Flag of the 12th Louisiana Infantry. Currently in the possession of Confederate Memorial Hall in New Orleans. The Flag has been adopted as a Brigade Project for restoration. All donations are accepted to save this Historic Banner.
Make checks payable to
"Flag Restoration Fund"
send to:
JAY INGRAM
189 HALL BRAKE ROAD
MARTHAVILLE, LA 71450
Below is a short history of the 12th as written by Arthur Bergeron:
COLONELS. Thomas M. Scott, promoted brigadier general May 10, 1864; Noel
L. Nelson, killed November 30, 1864; Thomas C. Standifer.
LIEUTENANT COLONELS. Wade H. Hough, resigned May 4, 1862; James A.
Boyd, resigned January s, 1863; Noel L. Nelson, promoted colonel May 10,
1864; Thomas C. Standifer, promoted colonel; Evander McN. Graham.
MAJORS. John C. Knott, dropped May 11, 1862; Noel L. Nelson, promoted lieutenant colonel January 5,
1863; Thomas C. Standifer, promoted lieutenant colonel May 10, 1864; Henry V. McCain; John A.
Dixon.
Company A, North Louisiana Cadets (DeSoto). John T. Jordan, resigned October 14,
1864.
Company B, Arcadia Invincibles (Bienvillej. Thomas C. Standifer, promoted major
January 5, 1863; Joseph A. Bivin, killed July 20, 1864; Jonathan Anders.
Company C, Southern Sentinels (Winn). John A. Dixon, promoted major; Angus C.
Alexander.
Company D, Beauregard Fencibles (Winn]. Henry V. McCain, promoted major May 10,
1864.
Company E, Independent Rangers (Union). D. L. Hicks; Evander McN. Graham,
promoted lieutenant colonel.
Company F, Morehouse Stars (Morehouse). James H. Stevens, resigned April 30, 1863;
Christopher C. Davenport, resigned January 24, 1865; William N. Potts(? ).
Company G (Claiborne], added April r, 1862. Thomas J. Hightower, resigned August s,
1862; Thomas Price.
Company H, Jackson Sharpshooters (Jackson). James H. Seale, resigned April 22, 1862;
James T. Davis.
Company 1, Farmer Guards (Union). Charles W. Hodge, resigned(?); John E.
Woodward, resigned March 7, 1863; John W. McBride.
Company K, Caldwell Invincibles (Caldwellj. James A. Boyd, promoted lieutenant
colonel May 4, 1862; Jones Meredith, resigned October 31, 1862; Andrew J. Braden.
Company L, Claiborne Guards or Rangers (Claiborne). Isaac L. Leonard, resigned(?);
Noel L. Nelson, promoted major May xi, 1862; Robert A. Crow, died September 13,
1863; Benjamin F. Hargrove, reduced in rank December 17, 1863; James J. Crow.
Company M (est), Farmer Rangers (Natchitoches), consolidated into Company C August
r, 1862. Banajah D. Owen, dropped May 11, 1862; Angus C. Alexander.
Company M (2nd), Jackson Greys (Jackson), formerly Company K, 9th Louisiana
Regiment, added October, 1862. George W. McCranie, resigned January 16, 1865;
Joseph L. Bond.
This regiment was organized at Camp Moore on August 13, 1861, with 704 men, and was
the only Louisiana infantry regiment with twelve companies. The regiment went toKentucky and became part of the garrison at Columbus. On November 7, the men crossed the Mississippi River to participate in the Battle of Belmont but arrived too late to fight. When the Confederates evacuated Columbus, the regiment went to New Madrid and Island No. 10. The men helped repulse an enemy attack on the latter place on the night of March 4 and 5, 1862.
On March 17, the regiment moved to Fort Pillow. There it withstood a nearly six-week bombardment by Federal gunboats. After the evacuation of Fort Pillow, the regiment marched to Grenada, Mississippi. The men did duty there and at Holly Springs until mid-August, when they went to Port Hudson, Louisiana. They remained there only about ten days and then returned to Grenada. On October 3 and 4, the regiment fought in the Battle of Corinth. The men
spent the winter at Grenada, Holly Springs, and Canton. In February, 1863, the regiment returned to Port Hudson and witnessed the Union naval attack there on March 14. In early April, the regiment left to join the Army of Tennessee. The men got to Atlanta, Georgia, but received orders to return to Mississippi to intercept Colonel Benjamin Grierson’s Union cavalry raid. Failing to catch Grierson, the regiment took its station at Port Gibson. On
May 16, the regiment fought in the Battle of Baker's Creek and performed ably in covering the retreat of the Confederate army. The men made up part of General Joseph E. Johnston’s army at Jackson during the summer of 1863. A detachment of 160 men under Captain John A. Dixon served in General John C. Vaughn’s brigade during the siege of Vicks-burg, May 19 – July 4, 1863, and were paroled at the surrender of that place. During that fall and winter, the regiment occupied camps at Morton and Canton. The men moved around during the early months of 1864 being stationed at Meridian, Mississippi, and De-mopolis and Montevallo, Alabama. In May, the regiment joined the Army of Tennessee at Resaca, Georgia. During the retreat to Atlanta, the men fought at Marietta, Kennesaw Mountain, Lost Mountain, and Bethel Church. The regiment participated in the Battle of Peachtree Creek on July 20;
73 of its men were killed, wounded, or missing, and its flag was captured. On July 22, the men fought in the Battle of Atlanta. Following the evacuation of that city, the regiment accompanied the army on its invasion of Tennessee. The regiment participated in the bloody attack at Franklin, November 30; nearly So of its men were killed or wounded.
The regiment fought in the Battle of Nashville, December 15 – 16, and retreated with the army to Tupelo, Mississippi. In February, 1865, the regiment went to North Carolina and joined the army of General Joe Johnston. The men fought their last battle at Bentonville on March 19. On April 26, the regiment surrendered at Greensboro.
Some 1,457 men served in the regiment during the war; 304 died in battle and 302 died of disease.
