North Carolina contributed more than 70 regiments to Confederate service during the Civil War, but only four of those regiments were permanently assigned to service in the Army of Tennessee. The Fifty-Eighth North Carolina Troops, hailing primarily from western North Carolina, fought in battles such as Chickamauga, Resaca and Bentonville. This account follows the soldiers from antebellum life, to conscription, to battlefield, to post-war life.
This is a first hand account by a member of Company H of the North Carolina 58th Infantry Regiment. The North Carolina 58th Infantry Regiment was organized in Mitchell County, North Carolina, in July, 1862. Its twelve companies were recruited in the counties of Mitchell, Yancey, Watauga, Caldwell, McDowell, and Ashe. In September it moved to Cumberland Gap and spent the winter of 1862-1863 at Big Creek Gap, near Jacksboro, Tennessee. The 58th participated in the campaigns of the Army of Tennessee from Chickamauga to Atlanta, guarded prisoners at Columbia, Tennessee, during Hood's operations, then moved to South Carolina and skirmished along the Edisto River. Later it returned to North Carolina and saw action at Bentonville . It lost 46 killed and 114 wounded at Chickamauga, totalled 327 men and 186 arms in December, 1863, and took about 300 effectives to Bentonville. The unit was included in the surrender on April 26, 1865.The narrative primarily focuses on the events from the battle of Chickamauga to the end of the war. Harper describes the events at Bentonville: "The 58th, in this, its last battle, numbered about 300 effectives. The Brigade (Palmer's) was selected as the directing column for the Army of Tennessee in the assault on the enemy's line. The charge was made with great spirit and dash, and the enemy entrenched and with a high fence built in their front, gave way before inflicting great loss on their assailants. In the pursuit which followed, two pieces of artillery, limbering with all haste to the rear, were captured and driven back into our lines with their teams complete. In running down and taking the guns some of the artillerymen were shot while on the chests, and the old pine field was strewn with blankets, provisions and plunder of all sorts thrown away by the flying foe." We have added biographical sketches of the officers with photos and an index to the soldiers of the regiment. Also included is an extensive bibliography of resources for researching this regiment.
Acclaimed as "the finest state roster ever published" and a "magnificent achievement," North Carolina Troops is an invaluable resource for scholars, local historians, genealogists, and Civil War enthusiasts. Each indexed volume contains unit histories and the names and service records of approximately 7,000 North Carolinians who served in the Civil War.
Though always an important North Carolina city, Charlotte truly helped to make history during the Civil War. The city's factories produced gunpowder, percussion caps, and medicine for the Confederate cause. Perhaps most importantly, Charlotte housed the Confederate Naval Ordnance Depot and Naval Works, manufacturing iron for ironclad vessels and artillery projectiles, and providing valuable ammunition for the South. Charlotte also sent over 2,500 men into the Confederate army, and played home to a military hospital, a Ladies Aid Society, a prison and even the mysterious Confederate gold. When Richmond fell, Jefferson Davis set up his headquarters in Charlotte, making it the unofficial capital. Join historian Michael C. Hardy as he recounts the triumphs and struggles of Queen City civilians and soldiers in the Civil War.
The North Carolina 58th Infantry Regiment was wholly composed of men from the mountain region of northwestern North Carolina. This regiment, originally known as the 5th Battalion North Carolina Partisan Rangers, was commanded by Colonel John B. Palmer of Mitchell county. It was organized in Mitchell County, North Carolina, in July, 1862. Some battle honors for the 58th are as follows: Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Dalton, Rocky Face Ridge, Resaca, New Hope Church, Dallas, Kennesaw Mountain, Kolbs Farm, and Bentonville. The companies of the 58th were recruited in the counties of Mitchell, Yancey, Watauga, Caldwell, McDowell, and Ashe. Company A - Mitchell Co.; Organized 6/10/62Company B - Yancy Co.; Organized 5/17/62Company C - Yancy Co.; Organized 5/29/62Company D - Watauga Co.; Organized 6/27/62Company E - Caldwell Co.; Organized 7/29/62Company F - McDowell Co.; Organized 7/14/62Company G - Yancy Co.; Organized 7/11/62Company H - Caldwell Co.; Organized 3/15/62Company I - Watauga Co.; Organized 7/15/62Company K - Mitchell Co.; Organized 5/17/62Company L - Ashe Co.; Organized 7/20/62Company M - Ashe Co. and Watauga Co.;Organized 9/26/62 (This company merged with Company G in 1863.)
