Much confusion attaches to the deciphering of companies in the 9^th and 10^th Mississippi Regiments of Infantry. The Ninth and Tenth Regiments were originally enlisted for 12 months in 1861. At the duration of that time the regiments were disbanded and reformed. The men were free to re-enlist in the new companies or join entirely new commands. Both occurrences happened. As originally enlisted, Company E was made up of men primarily from the Horn Lake region, Company I from the Senatobia region, and Company K from the Hernando region. After the reorganization of the regiment in the Spring of 1862, all of these designations changed, with Company E becoming Company A of the Tenth regiment. As noted by Rowland Dunbar in his "Military History of Mississippi, 1803-1898," "the men of the Ninth and Tenth mixed together to some extent and new companies were formed. A considerable number of the old Ninth joined Morgan's cavalry."

The regiment's first colonel was James R. Chalmers of Hernando, who later became a brigadier general. The next colonel was Thomas W. White also of Hernando.

The original companies of 1861went to Mobile in the latter part of March, 1861, and with other companies, marched to Pensacola in April. They encamped near Fort Barrancas, opposite Fort Pickens on Santa Rosa Island, held by United States troops. The Ninth and Tenth were the first Mississippi regiments in the service of the Confederate States. Members of the Ninth regiment participated in the night expedition from Pensacola to Santa Rosa Island on October 8-9, 1861. After landing on the island, Chalmers and his column advanced along the north beach and after some sharp skirmishing participated in the burning of the camp of Wilson's Zouaves.

The enlistment of the regiment was for twelve months. In December about 450 had re-enlisted. All who re-enlisted for three years or the war were furloughed for thirty days with privilege to recruit new companies. The remainder continued on duty until after the regiment was transferred to Cumberland Gap.

Chalmers' Brigade was organized under the order of General Bragg, March 6, 1862 including the Seventh, Ninth, Tenth Regiments, Baskerville's cavalry, and the Vaiden artillery. This Mississippi organization was given the title of "the High Pressure Brigade" by General Bragg.

The Ninth regiment was engaged in the Battle of Shiloh, April 6 - 7, 1862. They moved into line of battle on the morning of April 6, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Rankin, and took part in the first charge through the Federal camps in their front. In their second engagement in another part of the field the skirmish line of the brigade was led with great coolness and marked skill and ability by Major F. E. Whitfield. The brigade advanced through an orchard and after a hard fight drove the Federal line from its station in thick undergrowth behind a fence. A quarter mile beyond, at a deep ravine, there was a stubborn fight, in which Chaplain M. L. Weller was among the killed. After the gunboats opened upon the brigade at this place, it moved toward the center of the battlefield, where the brigade's fourth battle was fought. Here the Ninth was far in advance of any other Confederate command, said General Chalmers. This was toward 6 o'clock in the evening and they were fighting a Federal force that was in line with Prentiss' Division, which was compelled to surrender about this time. Col. William T. Shaw, commanding the Fourteenth Iowa, surrendered his regiment to Major F. E. Whitfield, and Colonel Madison. Miller, of the Eighteenth Missouri, commanding a brigade of Prentiss' Division, with a portion of his command, surrendered to Lieut. Donald McKenzie, Company K. Some Illinois companies also surrendered to Whitfield. The brigade's sixth battle that day was under orders from General Bragg "to drive the enemy into the river." The brigades of Chalmers and Jackson formed in line facing the river and endeavored to press forward to the water's edge, but in attempting to mount the last ridge were met by fire from a line of batteries supported by infantry and the gunboats. The men were unable to make headway up a steep hill under such opposition, though they made repeated charges, A battery brought up to help was soon crippled and driven away. They retired in good order and slept on the battlefield.

On the morning of April 7th the Ninth was ordered back half a mile and were soon attacked heavily, and compelled to retire after their ammunition was exhausted. Here Major Whitfield was severely wounded. After finding ammunition in a Federal camp, they went into battle again, but were driven back in confusion by superior numbers. Rallying and reinforced by Blythe's Mississippians and Preston Smith's Tennesseans, Chalmers took the battle flag of the Ninth and called on the weary remnant of the brigade to make one more charge. Joseph Wheeler bearing the flag of one of his Alabama regiments, and a portion of his men with him, joined in urging a final effort. With a wild yell, they charged again and drove the Federal line back till they gained their first position. They were soon compelled to retire, but they had checked a pursuit that might have had serious results. The cost was heavy. Among the killed was Lieutenant-Colonel Rankin, a gallant and fearless leader. General Chalmers in his report mentioned Lieut. George T. Banks [DeSoto Co.], Aide-de-Camp, for gallant conduct, and Captain R. S. Crump, Acting Commissary. General Chalmers gave honorable mention also to William A. Rains [DeSoto Co.], Sergeant-Major, and Private Fleming Thompson [DeSoto Co.], both of Company K, boys of seventeen years, who acted as couriers, carrying orders under heavy fire.

During the siege of Corinth a portion of the regiment on outpost duty, was engaged in the fight on the Monterey road, May 29, under Col. Joseph Wheeler. The Ninth participated in the Kentucky campaign of 1862, and moved against the garrison of 4,000 Indiana and Kentucky troops at the fortified post at Munfordville. After the retreat from Kentucky they went to Murfreesboro, Tennessee where they were in battle on December 31, 1862 and January 1 & 2, 1863. The casualties of the Ninth during the battle of Murfreesboro were 8 killed, 71 wounded, 5 missing.

The army fell back to Shelbyville and Tullahoma, Tennessee in January 1863 and remained in that line until July 1863 when the brigade crossed the Tennessee River, marched over Lookout Mountain and went in camp near Chattanooga. The regiment served on the line before Chattanooga in the latter part of September 1863 and until the battle of Missionary Ridge, November 25, 1863 in which they participated.

The Ninth was again in battle during Sherman's push to Atlanta beginning in May 1864, being engaged at Rocky Face Ridge on May 8, Resaca on May 14-15 in support, New Hope Church and Kennesaw Mountain, and Peachtree Creek. They also participated in the Battle of Franklin, Tennessee on November 30, 1864 and the Battle of Nashville on December 15 - 16, 1864.

The brigade to which the Ninth was assigned was furloughed until February 12, 1865. The organization of the army near Smithfield, N. C., March 31, 1865, shows the old Hindman Division under the command of Gen. D. H. Hill, Sharp commanding his brigade, Seventh and Ninth Regiments, consolidated under command of Lieut.-Col. B. F. Johns. On April 9, 1865, Sharp's Brigade -- the Seventh, Ninth, Tenth, Forty-first and Forty-fourth Regiments and Ninth Battalion - was consolidated as the Ninth Mississippi Regiment. The army was surrendered April 26, and paroled at Greensboro, N. C.

Below is a roster of men who served in Companies A, E, G, I and K extracted from the Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System of the National Park Service. It makes no allowance for those who served in "Old" companies versus "New" companies. Because the same soldier was sometimes listed more than once due to variations in spelling his name, the total number given is inflated. The listing has not been changed because there is no way to determine where these spelling errors have occurred.