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32nd North Carolina Infantry

Editor’s Note: Do you have information on this regiment’s role at the Siege of Petersburg?  Please contact us using the Contact button in the menu at the top of the screen.  We are happy to exchange information with other researchers.

Muster In: Organized by the increase of the 1st North Carolina Battalion to a regiment on March 17, 1862.1
Muster Out: April 9, 18652

Commander(s):
Captain Joseph W. Coker
Commander Image

Major John W. Rierson (of the 53rd NC)
Commander Image

Commander 3
Commander Image

First Offensive Order of Battle:

  • Not yet present at the Siege of Petersburg.3

Second Offensive Order of Battle:

  • Not yet present at the Siege of Petersburg.4

Third Offensive Order of Battle:

  • Not yet present at the Siege of Petersburg.5

Fourth Offensive Order of Battle:

  • Not yet present at the Siege of Petersburg.6

Fifth Offensive Order of Battle:

  • Not yet present at the Siege of Petersburg.7

Sixth Offensive Order of Battle:

  • Not yet present at the Siege of Petersburg.8

Seventh Offensive Order of Battle: Grimes’ Brigade | Grimes’ Division | Second Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army9

  • Commander: Captain Joseph W. Coker (also temporarily commanding 2nd North Carolina Battalion) (December 1864)10
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: The Second Corps, in the Shenandoah Valley since June 1864, was ordered to rejoin Lee at the Siege of Petersburg on December 9, 1864.  The Second Corps moved to Richmond and Petersburg over the next several days, remaining with Lee’s army through Appomattox.11

Eighth Offensive Order of Battle: Grimes’ Brigade | Grimes’ Division | Second Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army12,13,14,15,16

  • Commander:
    • Captain Joseph W. Coker (also (temporarily?) commanding the 2nd NC Bn)(January 1865)17,18
    • Major John W. Rierson (of the 53rd NC)(temporarily detailed to command 32nd NC/2nd NC Bn. at times in January and February)(January & February 1865)19,20
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: Were the 32nd North Carolina and 2nd North Carolina Battalion permanently consolidated by this point?  More research is needed.

Ninth Offensive Order of Battle: Grimes’ Brigade | Grimes’ Division | Second Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army21,22

  • Commander:
    • Major John W. Rierson (of the 53rd NC)(commanding both the 32nd NC and 2nd NC Bn)(mortally wounded and captured March 25)(March 1865)23
    • ? (after Rierson was mortally wounded and captured on March 25)(March 1865)24
    • None listed. (April 1-2, 1865)25
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: Were the 32nd North Carolina and 2nd North Carolina Battalion permanently consolidated by this point?  More research is needed.

Dyer’s/Sifakis’ Compendium Info:
Petersburg Campaign Battles26:

  • Petersburg Siege (from December 1864)(June 1864-April 1865)
  • Fort Stedman (March 25, 1865)
  • Sayler’s Creek (April 6, 1865)
  • Farmville (April 7, 1865)
  • Appomattox Court House (April 9, 1865)

Bibliography:

    Petersburg Campaign Documents Which Mention This Unit:

      Sources:

      1. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: North Carolina by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 130-131 ↩
      2. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: North Carolina by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 130-131 ↩
      3. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: North Carolina by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 130-131 ↩
      4. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: North Carolina by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 130-131 ↩
      5. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: North Carolina by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 130-131 ↩
      6. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: North Carolina by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 130-131 ↩
      7. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: North Carolina by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 130-131 ↩
      8. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: North Carolina by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 130-131 ↩
      9. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 164 ↩
      10. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 164 ↩
      11. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 376 ↩
      12. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 173 ↩
      13. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 1172: “Organization of the Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by General R. E. Lee, January 31, 1865”; This list contains many commanders who were not there.  They were the “official” commanders but may have been gone on leave.  I have used none of the leaders from this list as a result. ↩
      14. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 1180: “Organization of the Army of Northern Virginia, General R. E. Lee, C. S. Army, commanding, January 31, 1865”; This order of battle was based off of inspection reports from January 26-31, 1865, and the leaders should be accurate for this time frame. ↩
      15. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 183 ↩
      16. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 1270: “Organization of the Infantry and Cavalry of the Army of Northern Virginia, General R. E. Lee, C. S. Army, commanding, February 28, 1865”; This order of battle was based off of inspection reports from February 28, 1865.  However, leaders listed are from January.  I’ve chosen to ignore the leaders and just use this source for the organization of the order of battle. ↩
      17. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 173 ↩
      18. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 1180: “Organization of the Army of Northern Virginia, General R. E. Lee, C. S. Army, commanding, January 31, 1865”; This order of battle was based off of inspection reports from January 26-31, 1865, and the leaders should be accurate for this time frame. ↩
      19. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 173 ↩
      20. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 183 ↩
      21. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 192 ↩
      22. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 202 ↩
      23. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 192 ↩
      24. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 192 ↩
      25. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 202 ↩
      26. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: North Carolina by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 130-131 ↩
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