An Incomplete History of the 52nd Regiment, Georgia Volunteer Infantry

Part 1: Cumberland Gap to Vicksburg
March 1862 to July 1863

 

 

March 13, 1862
52nd Georgia Volunteer Infantry begins mustering in at Camp McDonald; Big Shanty, Georgia

Kirby Smith

March 28, 1862
Major General E. Kirby Smith is notified in a letter from Confederate military headquarters in Richmond, Virginia, that the 52nd Regiment, Georgia Volunteer Infantry is currently being raised and will be under his command.

April 24, 1862
Camp Van Dorn; Knoxville, Tennessee - Abstract of the return of the Department of East Tennessee (Major General E. Kirby Smith, commanding) notes that the men of the 52nd Georgia Regiment are still unarmed. This problem was later alleviated when the regiment was issued brand-new .58 caliber Enfields. These rifles had been confiscated by Confederate officials from the C.S.S. Nashville. The rifles had been bought from England and were on their way to Georgia governor Joseph Brown.

May 16, 1862
The 52nd Regiment, Georgia Volunteer Regiment is officially organized. They are assigned to Leadbetter's (1st)Brigade, Department of East Tennessee. First Commander and field officers of the 52nd were:
Wier Boyd, Colonel
Rufus R. Asbury, Lieutenant Colonel
Charles D. Phillips, Lieutenant Colonel
Solomon H. Van Diviere, Lieutenant Colonel
James J. Findley, Major
John Jay Moore, Major

May 31, 1862
The men of the 52nd Regiment are assigned to Barton's (4th)Brigade. They march to Cumberland Gap.

June 6, 1862
After the withdrawal of General Morgan's Federal troops from Cumberland Gap, General Seth Barton's regiments move south along the Clinch River, to Clinton, Tennessee. There they await further orders.

June 10, 1862
Return Abstract shows the 52nd Georgia assigned to Thomas H. Taylor's (1st) Brigade, organized on this date.

June 12, 1862
The 52nd Georgia is ordered to go by rail to Morristown, Tennessee, and then to the crossing at Powell's River. They were traveling with T.H. Taylor's (1st) Brigade.

June 17-18 1862
Cumberland Gap
 The Confederate works at Cumberland Gap are "turned" and they are forced to fall back to the East Tennessee & Georgia railroad.

July 3, 1862
Assigned to Seth M. Barton's (3rd)Brigade, Carter L. Stevenson's (1st)Division , Department of East Tennessee, (E. Kirby Smith, commanding).

August 14 - September 16, 1862
General Carter Stevenson's division of Georgians lay seige to General Morgan's federal soldiers at Cumberland Gap.

September 17, 1862
Stevenson's division, containing 9,000 men, reopens Cumberland Gap and enters Kentucky, joining the rest of General Kirby Smith's army. Cumberland Gap had been under the control of G.W. Morgan's Union Division of 8,000 men before being forced northward by the Confederates.

September 17 - December 24, 1862
The 52nd Georgia marches northward through Kentucky, advancing through Lexington, Harrodsburg, and Frankfort. They are held in reserve, and thus are not involved in any of the major battles during this time.

October 8, 1862
The 52nd Georgia is held in reserve at the battle of Perryville, Kentucky.

Old Joe

November 24, 1862
General Joseph E. Johnston assumes command over Kirby Smith, Braxton Bragg, and John C. Pemberton.

November 25, 1862
The resignation of Colonel Wier Boyd goes into effect. He had submitted his resignation on November 1st.Wier Boyd was suffering from a "disease of the kidneys and liver". Colonel Boyd is replaced by Charles D. Phillips in the command of the 52nd Regiment.

December 24, 1862
Arrived in Tazewell, Tennessee, returning from the campaign in Kentucky.

December 25, 1862
Departed for Vicksburg, Mississippi.

December 26-29, 1862
Chickasaw Bayou
Walnut Hills, Mississippi
The 52nd Georgia arrived at Chickasaw Bayou late in the evening of the 27th. They were quickly marched to the defensive works at the Indian mound overlooking Chickasaw Bayou. They were placed in the line of battle early in the morning of the 28th. The Georgians, along with the other Confederate defenders at the Indian mound, repulsed five separate attacks by William T. Sherman's federal troops. The Union army left hundreds of soldiers lying dead in front of the defensive works of the Confederates. The 52nd regiment had one man killed and three wounded.

January 2, 1863
The 52nd Georgia, now under the command of Colonel Phillips, had 377 men available for duty. (Barton's Brigade had 2,100 total available)

April, 1863
The 52nd Georgia was at Vicksburg, Mississippi, along with the rest of Stevenson's Division.

May 7, 1863
Stevenson's Division is in defensive line South of the city of Vicksburg, along the road from Warrenton, Mississippi to Hall's Ferry on the Big Black River.

May 14, 1863
Stevenson's, Loring's, and Bowen's Divisions are all encamped at Edward's Station (23,000 troops).

May 15, 1863 - 5:00pm
Stevenson's Division (with 52nd GA), at the rear of the army, leaves its position near Edward's Depot. They march in a line of battle.

May 16, 1863 - 3:00am
Stevenson's Division reached the head of the column, in bivouac on Raymond Road.

May 16, 1863
Champion Hill
Bakers Creek, Mississippi
Stevenson's Division was on the crest of Champion's Hill. This was the extreme left side of the Confederate line. Barton's Brigade was at the right side of Stevenson's Division, but in order to keep the Yankees from turning the left flank, they were later moved to the extreme left end of the line. The left end of Barton's Brigade was resting on Baker's Creek, next to the bridge.
The main Federal assault was against these troops. 25,000 Federal soldiers attacked Stevenson's Division of a mere 6,500 men. When this line finally broke, the Union victory at Champion's Hill was assured.
Colonel Charles D. Phillips was reported missing after the battle. He was wounded in the head and hands during the fighting, and in the confusion of the Confederate retreat, was left behind. He was captured by the Federals. Command of the 52nd Regiment was then turned over to Major John Jay Moore.
Barton's Brigade held the bridge over Baker's Creek, and then fell back to Edward's Depot. Shortly after 4:00pm, Stevenson's Division was ordered to withdraw to Big Black River Bridge. They arrived there at 1:00am, and bivouacked near Bovina.

May 17, 1863
Big Black River Bridge, Mississippi
Brigadier General Carter Stevenson stated in his report to Major R.W. Memminger (Assistant Adjutant-General) that his division was not involved in the battle at Big Black River, but they did occupy the heights on the West bank to cover the crossing of the troops who had occupied the entrenchments on the east bank of the river.

May 18-July 4, 1863
Siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi
The city of Vicksburg was shelled around the clock by Union army and naval batteries. But sickness and starvation were the biggest problems.
Barton's Brigade, containing the 52nd Georgia, occupied the riverfront and the fortifications on the right side of the Confederate line (South of the city of Vicksburg).

July 4, 1863
Confederate troops at Vicksburg are surrendered by General Pemberton.

July 7-9, 1863
The 52nd Regiment is paroled. The soldiers are given a thirty day furlough. It is difficult to confirm what exactly happened to the soldiers at this time. It appears that the soldiers of the 52nd simply returned home for a much-needed rest. These brave volunteers would need all their strength when they were exchanged and reorganized in the Fall...

PART 2 - Missionary Ridge to Atlanta

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