1st Battalion, Confederate Infantry (Forney's)

HISTORICAL NOTES:

The seven company 1st Infantry battalion was organized during the spring of 1862 with men drawn from the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Tennessee. The unit was originally assigned to the 3rd Military District at Port Hudson, LA the Department of Mississippi & East Louisiana. The unit's first engagement was at Corinth where they incurred a small loss. Assigned to Tilghman's brigade, Loring's division, it fought at Bakers Creek, with few casualties. It fought at Grand Gulf as part of Gen. J.S. Bowen's Defense Force where part of the battalion was captured at Vicksburg. Assigned to Rust's & Adam's Brigade, the Army of Mobile, it fought at Port Hudson, Champions Hill, Jackson and Fort Pillow. In June of 1863 the Battalion was assigned to Gen Johnston's Army of Relief, Dept. of the West. Then in March of 1864 it was ordered to Virginia and attached to J.R. Davis' Brigade, Heth's Division, Hill's Corps A.N.V. The unit participated in the conflicts at the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Liberty Mills, Bethesda Church and 2nd Cold Harbor. It then endured the long siege at Petersburg. In an attempt to drive the enemy from the Weldon Rail Road the battalion lost severely. Most of the remaining unit was killed or captured at Hatchers Run, April 1865 , and at the surrender in April 1865 only 3 Officers and 6 men were present. Lieut. Colonels' George H. Forney( K.I.A.) & Francis B McClung and Major Lawrence W. O'Bannon were in command. It remained one of the few units of Regular Army to last the war. The unit also maintained a roll of honor which contained the names of 11 members of the Battalion.
OFFICERS:

Lieut. Colonels' George H. Forney( K.I.A.) & Francis B McClung and Major Lawrence W. O'Bannon

ASSIGNMENTS:

3rd Military District at Port Hudson, LA the Department of Mississippi & East Louisiana

Rust's & Adam's Brigade, the Army of Mobile

Gen Johnston's Army of Relief, Dept. of the West

attached to J.R. Davis' Brigade, Heth's Division, Hill's Corps A.N.V.

SERVICE:

Corinth

Baker's Creek

Vicksburg

Wilderness

Spotsylvania

Liberty Mills

Bethesda Church

2nd Cold Harbor

siege at Petersburg

Appomattox

ROSTERS:
The rosters of this battalion contains 906 names.

The Roll of Honor
1^st Infantry Battalion C.S.A.

 Pvt. A. J. Sizemore (Co. A, K.I.A, Bethesda Church);

 Sgt. A. Hembree (Co. A, Weldon RR);

 Sgt. A. D. Stoude (Co. B, Weldon RR);

 Pvt. John Dunnigan (Co. D, Weldon RR);

 Sgt. J. Maddon (Co. F, Weldon RR);

Pvt. John McNamara (Co. I, Weldon RR);

 Cpl. B. J. Hugan (Co. B, Corinth, Port Hudson, Grand Gulf, Baker's Creek, The   Wilderness);

 Pvt. John Kelley (Co. C, Fort Pillow, Corinth, Grand Gulf, Port Hudson);

 Sgt. Adolph W. Leslie (Co. E, Fort Pillow, Corinth, Port Hudson, Baker's Creek, Jackson, The Wilderness, K.I.A Spotsylvania);

 Pvt. Patrick Finegan (Co. F, Corinth, Port Hudson, Grand Gulf, Baker's Creek, The Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Bethesda Church);

 Pvt. Mitchell Smith (Co. I, Fort Pillow, Corinth, Port Hudson, Grand Gulf, Baker's Creek, Jackson, The Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Liberty Mills, 2nd Cold Harbor)

BIBLIOGRAPHY:



REFERENCES:
http://1stconfederatebattalion.org/1st_infantry_battalion.htm