The 50th Georgia 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 ...

raised by the state of Georgia to fight for the Confederacy in 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 ...

. The regiment was organized on March 4, 1862, at

Savannah A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the Canopy (forest), canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to rea ...

, primarily from recruits from southern Georgia. The original commander was

Col. Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

William R. Manning (1817–1871). They were drilled at Camp Davis, just outside

Guyton, Georgia Guyton is a city in Effingham County, Georgia, Effingham County, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, United States. The population was 2,289 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, up from 1,684 in 2010 United States Census, 2010. Guyton is loc ...

. Upon being mustered into

Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between ...

service, the regiment served in the Savannah defenses. On July 17, 1862,

Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

John C. Pemberton John Clifford Pemberton (August 10, 1814 – July 13, 1881) was a career United States Army officer who fought in the Seminole Wars and with distinction during the Mexican–American War. He resigned his commission to serve as a Confederate Stat ...

sent the 50th Georgia Volunteers to

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...

to join the Army of Northern Virginia under its commanding general,

Robert E. Lee Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, towards the end of which he was appointed the overall commander of the Confederate States Army. He led the Army of Nort ...

. For the majority of the war, the 50th Georgia served with the First Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia. The regiment participated in more than 45 engagements during the war. Some of the early battles in the East that the regiment took part in included South Mountain, Sharpsburg, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg. The regiment went south when

James Longstreet James Longstreet (January 8, 1821January 2, 1904) was one of the foremost Confederate generals of the American Civil War and the principal subordinate to General Robert E. Lee, who called him his "Old War Horse". He served under Lee as a corps ...

took his corps to Georgia and

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...

in the fall of 1863, where it was engaged at the Siege of Knoxville. Returning to Virginia, the 50th Georgia fought in the Siege of Petersburg, the Battle of Cedar Creek, and the Battle of Sayler's Creek. The remaining men surrendered at

Appomattox Court House Appomattox Court House could refer to: * The village of Appomattox Court House, now the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, in central Virginia (U.S.), where Confederate army commander Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union commander Ulyss ...

on April 9, 1865. After parole, they returned to Georgia and civilian life, holding several reunions over the years.

Organization

This regiment was formed in March 1862, in Savannah, Georgia. It served with the Army of Northern Virginia from July 1862 until its surrender at Appomattox Court House, except during Longstreet's 1863 expedition to Georgia and Tennessee. Upon reaching Virginia, it was assigned to Drayton's Brigade. During the

Battle of Antietam The Battle of Antietam (), or Battle of Sharpsburg particularly in the Southern United States, was a battle of the American Civil War fought on September 17, 1862, between Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and Union G ...

, the regiment was assigned to Toomb's Brigade. In the South this battle is known as the battle of Sharpsburg, after the nearby town. Toomb's Georgia troops were credited with defending the bridge over Antietam creek against several ill-fated attempts to cross it, until finally being pushed back late in the afternoon. After the battle, the 50th Regiment was permanently assigned to Paul Jones Semmes's Brigade. The subsequent brigade commanders were

Goode Bryan Goode Bryan (August 31, 1811 – August 16, 1885) was a planter, politician, military officer, and American Civil War general in the Confederate States Army. His brigade played a prominent role during the Battle of the Wilderness, fighting stubbo ...

and James P. Simms.

Staff

Colonel

* William R. Manning (March 22, 1862, through July 31, 1863, Resigned) * Peter Alexander Selkirk McGlashan (July 31, 1863, through end of war aptured at Sayler's Creek, Virginia, April 6, 1865, Released from Johnson's Island, Ohio, July 25, 1865]) Col Manning, was medically discharged from field hospital in Columbia, S.C., due to contracting Hepatitis. While in the hospital, he wrote three letters requesting medical discharge, supported by his doctor, to General Lee. The last letter was approved.

Lieutenant Colonel

* Francis Kearse (March 22, 1862, through July 2, 1863, Killed at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) * William O. Fleming (July 31, 1863, through December 22, 1863, Resigned) * Pliny Sheffield (December 21, 1863, through November 28, 1864, Resigned ounded in right arm necessitating amputation at the Battle of the Wilderness on May 6, 1864

Major

* Phillip Coleman Pendleton (March 22, 1862, through October 8, 1862, Resigned) * Duncan Curry (October 8, 1862, through February 24, 1863, Resigned) * William O. Fleming (February 24, 1863, through July 31, 1863, Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel) * Pliny Sheffield (July 31, 1863, through December 21, 1863, Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel) * John M. Spence (December 21, 1863, through February 14, 1865, when granted a leave of absence)

Companies

* Company A - Satilla Rangers (Pierce County) * Company B - Ware Volunteers (Ware County) * Company C - Coffee County Guards (Coffee County) * Company D - Valdosta Guards (Lowndes County) * Company E - Thomas County Rangers (Thomas County) * Company F - Decatur Infantry (Decatur County) * Company G - Clinch Volunteers ( Clinch and

Echols Echols may refer to: *Echols (surname) *Echols County, Georgia, a county in Georgia *Echols, Kentucky, a community *Echols, Minnesota, a community {{Disambiguation, geo ...

Counties) * Company H - Colquitt Marksmen (Colquitt County) * Company I - Berrien Light Infantry (Berrien County) * Company K - Brooks Volunteers (Brooks County)

Battles

* Second Bull Run (August 28–30, 1862) * South Mountain (September 14, 1862) * Antietam (September 17, 1862) * Fredericksburg (December 13, 1862) * Chancellorsville (May 1–4, 1863) * Gettysburg (July 1–3, 1863) * Chickamauga ot engaged(September 19–20, 1863) * Chattanooga Siege (September–November 1863) * Siege of Knoxville (November–December 1863) ** Battle of Fort Sanders (November 23, 1863) * The Wilderness (May 5–6, 1864) * Spotsylvania Court House (May 8–21, 1864) * North Anna (May 23–26, 1864) * Cold Harbor (June 1–3, 1864) * Petersburg Siege (June 1864-April 1865) * Cedar Creek (October 19, 1864) * Sayler's Creek (April 6, 1865) * Appomattox Court House (April 9, 1865)