SOPO Editor’s Note: 12th Mississippi researcher Shelly Liebler was kind enough to send along this very detailed look at the men of the 12th Mississippi who were present at the Battle of Fort Gregg on April 2, 1865. Shelly is writing a book on the regiment and hopes to publish in the coming years. Several years ago Bill Furr, who owns and operates the excellent 19th Mississippi Infantry Regiment web site, allowed me to publish a list of Confederate defenders of Fort Gregg several years ago. As Shelly explains below, her list for the 12th Mississippi is updated from the one Bill provided after looking through the many primary sources and service records for the 12th Mississippi.
Casualties of the 12th Mississippi at 2 April 1865
(Fort Gregg/Whitworth)
Compiled by Shelly Liebler – salsjourney@gmail.com
The action at Fort Gregg on 2 April 1865, served as a defining moment for that remnant of the Harris Brigade that partook in its stubborn defense. In post-war writings and remembrances, Fort Gregg was the engagement most often mentioned by the 12th Mississippi, one of Harris’ regiments in the fort. As controversy played out in the Southern Historical Society Papers1 between Harris and General James Lane, whose North Carolina troops had also fought that day, the survivors of the Mississippi brigade stood on their record and behind the service of their General.2
Both the 12th and 16th Mississippi were placed in Fort Gregg after Harris received orders to pull his troops back from an advanced position on the Boyton Plank Road. Harris would assign the 19th and 48th to Fort Whitworth. As this was the final action of the war with all defenders of Fort Gregg being killed, wounded or captured, no formal casualty report was ever submitted by Harris. Preparing a roster for the 12th Mississippi using the National Archives records as a primary source, afforded the opportunity to compile a comprehensive listing of the men from that regiment that had served at Fort Gregg (and some at Fort Whitworth) that day. Several of the holes were also filled in through the assistance of previous research efforts.
Totals: (6k, 8w, 68c)
F&S (1k, 0w, 0c)
Barry, Charles A., Musician3. – KIA.
Co. A (0k, 1w, 5c)
England, Hampton D., Pvt.
Monroe, James Dudley, Pvt.
Johnson, Joseph B., Capt.
Jennings, Warren T., Sgt.
Standifer, William F., Pvt.
Williams, Bright, Pvt.4 – wounded.]
Co. B (0k, 1w, 4c)
Anderson, David Monroe , Pvt.
Mulcaha, James, Pvt.5 – wounded.
Sibley, W. W., Pvt.
Sturdivant, Ransom, Corp.
Windom, William W., Pvt.
Co. C (0k, 2 w, 5c)
Dickerson, Caleb J., Lt.6 – wounded.
Forbes, William M., Pvt.
Henry, Matthew M., Pvt.
Keegan, John E., Pvt.7 – wounded.
Roth, Nicholas, Pvt.
Wellborn, James C., Pvt.
Whitworth, Samuel Hudson, Sgt.
Co. D (1k, 0w, 13c)
Chastain, Allen M., Pvt.
Cochran, Henry B., Pvt.
Dillard, Samuel H., Corp.
Haley, Warren L., Lt.
Johnson, Joseph J., Sgt.
Lloyd, Thomas R., Sgt. – KIA.8
Martin, Seth S., Pvt.
Owens, William L., Pvt.
Peyton, Ephraim G., Pvt.
Peyton, Martin H., Pvt.
Sabell, Nicolas S., Pvt.
Scott, Robert M., Pvt.
Short, William H., Corp.
Thompson, Jesse, Jr., Lt.
Co. E. (0k, 0w, 4c)
O’Brien, Lawrence F., Pvt.
Shackford, Ephriam, Pvt.
Swords, William, Pvt.
Yenwine (Ernwine), George, Pvt.
Co. F (0k, 0w, 6c)
Holcomb, William D., Corp.
Lowe, James N., Sgt.
Short, William, Pvt.
Simmons, Vincent A., Pvt.
Turrentine, Newton M., Corp.
Williamson, William L., Pvt.
Co. G (0k, 2w, 10c)
Barlow, Horace, Sgt.
King, Wilbur F., Pvt.
Glasscock, William T., Lt.
Lecand, Frederick J. V., Sgt.
Murray, Francis H., Corp.
Naftel, Daniel F., Pvt.
Podesta, Louis, Pvt.- Wounded9
Scudamore, Robert, Pvt.
Underwood, George E., Pvt.
Vandyke, Joseph F., Pvt.
Vandyke, James, Pvt. – wounded10
West, Fitz Henry, Pvt.
Co. H (1k, 0w, 4c)
Applewhite, Rufus R., Capt. (Commanding)
Burke, J. C., Corp. – KIA.11
Douglass, E. P., Sgt.
Hyman, Bernard, Pvt.
Thetford, Robert B., Pvt.
Co. I (2k, 2w, 6c)
Bennett, Israel P., Pvt. – wounded.12
Crowell, George T., Pvt.
Grantham, Alexander, Pvt. – wounded.13
Guerry, Samuel M., Sgt.
Lehr, Pettus C., Sgt.14
Lowe, William A., Sgt.
McClelland, William J., Pvt.15
Swain, William R., Lt. – KIA16
West, James O., Sgt.
Woods, Samuel R., Corp. – KIA17
Co. K (1k, 1w, 11c)
Brown, William D., Pvt. – wounded.18
Coulson, Henry M., Pvt.
Coutch, William W., Pvt.
Fuller, Henry K., Corp.
Jones, A. K., Capt.
Porter, Henry W., Pvt.
Roberts, J. H., Pvt. – KIA.19
Sevier, Andrew J., Pvt.
Shaifer, George W. N., Pvt.
Simms, John H., Musician.
Thompson, William R., Pvt.
Wells, Pearson, Pvt.
Wilson, Richard, Pvt.20
Sources: Information is per National Archives Compiled Service Records accessed via Fold3, except where footnoted. Unless otherwise stated, soldiers were captured/wounded/killed at Fort Gregg.
Notes:
- Nathaniel H. Harris, “Defence of Battery Gregg,” Southern Historical Papers, Vol 7, No 10, 11, 12, Oct, Nov, Dec 1880, pp. 475-488. ↩
- Not all the members of the 12th Mississippi who signed their names in support of Harris’ Fort Gregg claims were present that day as evidenced by documentation in their service records. ↩
- Rietti, J. C., “Military Annals of Mississippi, Military Organizations Which Entered the Service of the Confederate States of America from the State of Mississippi,” Spartanburg, South Carolina: The Reprint Company, 1976 (reprinted.) ↩
- Wounded and treated at Fort Monroe. No record of transfer or release. (National Archives Records.) ↩
- Mulcaha details his capture and care by the Union Army. “One of the Heroes of Petersburg.” The Times, Richmond, VA: 10 July 1901, page 3. ↩
- Initially treated at Carroll Prison for a flesh wound of the arm. (National Archives Records.) ↩
- Treated at Fort Monroe aboard the Hospital Steamer, Jersey before being sent to Camp Hamilton. (National Archives Records.) ↩
- Cenotaugh at Lloyd Cemetery, Carpenter, Mississippi states he was killed at Fort Gregg. www.findagrave.com, Memorial 2581373.) ↩
- Wounded prior to regiment entering the fort and sent to rear per Diary of A. K. Jones, Captain, Co. K. Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Jackson, Miss. ↩
- Wounded prior to regiment entering the fort and sent to rear per Diary of A. K. Jones, Captain, Co. K. Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Jackson, Miss. ↩
- Fox, John III, The Confederate Alamo, Bloodbath at Petersburg’s Fort Gregg on April 2, 1865, El Dorado Hills, California: Savas Publishing, 2010, 2014. ↩
- Wounded prior to the 12th entering the Fort and sent to Jackson Hospital, Richmond where he was captured. (National Archives Records.) ↩
- Captured at Fort Gregg with a gunshot wound to the face. Treated at Carol Prison Hospital in Washington DC before being transferred to Elmira Prison. (National Archives Records.) ↩
- Captured at Fort Whitworth. (National Archives Records.) ↩
- Captured at Fort Whitworth. (National Archives Records.) ↩
- Fox, John III, The Confederate Alamo, Bloodbath at Petersburg’s Fort Gregg on April 2, 1865, El Dorado Hills, California: Savas Publishing, 2010, 2014. ↩
- Killed before entering the fort. Thetford, R. B. (Co. H) “Commands Holding Fort Gregg.” Confederate Veteran 29 (1921): 335-336. ↩
- Wounded prior to regiment entering the fort and sent to rear per Diary of A. K. Jones, Captain, Co. K. Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Jackson, Miss. ↩
- Diary of A. K. Jones, Captain, Co. K. Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Jackson, Miss. ↩
- Captured at Fort Whitworth. (National Archive records.) ↩