2nd Louisiana Infantry Regiment

Confederate Regiments & Batteries * Louisiana

The 2nd Louisiana Infantry Regiment was organized in New Orleans in May of 1861 and fought through the war until it was surrendered at Appomattox Court House in April of 1865. It enrolled 1,297 men during the Civil War. Of these, 218 were killed or died of their wounds, 181 died of sickness, 4 died in accidents, 88 were known to have deserted and 4 took the Oath of Allegiance.

1861
May The 2nd Louisiana was organized at Camp Walker in New Orleans
May 11 Mustered in 1,013 men for twelve months service under Colonel Lewis Gustave De Russy, Lieutenant Colonel John S. Young and Major Isiah T. Norwood.
The regiment was ordered to Virginia and assigned to the Department of the Peninsula.
July 19 Colonel De Russy resigned, supposedly after having met his pro-Union brother near Ft. Monroe. Captain William Levy of Company A was promoted to colonel.
1862
April 16
Lee’s Mill, or Dam No. 1

Part of the regiment was driven from its rifle pits, and Companies A and C launched a bayonet charge to retake them.
May 1 Colonel Levy and Lieutenant Colonel Young were dropped in the reorganization. Major Norwood was elected to colonel, Jesse M. Williams to lieutenant colonel and Adjutant Richard W. Ashton was elected major.
June Attached to Cobb’s Brigade
June 26 Captain Ross E. Burke of Company A was promoted to major.
July 1
Battle of Malvern Hill

The 2nd Louisiana lost 30 men killed and 152 wounded. Colonel Norwood and Major Ashton were killed.
July 26 Lieutenant Colonel Williams was promoted to colonel. Captain Ross E. Burke was promoted to lieutenant colonel and Captain Michael Grogan of Company B was promoted to to major.
July 26 The regiment was transferred to the newly-formed 2nd Louisiana Brigade with the 1st, 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 lost 25 men killed and 86 wounded. It is referenced on a trailside marker on the Deep Cut loop trail on the Manassas battlefield.
September 17
Battle of Sharpsburg (Antietam)

The regiment lost 62 men. Colonel Williams was wounded in the chest and captured.

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.
December 13
Battle of Fredericksburg

The regiment was in reserve.
1863
May 1-4
Battle of Chancellorsville

The 2nd Louisiana lost 15 killed and 90 wounded. Colonel Williams took command of the brigade when General Nicholls was wounded and Lt. Colonel Burke took over the regiment.
June 14-15
Battle of Stephenson’s Depot

The brigade helped cut off the retreat of Union General Milroy’s army from Winchester, turning it into a rout and completely destroying his command. The regiment and the 10th Louisiana captured 1,000 prisoners.
July 1-3
Battle of Gettysburg

The regiment was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Ross E. Burke and brought 236 men to the field. It lost 15 men killed, 47 wounded and an unknown number of missing or captured. Lieutenant Colonel Burke was wounded and captured.
October The regiments of the Louisiana brigade were reorganized as a battalion of six companies numbering 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.
November-December
Mine Run Campaign
1864
May 3 Lieutenant Colonel Burke was exchanged but did not return to the regiment.
May 5-6
Battle of the Wilderness
May 12
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House

The regiment was overrun in the assault on the Muleshoe. Colonel Williams was killed and the colors were lost.

Lieutenant Colonel Burke was promoted to colonel, Major Grogan was promoted to lieutenant colonel and Captain Martin C. Redwine of Company F was promoted to major.
June 1864
Early’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign

Assigned 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 Monocacy

Commanded by Lt. Colonel Michael A. Grogan
September 19
Third Battle of Winchester

Major Redwine was killed.
September 21-22
Battle of Fisher’s Hill
October 19
Battle of Cedar Creek
November 12 Lieutenant Colonel Grogan was wounded.
December The regiment left the Army of the Valley and returned to the Petersburg defences with the remnants of the Second Corps
1865
January-March
Siege of Petersburg
February 5-7
Battle of Hatcher’s Run
February 18 Colonel Peck was promoted 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
March 25
Battle of Fort Stedman
April 2
Final Assault on Petersburg
April 6
Battle of Sayler’s Creek
April 9
Appomattox Court House

The 2nd Louisiana surrendered 3 officers and 41 men. The entire brigade only had 373 men.