North Carolina fought at the

battle of Jerusalem Plank Road The Battle of Jerusalem Plank Road, also known as the First Battle of the Weldon Railroad, was a battle of the American Civil War fought June 21–23, 1864, near Petersburg, Virginia, Petersburg, Virginia in the American Civil War, Virginia. It ...

, later participating in the first assault wave at Ream's Station, being repulsed with heavy casualties. During the winter of 1864/65, the 34th North Carolina was in winter quarters at Battery No. 45, near

Petersburg Petersburg, or Petersburgh, may refer to: Places Australia *Petersburg, former name of Peterborough, South Australia Canada * Petersburg, Ontario Russia *Saint Petersburg, sometimes referred to as Petersburg United States *Peterborg, U.S. Virg ...

. This was a winter of great afflictions; lack of food and clothing made many men

desert A desert is a barren area of landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions are hostile for plant and animal life. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation. About on ...

to the Union lines. On April 1, the regiment learned that the Confederate lines at Petersburg had been broken. A last desperate fight was fought at Sutherland's Station, inflicting severe losses on the Union attackers. Falling back the regiment reached Amelia Court House, joining the main army, and being provisioned. On the morning of April 9, the 34th North Carolina moved into line, where they were ordered to

cease fire A ceasefire (also known as a truce or armistice), also spelled cease fire (the antonym of 'open fire'), is a temporary stoppage of a war in which each side agrees with the other to suspend aggressive actions. Ceasefires may be between state act ...

Disbandment

The regiment surrendered at

Appomatox Court House The Appomattox Courthouse is the current courthouse in Appomattox, Virginia built in 1892. It is located in the middle of the state about three miles (5 km) southwest of the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, once known as Cl ...

, April 9, 1865, and the officers and men were

parole Parole (also known as provisional release or supervised release) is a form of early release of a prison inmate where the prisoner agrees to abide by certain behavioral conditions, including checking-in with their designated parole officers, or ...

d and let free to return home to North Carolina. Field 2015, p. 20.

References

Citations

{{reflist

Cited literature

* Cole, J. Timothy & Foley, Bradley R. (2007). ''Collett Leventhorpe, the English Confederate.'' McFarland & Company, Inc. *Crenshaw, Doug (2017). ''Richmond Shall Not Be Given Up.'' El Dorado Hills, California. *Field, Ron (2015). ''Appomattox 1865.'' Osprey Publishing. * Gallagher, Gary W. (1997). ''The Wilderness Campaign.'' The University of North Carolina Press. * Hess, Earl J. (2001). ''Pickett's Charge'' The University of North Carolina Press. *Hess, Earl J. (2002). ''Lee's Tar Heels.'' The University of North Carolina Press. * Latimore, T. D. (1901). "Thirty-Fourth Regiment." In: ''Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War 1861–65''. Clark, Walter (ed.). Goldsboro, North Carolina, vol. 2: 581-590. * Reardon, Carol & Vossler, Tom (2013). '' Field Guide to Gettysburg.'' The University of North Carolina Press. Units and formations of the Confederate States Army from North Carolina 1861 establishments in North Carolina