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42nd Mississippi Infantry

Editor’s Note: Do you have information on this unit’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 on May 14, 18621
Muster Out: April 9, 18652

Commander(s):
Colonel Andrew Mc. Nelson
Commander Image

Captain Jones C. Donaldson
Commander Image

Lieutenant Robert F. Ward
Commander Image

Captain Thomas R. Smith
Commander Image

Commander 5
Commander Image

First Offensive Order of Battle: Davis’ Brigade | Heth’s Division | Third Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army3

  • Commander:
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Second Offensive Order of Battle: Davis’ Brigade | Heth’s Division | Third Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army4

  • Commander:
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Third Offensive Order of Battle: Davis’ Brigade | Heth’s Division | Third Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army5

  • Commander: Colonel Andrew Mc. Nelson6
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Fourth Offensive Order of Battle: Davis’ Brigade | Heth’s Division | Third Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army7

  • Commander:
    • Captain Jones C. Donaldson (at least August 16, 1864)8
    • Lieutenant Robert F. Ward9
  • Unit Strength:
    • 146 officers and men PFD (August 16, 1864)10
  • Weapons: Springfield and/or Enfield Rifles11

Fifth Offensive Order of Battle: Davis’ Brigade | Heth’s Division | Third Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army12,13

  • Commander: Captain Thomas R. Smith (at least September 28, 1864)14,15
  • Unit Strength: 110 officers and men PFD (September 28, 1864)16
  • Weapons: 58 caliber (explicitly listed mix of Springfields and Enfields)(September 28, 1864)17

Sixth Offensive Order of Battle: Davis’ Brigade | Heth’s Division | Third Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army18

  • Commander:
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Seventh Offensive Order of Battle: Davis’ Brigade | Heth’s Division | Third Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army19,20

  • Commander: Colonel Andrew Mc. Nelson (November & December 1864)21,22
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Eighth Offensive Order of Battle: Davis’ Brigade | Heth’s Division | Third Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army23,24,25,26,27

  • Commander:
    • Colonel Andrew Mc. Nelson (January 1865)28,29
    • Captain Thomas R. Smith (February 1865)30
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Ninth Offensive Order of Battle: Davis’ Brigade | Heth’s Division | Third Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army31,32

  • Commander: None listed. (March & April 1-2, 1865)33,34
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Dyer’s/Sifakis’ Compendium Info:
Siege of Petersburg Battles35:

  • Petersburg Siege (June 1864-April 1865)
  • Weldon Railroad (August 18-21)
  • Hatcher’s Run (February 5-7, 1865)
  • Appomattox Court House (April 9, 1865)

Bibliography:

    Siege of Petersburg Documents Which Mention This Unit:

    Sources:

    1. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Mississippi by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 133-134
    2. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Mississippi by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 133-134
    3. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 112
    4. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 112
    5. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 121
    6. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 121
    7. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 131
    8. Confederate Inspection Report 15-P-17: Davis’ Brigade, August 16, 1864Inspection 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. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 131
    10. Confederate Inspection Report 15-P-17: Davis’ Brigade, August 16, 1864Inspection 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.
    11. Confederate Inspection Report 15-P-17: Davis’ Brigade, August 16, 1864Inspection 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.
    12. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 139
    13. Sommers, Richard J. “Grant’s Fifth Offensive at Petersburg: A Study in Strategy, Tactics, and Generalship.  The Battle of Poplar Spring Church, the First Battle of the Darbytown Road, the Second Battle of the Squirrel Level Road, the Second Battle of the Darbytown Road (Ulysses S. Grant, Virginia).” Doctoral Thesis. Rice University, 1970. Print. p. 1312.
    14. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 139
    15. Confederate Inspection Report 17-P-24: Davis’ Brigade, September 28, 1864Inspection 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.
    16. Confederate Inspection Report 17-P-24: Davis’ Brigade, September 28, 1864Inspection 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.
    17. Confederate Inspection Report 17-P-24: Davis’ Brigade, September 28, 1864Inspection 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.
    18. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 148
    19. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 156
    20. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 165
    21. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 156
    22. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 165
    23. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 174
    24. 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 1173: “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.
    25. 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 1182: “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.
    26. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 184
    27. 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.
    28. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 174
    29. 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 1182: “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.
    30. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 184
    31. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 193
    32. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 202
    33. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 193
    34. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 202
    35. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Mississippi by Stewart Sifakis, pp. 133-134
    { 1 comment… add one }
    • John Horn April 28, 2017, 10:59 pm

      The 42nd Mississippi was a splendid unit with at least 150 killed or mortally wounded during the war, about 15.1% of its enrollment according to Dunbar Roland’s “Military History of Mississippi.” To put that in perspective, William Fox of “Regimental Losses in the Civil War” chose as criteria for inclusion in his 300 Fighting Regiments of the United States Army either the loss of at least 130 killed or dead of wounds or at least 10% of enrollment.

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