Confederate Regiments & Batteries * Louisiana
The 1st Louisiana Infantry Regiment was formed in New Orleans in April of 1861 and fought through the war until it was surrendered at Appomattox Court House in April of 1865. It enrolled 960 men during the Civil War. Of these, 162 were killed or died of their wounds, 74 died of sickness, 1 was killed in an accident, 88 were known to have deserted and 12 to have taken the Oath of Allegiance to the United States.
1861
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April | Organized in New Orleans under Colonel Albert G. Blanchard (West Point Class of 1829), Lieutenant Colonel William C. Vincent and Major William R. Shivers. Samuel R. Harrison
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May | Moved to Virginia and was assigned to the Department of Norfolk |
July 5 | Company B under the command of Captain Camille E. Girardey was detached to become the Louisiana Guard Artillery. A new company B was added under the command of Captain James C. Wise. |
July 16 | Company C under the command of Captain Francis Rawle was detached to become the Louisiana Guard Artillery. A new Company C was added under the command of Captain Robert W. Armistead. |
September 21 | Colonel Blanchard was promoted to brigadier general. The 1st Louisiana was assigned to Blanchard’s Brigade. |
September 27 | Lieutenant Colonel Vincent was promoted to Colonel, William R. Shivers to lieutenant Colonel, and Samuel R. Harrison as Major. |
October 10 | Captain James C. Wise of Company C was promoted to major. |
1862
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March 6 | Company H transferred to the 1st Kentucky Infantry Regiment and was replaced by a new Company H by Captain Andrew Brady. |
April 30 | Colonel Vincent and Major Wise were dropped in the reorganization of the regiment. Lt. Colonel Harrison was elected colonel. William R. Shivers was elected lieutenant colonel and Captain Michael Nolan of Company E was elected major. |
May | The regiment and the troops of the Department of Norfolk become Huger’s Division of the Army of Northern Virginia. |
May 22 | The second Company H by Captain Andrew Brady transferred to the 15th Louisiana Infantry Regiment and was replaced by a new Company H on June 27. |
June | Colonel Harrison resigned. Lieutenant Colonel Shivers was promoted to colonel and Major Nolan to lieutenant colonel |
June 19 | Brigadier General Blanchard was replaced by Brigadier General A.R. Wright as the regiment’s brigade commander. |
June |
Seven Days BattlesThe 1st Louisiana lost 214 men during the Seven Days. Colonel Shivers was badly wounded in the right arm and disabled from command. Captains James Nelligan and Charles Cormier were also wounded. Lieutenant Colonel Nolan took command of the regiment. |
July | Captain James Nelligan was promoted to major. |
July 26 | The 1st Louisiana was transferred to the newly-formed 2nd Louisiana Brigade with the 2nd, 10th and 15th Louisiana Infantry Regiments under Brigadier General William E. Starke, which was briefly attached to A.P. Hill’s Division. |
Early August | The regiment, with Starke’s Louisiana Brigade, was transferred to Jackson’s Division |
August 28-30 |
Battle of Manassas (Bull Run)The regiment is referenced on a trailside marker on the Deep Cut loop trail on the Manassas battlefield. |
September 1 |
Battle of ChantillyThe regiment was in reserve and lost no casualties. |
September 17 |
Battle of Sharpsburg (Antietam)The regiment fought near The Cornfield along the Hagerstown Pike, losing 71 men. Lieutenant Colonel Nolan was wounded early in the day. Captain W. E. Moore took command of the regiment. From the War Department marker for the brigade on the Sharpsburg battlefield: On the evening of September 16, Starke’s Brigade formed line perpendicular to this road on the left of Taliaferro. When the Brigades of Jones and Winder were forced back on the morning of the 17th, this Brigade advanced with Taliaferro’s and the rallied Brigades, but was driven back. Supported by Early’s Brigade it again advanced, but was obliged to retire and reformed, with its Division, beyond the West Woods, where it supported the assault of McLaws’ Division on Sedgwick’s Division of Sumner’s Corps. During the engagement, General Starke was killed and the command devolved upon Colonel L. A. Stafford of the 9th Louisiana. ![]() Marker to Starke’s Brigade at Antietam |
October | Lt. Colonel Nolan returned to command of the regiment. |
December 13 |
Battle of FredericksburgThe 1st Louisiana lost 8 men. |
1863
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May 3 |
Second Battle of Fredericksburg (Chancellorsville Campaign)The regiment lost 46 men out of 125 engaged. Major Nelligan was wounded in the thigh and Captain Cormier was captured. |
June 14-15 |
Battle of Stephenson’s DepotThe brigade helped cut off the retreat of Union General Milroy’s army from Winchester, turning it into a rout and completely destroying his army. |
July 1-3 |
Battle of GettysburgThe regiment was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Michael Nolan and brought 172 men to the field. It took part in the costly attack on Culp’s hill at dusk on July 2, losing 11 men killed, 28 wounded and an unknown number of missing or captured. Lieutenant Colonel Nolan was killed, struck by 12-pounder artillery round and so badly mangled that his body was never identified. Lieutenant John Maskew was wounded and left behind to be captured on July 5 when the army retreated. Captain Edward D. Willett took command of the regiment. After the battle Major Nelligan was promoted to lieutenant colonel and Captain Charles Emile Cormier of Company I was promoted to major effective July 3. |
October |
Mine RunThe 1st Louisiana lost 28 of the 125 men engaged. Lt. Colonel Neligan was wounded. |
1864 | |
May 5-6 |
Battle of the WildernessLieutenant Willett was wounded. |
May 8-21 |
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House |
June 1-3 |
Battle of Cold Harbor |
June 1864 |
Early’s Shenandoah Valley CampaignAssigned to Stafford’s Brigade (Colonel Eugene Waggaman commanding) of Brigadier General Zebulon York’s Consolidated Louisiana Brigade in Gordon’s Division of the Army of the Valley |
July 9 |
Battle of MonocacyCommanded by Captain Joseph Taylor |
September 19 |
Third Battle of WinchesterLt. Colonel Nelligan was captured |
September 21-22 |
Battle of Fisher’s HillMajor Cormier was captured. |
October | The ten regiments of the Louisiana brigade were reorganized as a battalion of six companies with less than 500 men, although it would continue to be referred to as a brigade. Colonel Raine Peck (at 6’3″ and 300 pounds known as “Big Peck”) was given command of the brigade. |
October 19 |
Battle of Cedar Creek |
November 15 | Lieutenant Colonel Nelligan was exchanged and returned to the regiment. |
December | The regiment left the Army of the Valley and returned to the Petersburg defences with the remnants of the Second Corps |
1865
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January-March |
Siege of Petersburg |
February 18 | Colonel Peck promotd to brigadier general and transferred to the Western Theater. Colonel Eugene Waggaman of the 10th Louisiana was given command of the brigade of 400 men |
April 9 |
Appomattox Court HouseThe 1st Louisiana surrendered 1 officer and 18 enlisted men. The entire brigade had only 373 men. |