10th Mississippi Infantry - "Old" 10th Mississippi

"Old" 10th Mississippi

The 10th Mississippi Infantry was organized in March 1861 with an original enrollment of 841 officers and men for a term of one year. Among the officers was future Confederate general Joseph R. Davis, a nephew of President Jefferson Davis. The original companies, under the command of Col. Seaburne M. Phillips, were:

• Company A - Mississippi Rifles (Hinds County)
• Company B - Ben Bullard Rifles (Itawamba County)
• Company C - Port Gibson Riflemen, aka Port Gibson Rifles (Claiborne County)
• Company D - Lowndes Southrons (Lowndes County)
• Company E - Southern Avengers (Lowndes County)
• Company F - Hill City Cadets (Warren County)
• Company G - Rankin Rifles (Rankin County)
• Company H - Bahala Rifles (Copiah County)
• Company I - Madison Rifles (Madison County)
• Company K - Yazoo Minute Rifles (Yazoo County)

The troops assembled in Mobile, Alabama, and were transported to Pensacola, Florida, for garrison duty there to help man the coastal defenses. They encamped near Fort Barrancas, opposite Fort Pickens and Santa Rosa Island, both held by Union troops. Several companies engaged in building new fortifications or strengthening existing ones, as well as supporting the artillery crews during periodic bombardments over four months. Colonel Phillips and scores of other men died of disease while stationed near Pensacola. The depleted regiment fought in the Battle of Santa Rosa Island in October 1861.

In February 1862, the regiment was sent back to Mississippi, where it was brigaded with other Mississippi troops under the overall command of Col. James R. Chalmers. The term of enlistment expired in March.