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37th North Carolina Infantry Regiment
37th Infantry Regiment was organized by Colonel C. C. Lee
and assembled at High Point, North Carolina, in November 1861. The men were recruited in the counties of Buncombe, Watauga,
Ashe, Mecklenburg, Wake, Alexander, and Gaston. The unit fought at New Bern and then relocated to Virginia in the spring of 1862. It was assigned to General
Branch's and Lane's Brigade in the Army of Northern Virginia, fought at Hanover Court House and Mechanicsville, and participated in many campaigns of the army from the Seven Days Battles
to Cold Harbor. It continued the fight in the Petersburg trenches and around Appomattox. This regiment reported 125 casualties during the Seven Days' Battles, 15 at
Cedar Mountain, 81 at Second Manassas, 93 at Fredericksburg, and 235 at Chancellorsville. Of the 379 engaged at Gettysburg, more than thirty percent were disabled. It surrendered 10 officers and 98 men.
The field officers were Colonels William M. Barbour and Charles C. Lee; Lieutenant Colonel John B. Ashcraft, Charles N. Hickerson,
and William G. Morris; and Majors Jackson L. Bost, Owen N. Brown, John G. Bryan, Rufus M. Rankin, and William R. Rankin. Colonel
Charles C. Lee was killed at the Battle of Mechanicsville, Virginia.
Advance to:
37th North Carolina Infantry Regiment: Historical Sketch
37th North Carolina Infantry Regiment: Statistics
37th North Carolina Infantry Regiment: Battles and Casualties
Thirty-seventh North Carolina Infantry Regiment: The Regimental
Flag
Brigade, Division, Corps, and Army Assignments for 37th North Carolina
Infantry Regiment
37th North Carolina Infantry Regiment: Letters, Newspaper Articles,
Papers, Diaries, Memoirs
Recommended
Reading: The Thirty-seventh North Carolina Troops: Tar Heels in the Army of Northern Virginia, by
Michael C. Hardy (Hardcover). Description: It vividly reflects the unit’s four years’ service, told largely in
the soldiers’ own words. Drawn from letters, diaries, and postwar articles and interviews, this history of the 37th
North Carolina follows the unit from its organization in November 1861 until its surrender at Appomattox. Continued
below...
The
book includes photographs of the key players in the 37th’s story as well as maps illustrating the unit’s position
at several engagements. Appendices include a complete roster of the unit and a listing of individuals buried in large sites
such as prison cemeteries. (Great for genealogy, too.) A bibliography and index are also included.
Recommended
Reading: The Civil War in North Carolina. Description: Numerous battles and skirmishes were fought in North Carolina during the Civil War, and the campaigns and battles themselves were crucial
in the grand strategy of the conflict and involved some of the most famous generals of the war. John Barrett presents the
complete story of military engagements across the state, including the classical pitched battle of Bentonville--involving
Generals Joe Johnston and William Sherman--the siege of Fort
Fisher, the amphibious campaigns on the coast, and cavalry sweeps such
as General George Stoneman's Raid. Also available in hardcover: The Civil War in North Carolina .
Sources: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies; Walter Clark,
Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War 1861-1865; National Park Service: American
Civil War; National Park Service: Soldiers and Sailors System; Weymouth T. Jordan and Louis H. Manarin, North Carolina Troops,
1861-1865; D. H. Hill, Confederate Military History Of North Carolina: North Carolina In The Civil War, 1861-1865; Auburn
University Archives & Manuscripts Department.
Letter, William Barber to Lane Requesting
Recommendation for Promotion,
Nov.
1863
Camp of 37th N.C.T.
Nov 3rd '63 AD
General
From the intimate relations which have long existed
between us, I thought I might approach you without indelicacy on a subject of interest to myself [primarily]. I think
you will sustain me in the assertion that I have never once approached you, directly or indirectly on the subject of promotion,
while many officers within your knowledge have been crazy on the subject who have not done 1/3 the service I have. Gen
Jordan & some officer friends of mine some time ago told me that they believe I could secure promotion if I would make
the effort as they had heard Gen Hill speak of me in very high terms - in one conversation with another friend of mine Gen
Hill expressed the opinion that "I was worthy of promotion and that he would like to see me promoted." Learning this
fact, Gen Jordan wrote
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a letter to Gen Hill in my behalf which I sent to Gen
Hill a day or two since. I have heard it stated that Gen Lee (I know not with what truth) has intimated that his divisions
& Brigades were too large. If this be true, it is probable that some more Brigadiers will be made. I believe,
Gen, a private letter from you to Gen Hill would go far to aid me as you know something of my character as a gentleman &
officer. I do not desire an official communication for reasons which you will [
] appreciate. Englehard, you are aware, is an arduous advocate of officers & were a communication to go thru that
channel, his influence would be against me. I know that Gen Hill is a friend to me & if he can do anything will
gladly do it & a letter from my own Brigadier would be a good reason for him taking action. This matter I communicate
in writing & ask that you consider it personal so that if it fails it may not be a matter of comment
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among others. If you think proper to write to
Gen Hill, I will be obliged to you - But I do not desire you to do any thing against your judgment in this matter. If
you do not think me competent, I do not wish your personal friendship to lead you to recommend me against the dictates of
your judgement. You know that 2 officers here rank me & if you were promoted or killed the probabilities are very
strong that one of them would be promoted. Please consider this matter & act as your judgement dictates.
Your friend
William Barber
--Transcribed by Terri Stout-Stevens of Pffaftown, NC, August 2, 1999. Edited and Posted
by Marty Olliff, Assistant Archivist, Auburn University, who takes full responsibility for any errors
Advance to:
Lane's Brigade
BATTLE OF HANOVER COURT HOUSE: NORTH CAROLINA STANDARD (SEVERAL CASUALTY REPORTS)
The
Battle of Hanover Court House: New York Times
North Carolina Civil War Regiments and Battles
(Also see: Lane's Brigade, General Lane's Account of the Battle of Gettysburg, 37th North Carolina
Infantry Regiment, Battle of Hanover Courthouse (Raleigh Standard), and Soldier's Letter from the 37th Regiment).
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