Organized April, 1862; consolidated with 48th (Voorhies’) July, 1864.
FIELD OFFICERS
- Colonel-George H. Nixon.
- Lieutenant Colonel-T. R. Hughs.
- Major-Joseph T. Younger.
CAPTAINS
- O. T. Plummer, Co. “A”. Most men from Companies “B” and “D” of Voorhies’ Regiment. W. C. Blanton, Co. “B”. Most men from Captain Sowell’s Company, Voorhies’ Regiment.
- Carlos C. Harris, Co. “C”. Most men from Voorhies’ Regiment.
- John L. Griffin, Co. “D”. Most men from Voorhies’ Regiment.
- McKinney Dooley, James C. Cooper, Co. “E”. Formerly Dooley’s Company, 54th Tennessee Infantry Regiment.
- T. R. Hughs (to lieutenant colonel), E. J. Benham, Co. “F”. Most men from Companies “A” and “H”, 54th Regiment. Few from 53rd Regiment.
- Lewis Miller, Co. “G”. Formerly Co. “B”, 54th Regiment.
- James N. Curry, Newton A. Carrell, Co. “H”. Formerly Co. “C”, 54th Regiment.
- John D. Ives, Henry G. Evans, Co. “I”. Formerly Ives’ Company, 54th Regiment.
- James M. White, Jerimiah B. Lindsey, Co. “K”. Consolidation of “E” and “C”, 54th Regiment.
The regiment known as Nixon’s 48th was organized at Corinth, Mississippi April, 1862. Four companies, “A” to “D”, were composed mainly of men from Voorhies’ 48th Tennessee who were not captured at Fort Donelson, plus a few additions from other regiments. Companies “E” to “K” were composed mainly of men from the 54th Tennessee Infantry Regiment.
The regiment was placed in Major General W. J. Hardee’s Corps, Brigadier General Patrick R. Cleburne’s Brigade composed of the 15th Arkansas, 2nd, 35th (B. J. Hilrs 5th), 23rd, 24th, and 48th Tennessee Infantry Regiments and Clarkson’s and Trigg’s Batteries. The 48th, on April 26, reported 353 effectives. As part of the brigade, the 48th was involved in the engagement on Farmington Road May 28, just before the evacuation of Corinth. By June 30, the 23rd Tennessee Infantry Regiment had been transferred and Calvert’s Battery had replaced the two previous batteries.
The brigade moved to Knoxville in June, 1862 to join Major General E. Kirby Smith for his invasion of Kentucky, and fought at the Battle of Richmond on August 30. Here General Preston Smith was in command of Cleburne’s Division, and Colonel B. I. Hill of the brigade, which at this time was composed of the 13th, 15th Arkansas, 2nd, 35th, 48th Tennessee Infantry Regiments, a Texas Battalion, and a company of sharpshooters. The 48th reported 59 killed and wounded out of 312 engaged. The 48th captured 165 prisoners, including several high ranking officers. General Smith’s forces joined those of General Bragg shortly before the Battle of Perryville October 8, 1862, and company reports state the 48th was engaged in this battle, but no details of its activities were found. From Perryville, the regiment retreated to Knoxville; left Knoxville November 6 for Allisonia; from there to Shelbyville and Estill Springs; and apparently remained in that vicinity until after the Battle of Murfreesboro on December 31, 1862, in which the regiment was not engaged. On December 1, 1862, the four companies composed of men from Voorhies’ Regiment were disbanded, and the men ordered to report to their original organization.
The regiment was at Tullahoma January 8, 1863; remained there until April 23, when it moved to Wartrace; was on the march from Wartrace to Chattanooga July 1-6; moved to Tyner’s Station; to Harrison, to Gardenhire’s Ferry where it arrived August 22, 1862; left Gardenhire September 7; to Graysville, Georgia, to LaFayette, to Blue Bird Gap, and was engaged in the Battle of Chickamauga September 19-20, 1863.
At Chickamauga, the regiment was in Lieutenant General D. H. Hill’s Corps, Cleburne’s Division, Brigadier General Lucius E. Polk’s Bride composed of the 1st Arkansas, 3rd/ 5th Confederate, 2nd, 35th, 48th Tennessee Infantry Regiments, and Calvert’s Battery. The regiment was in line of battle on the left wing until Saturday noon, when it moved to the right wing and attacked the enemy about dusk; drove them about a mile, and lay in line of battle until 10:00 A.M. Sunday morning (September 20), when it was again warmly engaged. Company “F” reported 17 killed and wounded out of 31 engaged. The regiment as a whole reported 78 killed and wounded out of 155 engaged, including three captains and Lieutenant Colonel Hughs who were severely wounded.
Following the Battle of Chickamauga, the six remaining companies of Nixon’s 48th were temporarily attached to Colonel B. J. Hill’s 35th Tennessee Infantry Regiment, although they continued to be mustered as Nixon’s 48th. Colonel Nixon and some of the other officers were placed on the supernumary list, returned to Tennessee and raised a regiment of cavalry known as the 22nd, also 20th, Nixon’s Tennessee Cavalry.
On October 22, 1863, Colonel Hill reported that he was at Georgetown, Tennessee, with 400 men of the 35th/48th Regiments, gathering wheat, operating three grinding mills, gathering stock, and guarding the ferries from Igou to Blythe’s. A report from Company “I” stated it was at Burchwood running a steamer and getting up supplies.
The regiment left this area late in November, and arrived at Tunnel Hill, Georgia on December 1, 1863. It remained here until February 20, 1864, when it moved to Montgomery, Alabama, as part of a force started to re-enforce General Leonidas Polk in Mississippi. It reached Montgomery February 23, and was ordered back on the 24th, arriving at Dalton, Georgia, on February 26, 1864. On December 14, 1863, the 3Sth/48th reported 245 effectives, 251 present, with 207 arms. At this time it was in Hardee’s Corps, Cleburne’s Division, Lucius E. Polk’s Brigade. The 35th/48th continued to be reported as one unit through January 20, 1864, but on April 30, the 35th had been detached, and the 48th, still in Polk’s Brigade was reported as commanded by Captain Henry G. Evans. On July 31, 1864, Polk’s Brigade was broken up, and the remaining men from the 48th (Nixon’s) Regiment were merged into the 48th (Voorhies’) Regiment, which had joined the Army of Tennessee late in May, 1864; Captain Evans was subsequently reported as in command of that regiment for a time. For further history of the consolidated regiment see the history of the 48th (Voorhies’) Tennessee Infantry Regiment.
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.