Company A – “Ashe Beauregard Riflemen” – Ashe County – Captain John Hartsog
Company B – “Watauga Marksmen” – Watauga County – Captain Jonathan Horton
Company C – “Meckelburg’s Wide Awakes” – Mecklenburg County – Captain James M. Potts
Company D – “North Carolina Defenders” – Union County – Captain John B. Ashcraft
Company E – “Watauga Minute Men” – Watauga County – Captain William Y. Farthing
Company F – “Western Carolina Stars” – Wilkes County – Captain Charles N. Hickerson
Company G – “Alexander Soldiers” – Alexander County – Captain James Reid
Company H – “Gaston Blues” – Captain William R. Rankin
Company I – “Mecklenburg Rifles” – Mecklenburg County – Captain John K. Harrison
Company K – “Alleghany Tigers” – Alleghany County – Captain John Ross

Assigned to the District of the Pamlico, Department of North Carolina.

New Bern

Colonel Lee commanded the brigade while Lieutenant Colonel William M. Barbour took command of the regiment. The Federal attack caused a militia unit to rout, breaking the Confederate line. Outflanked and in danger of being cut off, the regiment burned its baggage and retreated towards Kinston. It  lost 1 man killed, 6 men wounded and 2 missing.

Hanover Court House, Slash Church

Companies D & E were cut off and most of the men captured while on picket duty. Company B was detached guarding wagons. The remining seven companies along with the 18th North Carolina became engaged in a short range firefight with Federal forces. By the time the Confederates retreated from the overwhelming Federal force the regiment suffered 26 men killed, 61 wounded and 167 men captured. Lieutenant George Gilreath of Company F was killed. In Company G three out of four Robinett brothers were killed.

Seven Days Battles

The regiment lost 11 men killed, 114 men wounded, and 13 missing.

Beaver Dam Creek (Mechanicsville)

The regiment lost 3 men wounded, and 1 captured.

Gaines’ Mill (First Cold Harbor)

The regiment lost 10 men killed, 45 men wounded, and 1 captured. Captain James M. Potts of Company C was wounded and resigned. Lieutenant Isham Hartsog of Company A was killed. Lieutenant Calvin Carlton of Comany B was mortally wounded. Lieutenants William Alexander of Company A,  Jordan Cook of Company B, Aaron Bost of Company D, William Beard of Company F and Joel Brown and George Cochran of Company G were wounded.

Lieutenant Owen Brown of Company C was promoted to captain.

Frayser’s Farm

Colonel Lee was killed by an artillery shell while leading an attack. Lieutenant Colonel Barbour took over command. The regiment lost 6 men killed, 21 men wounded, and 3 captured. Lieutenant Josoeph E. Griffin of Comany D was wounded. Major Hickerson was promoted to lieutenant colonel.

Malvern Hill

The regiment lost 1 man killed, and 2 men wounded. Lieutenant Colonel Barbour was promoted to colonel. Captain John B. Ashcraft of Company D was promoted to major.

Cedar Mountain

The regiment repulsed a Federal cavalry charge in “confusion worse confounded.” It lost 3 men killed and 13 wounded. 

Second Battle of Manassas (Bull Run)

The regiment lost 13 men killed and 75 wounded. Lieutenants William Green of Company B and George H. Beattie of Company C were killed. Lieutenants A. Perry Torrance of Company C, William F. Shull of Company E, James Poole of Company G, William M. Stilt of Company I and and William M. Fetter of Company K were wounded.

Battle of Ox Hill (Chantilly)

The regiment lost 5 men killed and 18 wounded. Captain Walter Lenoir and Lieutenants William Goodman and Thomas L. Norwood of Company A were wounded.

Harpers Ferry

Battle of Sharpsburg (Antietam)

The regiment was commanded by Major William G. Morris. It left Harpers Ferry early in the morning for a forced march to Sharpsburg, where Lee was already desperately fighting. The regiment arrived in the afternoon on the Federal flank. It was fortunate that most of its fight was from behind a stone wall, losing only eight men wounded.

General Branch was killed while conferring with Hill and his brigadiers. Colonel james Lane of the 28th North Carolina took command of the brigade.

From the War Department marker to Branch’s Brigade at Antietam:

In the advance of A. P. Hill’s Division from the Antietam Furnace Road, on the afternoon of September 17th, Branch’s Brigade supported the Brigades of Gregg and Archer.

It was engaged south of this point, and its commander, Brig. General Branch was killed in the southeast part of the field adjoining this on the south.

After the death of General Branch, the command devolved upon Colonel James H. Lane, of the 28th North Carolina, who relieved Toombs’ Brigade of D. R. Jones’ Division at this point.

The Brigade remained in this position until the morning of the 19th, when it recrossed the Potomac.

Shepherdstown Ford

The regiment assisted in throwing back McClellan’s attempted attack across the Potomac. It lost six men wounded to Federal artillery fire. Captain Daniel L. Clary of Company F was mortally wounded.

Battle of Fredericksburg

The regiment was posted to the left of the swamp at the foot of Prospect Hill where Federal troops forced their way into the gap in the Confederate line. It refused its flank and fought until it was out of ammunition, when it fell back. It lost 19 men killed and 92 wounded and 31 captured. Lieutenant James Poole of Company G was wounded.

Battle of Chancellorsville

The regiment took part in Jackson’s flank attack, then the next day suffered greatly from Federal artillery in assaulting the Federal line. It lost 1 officer and 35 enlisted men killed and 19 officers and 175 enlisted men wounded, with 8 missing. This was considered the regiment’s bloodiest battle.

Colonel Barbour was wounded in his right arm. Lieutenant Charlton C. Ragin of Company K was killed and Lieutenant Levi Brown of Company G was mortally wounded. Captain Bost of Company D was wounded. Lieutenants Elija A. Carter of Company A, Henry Grady and Aaron Bost of Company D, John B. Perry of Company F and James Poole, George Cochran of Company G and Adam F. Yandle of Company I were wounded.

Battle of Gettysburg

The regiment brought 379 men to the field and lost 14 killed, 102 wounded, 111 captured and 7 missing.

Lieutenant Colonel Morris was wounded and captured. He would be imprisoned at Johnson’s Island in Ohio for most of the rest of the war. Major Owen N. Brown was mortally wounded.

Lieutenants W.W. Dohothy of Company C, Iowa M. Royster of Company G, John P. Elms of Company I and William Mickle of Company K were killed.  Lieutenant W. Lewis Battle of Company D was mortally wounded.

Captain Bost of Company D was wounded. Lieutenants William Goodman and Thomas L. Norwood of Company A and Lieutenants John B. Perry, John T Forrester, William S. McGee of Company F and William D. Elms of Company I were wounded. Lieutenant Nathan Horton of Company B was wounded and captured.

Lieutenant Thomas Norwood was badly wounded, left behind and captured when the army retreated. He escaped the hospital, outfitted himself in civilian clothing, and despite his wounds made his was over the mountains and across country to rejoin the regiment at Falling Waters.

From the monument to Lane’s Brigade at Gettysburg:

July 1. Crossed Willoughby Run about 3.30 P. M. and advanced on the right of the Division in the final and successful movement against the Union forces on Seminary Ridge held back Union Cavalry which threatened the flank and had a sharp conflict at the stone wall on Seminary Ridge just south of Fairfield Road.

July 2. Lay with its right in McMillan’s Woods with skirmish line advanced.

July 3. In Longstreet’s assault the Brigade supported the centre of Pettigrew’s Division advancing in good order under the storm of shot and shell and when near the Union works north of the Angle pushed forward to aid the fragments of the front line in the final struggle and was among the last to retire.

July 4. After night withdrew and began the march to Hagerstown.

Hagerstown

Falling Waters

Heth’s Division served as the rear guard, and the regiment was one of the last to cross the pontoon bridge.  It lost 2 men captured.

Bristoe Campaign

Bristoe Station

Mine Run Campaign

Kelly’s Ford

Battle of Kelly’s Ford

Battle of the Wilderness

The regiment lost 17 men wounded, 28 captured and 1 missing.

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House

The regiment helped seal the break in the Confederate lines at the Mule Shoe on May 12. Moved farther to the right of the line, it fought the 17th Michigan and 51st Pennsylvania regiments and overran a federal battery, capturing two Federal flags but losing its own and Colonel Barbour, who was captured. The regiment lost 4 officers and 18 enlisted men killed, 3 officers and 30 enlisted men wounded, and 2 officers and 38 enlisted men missing.

The fighting for the Mule Shoe on May 12 was particularly hard on the officers of the regiment. Captain H. Grady of Company D, Lieutenant Elijah A. Carter of Company A, Lieutenants Charles T. Haigh of Company B, Lieutenant Barnabas Johnston of Company C, and Henry Grady of Company D were killed. Ensign R. Stanley, Captains D. L. Hudson of Company G and E. H. Russ of Company I were wounded. Lieutenant J. D. Brown of Company C was captured.

For the rest of the battle the regiment lost one enlisted man killed and 8 men wounded, and Captain W. T. Nicholson and Lieutenant O. A. Wiggins of Company E were wounded.

North Anna (Jericho Mills)

The regiment lost 1 enlisted man killed, Lieutenants J. B. Somerville of Company B and J. M. Grimsley of Company K and 19 enlisted men wounded, and 2 enlisted men missing.

Battle of Cold Harbor

Wilcox’s division moved to the right flank of the army but was not engaged in the great Federal assault on the 3rd.

Grant’s First Assault on Petersburg

Wilcox’s Division remained around Cold Harbor until the Grant’s assault was well underway, then was moved to the area around Globe Tavern.

Jerusalem Plank Road

Helped stop the Federal movement to cut the Petersburg & Weldon Railroad.

Gravel Hill

The regiment lost 1 man killed, 9 men wounded and 17 captured.

Fussell’s Mill

Colonel Barbour was wounded in the leg. The regiment lost 1 man killed, 4 men wounded and 10 captured.

Reams’ Station

After a first attack was turned back a second attack was successful, taking many prisoners and capturing nine cannon. The regiment lost 2 men killed, 10 men wounded and 1 captured.

Jones’ Farm & Squirrel Level Road

Colonel Barbour was wounded in the right hip, this time mortally. He died in Petersburg the next day. Major Jackson L. Bost took over the regiment. The regiment lost 3 men killed, 8 men wounded and 1 captured.

Belfield

Failed to cut off raiding Federal Infantry on the Petersburg & Weldon Railroad. Many of the men marched barefoot in the snow but never caught up to the Federals, and returned to their camp at Hatcher’s Run.

Hatcher’s Run

The regiment reported around 375 men present for duty.

Final Assault on Petersburg & Battery Gregg

The Federal attack overwhelmed the regiment’s line, stretched so thin that the men were spaced 10 feet apart. The regiment was driven from a series of positions until it reached Battery Gregg. It lost its colors to the 37th Massachusetts. It lost 5 men killed, 6 wounded and 174 captured. Captains W. T. Nicholson, Hudson and Petty, and Lieutenants Tankersley and Ross were killed..

Jetersville and Amelia Court House

Skirmished with pursuing Federals. One man was wounded and two captured.

Farmville

Appomattox Court House

The regiment surrendered 10 officers and 98 enlisted men under the command of Major Jackson L. Bost.