Cumpnee Dee

The Ninth Regiment of Louisiana Volunteers was organized and sworn in at Camp Moore, Louisiana, on July 6, 1861. Of the ten companies, six had joined for the duration of the war and the remainder (which included Company D) for a period of twelve months. The regiment, which was commanded by Colonel Richard Taylor, was immediately dispatched to Virginia but arrived too late to be engaged at the First Battle of Manassas. So many men had fallen to disease that by the early spring of 1862, the entire Confederate Army was re-organized and the 9th Louisiana Infantry Regiment joined with the 6th, 7th, 8th Regiments and Wheat's Battalion under the command of Brig. Gen. Richard Taylor with Col. Leroy Augustus Stafford in command of the 9th Louisiana Infantry. Known as "The Louisiana Brigade" Taylor's Brigade was placed in General Richard Ewell's Division and joined the command of General Stonewall Jackson. During the "Valley Campaign" between May 7 and June 9, 1862 it was engaged at Somerville Heights, Front Royal, Middletown, First Winchester, Front Royal, Mount Carmel, Cross Keys, and the "Coaling" at Port Republic. Following the Seven Day's battles, the Louisiana Brigage followed Jackson to Second Manassas, Antietam and finally Fredericksburg. Following Jackson's death, they followed Lee to Gettysburg, Spottsylvania and the siege of Petersburg. Of the twelve thousand Louisiana men who came to Virginia in 1861 and 1862, the Louisiana Tigers had 373 men on duty when the folded their colors at Appomattox. The 9th Louisiana Regiment was the largest remaining regiment among them with a compliment of 68 men. They surrendered but were never defeated.