Mississippi 15th Infantry Regiment

Historical Notes:
The Mississippi 15th Infantry Regiment, organized at Choctaw, Mississippi, in May, 1861, contained men from Holmes, Choctaw, Quitman, Montgomery, Yalobusha, and Grenada counties. The regiment was active at Fishing Creek, Shiloh, Baton Rouge, and Corinth, then was placed in Rust's, Tilghman's, and J.Adams' Brigade. After serving in the Vicksburg area, it joined the Army of Tennessee and participated in the Atlanta Campaign, Hood's winter operations, and the Battle of Bentonville. This unit had 34 officers and 820 men on January 7, 1862, and lost 44 killed, 153 wounded, and 29 missing at Fishing Creek. Many were disabled at Peach Tree Creek and Franklin, and only a remnant surrendered in April 1865. Officers:
COLONELS:
Winfield S. Statham - May 1861-Jul 1862
First commander of the Fifteenth Mississippi. Originally elected captain of the Grenada Rifles, he was commissioned colonel at the regiment's formation in June 1861. Statham rose to command the brigade upon the death of General Felix Zollicoffer in January 1862 and succumbed to a fever at the seige of Vicksburg in July. His commission to brigadier-general arrived only one day before he died.
Michael Farrell - Jul 1862-Dec 1864
Succeeded Statham as commander. A full-blood Irishman from New York, he was elected lieutenant-colonel at the regiment's reorganization in May 1862. Farrell was the driving force behind the precision infantry drills which won fame and praise for the Fifteenth Mississippi. He was wounded in the thigh at the Battle of Franklin, November 1864, and did not survive the amputation of his leg.
James R. Binford - Dec 1864-Apr 1865

Succeeded Farrell as commander. He enlisted as a private in the McClung Rifles and was promoted through the ranks to eventual command. Binford led the regiment until its surrender in April 1865 and continued to be active in veteran's organizations for the rest of his life.

LT-COLONELS:
J.W. Hemphill - May 1861-May 1862
Resigned due to poor health, 1862. Replaced by Michael Farrell.
Edward Carey Walthall - May 1861-May 1862
Led the regiment at the Battle of Mill Springs, Statham absent for health reasons. He received a commission to organize his own regiment (the Twenty-ninth Mississippi) at the regimental reorganization in May 1862. Walthall served bravely and notably, eventually reaching the rank of major-general.
Thomas B. Graham - Apr 1865
Appointed to command the Fifteenth Mississippi Infantry, Consolidated. He led the unified force until its surrender in April 1865.

MAJORS:
William Felix Brantley - May 1861-May 1862
Originally elected captain of the Wigfall Rifles. He was transferred to the Twenty-ninth Mississippi at the reorganization in May 1862 and eventually rose to colonel of that regiment, later reaching the rank of brigadier-general. Brantley fell victim to an unknown assassin in 1870 while riding near Winona, Mississippi.
J.B. Dennis
Russell G. Prewitt
Lamkin S. Terry

ADJUTANTS:
J.W. Mitchell
William Irish
Note: Rank listed is the highest obtained by that individual while serving in the Fifteenth Mississippi Regiment.
Assignments:
Organized from state troops on May 27, 1861, at Corinth, Mississippi, volunteers for one twelve-month term of service. Original number: 1,070 men.
Reorganized May 27, 1862, at Corinth, Mississippi, volunteers for two years of service.
Consolidated with Sixth, Twentieth and Twenty-third Mississippi Infantry Regiments and designated Fifteenth Mississippi Infantry Regiment, Consolidated, on April 9, 1865, at Smithfield, North Carolina.
Surrendered by General Joseph E Johnston on April 26, 1865, at Durham Station, North Carolina. Surviving number: 207 men from original roll.
Battles:
1861:
Skirmish at Laurel Bridge, Kentucky 26 Sep 1861
Skirmish at Wild Cat Mountain, Kentucky - 17 Oct 1861

1862:
Mill Springs, Kentucky 19 Jan 1862
Shiloh, Tennessee 6-7 Apr 1862
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 5 Aug 1862
Corinth, Mississippi 3-4 Oct 1862

1863:
Seige of Vicksburg, Mississippi May-Jul 1863
Champion's Hill, Mississippi 16 May 1863
Jackson, Mississippi Jul 1863

1864:
Meridian, Mississippi Feb-Mar 1864
New Hope Church, Georgia 25 May - 4 Jun 1864
Peach Tree Creek, Georgia 20 Jul 1864
Ezra Church, Georgia 28 Jul 1864
Seige of Atlanta, Georgia Jul-Sep 1864
Jonesboro, Georgia 31 Aug - 1 Sep 1864
Franklin, Tennessee 30 Nov 1864
Nashville, Tennessee 15-16 Dec 1864

1865:
Bentonville, North Carolina 19-21 Mar 1865

Rosters:
The roster of this unit contains the names of 2753 men.

Company A – Long Creek Rifles
Company I - Choctaw Guard – Attalia County
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