6th Missouri Infantry

Colonel: Andrew Eugene Erwin, killed June 25, 1863; Isaac Newton Hedgpeth, permanently disabled by wound October 3, 1862, and never assumed field command.

Company K; (Cape Girardeau, Ripley, Wayne; State of Arkansas) Alvah G. Kelsey, killed October 3, 1862; Ebenezer G. Liles

This regiment mustered into service at Guntown, Mississippi, on or about August 26, 1862, after the consolidation of seven companies of Lieutenant Colonel Eugene Erwin's battalion (A-C and E-H) with three others drawn largely from Major Isaac N. Hedgpeth's battalion. Two of the three latter companies (I and K) transferred directly from Hedgpeth's unit while Captain Samuel S. Harris' artillery company, also part of Hedgpeth's battalion, merged with Captain Robert McDonald's artillery company to form Company D. Neither of the artillery companies ever had cannons and had served as infantry for several months. At the organization, the ten companies mustered about 690 men, rank and file. The regiment soon joined Brigadier General Martin E. Green's brigade in Brigadier General Henry Little's division.

The unit participated in battles at Iuka, Corinth where they suffered heavy casualties, Davis Bridge, Grand Gulf, Port Gibson, Champion Hill, Big Black River and Vicksburg where they suffered 60 percent loss. In Demopolis, AL the company consolidated with the 2nd Missouri to form the 2nd and 6th Missouri Infantry Regiment under the leadership of Col. Peter C. Flournoy, commander of the 2nd Infantry. The 2nd/6th moved to Meridian, MS where they remained until shipped to Alabama in early January 1864. They participated in the Atlanta Campaign including the Latimer House, Kennesaw Mountain, Smyrna and Peachtree Creek. The Atlanta Campaign took a heavy toll with 12 killed, 126 wounded and 58 missing. On October 5, 1864 they attacked strong federal positions at Allatoona, GA. which cost the unit 16 killed, 62 wounded and 13 missing. The unit marched to Tennessee to join Hood where they fought at Spring Hill and on to Franklin where the unit was decimated with the loss of 46 killed or mortally wounded, 57 wounded and 61 missing with a casualty rate of over 60 percent. The unit continued to pursue the federals to Nashville then moved south to construct fortifications along Duck River in Alabama. After a quite winter the brigade manned a thin defensive line at Fort Blakely which fell on April 9 to superior Federal forces. The Federals transported the captured Missourians to Ship Island, MS where they served as prisoners until sent to Jackson, MS for final parole in May.

Approximately 708 men served in the ranks of the 6th Infantry from late August 1862 until the war's end. Of that number, 192 died in battle and 67 are known to have perished from disease. Other losses included 81 soldiers that transferred to other units and 138 deserters; many of the latter enlisted in the Trans-Mississippi Department.

McGhee, James E. Guide to Missouri Confederate Units, 1861-1865 Fayetteville: The University of Arkansas Press , 2008 pp 206-209

A roster of the Unit can be found at the Missouri Division, Sons of the Confederacy Website.