42nd North Carolina Infantry Regiment

Confederate Regiments & Batteries * North Carolina

The 42nd North Carolina Infantry Regiment lost 68 men killed or died of wounds and disease, 70 wounded, and 95 captured and missing during the Civil War.

1862
April 22 The 42nd North Carolina Infantry Regiment was organized on the Crawford farm outside Salisbury under the command of Colonel George C. Gibbs, Lieutenant Colonel John N. Brown, and Major Davidson A. Underwood.

Company A – Davidson County – Captain Jacob H. Koontz.
1st Company B – Martin County (transferred to the 61st North Caroina as Company H).
2nd Company B – Rowan County – Captain James R. Crawford.
Company C – Stanly County – Captain J.A. Howell.
Company D – Rowan, Davie and Iredell Counties – Captain Joseph M. Roark.
Company E – Davie County – Captain Thomas A. Brown.
Company F – Davie County – Captain Wiley A. Clement.
Company G – Rowan County – Captain James A. Blackwelder.
Company H – Stanly County – Captain Jackson M. Hartsell.
Company I – Davidson County – Captain T.W. Redwine.
Company K – Mecklenburg, Union and Wilkes Counties – Captain Sydeham B. Alexander.

The regiment perfected its drill and guarded prisoners in Salisbury.
June 1 Moved by rail to Petersburg and then to Lynchburg, Virginia. Guarded prisoners from Jackson’s Valley Campaign in the Lynchburg fairgrounds.
August-September Assigned to the Department of North Carolina.
September-December Assigned to the Department of North Carolina and Southern Virginia. Moved to Tarboro, North Carolina, where it took part in its first skirmish. It them moved to Franklin, Virginia and engaged in outpost duty and frequent skirmishes along the Blackwater.
November 20 Major Underwood resigned. Captain Charles W. Bradshaw was promoted to major.
November 25 Captain Joseph M. Roark of Company D resigned and was replaced by First Lieutenant Robert R. Crawford.
1863
January-February Moved to Garyville, North Carolina and assigned to French’s Command, Department of North Carolina and Southern Virginia. The regiment mustered 30 officers and 603 enlisted men.

Lieutenant Colonel Brown was detached to the Chowan River with Companies B, E and F to suppress Federal irregulars. Two attacks on their camp dispersed them, and the detachment returned to the regiment.
February-April Assigned to D.H. Hill’s Command, Department of North Carolina and Southern Virginia.
June 2 At Greenville.
April-July Assigned to Martin’s Brigade, Department of North Carolina
July Assigned to District of North Carolina, Department of North Carolina
August-September At Kinston.
October 6 Assigned to Martin’s Brigade, District of Cape Fear, Department of North Carolina
1864
January 7 Colonel Gibbs resigned. Lieutenant Colonel Brown was promoted to colonel, Major Bradshaw was promoted to lieutenant colonel, and Captain Thomas J. Brown was promoted to major.
January 29 Moved out of Wilmington and advanced on New Bern.
January 30 Moved to Jacksonville.
January 30 At Smith’s Mill on White Oak Creek
February 2 Cut the railroad, captured and burned Newport Barracks.
February 12 Returned to Wilmington.
April 14-28 Moved to the defenses of Petersburg.
May Assigned to Martin’s Brigade, Whiting’s Division, Department of North Carolina and Southern Virginia.
May General Whiting was relieved of command of his Division and replaced by Major General Daniel H. Hill.
May 17-19
Bermuda Hundred

The regiment lost six men killed and 48 wounded. Colonel Brown was badly wounded and Lieutenant Colonel Bradshaw took command of the regiment.
May 20
Ware Bottom Church

The regiment lost 6 men killed and 48 wounded.
May 21 Assigned to Martin’s-Kirkland’s Brigade, Hoke’s Division, Department of North Carolina and Southern Virginia.
June 1-3
Battle of Cold Harbor

The division reached the battlefield as the battle was starting and took position on the exreame right of the line, turning back attacks by the Federal 6th and 18th Corps.
June 1-3
Battle of Cold Harbor

The division reached the battlefield as the battle was starting and took position on the exreame right of the line, turning back attacks by the Federal 6th and 18th Corps.
June 12
Siege of Petersburg

The division force marched for Petersburg in a race to prevent Grant from taking the city.
June 16 Reached Petersburg after midnight, driving back repeated Federal assaults the next two days.
June 18 Covered Beuregard’s retreat to a fallback position which would be the main Confederate defensive line for the rest of the siege.
June 28 Brigadier General Martin was relieved from command of the brigade. It would be under the temporary command of Colonel Charle T. Zachary for the next two months.
July 30
Battle of the Crater

The regiment was posted to the trenches directly over the mine but rotated out of the line into reserve two days before the explosion. After the explosion it moved forward and held the north side of the crater.
August 19 Brigadier William Kirkland took command of the brigade.
September 29-30
Fort Harrison
October-December Assigned to Kirkland’s Brigade, Hoke’s Division, 4th Corps, Army of Northern Virginia.
October 27
Burgess’ Mills
November Colonel Brown returned to the regiment.
December 20 Left the Siege of Petersburg and returned by rail to North Carolina and assigned to Kirkland’s Brigade, Hoke’s Division, Department of North Carolina.
December 23 Arrived in Wilmington around midnight and bivouacked at Dam Number 2. At sunrise marched to Sugar Loaf, arriving in the late afternoon. Company A under Captain Koontz was sent further on to support Battery Anderson.
December 24-25
Battle of Fort Fisher

The Federal attack on the fort was turned back, but Battery Anderson and Company A was overrun. The regiment lost one man killed, two men wounded, and Captain Koontz, another officer and eighty enlisted men captured.
December 31 The regiment was withdrawn to Camp Whiting, two miles outside Wilmington.
1865
January 13-15
Second Battle of Fort Fisher

The regiment lost 1 killed, 2 wounded, and 74 missing fighting on the Sugar Loaf line.
February 22 Evacuated Wilmington. The regiment (minus Company A) served as rear guard for Bragg’s army.
March-April Assigned to Kirkland’s Brigade, Hoke’s Division, Hardee’s Corps
March 8
Wise’s Forks

Launched an attack against the Federal flank and rear, capturing hundreds of prisoners and several guns.
March 10 Withdrew towards Goldsboro.
March 19-21
Bentonville
April Assigned to Kirkland’s Brigade, Hoke’s Division, 1st Corps, Army of Tennessee
April 11 Passed through Raleigh.
April 13 Passed through Durham.
April 26
Durham Station

The 42nd North Carolina Infantry Regiment was surrendered with Johnston’s army.
May 2 The 42nd North Carolina Infantry Regiment disbanded at Center Church in Randolph County, three miles from High Point, and only a few miles from where it was first organized.