History of the 7th Tennessee Infantry Volunteers Archer's Brigade
Brig. Gen. James Archer
Commander, 5th Brigade "Archer's Brigade" |
The regiment was organized at Camp Trousdale, Sumner County, just east of Nashville. It was mustered into Confederate service in July 1861. On July 15, 1861 it entrained for the Old Dominion, reaching Staunton, Virginia on July 25. Along with the 1st and the 14th Tennessee regiments, it formed what was known throughout the war as the Tennessee brigade, Army of Northern Virginia, under Brigadier-General Samuel R. Anderson. The 7th and 14th Tennessee were together from the original formation of the brigade until the surrender at Appomattox.
After a stop of several weeks at Big Springs, Virginia, the brigade participated in the unsuccessful Cheat Mountain campaign in what is now West Virginia. Later, it was ordered to join Brigadier-General John B. Floyd, near Raleigh Courthouse. From there, the Tennessee brigade joined Major-General Thomas J. ("Stonewall") Jackson at Winchester in December 1861. In February 1862, the 7th and 14th, along with the 3rd Arkansas infantry, but without the 1st Tennessee, were placed in a brigade commanded by Major-General Theophilus H. Holmes, commander of the Aquia District. In March, the 1st Tennessee rejoined the 7th and 14th regiments to form Anderson's brigade at Evansport (now Quantico), Virginia. The three Tennessee regiments remained together for the rest of the war. They were the only Tennessee regiments to spend their entire term of service in the Virginia theater. |
In May 1862, Colonel Hatton, 7th Tennessee regimental commander, was promoted to brigadier-general and given command of the entire Tennessee brigade. However, at the Battle of Seven Pines later that month, Hatton was killed. The Maryland-raised General James J. Archer assumed command of the brigade. (He maintained it actively until his capture at Gettysburg. Archer was paroled 13 month later, but died of illness shortly afterwards on October 24, 1864.) Archer's brigade was placed in Major-General Ambrose P. Hill's division, and in June 1862 consisted of the 5th Alabama battalion, 19th Georgia regiment, the 1st, 7th and 14th regiments of Tennessee, and Braxton's battery of artillery. As part of this line-up, at the engagements at Mechanicsville and Gaines Mill, the 7th Tennessee suffered 72 casualties and had every field officer either killed or wounded.
In August 1862, Hill's division was ordered to join Stonewall Jackson's corps. At the Battle of Cedar Run (August 9, 1862), the regiment suffered 34 casualties. At Second Manassas, the regiment was commanded by Major S.G. Shepard. In rapid succession there followed the engagements at Harper's Ferry, Sharpsburg and Shepherdstown (September 1862). By this time, the entire brigade was down 350 men. (To put this in perspective, a properly consituted single regiment ought to have had 1,000 men, though by the mid-war period, not many regiments were properly constituted. A properly constituted brigade might be expected to have had at least four regiments.)
The regiment had a brief respite at Berryville, Virginia, in early fall 1862. In November, however, orders were received to join General James Longstreet at Fredericksburg. During the famous battle there (December 13, 2862), the regiment took 38 casualties. Shortly thereafter, at the time of the Battle of Chancellorsville (May 3, 1862), the 13th Alabama infantry regiment was added to the brigade and remained with it to the end of the war. The brigade opened the fighting at the battle with the capture of a strong point in front of the Chancellor House. Following Chancellorsville and the reorganization of the Army of Northern Virginia, Archer's brigade was placed in Major-General Henry Heth's division of Hill's 1st corps.
The Pennsylvania campaign followed, culminating in the Battle of Gettysburg. On July 3, 1862, Archer's brigade, along with 13,000 other troops, stepped into history in what was to become known as Pickett's Charge. While Archer's men were actually in line to the immediate left of Pickett's division and penetrated the Federal lines momentarily, they (like their Virginia brethren) were unable to hold onto their position in the face of insurmountable forces.
As noted, General Archer was captured at Gettysburg and the brigade's casualties were so enormous that it was consolidated with Walker's brigade for a time. While under the command of Brigadier-General H.H. Walker, brigade members fought in the Battle of the Wilderness (May 5-7, 1864) and Spotsylvania Courthouse (May 12, 1864). General Walker was wounded and Brigadier-General B.D. Fry took command of the combined Archer/Walker brigades and led them in the Battle of Cold Harbor (June, 3, 1864). Then followed the siege of Petersburg beginning in June 1864, and lasting until April 1865. During this time, the 7th was almost continuously in the trenches. It was at Petersburg that the 2nd Maryland battalion was added to Archer's brigade.
An inspection report dated September 23, 1864, stated that the brigade was in very poor condition. The Tennessee regiments, which had idolized General Archer, had been particularly unhappy since the Archer/Walker consolidation. With the death of Archer on October 24, 1864), command of the brigade went to Colonel Robert M. Mayo. Had not the war situation been so bleak, the Tennesseans might have been cheered by the fact that (soon thereafter) Colonel William McComb of the 14th Tennessee would assume command and retain it until the end of the war.
On February 3, 1865, a deserter to the Federal lines reported there were not more than 60 men left in the 7th Tennessee regiment. Two months later, there were fewer still. For on April 9, 1865, General Robert E. Lee ordered the Army of Northern Virginia to lay down its arms at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia. A mere 47 men were left in the 7th Tennessee when paroled, five from company D.
In August 1862, Hill's division was ordered to join Stonewall Jackson's corps. At the Battle of Cedar Run (August 9, 1862), the regiment suffered 34 casualties. At Second Manassas, the regiment was commanded by Major S.G. Shepard. In rapid succession there followed the engagements at Harper's Ferry, Sharpsburg and Shepherdstown (September 1862). By this time, the entire brigade was down 350 men. (To put this in perspective, a properly consituted single regiment ought to have had 1,000 men, though by the mid-war period, not many regiments were properly constituted. A properly constituted brigade might be expected to have had at least four regiments.)
The regiment had a brief respite at Berryville, Virginia, in early fall 1862. In November, however, orders were received to join General James Longstreet at Fredericksburg. During the famous battle there (December 13, 2862), the regiment took 38 casualties. Shortly thereafter, at the time of the Battle of Chancellorsville (May 3, 1862), the 13th Alabama infantry regiment was added to the brigade and remained with it to the end of the war. The brigade opened the fighting at the battle with the capture of a strong point in front of the Chancellor House. Following Chancellorsville and the reorganization of the Army of Northern Virginia, Archer's brigade was placed in Major-General Henry Heth's division of Hill's 1st corps.
The Pennsylvania campaign followed, culminating in the Battle of Gettysburg. On July 3, 1862, Archer's brigade, along with 13,000 other troops, stepped into history in what was to become known as Pickett's Charge. While Archer's men were actually in line to the immediate left of Pickett's division and penetrated the Federal lines momentarily, they (like their Virginia brethren) were unable to hold onto their position in the face of insurmountable forces.
As noted, General Archer was captured at Gettysburg and the brigade's casualties were so enormous that it was consolidated with Walker's brigade for a time. While under the command of Brigadier-General H.H. Walker, brigade members fought in the Battle of the Wilderness (May 5-7, 1864) and Spotsylvania Courthouse (May 12, 1864). General Walker was wounded and Brigadier-General B.D. Fry took command of the combined Archer/Walker brigades and led them in the Battle of Cold Harbor (June, 3, 1864). Then followed the siege of Petersburg beginning in June 1864, and lasting until April 1865. During this time, the 7th was almost continuously in the trenches. It was at Petersburg that the 2nd Maryland battalion was added to Archer's brigade.
An inspection report dated September 23, 1864, stated that the brigade was in very poor condition. The Tennessee regiments, which had idolized General Archer, had been particularly unhappy since the Archer/Walker consolidation. With the death of Archer on October 24, 1864), command of the brigade went to Colonel Robert M. Mayo. Had not the war situation been so bleak, the Tennesseans might have been cheered by the fact that (soon thereafter) Colonel William McComb of the 14th Tennessee would assume command and retain it until the end of the war.
On February 3, 1865, a deserter to the Federal lines reported there were not more than 60 men left in the 7th Tennessee regiment. Two months later, there were fewer still. For on April 9, 1865, General Robert E. Lee ordered the Army of Northern Virginia to lay down its arms at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia. A mere 47 men were left in the 7th Tennessee when paroled, five from company D.