Author: John C. Rigdon

Publisher: Independently Published

Published: 2018-11-27

Total Pages: 314

ISBN-13: 9781790435784

The Mississippi 41st Infantry Regiment was assembled at Pontotoc, Mississippi, during the summer of 1862 and contained eleven companies. Its members were from the counties of Lee, Noxubee, Pontotoc, Monroe, and Chickasaw. The unit served in Mississippi, then was assigned to J.P. Anderson's, Henderson's, Tucker's, and Sharp's Brigade, Army of Tennessee. It fought on many battlefields of the army from Murfreesboro to Atlanta, saw action in Tennessee with Hood, and was involved in the North Carolina operations. It lost 25 killed, 164 wounded, and 9 missing of the 502 engaged at Chickamauga. In December, 1863, it totalled 321 men and 219 arms. The regiment surrendered on April 26, 1865.This book shows what the war was really like for the men who fought and the families who waited and prayed in Mississippi. While the fictionalized accounts of The Help by Katherine Stockett and The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson provide a romantic view of the war.George W. Leavell, of Oxford, Miss., who was a private in Company B gives this account of the battle of Franklin: As stated, our first clash was a fierce struggle across the works, at the very muzzle of our guns, as to which should hold the ground, and for a time (it appeared a long time.) our fate seemed to tremble in the balance. At length the enemy in our immediate front were forced back, and the flag of the Forty First Mississippi Regiment was borne across the works to the pursuit some distance to the front, a squad of us aligning our. selves with our colors. Our color bearer was E. L. Russell, then a youth of seventeen, sprightly, strong, and courageous, now Col. E. L. Russell, of Mobile, general counsel for the Mobile and Ohio Railroad. He writes me in a recent letter: 'Well do I remember what might be termed the lurid night in the locust thicket in front of Franklin. You are correct in your recollection, I carried the colors that evening and that night and went over the breastworks with four or five of the regiment at two different times.'The rally for an advance was not general, and we returned under cover of the embankment. The enemy again returned to contest for the works, and this time we were there ready to greet them. There was a brief but fierce clash again, and another shout for an advance. Captain Spooner, of the Forty first, mounted the works and walked to and fro, waving his sword and encouraging his men. His symmetric form could be seen through the darkness by the light from the perpetual flash of the guns. This was the second time our colors went over, as alluded to by Col. Russell. This time some one (I think it was Ensign Russell) assisted me to bring a cartouch of ammunition, left by the enemy, across to our side. This gave us an abundant supply of ammunition, and we settled down to a steady fusillade to our front and left. While this fusillade seemed to hold the enemy at bay in our front, it brought us trouble from the left. We were on the extreme left. We were at a point where the works made a slight deflection to the northward, forming an obtuse angle. Being on the outside of the angle gave us the advantage, as we could shelter under the works and pour an enfilade fire down their line. This was too much for them, and one desperate effort after another was made by them to force their way up the ditch to our immediate front. As we poured our deadly fire down their line, we could distinctly hear the death groan and agonizing cries of the wounded above the din of battle.Companies Company A-- Pontotoc CountyCompany B -- Pontotoc CountyCompany C -- Lauderdale CountyCompany D -- Noxubee CountyCompany E -- Itawamba CountyCompany F -- Pontotoc CountyCompany G -- Monroe CountyCompany H -- Lafayette & Pontotoc CountiesCompany I -- Itawamba & Tippah CountiesCompany K -- Noxubee CountyCompany L -- Chickasaw County