Confederate Regiments & BatteriesNorth Carolina


1862
March The 43rd North Carolina Infantry Regiment was organized near Raleigh at Camp Mangum.
Company A – “The Duplin Rifles” – Duplin County – Captain James G. Kenan.
Company B – “Union Farmers” – Mecklenburg County – Captain Robert P. Waring.
Company C – Wilson County – Captain James S. Woodard.
Company D – Halifax County – Captain Cary Whitaker.
Company E – “Edgecombe Boys” – Edgecombe County – Captain John A. Vines.
Company F – Halifax County – Captain William R. Williams.
Company G – “Warren Defenders” – Warren County – Captain William A. Dowtin.
Company H – “Fisher Light Infantry” – Anson County – Captain John H. Coppedge.
Company I – “Anson Regulators” – Anson County – Captain Robert T. Hall.
Company K – “Anson Independent” – Anson County – Captain James Boggan.
April 24 Colonel Thomas Kenan, Lieutenant Colonel William G. Lewis and Major Walter G. Boggan were mustered in as field officers.
May Captain John A. Vines of Company E resigned, and First Lieutenant James R. Thigpen was promoted to take his place.
Captain James Boggan of Company K resigned, and First Lieutenant Caswell H. Sturdivant was promoted to take his place.
June-September Assigned to Daniel’s Brigade, Department of North Carolina.
June 25-July 1
Seven Days Battles
June 30
Malvern Cliff
August Captain W.A. Dowtin of Company G died, and First Lieutenant Levi P. Coleman was promoted to replace him.
Captain John H. Coppedge of Company G resigned, and First Lieutenant Beverly was promoted to replace him.
September-December Assigned to Daniel’s Brigade, Department of North Carolina and Southern Virginia.
December Assigned to Daniel’s Brigade, Elzey’s Command, Department of North Carolina and Southern Virginia.
December-February Assigned to Daniel’s Brigade, French’s Command, Department of North Carolina and Southern Virginia.
1863
January Captain James L. Woodard of Company C resigned and First Lieutenant Ruffin Barnes was promoted to take his place.
Captain James R. Thigpen of Company E resigned and First Lieutenant Wiley J. Cobb was promoted to take his place.
February-April Assigned to Daniel’s Brigade, D.H. Hill’s Command, Department of North Carolina and Southern Virginia.
April-May Assigned to Daniel’s Brigade, Department of North Carolina.
May Assigned to Daniel’s-Grimes’ Brigade, Rodes’ Division, 2nd Corps, Army of Northern Virginia.
May 11 Captain William R Williams of Company F resigned and First Lieutenant William C. Ousby was promoted to replace him.
June 14
Martinsburg
July 1-4
Battle of Gettysburg

The regiment was commanded at Gettysburg by Colonel Thomas S. Kenan. He was wounded in the attack on Culp’s Hill on July 3, and Lieutenant Colonel William Lewis took command. Colonel Kenan was captured during the retreat to Virginia and confined at Johnson’s Island, Ohio. He was not exchanged until just before the end of the war.

The regiment brought 572 men to the field and lost 26% casualties. It attacked the Federal line on Seminary Ridge on July 1, supported a battery on the ridge on July 2, and on July 3 took position on the exreme left of the Confederate line for the assault on Culp’s Hill.

First Lieutenant William C. Ousby of Company F was killed. Lieutenants Julius Alexander of Company B, Thomas Baker of Compay D and William W. Boggin of Company H were mortally wounded. Captain James Kennan of Company A and First Lieutenants Robert R. Carr of Company A, Drury Ringstaff of Company B and Henry E. Sheperd of Company K were wounded and captured. First Lieutenant Benjamin F. Moore of Company H, Second Lieutenant Jesse A. Macon of Company E  and Second Lieutenants William Eason and Leonidas L. Polk of Company I and Second Lieutenant Francis E. Flake of Company K were wounded.

First lieutenant Henry A. Macon was promoted to captain of Company F.

Monument to the 43rd North Carolina Infantry at Gettysburg

Monument to the 43rd North Carolina Infantry at Gettysburg

From the monument at Gettysburg to the 43rd North Carolina Infantry Regiment on East Confederate Avenue:

Forty-third
North Carolina Regiment
Daniel’s Brigade Rodes’s Division
Ewell’s Corps
Army of Northern Virginia

Thomas Stephen Kenan
Colonel

William Gaston Lewis
Lieutenant Colonel

Walter Jones Boggan
Major

As they approached the field of battle on the morning of July 1, the 43rd North Carolina, along with the rest of Daniel’s Brigade, heard the distant booming of cannon. Early in the afternoon the regiment moved to the right and onto open ground where they were met by a furious fire. Their steady progress was checked by the deep railroad cut, but subsequent assaults were successful in breaking the Union line. Having suffered heavily, the regiment rested for the night west of town. The next morning the 43rd supported a battery just north of the Seminary. Shelling from guns on the nearby heights inflicted some losses. Toward evening the Regiment took up a position on the southern edge of town.

Before daybreak on July 3, the 43d moved to the extreme left of the Confederate line to take part in an assault on Culp’s Hill. Passing this point and advancing under heavy fire, they occupied earthworks abandoned by Union troops. Attempting to push beyond the works, the regiment was exposed to a most severe fire of canister, shrapnel and shell at short range. During the attack Col. Kenan was wounded and taken from the field and command passed to Lt. Col. Lewis. The Regiment retired to this point an remained exposed and under fire until ordered to recross Rock Creek in the early evening.

“All that men could do, was done nobly”

Erected by the State of North Carolina
1988

October-November
Bristoe Campaign
November-December
Mine Run Campaign
1864
January Moved to North Carolina and assigned to Hoke’s Brigade.
February 1-3
Second Battle of New Bern
April 17-20
Battle of Plymouth

The regiment lost 4 men killed and 13 wounded. Confederate forces captured Plymouth and its entire garrison of over 2,800 men. Lieutenant Colonel Lewis took command of the brigade as senior officer when Colonel John T. Mercer was killed. Captain Carey Whitaker took command of the 43rd North Carolina as senior officer.

May 31 The regiment returned to Virginia with Hoke’s Division and rejoined the Army of Northern Virginia around Richmond.
June 1-3
Battle of Cold Harbor
June
Valley Campaigns

Assigned to Grimes’ Brigade, Grimes’ Division, 2nd Corps, Army of the Valley. Lieutenant Colonel Lewis was promoted to brigadier general.

June 13 Ordred to move to Lynchburg
June 18 Arrived at Lynchburg.
June 20 Skirmish at Buford’s Gap with Hunter’s rearguard.
June 21 Skirmish at Salem.
June 22-23 Rested at Salem for the day, then resumed the pursuit.
June 27 Marched through Stanton.
July 4 Arrived at Harpers Ferry, captured Bolivar Heights and occupied the city.
July 6 Crossed the Potomad at Shepherdstown.
July 7 Moved throught Crampton’s Gap .
July 9
Battle of Monocacy
July 10 Resumed the march to Washington City.
July 10 Resumed the march to Washington City.
July 11 Arrived in front of Fort Stevens
July 12 Withdrew from Fort Stevens with the arrival of Federal Reinforcements.
July 14 Recrossed the Potomac to Virginia at White’s Ford.
July 17 Crossed the Blue Ridge at Snickers Gap.
August 17 & 21 Skirmishes at Winchester and Charlestown.
August 29-September 3 Skirmishes at Smithfield and Bunker Hill.
September 19
Third Battle of Winchester
September 22
Battle of Fishers Hill
October 19
Battle of Cedar Creek
December 6 Major Boggin resigned. Captain Carey Whittaker of Company D took command of the regiment.
December 18
Siege of Petersburg

Rejoined Lee’s main army ar Petersburg. Assigned to Grimes’ Brigade, Grimes’ Division, 2nd Corps, Army of Northern Virginia.

1865
March 25
Fort Stedman
April 2
Last Assault on Petersburg

Defense of Fort Mahone. The regiment was commanded by Captain Whitaker, who was mortally wounded. Captain Cobb then took command. With the loss of of Fort Mahone, the regiment began the rereat to Appomattox.

April 4 Reached Amelia Court House.
April 6
Sayler’s Creek
April 7
Farmville
April 9
Appomattox Court House

The 43rd North Carolina Infantry Regiment surrendered 9 officers and 164 men.