The 11th Mississippi Infantry Regiment is honored bytwo monuments at Gettysburg.
1861
Battle of Manassas (Bull Run)
Companies A and F under Lieutenant Colonel Liddell were sent along with Bee’s Brigade to reinforce the endangered left flank. They arrived at the scene of the fighting around 11, crossing Young’s Branch and forming a defensive line that was supported by two batteries. Under heavy small arms and artillery fire that mortally wounded General Bee, the companies fell back with heavy losses and reformed behind Jackson’s Brigade. They then joined Jackson in the attack on the Union batteries. The two companies lost 7 men killed and 21 wounded.
1862
Battle of Seven Pines, or Fair Oaks
The 11th Mississippi Infantry Regiment supported the Third Alabama in its attack on the 52nd New York, then moved to the front line, taking heavy casualties. Captain William B. Lowry was wounded in the face.
Battle of Mechanicsville
Marched from Ashland and rebuilt the bridge over the Totopotomoy but was ordered to bivouac and never joined the battle.
Battle of Gaines’s Mill
The regiment, with the rest of Law’s Brigade and Hood’s Brigade, charged and broke the center of the Federal line. It lost 18 men killed, 142 wounded, and 3 missing out of the 400 men engaged. Major Evans and Captains Reuben O. Reynolds and George Shannon were wounded.
Battle of Malvern Hill
The regiment took no active part but lost 1 man killed and 20 wounded from artillery fire.
Second Battle of Manassas
The regiment lost 4 killed and 55 wounded.
Battle of South Mountain
Marched from Hagerstown to Turner’s Gap along the National Road, arriving around 3 p.m. Launched a bayonet attack to turn back Federal troops who were forcing the pass.
Battle of Sharpsburg (Antietam)
Attacked at dawn by Hooker’s Federal First Corps, Hood’s Division counterattacked in the Cornfield. General Hood wrote, “I soon became engaged with an immense force of the enemy, consisting of not less than two corps of their army. It was here that I witnessed the most terrible clash of arms, by far, that has occurred during the war. The two little giant brigades of this division wrestled with this mighty force, losing hundreds of their gallant officers and men, but driving the enemy from his position and forcing him to abandon his guns on our left.”
The regiment lost 8 men killed and 96 wounded out of around 200 men. Lt. Colonel Butler was mortally wounded in the stomach and Major Taliaferro Evans was killed when he took command from Butler. The color bearer was killed and the regimental colors lost.
From the first of two brigade tablets on the Antietam battlefield:
September 16, 1862.
On the evening of the 16th, Law’s Brigade advanced from the fields in front of the Dunkard Church to a position in the East Woods, on either side of the Smoketown Road, where it supported the skirmishers of Wofford’s Brigade in resisting the advance of Seymour’s Brigade.
The engagement ceased at dark. At 10 P. M. the Brigade was relieved by Trimble’s Brigade of Ewell’s Division, and withdrawn to the woods west of the Dunkard Church.
From the second brigade tablet:
September 17, 1862
Law’s Brigade advanced from the woods at the Dunkard Church at 7 A.M. and relieved Trimble’s Brigade across the Smoketown Road south of this point. Gradually gaining ground to the left, its center on the open ground and its right in the East Woods, it assisted in repulsing the advance of Ricketts’ Division, First Corps. Supported on the right by the 21st Georgia of Trimble’s Brigade and the 5th Texas of Wofford’s Brigade, it advanced to the northeast corner of Miller’s Cornfield and the woods adjacent, from which it was dislodged by the advance of the Twelfth Corps. It withdrew to the fields south of the Dunkard Church and was not again engaged.
1863
Battle of Gettysburg
The 11th Mississippi Infantry Regiment was assigned to guard the baggage trains on July 1 and missed the opening fighting of the battle. It rejoined the brigade on the 2nd, but Davis’ Brigade was held in reserve due to its heavy casualties the day before. On the 3rd the brigade took part in Pickett’s Charge. The 11th was the left flank regiment in the brigade.
Brockenbrough’s Brigade, the left flank brigade of the charge, took heavy fire from its front and flank and collapsed well short of the Union lines, leaving the 11th Misssippi the exposed left flank regiment for the remainder of the charge. The regiment’s colors and a handful of men made it to the stone wall that was the Union defensive line and were killed or captured there. Major Reynolds was wounded. Company A, the University Greys, was completely wiped out.
Busse and Martin’s Regimental Strength and Losses at Gettysburg show the 11th Mississippi entering the battle with 592 men and losing 102 killed, 168 wounded, and 42 missing or caprued.
Text from the regimental monument at Gettysburg:
The 11th Mississippi Infantry Regiment, under the command of Col. Francis M. Green and Maj. Reuben O. Reynolds, formed west of the tree line on Seminary Ridge behind Maj. William Pegram’s Battalion of Artillery and immediately south of McMillan’s Woods on July 3, 1863. Shortly after 3:00 p.m., Color Sgt. William O’Brien of Company C, memorialized on this monument, raised the colors and the regiment stepped forward. Although clusters of men reached the stone wall near Brian’s Barn, the attack was driven back with heavy loss, and the remnants of the regiment reformed in this vicinity.
Combatants – 393, Killed in action/died of wounds – 110, Wounded/wounded captured – 193, Captured unwounded – 37, Non-casualty – 53
11th Mississippi Regiment
Company A – University Greys
Layfayette County – 1st Lt. Jonathan V. Moore
Company B – Coahoma Invincibles
Coahoma County – Capt. William D. Nunn
Company C – Prairie Rifles
Chickasaw County – Capt. George W. Shannon
Company D – Neshoba Rifles
Neshoba County – Capt. Jonathan R. Prince
Company E – Prairie Guards
Lowndes County – Capt. Henry P. Halpert
Company F – Noxubee Rifles
Noxubee County – Capt. Thomas J. Stokes
Company G – Lamar Rifles
Lafayette County – Capt. William O. Nelms
Company H – Chickasaw Guards
Chickasaw County – Capt. Jamison H. Moore
Company I – Van Dorn Reserve
Monroe County – Capt. Stephen C. Moore
Company K – Carroll County Rifles
Carroll County – Capt. George W. Bird, Jr.
Battle of Falling Waters
Serving with the rest of Heth’s Division (temporarily under General Pettigrew since Heth’s wound on July 1) as rear guard for Lee’s Army while recrossing the Potomac, the regiment fought off an attack by Union Cavalry, losing 9 men.
Bristoe Station
The regiment lost 4 men wounded
Mine Run Campaign
1864
Battle of the Wilderness
Moved up the Orange Plank Road to meet Federal forces moving through the wilderness. The regiment was on the left of Heth’s Division, north of the Plank Road, and held off a series of attacks by Hanco*ck’s Federal Second Corps. The brigade was relieved at dusk by Thomas’ Brigade of Wilcox’s Division and moved south of the Plank Road.
Battle of Talley’s Mill, or Po River
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
The regiment was only lightly engaged as skirmishers but Colonel Green was mortally wounded on May 12. Major Reuben O. Reynolds took command of the regiment. Casualties for the regiment for the first two weeks in May were 14 killed, 55 wounded and 6 missing.
Battle of North Anna
Battle of Cold Harbor (Bethesda Church)
The regiment lost 6 killed, 31 wounded and 4 missing.
April 1865
Siege of Petersburg
Battle of Weldon Railroad, or Globe Tavern
The regiment took part in a counterattack which broke two Federal brigades, then dug in and held the ground gained. It lost 10 men killed and 30 wounded.
Battle of Peeble’s Farm
The regiment fought along Squirrel Level Road
Davis Farm
Squirrel Level Road (Jones’ Farm)
In a raging downpour Heth launched a number of uncoordinated attacks against what he mistakenly thought was a hanging Federal flank. The attacks were beaten back by the well entrenched Federals. The regiment lost 1 killed, 3 wounded and 1 missing.
Battle of Boyden Plank Road, or Burgess’ Mill
1865
Skirmish at Hawks Farm
Colonel Reynolds was wounded, losing his right arm, and Captain Nelms was badly wounded. Lieutenant Colonel George Shannon took command of the regiment.
Breakthrough and Collapse at Petersburg
The regiment was flanked on both sides and retreated to Hatcher’s Run, which was unfordable due to heavy rains. Lieutenant Colonel Shannon and most of the regiment were forced to surrender, although some escaped by swimming the dangerously swollen waters. Color bearer Frank Hope tore the colors to pieces and threw the staff into the stream.
