53rd Regiment, North Carolina Infantry

Historical Notes:
The North Carolina 53rd Infantry Regiment completed its organization in April, 1862, at Camp Mangum, near Raleigh, North Carolina. The men were recruited in the following counties: Guilford, Mecklenburg, Chatham, Surry, Alamance, Stokes, Union, and Wilkes. It served in the Department of North Carolina, then was assigned to General Daniel's and Grimes' Brigade, Arm of Northern Virginia. The 53rd fought in many conflicts from Gettysburg to Cold Harbor, participated in all the battles in the Shenandoah Valley, and was active in the Appomattox Campaign. It lost thirty-six percent of the 322 engaged at Gettysburg, had 1 wounded at Bristoe and 2 killed at Mine Run. The unit surrendered 6 officers and 81 men. Officers:
Colonels:
• James T. Morehead
• William A. Owens
Majors:
• James J. Iredell
• John W. Rierson
Assignments:
Department of North Carolina, then was assigned to General Daniel's and Grimes' Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia.
Battles:
Gettysburg (July 3, 1863)
South Anna Bridge (July 4, 1863)
Bristoe Campaign (October-November 1863)
Bristoe Station (October 14, 1863)
Mine Run Campaign (November-December 1863)
The Wilderness (May 5-6, 1864)
Spotsylvania Court House (May 8-21, 1864)
North Anna (May 22-26, 1864)
Cold Harbor (June 1-3, 1864)
Petersburg Siege (June 1864-April 1865)
Kernstown (July 24, 1864)
Globe Tavern (August 18-21, 1864)
Reams' Station (August 25, 1864)
Jones' Farm (September 30, 1864)
Squirrel Level Road (September 30, 1864)
Harman Road (October 2, 1864)
Hatcher's Run (February 5-7, 1865)
Petersburg Final Assault (April 2, 1865)
Appomattox Court House (April 9, 1865)
Rosters:
The roster of this unit contains the names of 2212 men.

Company A - Guilford County
Company B - Mecklenburg County
Company C - Johnston, Chatham And Wake, Mostly From Johnston
Company D - Guilford, Cumberland, Forsyth, Stokes, Bladen And Surry
Company E - Surry County
Company F - Alamance And Chatham
Company G - Stokes
Company H - Stokes County
Company I - Union County
Company K - Wilkes County
Bibliography for Research:
Crute, Joseph Units of the Confederate States Army Midlothian, VA: Derwent Books, 1987. Concise summary of the units service.

Sifakis, Stewart. Compendium of the Confederate Armies...Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, The Confederate Units and the Indian Units. Westminster, MD: Willow Bend Books, 1995. (2 photocopied pages). E547S53.

Southern Historical Society The Southern Historical Society Papers. Cartersville, GA: Eastern Digital Resources, 1998.

Brock, R. A. The Appomattox Roster. Cartersville, GA: Eastern Digital Resources, 1998.
Originally published as Volume 15 of the Southern Historical Society Papers in 1887 by The Society, Richmond, VA. This book contains 56,000 names of men who surrendered at Appomattox. It shows the mans unit of service and some additional notes.
U. S. Government Printing Office. Official Records of the American Civil War Davenport, IA. Eastern Digital Resources.