1st Louisiana Infantry Battalion

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1st Louisiana Infantry Battalion (Dreux's/Rightor's)
Flag of Louisiana (February 1861).svg
Flag of Louisiana, 1861
Active11 June 1861 – 1 May 1862
CountryFlag of the Confederate States of America (1865).svg  Confederate States of America
AllegianceFlag of Louisiana (February 1861).svg  Louisiana
BranchBattle flag of the Confederate States of America.svg  Confederate States Army
Type Infantry
Size545 (total enrollment) [1]
Engagements American Civil War
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Charles Didier Dreux

The 1st Louisiana Infantry Battalion, officially known as the 1st Battalion, Louisiana Volunteers and often referred to as the Dreux-Rightor Battalion to distinguish it from units with similar designations, was an infantry battalion from Louisiana that served in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.

Contents

History

The five original companies of the battalion, the first volunteer companies to respond to the state's call for volunteers to serve in the Confederate army, were sent to Pensacola, Florida in mid-April 1861 to bring the 1st Louisiana Regulars, who had not finished their organization, up to strength. The New Orleans companies included some of the city's most prominent gentlemen. After the remainder of the 1st Louisiana Regulars companies arrived at Pensacola in late May, the five companies that became those of the battalion were sent to Virginia, where they arrived on 30 May. The companies were organized as the 1st Louisiana Infantry Battalion at Richmond on 11 June, with Orleans Cadets captain Charles Didier Dreux elected lieutenant colonel. [2] The five companies were designated as follows: [1]

CompanyLocal DesignationRecruitment Area (Parish)
ALouisiana Guards Orleans
BCrescent Rifles, Company AOrleans
DShreveport Greys Caddo
EGrivot Guards Terrebonne
FOrleans CadetsOrleans

The battalion was soon sent to join the Yorktown garrison. On 5 July, Dreux led a detachment composed of twenty picked men from each company to ambush Union soldiers near Newport News. In the resulting short skirmish, he and another man were killed, making Dreux the first Louisiana officer, and likely the first Confederate officer killed in the war. After Dreux's death, Major Nicholas H. Rightor succeeded to command and became lieutenant colonel. On 16 July, the battalion was increased to six companies by the transfer of Company C of the Louisiana Guards, who became Company C of the battalion, from the 1st Louisiana Infantry Regiment. The battalion remained on picket duty in the Virginia Peninsula until April 1862, when the Union Army of the Potomac launched the Peninsula campaign. The 1st Louisiana Battalion participated in a skirmish near the junction of the Warwick and Yorktown roads on 5 April. Except for Company D, the one-year terms of service of the companies of the battalion expired during the campaign, but they agreed to remain in service until the conclusion of the campaign. The 1st Battalion was disbanded on 1 May, just before the army retreated to Richmond after the Battle of Yorktown. [1] [2]

Most men of the battalion reenlisted in a battery formed by Captain Charles E. Fenner of Company A. Company D was assigned to the 1st Louisiana Infantry Regiment. During its service, a total of 545 men served in the battalion. Besides Dreux and the other man killed on 5 July 1861, sixteen members of the battalion died of disease. [1] [2]

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The 30th Louisiana Infantry Regiment was a unit of volunteers recruited in Louisiana that fought in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. On 17 December 1861, the Sumter Regiment was accepted into state service at New Orleans. On 1 March 1862, the militia regiment transferred to Confederate service for a 90-day enlistment. At the Capture of New Orleans on 25 April, three and a half companies stayed in the city and were captured. The other companies went to Camp Moore where the regiment reorganized for Confederate service on 15 May 1862, by the addition of four more companies. Company K left on furlough and never returned. The regiment fought at Baton Rouge before being assigned to garrison Port Hudson. On 4 March 1863, two companies were suppressed and their men reassigned to other companies, officially reducing the regiment to a 7-company unit named the 30th Louisiana Infantry Battalion. However, contemporary records often continued to refer to the unit as a regiment. A detachment was captured at the Siege of Port Hudson, but the bulk of the battalion served at Jackson in 1863, and New Hope Church, Atlanta, Ezra Church, and Nashville in 1864. The survivors were consolidated with the remnants of the 4th and 13th Louisiana Infantry Regiments, and the 14th Louisiana Battalion in February 1864. The men fought at Spanish Fort in March and April 1865, and surrendered in May 1865.

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 Bergeron 1996, pp. 148–149.
  2. 1 2 3 Jones 2002, pp. 250–251.

Bibliography