It seems that there are no other links on the internet to review information about this regiment. I am posting some brief information from Confederate Military History and a bibliography on this regiment. I do this in honor and remembrance of the men who served with this regiment, lest they be forgotten.
The Thirty-first regiment Georgia volunteers was organized in the fall of 1861 with the following field and staff officers: Col. P. J. Phillips, Lieut.-Col. Daniel P. Hill, Maj. C. A. Evans, Adjt. J. H. Woodbridge, Commissary J. H. Sutton, Quartermaster A. B. Redding. The captains were Apollo Forrester (A), Rodolphus T. Pride (B), Archer Griffith (C), John T. Crowder (D), L. B. Redding (E), Warren D. Wood (F), J. H. Lowe (G), John W. Murphey (H), George W. Lewis (I), R. H. Fletcher (K). C.A. Evans soon became colonel of the regiment, then brigadier-general, and during the Appomattox campaign, as well as the preceding one, was in command of the division that made the last charge at Appomattox Court House. J.T. Crowder became lieutenant-colonel, J. H. Lowe, major, William M. Head, adjutant. Captain Forrester (killed) was succeeded' by C. L. Shorter; Sanders by Archer Griffith; Crowder by Thomas B. Settle; Redding, by W. H. Harrison; Fletcher by S. W. Thornton. The Thirty-first participated in all the campaigns of the army of Northern Virginia except that of First Manassas, bearing a conspicuously active part.
- Organization of the 31st Georgia Infantry Regiment
- Evans' Brigade, Gordon's Division
Army of Northern Virginia
- Company A: Muscogee County men-Georgia Light Infantry
- Company B: Muscogee County men-Muscogee Confederates
- Company C: Mitchell Guards. This company was composed entirely of recruits from these five Alabama counties: Russell, Dale, Henry, Coffee, and Barbour. The Henderson's Roster states that the company originated on Chatham County, Georgia, however this has been proven to be an error.
- Chatham County men-Mitchell Guards
- Company D: Monroe County men-Monroe Crowders
- Company E: Stewart County men-Bartow guards/Stewart Bartows/Stewart Guards
- Company F: Pulaski County men-Pulaski Blues
- Company G: Chattahoochee and Stewart County men-County Line Guards
- Company H: Harris County men-Mountain Tigers
- Company I: Decatur County men-Arnett Rifles
- Company K: Terrell County men-Bartow Avengers
Bibliography-31st Georgia Infantry
Confederate Military History, Extended Edition. Vol. 7: Georgia. Wilmington, NC:
Broadfoot,
1987. See p. 112 for a brief unit history.
Crute, Joseph H., Jr. Units of the
Confederate States Army. Midlothian, VA: Derwent Books,
1987. Ref. See p. 104 for a concise summary of the regiment's service.
Georgia State Division of
Confederate Pensions and Records. Roster of the Confederate Soldiers of
Georgia, l86l-l865. Vol. 3. Hapeville, GA: Longino & Porter, 1959. pp.
576-659. Unit roster.
Jones, Charles E. Georgia in the War, 1861-1866. Atlanta, GA: Foot & Davies,
1909. See p. 29 for an incomplete list of unit officers.
Scaife, William R. The Georgia Brigade. Atlanta, GA: By the Author, 1988.
Sifakis, Stewart. Compendium of the
Confederate Armies:...Georgia. NY: Facts on File, 1995.
pp. 241-42
White, Greg C. A History of the 31st Georgia Volunteer Infantry (a short review follows)
"This new regimental history of an outstanding combat unit is based on a wide array of primary source material. Mr. White's meticulous research has uncovered soldiers' letters, newspaper accounts, diaries, pension records, magazine articles and other obscure material. From this tapestry of rich resources, Mr. White has detailed the history of the gallant 31st Georgia Infantry. An extensive roster follows the text. Initially organized in November 1861 to defend Georgia's threatened coast, the 31st Georgia Volunteer Infantry would see its active service with the Lawton-Gordon-Evans brigade, probably the largest such command in the entire Confederate army. As part of Stonewall Jackson's Foot Cavalry, the regiment distinguished itself the first year at Cold Harbor, Second Manassas, Sharpsburg and Fredericksburg. Led by Clement A. Evans, it received formal commendations for spearheading the dramatic recapture of Marye's Heights during the Chancellorsville Campaign. Colonel Evans lowered the Stars and Stripes flying over York, Pennsylvania, just prior to his command's actions the first day at Gettysburg, where Jubal Early reportedly called it the bravest regiment he had ever seen. The 31st Georgia in 1864 was heavily engaged in the series of battles at Wilderness and Spotsylvania; it also participated in Early's Valley Campaign with action at Monocacy, Kernstown, Third Winchester and Cedar Creek. It was part of the vanguard in the daring assault on Fort Stedman, the last major offensive by the Army of Northern Virginia. Only 66 from the regiment were armed and in the line of battle at Appomattox Court House, where some of the members are believed to have fired the last rounds of the war; they were in combat, even as Lee was surrendering to Grant. Of the 1,179 men and boys known to have belonged to the Columbus, Georgia, based organization, 365 died in the service, a 31% mortality rate. Email Mr. Greg C. White for further information."
© 2001 John Griffin