Confederate Regiments & Batteries > Georgia


1862
May 6 The 53rd Georgia Infantry Regiment completed its organization:Company A – “Doyal Volunteers” – Spalding County – Captain T.W. Atkins
Company B –  “South River Farmers” – Newton County – Captain Thomas W. Sims
Company C –  “Fayette Planters” – Fayette County – Captain Samuel W. Marshborne
Company D – Coweta and Heard Counties – Captain J. W. Hance
Company E –  “Newton Anderson Guards” – Newton County – Captain James P. Simms
Company F –  “Dixie Guards” – Henry County – Captain Thomas Sloan
Company G – “Georgia Rebels” – Coweta County – Captain Robert P. Taylor
Company H – “Dixie Volunteers” – Pike County – Captain W.B. Baker
Company I – “Jeff Davis Rifleman” – Butts County – Captain John M.D. Bond
Company K – “Quitman Guards” – Monroe County – Captain James M. Ponder
May 6 Leonard T. Doyal was commissioned colonel. The regiment was ordered to Virginia and assigned to Semmes’ Brigade.
June 4 Captain Thomas Sloan of Company F was elected lieutenant colonel. Captain James P. Simms of Company E was elected major. Lieutenant Sanford W. Glass was elected captain of Company E.
June 11 Sergeant Sheridan R. Brown was elected captain of Company F.
June 25-July 1
Seven Days Battles
July 1
Battle of Malvern Hill

The regiment lost 10 men

September
Maryland Campaign.

Assigned to Semmes’ Brigade, McLaws Division.

Septmber 14
Battle of South Mountain

Reinforced the 15th and 32nd Virginia at Crampton’s Gap and held the position until forced back in the evening. Withdrew to the road just north of Brownsville.

September 17
Battle of Sharpsburg (Antietam)

The 53rd Georgia was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Sloan. The regiment fought in the Cornfield, attacking and driving the Federal forces for some distance before being forced to fall back to their starting point due to lack of ammunition. It lost 12 men killed and 63 wounded out of 276 engaged.

Lieutenant Colonel Sloan was mortally wounded, shot in the chest, then captured. Captain Samuel W. Marshborne of company C took over the regiment. Lieutenant C.C. Brown of Company E was killed. Lieutenant John A. Barnett of Company A was wounded and permanently disabled and Lieutenant W.R. Hollon of Company G was wounded.

From the War Department marker for Semmes’ Brigade on the Antietam battlefield:

Semmes Brigade reached the western suburbs of Sharpsburg at sunrise of the 17th and halted until nearly 9 A.M., when it advanced across the fields, in support of Stuart’s Cavalry, north and west of Hauser’s house. In the general advance of McLaws’ Division it was on the left of the line, and encountered the enemy in the northern part of the West Woods, forcing them to retire beyond the Nicodemus house.

Near this point its advance was checked by the Federal Artillery east of the Hagerstown Road. After severe losses it was withdrawn and placed as a reserve to Barksdale’s Brigade, in the western edge of the West Woods, where it remained until the night of the 18th when it recrossed the Potomac.

From Captain Marshborne’s Official Report for the 53rd Georgia at the Battle of Antietam:

Commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel [Thomas] Sloan, the regiment entered the engagement of the 17th instant early in the morning with 21 commissioned officers (including Lieutenant-Colonel Sloan and Adjutant [John F.] Hanson) and 255 men. Of this number 1 officer (First Lieutenant C. C. Brown, Company E) and 11 men of the regiment were killed, 3 officers (Lieutenant-Colonel Sloan, Lieutenant [John A.] Barnett, of Company A, and Lieutenant Hollon, of Company G) and 60 men were wounded.

The regiment, marching by flank, was formed into line of battle by command, “by company into line,” then “forward into line,” upon entering the first corn-field, through which it passed. Under the shells of the enemy the regiment moved forward through this field, then through an apple orchard, and then through another corn-field, and halted at the fence. It was here that Lieutenant-Colonel Sloan was seriously wounded. His calmness and bravery deserve special notice. Here, also, Lieutenant Brown fell. His captain informs me that his last words were those of encouragement to his company.

The enemy were over on a hill, and with their long-range guns and shells wounded many of our men. The regiment was ordered forward, and officers and men leaped over the fence, determined to do or die. Continuing to advance, the enemy gave back, and the regiment pursued them with great rapidity over a mile. The number of the enemy’s dead and wounded left upon the ground over which we passed, and the scattered manner in which they lay, show the rapidity of his retreat and the execution which the regiment did. Finding ourselves out of ammunition, it was thought prudent to fall back to the lines for a new supply.

Septmber 23 Lieutenant Colonel Sloan died in a Federal hospital.
October 8 Colonel Leonard T. Doyal resigned.
October 20 Major James P. Simms was elected colonel.
October 27 Captain James W. Hance of Company D was elected lieutenant colonel and Captain Thomas W. Sims of Company B was elected major. Lieutenant Charles G. Chestnut was elected captain of Company B and Lieutenant Ansley Moses was elected captain of Company D.
November Assigned to Semmes’ Brigade of McLaws’ Division of the First Corps
December 13
Battle of Fredericksburg

Lieutenant Wiliam Willis of Company I was wounded.

1863
February 5 Lieutenant W.M. Lewis died in camp near Fredericksburg.
May 1-4
Battle of Salem Church (Chancellorsville)

The regiment captured the flag of the 2nd Rhode Island Infantry. It lost 15 men killed and 105 wounded.

May 26 Captain T.W. Atkins of Company A resigned. Lieutenant William C. Nutt was elected captain as his replacement.
July 2
Battle of Gettysburg

The regiment brought 422 men to the field and lost 89 casualties. Lieutenant Colonel Hance, Captain John M.D. Bond and Lieutenant Benjamin McCowan of Company I were killed. Captain Sanford W. Glass of Company E and Lieutenant Thomas F. Rawles of Company G were mortally wounded and captured. Captain Sheridan R.  Brown of Company F was wounded.

From the brigade’s marker on the Gettysburg battlefield:

July 2. Arrived about 3.30 P. M. and formed line 50 yards west of this. Advanced about 5 P. M. in support of Kershaw and Anderson and took a prominent part in the severe and protracted conflict on Rose Hill and in the ravine and forest east of there and in the vicinity of the Loop. Participated also in the general advance late in the evening by which the Union forces were forced out of the Wheatfield and across Plum Run Valley. Brig Gen. Paul J. Semmes fell mortally wounded in the ravine near the Loop.

July 3. During the afternoon Anderson’s Brigade being withdrawn for duty elsewhere the Brigade was left in the occupancy of the woodland south of the Wheatfield. At 1 P. M. under orders it resumed its original position near here.

July 4. About midnight began the march to Hagerstown Md.

When General Semmes was mortally wounded, Colonel Goode Bryan of the 16th Georgia took command of the brigade.

After the battle Lieutenant Grant D. Heard was elected captain of Company E.

July 9 Captain James M. Ponder of Company K was appointed assiatant quartermaster. Lieutenant William J. Dumas was elected captain of Company K to replace him.
July 10
Funkstown, Maryland

Captain John J. Leslie of Company D was mortally wounded and captured. Lieutenant Baylor S. Elliott was wounded, losing his right arm, and captured.

August Colonel Bryan was promoted to brigadier general and given permanent command of the brigade.
September The regiment moved to the Western Theater with Longstreet but arrived too late to fight at Chickamauga
September –
November
Siege of Chattanooga
October 14 Captain Robert P. Taylor of Company G was elected lieutenant colonel. Lieutenant R.H. Woods was elected captain of Company G.
October 28 Colonel James P. Simms resigned. Major Thomas W. Sims resigned due to disability. Lieutenant Andrew Robinson was elected captain of Company I.
November 8 Captain Wiley F. Hartsfield of Company H was promoted to major.
November
Knoxville Campaign
November 16
Battle of Campbell Station

Lieutenant George W. Allen of Company B was killed.

November 29
Battle of Fort Sanders (Knoxville)

Lieutenant Colonel Robert P. Taylor and Captain J.B. Newnan of Company D were killed. Captain William C. Nutt of Company A was wounded and captured. Captain Ansley Moses of Company D and William J. Dumas of Company K were also captured. Both would remain a prisoner for the rest of the war. Lieutenant W.L. Taylor of Company G was wounded.

December 3 Major Hartsfield was promoted to lieutenant colonel.
December 19 Captain Sheridan R. Brown of Company F was elected major.
December 22 Lieutenant James W. Vandigriff was elected captain of Company F.
1864
March The regiment returned to the Army of Northern Virginia. General Kershaw took over the division from General McLaws.
May 5-9
Battle of the Wilderness

Lieutenant Colonel Hartsfield was wounded. Lieutenant Zachariah Chambliss of Company I was killed. Captains James W. Vandigriff of Company F and Andrew Robinson of Comany I and Lieutenant William Baird of Company C were wounded and permanently disabled.

May 8-21
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
May 23-24
North Anna
May 31-June12
Battle of Cold Harbor
June
Siege of Petersburg begins
June 15 Captain W.B. Baker of Company H resigned.
July 27-29
First Battle of Deep Bottom
August 6 The regiment was sent with Kershaw’s Division to the Shenandoah Valley, where it was temporarily attached to Lieutenant General Jubal Early’s Army of the Valley
September 14 Since Sheridan and his Union Army of the Shenandoah was inactive Kershaw’s Division was ordered back to rejoin Lee at Richmond and began to leave the Valley.
September 23 Major Sheridan R. Brown resigned due to disability
September 26 Kershaw received news of the Confederate defeat at the Third Battle of Winchester and returned to rejoin Early in the Shenandoah Valley.
October 19
Battle of Cedar Creek

The regiment was commanded by Major Sheridan R. Brown. Captain Samuel W. Marshborne was mortally wounded. He died at the Confederate hospital in Harrisonburg on November 15. Captain Charles G. Chestnut of Company B and Lieutenants O.B. Carmical of Company D and Grant Davis of Company E were killed.

Lieutenant Andrew J. Philips was elected captain of Company B.

November 14 Kershaw’s Division left the Shenandoah Valley to return to the Army of Northern Virginia around Petersburg.
November 15 Lieutenant Daniel McLucas was elected captain of Company C.
1865
February Captain Daniel McLucas of Company C resigned. Lieutenant William T. Glower was elected as his replacement.
April 6
Battle of Sayler’s Creek

Most of the regiment was captured. Colonel W. F. Hartsfield was killed. Captain Grant D. Heard of Company E, Lieutenant William T. Glower of Company C  and Lieutenants Jacob S. Elmore and W.L Taylor of Company G were captured.

April 9
Appomattox Court House

The regiment surrendered 64 enlisted men with no officers.