Re: North Carolina's Union Regiments
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In reply to:
North Carolina's Union Regiments
dave frederick 1/30/03
Eastern North Carolinians in the Union Army:
The First and Second North Carolina Union Volunteer Regiments
By Dr. Donald E. Collins
The War Between the States was truly a civil war in every sense
of the word. Although the popular image is of North fighting
South, it is also true that Northerners in significant numbers
supported the South, and Southerners in significant numbers
fought for the North. Eighty-five [White] Union army regiments
were recruited in the Confederate States:
51 from Tennessee;
10 from Arkansas;
10 from Louisiana;
4 from North Carolina;
4 from Texas;
2 from Florida;
1 from Alabama;
1 from Arkansas;
1 from Georga;
1 from Mississippi; &
1 from Virginia.
While many of these Southern Unionists confined their service
to within their native states, many others took active roles
in fighting against the Southern Confederacy.Alabama and
Tennessee Union regiments fought under Sherman in the Atlanta
campaign and joined him for his March to the Sea. At least
two Tennessee regiments fought at Fort Fisher, occupied
Wilmington, fought at Avrasboro and Bentonville, occupied
Raleigh, and were present at Johnston's surrender at Bennett
Place.
North Carolina's four [White] Union regiments were: the First
and Second North Carolina Union Volunteer Infantry, and the
Second and Third North Carolina Mounted Infantry. The two
mounted infantry regiments were stationed in Knoxville,
Tennessee and saw service primarily in the mountains of Western
North Carolina and (Eastern) Tennessee. The two infantry
regiments were organized in eastern North Carolina and remained
in that region for the entire war.