Organized February 5, 1862; consolidated with remnants of 48th (Voorhies’) and other regiments not captured at Fort Donelson to form 48th (Nixon’s) Tennessee Infantry, April, 1862.
FIELD OFFICERS
- Colonel-William Dearing
- Lieutenant Colonel-David S. Skillern
- Major-Andrew J. McMackin
CAPTAINS
- Thomas R. Hughs, Co. “A”. Enrolled at Nashville December 21, 1861. Consolidated with “H” to form “F”, 48th (Nixon’s).
- Lewis C. Miller, Co. “B”. Enrolled at Nashville November 30, 1861. Became “G”, 48th (Nixon’s).
- James N. Curry, Co. “C”. Enrolled November 30, 1861, at Lawrenceburg. Became “H”, 48th (Nixon’s).
- James M. White, Co. “E”. Men from Lawrence County. Enrolled November 30, 1861, at Lawrenceburg. Consolidated with “G” to form “K”, 48th (Nixon’s).
- Andrew I. McMackin, Joseph G. Fuller, Co. “G”. Men from Lawrence County. Enrolled at Nashville February 5, 1862. Consolidated with “E” to form “K”, 48th (Nixon’s).
- David S. Skillern, Daniel H. Jones, Co. “H”. Men from Wayne County. Enrolled at Nashville February 5, 1862. Consolidated with “A” to form “F”, 48th (Nixon’s).
- William T. Childress, unlettered company. Men from Wayne County. Enrolled at Nashville February 5, 1862. Some men in “F”, 48th (Nixon’s). McKinney Dooley. Men from Maury County. Became “C”, 48th (Nixon’s).
- Jasper N. Hollis. Men from Wayne County. Enrolled at Nashville February 5, 1862. Probably disbanded under operation of the Conscript Act. Some men in 48th (Nixon’s).
- John D. Ives. Men from Lawrence County. Enrolled November 30, 1861 at Lawrence-burg. Mustered in at Nashville February 5, 1862. Became Co. “I” 48th (Nixon’s).
The regiment was in the process of being mustered in at Nashville, on February 5, 1862, when several companies were ordered away before the muster was completed, with the result that the records are incomplete. The whereabouts of the regiment from this time until April 1862 is not known, as the regiment is not listed at all in the Official Records. Unofficial information is that the regiment moved first to Kentucky, from there to Fort Donelson, where it escaped, but was almost disbanded. It is not included in the list of forces at Fort Donelson as found in the Official Records.
In April 1862, it was at Camp Hill, near Corinth, Mississippi, where it was consolidated with that portion of the 48th (Voorhies’) and other regiments who were not captured at Fort Donelson. The further records of the men who comprised the 54th Regiment are filed with the records of 48th (Nixon’s) 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.