The 1st and 4th Missouri Infantry (Consolidated) 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 mar ...

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 conscript ...

that served in 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 ...

. The regiment was formed on November 7, 1862 when the 1st Missouri Infantry and the 4th Missouri Infantry were consolidated as a result of heavy battle losses in both units. The regiment served in several battles in the 1863

Vicksburg campaign The Vicksburg campaign was a series of maneuvers and battles in the Western Theater of the American Civil War directed against Vicksburg, Mississippi, a fortress city that dominated the last Confederate-controlled section of the Mississippi Ri ...

, including a charge that almost broke the

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

line at the Battle of Champion Hill. When the

Siege of Vicksburg The siege of Vicksburg (May 18 – July 4, 1863) was the final major military action in the Vicksburg campaign of the American Civil War. In a series of maneuvers, Union Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and his Army of the Tennessee crossed the Mis ...

ended with a Confederate surrender, the regiment was captured and later exchanged. In 1864, the regiment fought in the Atlanta campaign, and suffered heavy losses at the Battle of Franklin. On April 9, 1865, the regiment surrendered at the

Battle of Fort Blakely The Battle of Fort Blakeley took place from April 2 to April 9, 1865, in Baldwin County, Alabama, about north of Spanish Fort, Alabama, as part of the Mobile Campaign of the American Civil War. At the time, Blakeley, Alabama, had been the co ...

, and was

paroled 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 ...

in May when the war ended for all effective purposes.

Organization

On November 7, 1862, the 1st Missouri Infantry and the 4th Missouri Infantry were combined into a single unit. The consolidation occurred because both units had suffered heavy losses. Because Archibald MacFarlane, the

colonel 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 o ...

of the 4th Missouri, had been severely wounded at the

Second Battle of Corinth The second Battle of Corinth (which, in the context of the American Civil War, is usually referred to as the Battle of Corinth, to differentiate it from the siege of Corinth earlier the same year) was fought October 3–4, 1862, in Corinth, ...

and was unfit for further service, Amos Camden Riley, colonel of the 1st Missouri, commanded the regiment. Hugh A. Garland served as the regiment's major; the regiment did not have a lieutenant colonel until Garland was promoted to that rank on May 1, 1863. The regiment's company organization as of November 7, 1862, was: * Company "A": Originally Company "A" of the 1st. Commanded by William C. P. Carrington. * Company "B": Originally Companies "A", "F", and "G" of the 4th. Commanded by Francis McShane. * Company "C": Originally Companies "B" and "C" of the 4th. Commanded by Daniel Hays. * Company "D": Originally Companies "B" and "D" of the 1st. Commanded by Robert J. Duffy. * Company "E": Originally Companies "E" and "H" of the 4th. Commanded by Norval Spangler. * Company "F": Originally Companies "E", "F", and "H" of the 1st. Commanded by Lewis H. Kennerly. * Company "G": Originally Companies "C" and "G" of the 1st. Commanded by James MacFarland. * Company "H": Originally Company "K" of the 4th. Commanded by Jeptha D. Feagan. * Company "I": Originally Companies "D" and "I" of the 4th. Commanded by Matthew G. Norman. * Company "K": Originally Companies "I" and "K" of the 1st. Commanded by Charles L. Edmondson.

Service history

1863

Grand Gulf and Champion Hill

After organization, the new regiment was assigned to the

First Missouri Brigade The First Missouri Brigade was an infantry brigade that served in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It was mostly recruited from members of the Missouri State Guard – a secessionist force formed from the Missouri Volunt ...

. The First Missouri Brigade, commanded by Colonel Francis M. Cockrell, was transferred to the vicinity of

Grand Gulf, Mississippi Grand Gulf is a ghost town in Claiborne County, Mississippi, United States. History Grand Gulf was named for the large whirlpool, (or gulf), formed by the Mississippi River flowing against a large rocky bluff. La Salle and Zadok Cramer commente ...

in early March 1863. While at Grand Gulf, the brigade built fortifications. The 1st and 4th Missouri (Consolidated), along with the 2nd Missouri Infantry, 3rd Missouri Infantry, and Henry Guibor's artillery battery, crossed the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it fl ...

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...

to observe

movements. On April 15, the Missourians were ordered back to Grand Gulf, and the regiment participated in artillery fire with Union naval ships at the Battle of Grand Gulf. After Union Major General

Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant ; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. As Commanding General, he led the Union Ar ...

landed in Mississippi in order to move against Vicksburg, Bowen sent many of his men from Grand Gulf to

Port Gibson, Mississippi Port Gibson is a city in Claiborne County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,567 at the 2010 census. Port Gibson is the county seat of Claiborne County, which is bordered on the west by the Mississippi River. It is the site of the ...

to try to stop Grant. However, the 1st and 4th Missouri (Consolidated) was on detached duty guarding a bridge, and missed the ensuing

Battle of Port Gibson The Battle of Port Gibson was fought near Port Gibson, Mississippi, on May 1, 1863, between Union and Confederate forces during the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. The Union Army was led by Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, and was v ...

on May 1.

After Bowen withdrew from the Port Gibson area, the 1st and 4th Missouri (Consolidated) was next engaged at the Battle of Champion Hill on May 16. Bowen's division was under the commanded of

Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

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 ...

, and Pemberton had aligned his troops near Champion Hill to try to stop Grant's advance towards Vicksburg. A strong Union assault broke the left flank of the Confederate line, and Cockrell's brigade was sent to try to prevent a complete collapse of the line. The 1st and 4th Missouri (Consolidated) formed on the right end of Cockrell's line, and soon came under heavy Union fire. The regiment then charged the Union position, buying time for Brigadier General Martin E. Green's Confederate brigade to arrive. Together, the brigades of Cockrell and Green, including the 1st and 4th Missouri (Consolidated), charged the Union line, which was driven back some distance. After driving Union troops from a crossroads and recapturing some cannons the Confederates had lost earlier in the battle, the Confederates charged towards the Champion family plantation, which was on a hill and was a key terrain feature. Brigadier General Alvin P. Hovey's Union division was broken by the Confederate charge, and the Confederates kept pressing forward. However, Union reinforcements and a strong line of artillery blunted the charge, and Bowen's men were forced to give up the ground they had gained. The 1st and 4th Missouri (Consolidated) lost six flagbearers at Champion Hill. In total, the regiment lost 46 men killed, 80 wounded, and 52 missing in the fight, for a total of 178.

Vicksburg

After the retreat from Champion Hill, the 1st and 4th Missouri (Consolidated) was next engaged on May 17, at the

Battle of Big Black River Bridge The Battle of Big Black River Bridge was fought on May 17, 1863, as part of the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. After a Union army commanded by Major General Ulysses S. Grant defeated Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton's Co ...

. Cockrell's brigade, Green's brigade, and a brigade of Tennessee soldiers commanded by Brigadier General John C. Vaughn had formed a line protecting the bridge over the Big Black River. A Union charge broke the Confederate line, forcing most of the Confederates into a retreat that turned into a

rout A rout is a panicked, disorderly and undisciplined retreat of troops from a battlefield, following a collapse in a given unit's command authority, unit cohesion and combat morale (''esprit de corps''). History Historically, lightly-e ...

towards the river crossing. The 1st and 4th Missouri (Consolidated) provided a rear guard for the fleeing Confederates, and was one of the few Confederate units to leave the field without routing. After the fight at the Big Black River, the Confederate army retreated within the defenses of Vicksburg. During the

, the 1st and 4th Missouri (Consolidated) helped defeat Union attacks on May 19 and 22, and the regiment captured the flag of the 8th Missouri Infantry (Union) during the former engagement. The regiment also saw action on July 1, helping to plug a gap in the Confederate line after a Union

mine Mine, mines, miners or mining may refer to: Extraction or digging * Miner, a person engaged in mining or digging *Mining, extraction of mineral resources from the ground through a mine Grammar *Mine, a first-person English possessive pronoun ...

exploded a portion of the Confederate line. During the siege, the regiment lost 34 men killed and 59 wounded; the remaining 344 men of the regiment were captured by Union forces when the Confederate garrison surrendered on July 4. After the surrender, the men of the regiment were

, and were ordered to wait at Demopolis, Alabama until officially exchanged. Many of the Missourians did not report to Demopolis. The prisoner exchange process was completed on September 12, allowing the unit to rejoin Confederate service. In October, the regiment became part of the division of Major General

Samuel French Samuel French (1821–1898) was an American entrepreneur who, together with British actor, playwright and theatrical manager Thomas Hailes Lacy, pioneered in the field of theatrical publishing and the licensing of plays. Biography French foun ...

at Meridian, Mississippi. The regiment was later transferred to Mobile, Alabama, and then served patrol duty for a time in northern

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County , LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham , area_total_km2 = 135,765 ...

1864

Atlanta campaign

The 1st and 4th Missouri (Consolidated) and Cockrell's Missouri Brigade fought as a unit of the Confederate

Army of Tennessee The Army of Tennessee was the principal Confederate army operating between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River during the American Civil War. It was formed in late 1862 and fought until the end of the war in 1865, participating in ...

during the Atlanta Campaign from May to September 1864. During the campaign, the regiment was part of French's division of Major General

Leonidas Polk Lieutenant-General Leonidas Polk (April 10, 1806 – June 14, 1864) was a bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana and founder of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Confederate States of America, which separated from the Episcopal Ch ...

's corps. Cockrell, now promoted to brigadier general, still commanded the brigade the regiment was in. Besides the 1st and 4th Missouri (Consolidated), Cockrell's brigade contained the 2nd and 6th Missouri (Consolidated), the 3rd and 5th Missouri (Consolidated), and the 1st and 3rd Missouri Cavalry (Consolidated). The regiment was engaged at the

Battle of New Hope Church The Battle of New Hope Church (May 25–26, 1864) was a clash between the Union Army under Major General William T. Sherman and the Confederate Army of Tennessee led by General Joseph E. Johnston during the Atlanta Campaign of the American ...

on May 25 and 26, where Colonel Riley was killed in action. Regimental command then passed to Hugh Garland, who was promoted to colonel on May 30. The regiment was then in combat at the

Battle of Kennesaw Mountain The Battle of Kennesaw Mountain was fought on June 27, 1864, during the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War. It was the most significant frontal assault launched by Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman against the Confederate Army of Tenne ...

on June 27. At Kennesaw Mountain, the 1st and 4th Missouri (Consolidated) and the rest of Cockrell's brigade was part of the Confederate line at a promontory named Pigeon Hill. Cockrell's brigade had deployed skirmishers, who were quickly driven in when the Union troops charged the position on Pigeon Hill. Cockrell's men drove back all of the Union assaults made against their position, and were engaged in combat for about an hour. Cockrell's brigade, including the 1st and 4th Missouri (Consolidated), participated in several smaller engagements during the Atlanta campaign, as well as the Siege of Atlanta. The regiment lost 19 men killed, 57 wounded, and 4 missing over the course of the campaign, for a total of 80.

Franklin-Nashville campaign

Cockrell's Missouri troops were heavily engaged in the

Battle of Allatoona The Battle of Allatoona, also known as the Battle of Allatoona Pass, was fought October 5, 1864, in Bartow County, Georgia, and was the first major engagement of the Franklin-Nashville Campaign of the American Civil War. A Confederate divisi ...

on October 5, 1864. General

John Bell Hood John Bell Hood (June 1 or June 29, 1831 – August 30, 1879) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War. Although brave, Hood's impetuosity led to high losses among his troops as he moved up in rank. Bruce Catton wrote that "the de ...

, now commander of the Confederate army, dispatched French's division, which contained Cockrell's brigade, to capture a fortified Union position at Allatoona Pass. At Allatoona, Cockrell's four-regiment brigade aligned with the 1st and 4th Missouri (Consolidated) second from the left. Cockrell's brigade initially drove in Union skirmishers and captured an outer

redoubt A redoubt (historically redout) is a fort or fort system usually consisting of an enclosed defensive emplacement outside a larger fort, usually relying on earthworks, although some are constructed of stone or brick. It is meant to protect soldi ...

. The 1st and 4th Missouri (Consolidated) captured the flag of the 39th Iowa Infantry. However, the Confederates were unable to capture the main Union fort, and were forced to withdraw. At Allatoona, the 1st and 4th Missouri (Consolidated) lost 5 men killed, 37 wounded, and 2 missing, for a total of 44. The regiment also participated in the Battle of Franklin on November 30, 1864. In Franklin, as at Allatoona, the 1st and 4th Missouri (Consolidated) was aligned as the second regiment from the left in Cockrell's brigade. Cockrell's brigade reached the main Union line near a cotton gin, where the brigade ran into very heavy fire. Cockrell was wounded during the charge, and command of the brigade fell to Colonel

Elijah Gates Elijah Gates (December 17, 1827 in Garrard County, Kentucky – March 4, 1915 in St. Joseph, Missouri) was an American politician, and colonel in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Early and personal life Gates moved ...

of the 1st and 3rd Missouri Cavalry (Consolidated), who was also wounded, but remained with the unit. The Confederates were able to break a hole in the Union line, but a strong counterattack drove the Confederates out of the main Union line. The First Missouri Brigade was decimated at Franklin, suffering 419 losses out of the 696 engaged in a frontal assault on the fortified Union lines. The 1st and 4th Missouri (Consolidated)'s commanding officer, Colonel Hugh A. Garland, was also killed in the charge. Garland had been carrying the regiment's flag when he fell; the flag was captured by Union troops. The regiment had entered the battle with around 100 men, and lost 35 of them killed, 25 wounded, and 2 missing, for a total of 62. The regiment, as well as the rest of the First Missouri Brigade, was on detached duty after Franklin, and missed the Battle of Nashville.

1865

After the failure of the Nashville campaign, the 1st and 4th Missouri (Consolidated) was ordered to Mobile, Alabama, where it participated in the defense of

Fort Blakely A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...

. During the

on April 9, 1865, the Confederate defenses, including the 1st and 4th Missouri (Consolidated), were overrun by a strong Union assault. The Missourians were forced to surrender during the fall of the fort, and were sent to

Ship Island, Mississippi Ship Island is a barrier island off the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, one of the Mississippi–Alabama barrier islands. Hurricane Camille split the island into two separate islands (West Ship Island and East Ship Island) in 1969. In early 2019, ...

as prisoners of war. The survivors of the regiment were paroled on May 13, while at

Jackson, Mississippi Jackson, officially the City of Jackson, is the capital of and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Mississippi. The city is also one of two county seats of Hinds County, along with Raymond. The city had a population of 153,701 at t ...

; the war had ended for all effective purposes by that time.

Commanders

The 1st and 4th Missouri (Consolidated) was commanded by Riley and Garland. Garland had served as lieutenant colonel for the regiment previously, and the consolidated regiment's majors were Garland and Bradford Keith.

References

Sources

* * * * {{Missouri Confederate units navbox Units and formations of the Confederate States Army from Missouri 1862 establishments in Mississippi 1865 disestablishments in Alabama