Stacking Arms: Transmogrified

Having done a lot of research into the surrender in North Carolina, I want to share some of the more interesting stories I uncovered. This article touches on a lesser known part of the Army of Tennessee’s history.

Following the mid-March, 1865 battle of Bentonville, Gen. Joseph E. Johnston moved his Confederate forces to Smithfield to recover and await developments. The Confederates had failed to stop Sherman’s troops at Bentonville, and the Union forces were now concentrated and resupplied for another effort.

Johnston’s command included a mix of forces, including the Army of Tennessee, troops from the Department of North Carolina, and other formations. Many of these units were severely understrength, having fought hard in the Nashville Campaign, moved from winter camps in Mississippi to the Carolinas, and been engaged again at Bentonville. They had not received replacements in that time. Sumner A. Cunningham of the 41st Tennessee, for example, wrote that his unit had only about forty-five men.

Johnston used the rest at Smithfield to reorganize the army. On April 9, the same day that Lee met with General Grant in the parlor of the McLean house at Appomattox Court House, Gen. Johnston reorganized his force, ordering that it proceed “with all possible speed, Sherman will not give us much rest.” In another order he wrote that consolidation begin “without delay.”

This swift and sweeping action immediately erased unit histories and unit pride. Morale plummeted, as commands that had fought numerous battles, marched hundreds of miles, and endured extended hardships were suddenly erased.

Private John Croxton of the 2nd South Carolina Regiment simply noted in his writings that, “About April 9th, 1865, the 2d (Palmetto) Regiment South Carolina Infantry was consolidated with the 20th Regiment South Carolina Infantry and a part of Blanchard’s South Carolina Reserves and formed the (New) 2nd South Carolina Infantry . . .”

During the consolidation a regiment’s under-strength companies were combined into new companies, often the first five (A-E) becoming a new company A, with the second five (F-K) becoming a company B, as Capt. William D. Dixon noted in the 1st Georgia. Then regiments were combined to form new regiments, done state by state. A regiment normally had ten companies, lettered A-M, with no I.

Captain Dixon wrote:

Sunday 9th There has been considerable excitement in Camp today caused by the proposed consolidation. Regimental commanders were consulted this morning as to officers to be appointed. I have heard the result, but will await its announcement. The men are very much opposed to it but I think their opposition will only be temporary, as they must have something to talk about . . .

Monday 10th  The command was formed in line at 9 oclock this morning when the consolidation took place. One Regiment and a Battalion was made out of the Brigade. Our Regiment formed two companies, Companies A.B.C.D & E. making the first company and F.G.H.I &K making the second . . . I have not heard as yet what the regiment will be called . . . It rained all last night and today making it very disagreeable.

George Guild of the 4th Tennessee Cavalry summarized the mood following the massive consolidation:

I remember after the reorganization to have met a soldier in the old Second Tennessee Infantry and I asked him what was the number of his regiment since the reorganization. He replied that he did not know, as it was one of the questions that was past finding out . . .

Colonel Charles Olmstead of the 1st Georgia wrote that, “So many of the Regiments Brigades and Divisions had been depleted by the exigencies of service that a thorough reorganization took place here and in this what remained of the 57th and 63rd Georgia Regiments were consolidated with the 1st and under its Regimental name. There were something over 800 of the rank and file, men who had borne the heat and burden of the day, tough, wiry, and hardened by service . . .”

Captain Charles F. Bahnson of Manly’s Battalion of Light Artillery wrote, “The army has been completely “transmogrified” several times, and great and numerous have been the changes.”

Sergeant William Andrews of the 1st Georgia Regulars (not to be confused with the 1st Georgia) wrote: “April 9, Gen. Johnston’s Army was reorganized and consolidated. The 1st Ga. Regulars, 47th Regiment, and Bonaud’s 28th Ga. Battalion was placed in one regiment. The 1st Regiment of Georgia Regulars formed five companies of the 1st, three of the 47th, and two of the 28th, with R.A. Wayne colonel . . . The 47th and 28th kicked like anything on being assigned to the Regulars, but was of no use.”

The Army of Tennessee’s only two regular North Carolina infantry regiments, the 58th and 60th, were combined into a new Consolidated 58th North Carolina Regiment. The old 58th became Companies A, B, D, and G, while the men of the old 60th formed Companies C, E, and H.

South Carolina Gen. Johnson Hagood wrote that, “There was but one course left to put the armies of the Confederacy upon a footing of efficiency sufficient to continue the contest, and that was to consolidate and reorganize the good men . . . into new regiments and brigades of proper strength . . .” Describing his experience, he noted, “This consolidation was a matter of much interest to both officers and men. In our particular case, a strong feeling was manifested to unite the volunteer South Carolina troops . . .” Another Palmetto State soldier felt that “the only effect these changes had was the throwing out of some our best and bravest officers.”

The army reduced thirty batteries of artillery to ten. Eleven Arkansas Regiments were consolidated into one, seven from Florida became one unit, eight Texas regiments merged into one, and thirty-nine Tennessee Regiments were consolidated into four (each having nine or twelve of the old commands). It truly was a transmogrification.

Excess officers were given furloughs and sent to their home regions to recruit for the regiments in the field. Most were probably still on their way home when the surrender occurred. The newly reorganized Army of Tennessee left Smithfield, passing through Raliegh, and onto Greensboro. There they went into camp, while Johnston began negotiating with Sherman at the Bennette House in mid-April.

Part of a series.

Bert Dunkerly formerly worked at Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, and is the author of To The Bitter End: Appomattox, Bennett Place, and the Surrenders of the Confederacy, and The Confederate Surrender at Greensboro.