Confederate Regiments & BatteriesNorth Carolina


1862
May 16

The 54th North Carolina Infantry Regiment was organized near Raleigh at Camp Mangum, under the command of Colonel John Wimbish, Lieutenant Colonel James C.S. McDowell  and Major Kenneth Mucrchison.

Company A – “Holtsburg Guards” – Rowan County – Captain Anderson Ellis
Company B – Burke County – Captain G.B. Gibler
Company C – many men from Cumberland County
Company D – “Rebel Guards” – Northampton County – Captain James A. Rogers
Company E – “Highland Guards” – Iredell County
Company F – “Stonewall Boys” – Guilford County
Company G – “Wilkes Guards” –  Wilkes County – Captain Augustus H. Martin
Company H – “Western Rangers” – Yadkin County – Captain D.S. Cockerham
Company I – “Tryon Mountain Boys” – Polk County – Captain Napoleon B. Hampton
Company K – Columbus County – Captain S.J. Parham 

September 7 Colonel Wimbish resigned. Lieutenant Colonel James C.S. McDowell was promoted to colonel to take his place. Major Kenneth Murchison was promoted to lieutenant colonel, and Captain Anderson Ellis of Company A was promoted to major.
November Assigned to Trimble’s-Hoke’s Brigade, Ewell’s-Early’s Division, 2nd Corps, Army of Northern Virginia.
December 13
Battle of Fredericksburg

The regiment lost 6 men killed and 40 wounded.

1863
June 14-15
Battle of Chancellorsville

The regiment lost 3 men killed and 38 wounded. Colonel McDowell was mortally wounded, and Lieutenant Colonel Murchison was promoted to colonel. Majot Ellis was promoted to lieutenant colonel, Captain James A. Rogers of Company D was promoted to major and First Lieutenant Junius B. DeBerry was promoted to captain of Company D.

June 14-15
Second Battle of Winchester

The regiment was detached from its brigade and posted to Winchester to guard prisoners and the army’s line of supply, missing the Battle of Gettysburg.

October-November
Bristoe Campaign
November 7
Rappahannock Bridge

The regiment lost 2 men wounded and 306 captured in a Federal night attack against this semi-isolated salient. Included among the missing and captured were:
Captain G.F. Smith and First Lieutenant H.T. Lovell of Company A
Captain D.A. Culbreth and Second Lieutenant W.W. Cole of Company C
Captain Junius B. DeBerry of Company E
Captain Rufus L. Cooper, First Lieutenant Joseph F. Ragsdale and Second Lieutenant William H. Young of Company F
Second Lieutenant Eli G. Gray of Company G
Captain D.S. Cockerham, Second Lieutenants S.A. Jarvis and E.N. Osborn of Company H.

November-December
Mine Run Campaign
1864
January-May Asigned to Hoke’s Brigade, Department of North Carolina.
April-May
New Berne
April 17-20
Plymouth
May Asigned to Hoke’s Brigade, Ransom’s Division, Department of North Carolina.
May-June Asigned to Hoke’s-Lewis’ Brigade, Early’s-Ramseur’s Division, 2nd Corps, Army of Northern Virginia.
May 22-26
Battle of North Anna
May 30
Bethesda Church
June 1-3
Battle of Cold Harbor
June
Lynchburg Campaign

Assigned to Lewis’-Godwin’s Brigade, Ramseur’s-Pegram’s Division, Army of the Valley.

June 18 Arrived at Lynchburg.
June 19 Began the pursuit of Hunter’s Federal forces, skirmish at Liberty.
June 20 Skirmish at Buford Gap
June 21 Skirmish at Salem
June 22-27 Rested for a day then resumed the pursuit to Staunton.
July 4 Arrived at Harpers Ferry, capturing Bolivar Heights in the morning. By evening Federal forces were driven across the Potomac to Maryland Heights.
July 6 Crossed the Potomac at Pack Horse Ford at Shepherdstown, engaged the Federal garrison at Bolivar Heights and moved through Crampton’s Gap to Frederick.
July 9
Battle of Monocacy
July 10 Resumed the march on Washington.
July 11 Arrived in the evening after a very hot, duty and fatiguing march in front of Fort Stevens of the Washington Defenses, within sight of the Capitol dome.
July 12 Reinforcements of the Federal 6th Corps arrived from the Petersburg front and the day was spent in heavy skirmishing in which President Lincoln came under fire. The Confederates began their retreat after sundown.
July 15 Crossed the Potomac near Leesburg during the night, pursued by Federal cavalry.
July 17 Crossed the Blue Ridge at Snickers Gap.
July 18
Snickers Ford
September 19
Third Battle of Winchester
September 22
Battle of Fisher’s Hill
September 23-24 Withdrew up the Valley to Waynesboro.
October 1-13 Advanced down the valley to Fisher’s Hill.
October 19
Battle of Cedar Creek
December
Siege of Petersburg

The regiment rejoined Lee’s army around Richmond. Assigned to Godwin’s-Lewis’ Brigade, Pegram’s Division, 2nd Corps, Army of Northern Virginia.

1865
February 5-7
Hatcher’s Run
March 25
Fort Stedman
April 6
Sayler’s Creek
April 7
Farmville
April 9
Appomattox Court House

The regiment surrendered 4 officers and 53 men.

The field officers were Colonels James C.S. McDowell, Kenneth M. Murchison, and John Wimbish; Lieutenant Colonel Anderson Ellis; and Major James A. Rogers.