Regiments to Defend the Old North State

North Carolina War Between the States Sesquicentennial
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Regiments to Defend the Old North State – The Thirty-seventh North Carolina Regiment

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“All across the State, men began to enlist in companies, often led by important men in local communities. These companies gave themselves grandiose names, such as the “Enfield Blues,” the “Halifax Light Infantry,” the “Washington Grays,” the “Hornet’s Nest Rifles,” or the “Southern Stars.” The companies often congregated near Raleigh at one of the training camps, where they formed groups of ten companies and received a numerical or regimental designation. Afterwards they elected their field officers and were sworn into State, and later Confederate, service.

Some 2,021 men would eventually serve under the banner of the Thirty-seventh [North Carolina] Regiment. They would come from a diversity of backgrounds, occupations, talents, and ages. One thing is certain: as the war progressed, they would become one of the best fighting forces in Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. They would have their moments of victory, trial under fire, and their seasons of defeat.

And they were men. The overall age of a member of the regiment was 30.4 years. The oldest member, at the age of 65, was Alexander County resident, Private Edward Turner. Fellow Company G member Private James Campbell was 56 when he enlisted. On the other end of the age bracket, the youngest enlistees appear to have been Demarcus Hodges and Levi Potter. They were both from Watauga County and both of the tender age of 15. There were many 16-year-olds who enlisted. Several…actually served, most notably Dallas M. Rigler, a Mecklenburg County native who would rise to the rank of Third Lieutenant of Company I. He was wounded at least three times before being captured at Petersburg, Virginia.

Their occupations were as varied as their ages. The vast majority were farmers, as was the case in most of the Confederate regiments….[but also] two lawyers, seven teachers, three clergymen, two coach makers, two millwrights, twenty-three carpenters, two doctors, eight students, six merchants, four mechanics, two wheel-wrights, three miners, two masons, and at least one each of harness makers, blacksmiths, printers, cabinetmakers, saddlers, shoemakers, tinners, paper makers, moulders, clerks, artists, and cotton spinners. Added to this were at least 852 farmers, who owned farms of varying sizes, to produce a colorful mixture.”

(The Thirty-seventh North Carolina Troops, Michael C. Hardy, McFarland & Company, 2003, pp. 9-10) (Note: North Carolinian Michael C. Hardy has now authored 16 books, the latest being the just-released “Civil War Charlotte: Last Capital of the Confederacy.” This and his earlier offerings may be ordered at www.michaelchardy.com)

Regiments to Defend the Old North State