Formation and first assignment – Late Fall – Winter 1861/1862
The 46th TN was formed on November 29th of 1861 in Paris, TN. Since this regiment was formed as a second “call to arms” many of the men had wives and children. They would soon go into winter quarters on December 16th in Union City, TN, except for Company C which was tasked with guarding the Mississippi and Ohio railroad bridge over the Obion River. Before winter quarters would be completed however, they were ordered to Island No. 10 on the Mississippi river. Companies E and F were left as provost guard for the town of Hickman, KY along the way, leaving the other 7 companies to be brought to Island No. 10 via steamboat “Winchester”
Island No. 10 Defenses
46th/55th TN Battle Flag captured at Ezra Church July 28 1864
Early 1862
As of March 1862, the 46th TN Infantry reportedly suffered from a measles outbreak. It was at this time reported in but not brigaded with Major General John P. McCown’s command at Madrid Bend, of which the 46th TN was on the Kentucky shore.
April 1 Brigadier General W. W. Mackall had just arrived to take command at Madrid Bend, and of his reporting on the condition of his command, he stated the 46th had only two Companies armed. 400 present for duty, 160 armed. These arms consisted of shotguns, squirrel rifles and old muskets.
As of April 8, nine out of ten of the companies in the 46th were captured. Those companies previously left at Hickman had rejoined the regiment by this time, and were included in the surrender. Many men who were unarmed are reported to have built rafts and escaped across Reelfoot lake to return to their home. Most of these same men returned to the regiment after it’s reorganization, while others joined other regiments
The men and NCO’s would be sent to Camps Douglas and Butler in Illinois while officers were taken to Johnson’s island in Ohio.
Late 1862 – Early 1863
The regiment was exchanged at Vicksburg, MS on September 23 1862. From there it would move to Jackson, MS where it was reorganized and new officers elected.
October 26 1862 Major General Sterling Price, commander of the Army of the West, orders the 46th among other regiments to report for duty at Meridian, MS. The regiment then moved to Port Hudson, Louisiana where on January 7 1863 it was reported in the forces commanded by Major General Frank Gardner, in Brigadier General Samuel B. Maxey’s Brigade.
While at Port Hudson, the 46th would be permanently consolidated with the 55th TN into one field unit, although separate muster rolls were maintained. The 46th/55th would first be commanded by Colonel A. I. Brown, of the 55th, and later by Colonel Robert A. Owens of the 46th.
Mid 1863
May 7 the regiment left Port Hudson for Crystal Springs, MS then to Jackson MS under the command of General Joseph E. Johnston. They were entrenched in the breastworks on the west side of town outside Vicksburg until the city fell on on July 4, 1863, at which time the regiment fell back to Jackson, MS. The regiment camped a couple weeks at Forrest Station and then three more weeks in Enterprise MS
Late 1863
August 30 1863 the 46th/55th move to Mobile, AL and remain at Camp Cummings, near Mobile, until late November. During this time Quarles was promoted to Brigadier General, placed in command, and the 46th remained in his Brigade until the end of the war.
The regiment was then ordered to join the Army of Tennessee in November of 1863 and ordered to Chattanooga. It arrived in Ringgold, GA on November 25th while the battle of Missionary Ridge was in progress, it subsequently fell back with the Army of Tennessee to Dalton, GA on November 27
As of December 14, 1863 the regiment reported 959 effectives out of 270 present, 386 present and absent, with 230 arms
Early 1864
By February, the regiment was sent by rail to Meridian, MS to meet Sherman’s advance. On February 15th the Confederate Congress would pass a resolution of appreciation to the 46th/55th regiments for patriotism displayed by unanimously re-enlisting for the war.
Mid 1864
May 21, the regiment is transferred to the Army of Tennessee once more. It rejoined the army at New Hope, GA on May 27. Records indicate Quarles’ Brigade being engaged at Pickett’s Mill and at Dallas, GA. They were also engaged in the daily marching and skirmishing of the Atlanta Campaign, though would suffer few losses until July 28 at Ezra Church.
There, on the Lickskillet Road, the 46th/55th lost about 150 men out of 250 engaged in about half an hour. Here Lt. Colonel Wilson was wounded and captured.
The regiment would be further engaged as combatants at Kennesaw Mountain, Peachtree Creek and the Battle of Atlanta.
It would not be engaged at Jonesboro, but instead as part of Major General E. C. Walthall’s Division, it returned with General Hood to Tennessee
The 46th/55th, along with other troops, captured a blockhouse and a freight train loaded with grain at Big Shanty, GA, on this march back.
Fall – Winter 1864
November 30, Battle of Franklin. The regiment was in the first line of assault troops, and would suffer terrible casualties. Here Major Cooper was wounded, and Edwin H. Rennolds, in his History of henry County Commands, stated that Major Cooper told him the regiment went into battle with 125 men and came out with 25
What was left of the regiment would take part in the Battle of Nashville on December 15. As part of Walthall’s division, they were located near the Hillsboro Pike at Redoubt No. 3 at a stone wall. After being driven from the wall, they would be moved towards Granny White Pike and then formed part of the rear guard for Hood’s army on its retreat into Mississippi.
Early 1865
The regiment moved to North Carolina and joined General Joseph E. Johnston. They would participate in the last battle of the war at Bentonville, North Carolina from March 19 – 21
What remained of the 46th TN would be paroled at Greensboro, North Carolina on May 1 1865 as part of the 4th Consolidated Tennessee Infantry Regiment