John C Rigdon

Historical Sketch And Roster Of The North Carolina 55th Infantry Regiment John C Rigdon

The North Carolina 55th Infantry Regiment was organized at Camp Mangum, near Raleigh, North Carolina, in May, 1862. Its companies were recruited in the counties of Pitt, Wilson, Wilkes, Cleveland, Burke, Catawba, Johnston, Alexander, Onslow, Franklin, and Granville. The unit served in the Department of North Carolina, then moved to Virginia where it was assigned to General J. R. Davis' and Cooke's Brigade. It fought with the Army of Northern Virginia from Gettysburg to Cold Harbor, served in the Petersburg trenches south of the James River, and took part in the Appomattox operations. The regiment lost thirty-one percent of the 640 engaged at Gettysburg and fifty-nine percent of the 340 at The Wilderness. It surrendered with 4 officers and 77 men on April 9, 1865. This is one of the few books for which we have firsthand accounts available. The Diary of Mary Jeffreys Bethell, the mother of 3 of the soldiers, gives a mother's perspective and the account of Charles M. Cooke, Adjutant of the regiment shows what life was link in the field. Both are included in this book. The book also includes photographs of a dozen of the men.