28th Tennessee Infantry Regiment

Also called 2nd Tennessee Mountain Volunteers

Organized September 28th, 1861; Confederate service October 2, 1861; reorganized May 8, 1862; merged with 84th Tennessee Infantry March 8, 1863 to form 28th Consolidated Tennessee Infantry Regiment; merged into 1st Consolidated Tennessee Infantry Regiment April 9th, 1865; paroled at Greensboro, North Carolina, May 1, 1865.

FIELD OFFICERS

• Colonels-John P. Murray, Uriah T. Brown, Preston D. Cunningham, David C. Crook.
• Of the 28th Consolidated: Sidney S. Stanton, David C. Crook.
• Lieutenant Colonels-Jonathan Eatherly, Preston D. Cunningham, David C. Crook.
• Of the 28th Consolidated: David C. Crook, W. Gooch Smith.
• Majors-James H. Talburt, D.C. Crook, Eli D. Simrell.
• Of the 28th Consolidated: W. Gooch Smith, John B. Holman.

CAPTAINS

• David C. Crook, James S. Walker, Co. “A”. “The Cumberland County Confederates.” Consolidated with “F” to form “B”, 28th Consolidated. Men from Cumberland County.
• John A. Matheny, Alfred C. Pippen, Co. “B”. Organized September 7, 1861. Consolidated with “F” of 84th to form “K”, 28th Consolidated. Men from Jackson, Cumberland, Overton Counties.
• George W. Russell, John R. Donaldson, Co. “C”. Organized September 5, 1861. Consolidated with “G” to form “A”, 18th Consolidated. Men from Overton County.
• Claiborn W. West, Co. “D”. Organized December 24, 1861, at Mill Springs, Kentucky. Consolidated with “H” May 8, 1862.
• Uriah T. Brown, Robert Montgomery, A.C. Davis, Co. “E”. Organized August 11, 1861. Consolidated with “I” to form “D”, 28th Consolidated. Men from Jackson, Putnam Counties.
• Jonathan Eatherly, Wade Baker, John B. Holman, Co. “F”. Organized September 18, 1861. Consolidated with “A” to form “B”, 28th Consolidated . Men from Jackson County.
• William C. Trousdale, Maurice B. Clark, Co. “G”. Organized September 7, 1861. Consolidated with “C” to form “A”, 28th Consolidated. Men from Jackson County.
• Ridley R. West, Joseph L. Bryant, Co. “H”. Organized September 24, 1861 at Red Springs, Tennessee. Consolidated with “D” May 28, 1862. Consolidated with “K” to form “C”, 28th Consolidated. Men from Smith County.
• Samuel G. Slaughter, Frank Fowler, Co. “I”. Organized September 24, 1861. Consolidated with “E” to form “D”, 28th Consolidated. Men from Putnam County.
• E. Parker Sims, Eli D. Simrell, Addison P. Osgatharp. Co. “K”. Organized August 6, 1861. Consolidated with “H” to form “C”, 28th Consolidated. Men from White County.

The regiment was originally composed of only eight companies, omitting “D” and “H:, all of which were organized at Camp Zollicoffer, Overton County, during the months of August and September, 1861. Companies “H” and “D” were added in October and December 1861, making 10 companies. At the reorganization in May, 1862, the regiment was reduced to nine companies by the consolidation of companies “D and “H”. The merger with the 84th Regiment brought the 28th Consolidated back up to 10 companies.Of the field officers, Colonel Murray was not re-elected at the reorganization and served for a time as colonel of 4th (Murray’s) Tennessee Cavalry Regiment; Lieutenant Colonel Eatherly resigned in December, 1861; Colonel Brown was discharged because of ill health in September, 1862′ Colonel Cunningham was killed in the Battle or Murfreesboro; Colonel Crook became lieutenant colonel of the 28th Consolidated; Major Talburt was killed at Shiloh; and Major Simrtell was left out at the consolidation with the 84th Regiment. Colonel Stanton, of the 28th Consolidated was killed in May, 1864, and Crook succeeded him as colonel. Major Holman was killed at the Battle of Franklin November 30, 1864.On October 9, 1861, Brigadier General Simon B. Buckner ordered Colonel S.S. Stanton, of the 25th Regiment, to take Murray’s 28th and two cavalry companies and break up an encampment of Federals in the area around Tomkinsville and Scottsville, Kentucky, and when this was done, to join him at Bowling Green, Kentucky, leaving the balance of the force under Colonel Murray to guard the Kentucky-Tennessee border. However, before this operation was completed, Brigadier General Felix Zollicoffer orders Colonels Stanton, Murray and McClellan (cavalry) to take up a strong position at Jamestown, Tennessee and throw up entrenchment’s.

On October 31, 1861, a letter from Colonel Murray, then at Camp Zollicoffer, reported he had 915 privates with 665 muskets, and protested the station at Jamestown, saying that “Jamestown is located on top of the /Cumberland Mountains, and the area around it is as sterile as the great African Desert.”

On November 1, 1861 a letter from the Assistant Adjutant General to Zollicoffer advised him “Stanton, Murray, and Bledsoe (cavalry) are under your orders.” The regiment continued to operate along the border, sometimes in Kentucky, sometimes in Tennessee until the end of 1861. On December 31, 1861 Zollicoffer, then at Beech Grove, Kentucky, had in his command the 16th Alabama, 15th Mississippi, 17th, 19th, 20th, 25th, 28th Tennessee Infantry Regiments, four companies of cavalry and two batteries. On January 7, 1862, the 28th reported 748 present out of 892 on roll.January 18, 1862, under Major General G. B. Crittenden, Brigadier General William H. Carroll’s Brigade consisted of the 17th, 28th, 29th Tennessee Infantry Regiments, and McClung’s Battery. As part of this brigade the 28th participated in the Battle of Fishing Creek, January 19, and lost 12 men killed, wounded, and missing.Following this battle, Crittenden moved his forces to join General Albert Sydney Johnston at Murfreesboro, and from there moved down into Mississippi in preparation for the Battle of Shiloh.

At Murfreesboro, February 23, 1862, the 28th was in Crittenden’s Division, Colonel W. S. Statham’s Brigade, composed of the 15th and 22nd Mississippi, 19th, 20th, 29th and 45th Tennessee Infantry Regiments, and Rutledge’s Battery. At Shiloh, April 6-7, 1862, Statham’s Brigade was in Brigadier General John C. Breckinridge’s Division. No record of casualties for the 29th was found, although W. G. Smith in Lindley’s Annals, estimates the loss at about 100. The brigade lost 809 men in killed, wounded and missing including Major Talburt of the 28th, who was killed. On April 28, 1862 the 28th was reported stationed at Memphis.

At the reorganization of the regiment May 8, 1862, Uriah T. Brown was elected colonel, P.D. Cunningham lieutenant colonel, and D.C. Crook major. The regiment remained in Statham’s Brigade, Breckinridge’s Division and moved with Breckinridge to Vicksburg, Mississippi, and from there to Baton Rouge and Port Hudson, Louisiana; where it was engaged in the action on August 5, 1862.

On August 31, 1862 the regiment was stationed near Jackson, Mississippi, but shortly thereafter returned to Middle Tennessee, and on October 31, was stationed at Murfreesboro. On September 18 it was reported in the brigade commanded by Colonel F.M. Walker of Breckinridge’s Division, composed of the 19th, 20th, 28th and 45th Tennessee Infantry Regiments, plus McClung’s Battery. On October 28, the 60th North Carolina Regiment had replaced the 19th Tennessee. By this time Colonel Brown had resigned on account of ill health, Cunningham had succeeded him, and Crook became lieutenant colonel.In the Battle of Murfreesboro, December 31, 1862, the 28th was in Lieutenant General William J. Hardee’s Corps, Breckinridge’s Division, 2nd Brigade commanded by Colonel J.B. Palmer, consisting of the 18th, 26th, 28th, 32nd and 45th Tennessee Infantry Regiments, and Moses’ Battery. In this battle, on January 2, the regiment suffered 76 casualties, but captured the flag of the 9th Kentucky Infantry Regiment. Here Colonel Cunningham was killed and Crook succeeded him as colonel. On January 19, the regiment reported 178 present for duty, 268 present 446 present and absent.

On February 16, 1863 the 28th was transferred to Major General B.F. Cheatham’s Division, Brigadier General Marcus J. Wright’s Brigade, composed of the 8th, 16th, 28th, 38th and 51st Tennessee Infantry Regiments, and Carnes’ Battery. The 8th, 16th, 28th were together from this time on.By this time the 28th was greatly reduced in numbers, and on March 8, 1863 was merged with a small regiment called the 84th Tennessee Infantry Regiment which had been raised by Colonel S. S. Stanton, formerly of the 25th Tennessee Regiment. The consolidated regiment was known as the 28th Tennessee Infantry Regiment, Consolidated. Field officers were Colonel S. S. Stanton of the 84th, Lieutenant Colonel D.C. Crook of the 28th and Major W.G. Smith of the 84th. Colonel Stanton was killed at Resaca, Georgia in May, 1864, and Lieutenant Colonel D.C. Crook became colonel Major Smith Lieutenant Colonel, and Captain John B. Holman major.The brigade remained in Middle Tennessee through May, with the 28th reported on guard and police duty at Shelbyville on May 25th. It moved to Chattanooga with the army and was engaged in the Battle of Chickamunga September 19-20. By this time T.B. Murray’s 22nd Infantry Battalion and the 52nd Infantry Regiment had been added to the brigade.

At Chickamunga, the report of the Division Ordanance Officer showed the 28th carried 254 guns into action, expended 3048 rounds of ammunition. Colonel Stanton was commended by General Cheatham for an act of daring and heroism in seizing the regimental colors, and leading his men forward at a time when it seemed they were about to falter and retreat. The flag received 30 bullet holes while Stanton carried it, but he escaped uninjured. The regiment lost 85 men killed and wounded.

Following the battle the brigade moved to Charleston for garrison duty, but returned in time for the battles around Chattanooga. The brigade wagon train was captured by the Federals while en route from Charleston to Missionary Ridge. In this engagement the 28th was temporarily assigned to General Lucius E. Polk’s Brigade.

The regiment went into winter quarters at Dalton, Georgia, where it remained until the spring campaign got under way in May, except for two brief excursions; on to Demopolis, Alabama and return in February with an expedition which was started to reinforce General Leonidas Polk in Mississippi, but recalled; the other 10 days on post duty in Atlanta from March 19th to 29th.The regiment, with the brigade, was with the Army of Tennessee in the retreat to Atlanta under General Joseph E. Johnston, and the return to Tennessee under General John B. Hood, although details of their action were not found. Battles mentioned were at Resaca, Peach Tree Creek, Marietta, Georgia and Franklin Tennessee, where Major Holman was killed. There appears to be one discrepancy in the Official Records, for on October 31, and again on November 30, 1864, the 28th Regiment was listed in the brigade commanded by Colonel John M. Hughs, of Lieutenant General Richard S. Ewell’s Department of Richmond, Virginia. This was evidently a mistake, for on November 30 the 28th was fighting desperately at Franklin, Tennessee. The 25th Tennessee Infantry, formerly commanded by Colonel Stanton, was in Hugs’ Brigade at this time. Following the Battle of Franklin, on December 10, 1864, the 28th was reported in Maney’s Brigade, commanded by Colonel Hume R. Field, composed of the 4th Confederate/6th/9th/50th, the 1st/27th, and the 8th/16th/28th Tennessee Infantry Regiments with the 8th/16th/28th commanded by Colonel John H. Anderson. On March 31, 1865, at Smithfield, North Carolina, in the order of battle for General Joseph E. Johnston’s Army, Brown’s Division, Maney’s Brigade was reported as the 1st/27th, the 8th/16th/28th Tennessee Infantry Regiments, with the 8th/16th/28th commanded by Major William G. Burford.

In the final reorganization of Johnston’s Army on April 9th, 1865, the 1st, 6th, 8th, 9th, 16th, 27th, 28th, 34th Tennessee Infantry Regiments and the 24th Tennessee Sharpshooter Battalion formed the First Consolidated Tennessee Infantry Regiment, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Oliver A. Bradshaw, which was surrendered and paroled at Greensboro, North Carolina May 1, 1865.

This unit history was extracted from Tennesseans in the Civil War, Vol 1. Copyrighted 1964 by the Civil War Centennial Commission of Tennessee and is published here with their permission. This history may not be republished for any reason without the written permission of the copyright owner.