51st Georgia Infantry Regiment
The 51st Georgia Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.
The regiment was formed in March 1862, and initially assigned to defensive duty in South Carolina. It was engaged at the Battle of Secessionville near Charleston before being sent northward for duty in Virginia. Upon reaching Virginia in July 1862, the 51st Georgia was assigned to Drayton's Brigade within the Army of Northern Virginia. After the Battle of Antietam in September, Robert E. Lee decided to reorganize his army for more efficiency, and the 51st Regiment was permanently assigned to Paul Jones Semmes's brigade. The subsequent brigade commanders were Goode Bryan and James P. Simms. The 51st stayed in this brigade for the duration of the Civil War.
The regiment was a part of the Army of Northern Virginia from July 1862 until its surrender at Appomattox Court House, except during James Longstreet's 1863 independent expedition to Georgia and East Tennessee.
Organization
Staff
- Colonel
- *William Marion Slaughter
- *Edward Ball
- *James Dickey
- Lieutenant Colonel
- *James Dickey
- *John P. Crawford
- Major
- *Oliver Preston Anthony
- *Henry M. Dunwoody
- *James Dickey
- *John P. Crawford
Companies
- Company A was formed in Early County.
- Company B was formed in Lee County.
- Company C was formed in Mitchell County.
- Company D was formed in Baker, Colquitt and Miller counties.
- Company E was formed in Baker and Calhoun counties.
- Company F was formed in Terrell County.
- Company G was formed in Quitman County.
- Company H was formed in Randolph County.
- Company I was formed in Clay County.
- Company K was formed in Dougherty County.
Battles
- Secessionville (June 16, 1862)
- Second Bull Run (August 28–30, 1862)
- South Mountain (September 14, 1862)
- Antietam (September 17, 1862)
- Fredericksburg (December 13, 1862)
- Chancellorsville (May 1–4, 1863)
- Gettysburg (July 1–3, 1863)
- Battle of Chickamauga|Chickamauga
- Chattanooga Siege (September–November 1863)
- Knoxville Siege (November–December 1863)
- *Battle of Fort Sanders
- The Wilderness (May 5–6, 1864)
- Spotsylvania Court House (May 8–21, 1864)
- North Anna (May 23–26, 1864)
- Cold Harbor (June 1–3, 1864)
- Petersburg Siege (June 1864-April 1865)
- Cedar Creek (October 19, 1864)
- Sayler's Creek (April 6, 1865)
- Battle of Appomattox Court House