History

The 2nd Mississippi was closely involved in several major engagements of the Civil War. They were part of Bernard Bee's brigade when he noticed that Thomas Jackson's troops were standing like a "Stonewall" at the battle of Bull Run. The 2nd Mississippi anchored the extreme left of the Confederate line at the battle of Antietam and the famous photo of Confederate casualties along the fence on the Hagerstown Pike shows the heavy cost they paid.
 
 At Gettysburg the 2nd Mississippi charged up through the Railroad Cut on July 1 and suffered its only loss of their colors in a fierce hand to hand struggle with the 6th Wisconsin. Don Troiani's print "Fight For The Colors" illustrates remarkably this well known incident. In the Wilderness in 1864 the 2nd Mississippi fought itself to the brink of elimination. Only darkness saved the 2nd Mississippi from sacrificeing itself in a spoiling suicidal charge. By the early days of 1865, the toll of the trenches at Petersburg had consumed the 2nd Mississippi to the point where there were probably less than 150 men able to fight.
 
The end came in the Spring when Grant's army finally broke through the Confederate lines. The 2nd Mississippi found itself backed up against a swollen creek named Hatcher's Run and cornered on three sides by advancing Union troops. Only a few brave individuals made it across the creek saving their torn and shredded battle flag from capture again. That flag was also saved from the surrender at Appomatox and is currently displayed in its restored state at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.