24th MS Infantry Regiment, Co I, "The Kemper Rebels"

Men who served in Company I (see below)

The information concerning the Regiment was donated by Tom Neely. The roster was transcribed and donated by Lynne Hicks. This Company was organized June 27, 1862. First commanded by Capt. Robert P. McKelvaine, he was later Colonel of the Regiment. The officers of the Kemper Rebels were:

Captains: R. P. McKelvaine, elected Lieutenant-Colonel, later promoted Col;
W. H. Cunningham
First Lieutenants: W. H. Cunningham, D. M. Currie
Second Lieutenants: D. M. Currie, A. Kelly, died 1863; A. F. Rush; Charles H. Sinclair
Third Lieutenants: A. Kelly, W. D. McKay, J. E. Nicholson, J. T. Gwin

The Twenty-Fourth Mississippi Infantry regiment was made up largely of very young men, and the companies were organized under a proclamation of Governor Pettus calling for enlistments for three years. The companies assembled at Marion Station and were mustered into the Confederate States service in September and October, 1861. The field officers were elected November 6, 1861: Col. William F. Dowd, of Monroe County, Lieutenant Colonel R. P. McKelvaine, of Kemper County, and William C. Staples of Choctaw County. Col. Dowd was disabled and resigned in January, 1864, and Col. R. P. McKelvaine became regimental commander. At the time of the surrender of the unit on April 26, 1865, approximately 25 men were left from an original regimental strength of well over 1,000. The 24th fought at:
Murfreesboro
Tullahoma Campaign
Chickamauga
Chattanooga
Atlanta Campaign
Resaca
New Hope Church
Ezra Church
Atlanta Siege
Franklin
Nashville
Carolinas Campaign.

For further reading about the Twenty-Fourth Mississippi Infantry see:
Dennis, Frank, _Kemper County Rebel: The Civil War Diary of Robert Masten Holmes, C. S. A.

Sources: Rowland, Military History of Mississippi, 1803-1898, Brandon Printing Co., 1908
Sifakis, Compendium of the Confederate Armies-Mississippi, Facts on File, NY, 1995

The rosters of the 24th Mississippi were transcribed by Lynne Hicks. They are not complete. If you have names to add to these rosters, please let the County Coordinator know.