Gibson in Gray
Barry Dunagan's History and Genealogy Page
Organized at Columbus,Kentucky,February 14,1862:reorganized September 26,1862:field consolidation with the 46th Tennessee Infantry,January,1863:merged into the 4th Consolidated Tennessee Infantry,April 1865:paroled at Greensboro,North Carolina May,1865.
FIELD OFFICERS
COLONEL
Alexander Brown,Thomas Baker(acting
colonel).
LIEUTENANT COLONEL
William
Jones,G.B.Black
MAJOR
J.H.Hillsman,Thomas Baker,Joseph
McDonald.
CAPTAINS
William Jones,Sol Jones,Company A.Men from
Benton County,Tennessee.Organized at Trenton,Gibson County,Tennessee.October
8,1861.
Pritcher Melton,Company B.Men from Benton County,Tennessee.Organized
at Trenton,October 9,1861.
Louis Clark,J.D.Bledsoe,Company C.Men from Carroll
County,Tennessee.Organized at Trenton,October
10,1861.
G.B.Black,S.B.Jones,H.J.Furgerson,Company D.Men from Gibson
County,Tennessee.Organized at Trenton,September,1861.
John
Howard,L.D.Paschal,Company E.Men from Henderson Station,then Madison,now Chester
County,Tennessee.Organized January 20,1862.
B.H.Clark,Phelonas Green
Milam,Company F.Men from Henderson County,Tennessee.Organized at Trenton,October
3,1861.
J.H.Hilsman,Joseph McDonald,Company G.Men from Gibson
County,Tennessee.Organized October 25,1861.
Alfred
Bryant,W.S.Adams,Company H.Men from Carroll County,Tennessee.Organized at
Trenton,October 19,1861.
All of the above companies except Company E had been organized in November
1861,into Jones' West Tennessee Battalion,with William Jones as lieutenant
colonel,and J.H.Hilsman as major.To these,Company E,and two other companies were
added when the regiment was organized.One of the other
companieswas:
R.P.Ford's Company.Organized at Jackson,Madison
County,Tennessee,on March 10,1862.This company reorganized under other officers
on May 5,1862 and became Company L,6th Tennessee Infantry Regiment.
All of
the companies except I and K were surrendered at Island No. 10 on April
8,1862.Company reports state that I and K were on detached service at the
time,and were not surrendered with the rest of the regiment.
At the
reorganization Colonel Brown was reelected:Captain G.B.Black was elected
lieutenant colonel,and Captain Thomas Baker major.Major Baker served as acting
colonel during the later part of 1863,but his appointment was never
confirmed.Captain J.E.McDonald was later elected major.
Company reports state
the regiment remained at Columbus,Kentucky,until March 1862,when it was ordered
to Island No.10,where it remained during the servere bombardment until its
surrender by General Mackall on April 8,1862.On March 17,1862,Major General
J.P.McCowan reported he left at Madrid Bend Stewart's Battery,Hudson's and
Wheeler's Cavalry,Terry's Arkansas Battalion,the 1st
Alabama,Mississippi,Tennessee,40th,46th,55th Tennessee,11th,12th Arkansas,and
the 1st Alabama Infantry Regiments.Here began an association with the 46th
Tennessee which lasted throughout the war.Also on March 17,Brigadier General
J.Trudeau,commanding the heavy artillery,placed Brown's Regiment on the
cremaillere parapet,in support of Captain Rucker's Battery.He reported"some men
from Brown's Regiment had relieved Captain Rucker's exhausted men,and served the
guns bravely,manfully and intelligently.They had done good and efficient service
on that day."
On March,21 the 55th reported 327 present for duty,402
present.When Brigadier General W.W.Mackall arrived on April 1st he reported"
Colonel Brown's 55th Tennessee with but few arms.Those in the regiment are of
differnt kinds,but pretty good.The colonel says 50 are wanted."
As previously
stated,eight companies of the regiment were surrendered April 8,1862.They were
released on parole at Vicksburg September 20,1862 and declared exchanged
November 10,1862.In the meantime,the regiment had reorganizes at
Jackson,Mississippi,September 26,1862.From October,1862 to January,1863,the
regiment was temporarily consolidated with the 49th Tennessee and 7th Texas to
form a field unit known as Bailey's Consolidated Regiment.It was ordered to
report for duty at Meridian,Mississippi:then sent to Port Hudson,Louisiana,where
it was placed in Brigadier General Samuel Maxey's Brigade,with Colonel James
Bailey,of the 49th,in command of Bailey's Consolidated Regiment.It remained in
this brigade,first under General Maxey,later under Brigadier General
W.A.Quarles,until the end of the war.In January 1863,the 46th and 55th were
consolidated into one field unit,although separate muster rolls were
maintained.From this time on the 46th/55th was reported as one unit.
On
February 15,1864,the Congress of the Confederacy passed a resolution of thanks
to the 46th/55th for"patriotism displayed in unanimously reenlisting for the
war."
On
December 10,1864 the 42nd/46th/49th/53rd/55th Tennesse Regiment was reported as
one unit under Captain Austin Duncan.On April 9,1865,in North Carolina,Quarles
Brigade was reported as commanded by Captain Sol Jones,of the 55th: and the
42nd,46th,48th,49th,53rd,55th Tennessee as one unit in that brigade under
Captain Joseph Love.