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61st Georgia 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 7th Georgia Battalion to a regiment on June 1, 1862.1
Muster Out: April 9, 18652

Commander(s):
Captain Eliphalet F. Sharp
Commander Image

Captain Stephen H. Kennedy
Commander Image

Captain Thomas M. McRae
Commander Image

Commander 4
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
  • Commander: Captain Eliphalet F. Sharp (August 20, 1864) (Sharp did later command this unit at the Siege of Petersburg.)7
  • Unit Strength: 132 officers and men PFD (August 20, 1864)8
  • Weapons: .58 caliber rifles (probably a mix of Enfield Rifles and Springfield Rifles) (August 20, 1864)9

Fifth Offensive Order of Battle:

  • Not yet present at the Siege of Petersburg.10

Sixth Offensive Order of Battle:

  • Not yet present at the Siege of Petersburg.11

Seventh Offensive Order of Battle: Evans’ Brigade | Evans’ Division | Second Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army12

  • Commander: Captain Eliphalet F. Sharp (December 1864)13
  • 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.14

Eighth Offensive Order of Battle: Evans’ Brigade | Evans’ Division | Second Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army15,16,17,18,19

  • Commander:
    • Captain Stephen H. Kennedy (January 1865)20,21
    • Captain Thomas M. McRae (February 1865)22
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: Field consolidation with the 60th Georgia from January 8 or 18 to April 9, 1865.23
  • Note: One source claims the 60th and 61st Georgia were consolidated from January 18 through the end of the Siege of Petersburg.  I’ve chosen to represent them as separate units until I find other confirmation or refutation.  More research is needed.24

Ninth Offensive Order of Battle: Evans’ Brigade | Evans’ Division | Second Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army25,26

  • Commander: None listed. (March & April 1-2, 1865)27,28
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:
  • Note: One source claims the 60th and 61st Georgia were consolidated from January 18 through the end of the Siege of Petersburg.  I’ve chosen to represent them as separate units until I find other confirmation or refutation.  More research is needed.29,30

Dyer’s/Sifakis’ Compendium Info:
Petersburg Campaign Battles31:

  • Petersburg Siege (from December 1864)(June 1864-April 1865)
  • Hatcher’s Run (February 5-7, 1865)
  • Appomattox Court House (April 9, 1865)

Bibliography:

    Petersburg Campaign Documents Which Mention This Unit:

    Sources:

    1. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: South Carolina and Georgia by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 275-276
    2. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: South Carolina and Georgia by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 275-276
    3. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: South Carolina and Georgia by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 275-276
    4. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: South Carolina and Georgia by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 275-276
    5. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: South Carolina and Georgia by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 275-276
    6. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: South Carolina and Georgia by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 275-276
    7. Confederate Inspection Report 8-P-17: Evans’ Brigade, August 20, 1864; Inspection Reports and Related Records Received By the Inspection Branch in the Confederate Adjutant and Inspector General’s Office. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M935, Roll 10: Inspection Reports P-12 – 39-P-24); War Department Collection of Confederate Records, Record Group 109; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C.
    8. Confederate Inspection Report 8-P-17: Evans’ Brigade, August 20, 1864; Inspection Reports and Related Records Received By the Inspection Branch in the Confederate Adjutant and Inspector General’s Office. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M935, Roll 10: Inspection Reports P-12 – 39-P-24); War Department Collection of Confederate Records, Record Group 109; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C.
    9. Confederate Inspection Report 8-P-17: Evans’ Brigade, August 20, 1864; Inspection Reports and Related Records Received By the Inspection Branch in the Confederate Adjutant and Inspector General’s Office. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M935, Roll 10: Inspection Reports P-12 – 39-P-24); War Department Collection of Confederate Records, Record Group 109; National Archives Building, Washington, D.C.
    10. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: South Carolina and Georgia by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 275-276
    11. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: South Carolina and Georgia by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 275-276
    12. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 164
    13. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 164
    14. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 376
    15. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 173
    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 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.
    17. 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.
    18. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 183
    19. 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 1271: “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.
    20. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 173
    21. 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.
    22. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 183
    23. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: South Carolina and Georgia by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 275-276
    24. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 173
    25. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 192
    26. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 202
    27. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 192
    28. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 202
    29. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 173
    30. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: South Carolina and Georgia by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 275-276
    31. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: South Carolina and Georgia by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 275-276
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