The War for Southern Independence:
FIRST
BATTALION, MISSISSIPPI SHARPSHOOTERS
(aka
10TH MS INFANTRY BATTALION, and aka 20TH MS INFANTRY
BATTALION)
(from Dunbar
Rowland’s "Military History of Mississippi,
1803-1898"; company listing courtesy H. Grady Howell’s
"For Dixie Land, I’ll Take My Stand")
Company A -- Coms Avengers (raised in Carroll County, MS)
Company B -- Red Rebels (raised in Holmes County, MS)
Company C -- Capt. Leigh’s Independent Company (raised in
Yalobusha County, MS)
Company D -- Wigfall Guards (raised in Tennessee)
Formed from three Mississippi companies in the Twenty-fifth
Mississippi, or Second Confederate, Regiment and Caruther's
Sharpshooters. Also called Tenth Battalion Infantry; also
Twentieth Battalion. Majors --William A. Rayburn, James M.
Stigler.
The "Mississippi Battalion, William A. Rayburn,
Captain", is mentioned by General Van Dorn among the
troops at Vicksburg, during the bombardment of May, June and
July, 1862.
Caruther's Sharpshooters, merged in this battalion, was a
part of Gen. John S. Bowen's Brigade at the battle of Corinth,
with Sixth, Fifteenth and Twenty-second Mississippi Regiments.
General Lovell mentioned them as particularly distinguished in
the successful assault upon the outer line October 3, 1862.
Commanded by Captain Caruthers, in the skirmish line with the
First Missouri, and with the Twenty-second Mississippi in
charging and capturing a battery, they were conspicuous for
coolness and courage, said General Bowen. They were in line of
battle and under artillery fire on the 4th. On the 5th Bowen,
as rear guard on the retreat, was pursued and attacked by
cavalry, which was repulsed by two companies of Jackson's
cavalry, the Mississippi battalion and Lieutenant Barlow's
artillery section. January, 1863, in Rust's Brigade of
Loring's Division, Fourth Military District, Maj .-Gen. Loring
commanding reserve corps at Jackson. March 24, 1863, the
battalion was at Wilson's, six miles above the mouth of Deer
Creek, obstructing the creek by felling trees, and were
reinforced by the command of Gem S. D. Lee, to meet the
Federal advance along the creek. Rayburn's First Battalion
Sharpshooters, with Holland's Thirty-seventh Regiment, made
reconnaissance of Federal position on the Tallahatchie near
Fort Pemberton, April 4, 1863. May 30 return, First
Mississippi Battalion Sharpshooters, Maj. W. A. Rayburn,
Featherston's Brigade. July 30, Maj. J. M. Stigler,
commanding.
Maj. James M. Stigler commanding, in Featherston's Brigade,
Loring's Division, army of Gen. Polk, concentrated at Canton
when Sherman began his march to Meridian from Vicksburg,
February, 1864; fell back to Demopolis, Ala.
Part of Featherston's Brigade, during the Atlanta campaign,
beginning with Resaca, May 12-16, and including the
skirmishing on the Cassville line, were distinguished for
daring on the skirmish line at New Hope Church, May 27, the
incessant sharpshooting and artillery work of entrenched lines
near New Hope Church, the memorable battles of skirmish lines
around Kenesaw Mountain, notably the repulse of the Federal
attack near the base of the mountain, by Marietta, by
Stigler's Battalion and the Third Regiment, on the skirmish
line, June 27. The battalion participated in the fatal assault
upon the Federal line on Peachtree Creek, July 20, losing 4
killed, including the Adjutant, 21 wounded, and 7 missing; was
also in the attack of July 28, on the Lickskillet road, and
served in the trenches around Atlanta until the evacuation,
September 1.
In the Tennessee campaign the battalion shared the gallant
action of Featherston's Brigade in the assault at Franklin
November 30, and the brigade losses of 352 killed, wounded and
missing. They were in the battle of Nashville, December 15-16,
and with the rear guard under Walthall on the retreat, in the
actions at Columbia, Anthony's Hill, and Sugar Creek. After
crossing the Tennessee River December 28, they moved with the
army to Tupelo. Major Stigler was in command of the battalion
December 10, 1864, and the aggregate present December 21, was
63.
In the last battle of the army, at Bentonville, N. C.,
March 19-21, 1865, about sundown, in the last volley, Major
Stigler, a lieutenant and one of two enlisted men were
wounded. Organization of March 31 Featherston's Brigade
commanded by Maj. Martin A. Oatis, the First Battalion by
Lieut. E. H. Griffis. April 9, First, Twenty-second and
Thirty-third Regiments and First Battalion consolidated as the
Twenty-second Regiment, Col. Martin A. Oatis, commanding.
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