1st (Dreux’s/Rightor’s) Battalion Volunteer Infantry

 

 

[Companies   A   B   C(2)   D   E   F   ?]

 

From Sifakis, Compendium of C.S. Armies: Louisiana, 61:

Organization: Organized with five companies at Pensacola, Florida on April 16, 1861. It was originally attached to the 1st Infantry Regiment Regulars. Mustered into Confederate service at Richmond, Virginia on June 11, 1861. A sixth company was assigned July 1861. Disbanded on May 1, 1862. Company D assigned to 1st Infantry Regiment.

First Commander: Charles D. Dreux, LTC [killed July 5, 1861]

Field Officers: James H. Beard, MAJ [July 5, 1861]; Nicholas H. Rightor, MAJ, LTC [July 5, 1861]

Assignments: Pensacola (Apr-May 61); Department of the Peninsula (Jun-Oct 61); Williamsburg and Spratley’s [B.S. Ewell’s Command], Department of the Peninsula (Oct 61); Griffith’s Brigade, Magruder’s Division, Magruder’s Command, Department of Northern Virginia (Apr-May 62); Griffith’s Brigade, Magruder’s Division, Army of Northern Virginia (May 62)

Battles: near Newport News (July 5, 1861); Operations on Back River (July 24, 1861); Young’s Mill (October 21, 1861); Yorktown Siege (April-May 1862); Lee’s Mill (April 5, 1862)

 

From Bergeron, LA Confed. Units, 148-49:

"The five original companies of this battalion went to Pensacola, Florida, in mid-April, 1861, as a part of the 1st Louisiana Regulars Infantry Regiment, which had not yet completed its organization. [Bergeron, 70: "This regiment was organized February 5, 1861, as part of the Louisiana State Army and transferred to Confederate service on March 13 with about 860 men. The regiment received orders in early April to report for duty at Pensacola, Florida. Only three companies—A, B, and C—had completed recruiting at that time, so the governor called upon volunteer units to fill out the regiment’s organization. Five companies responded and went to Pensacola with the three companies already mentioned. There the men spent the next several weeks drilling."] By late May, the remainder of the 1st Regulars’ companies had finished recruiting and had reported for duty at Pensacola. The five original companies then received orders to go to Virginia and left on May 30. On June 11, at Richmond, the companies were organized as the 1st Louisiana Infantry Battalion. They soon moved to join the garrison at Yorktown. Colonel Dreux took 20 men from each company on July 5 to ambush some enemy soldiers near Newport News. In the brief skirmish that occurred, Dreux and 1 other man were killed. Dreux thus became the first Louisiana officer, and probably the first Confederate officer, killed in the war. [Company C(2) joined the battalion on July 16 from the 1st (Nelligan's) Louisiana Regiment.]  The battalion continued to do picket duty on the Peninsula until April, 1862, when General George B. McClellan’s Union army began operations against the Confederate defenses. On April 5, the men fought in a skirmish near the junction of the Warwick and Yorktown roads. Their term of enlistment expired during these operations, but the men agreed to remain in service until the operations ended. On May 1, just prior to the retreat of the army to Richmond, the battalion disbanded. Many of the men enlisted in a battery formed by Captain Fenner. The term of service of Company D had not expired, and it was assigned to the 1st [Nelligan's] Louisiana Regiment [on June 27]. In all, some 545 men served in the battalion. There were no battle deaths besides the 2 on July 5, 1861, but 16 men died of disease."

 

CSRC, M320, rolls 97-99

 

ROSTER

 

Company A (Louisiana Guards, Todd's, Fenner's)

Orleans

 

ADDISON, H. L. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.

BRACKIN, T. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.

CANTRELLE, M. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.

DASPIT, C. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index: C. Despit.

DASPIT, Felix. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index: Felix Despit.  //  Same F.D. as in Company A, 30th Regiment/Battalion Infantry?

GUERIN, V. F. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.  //  Same V.F.G. as in Company C, 1st Regiment Heavy Artillery; or 2nd Battery?

JOHNSON, E. C. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.

JOHNSON, J. N. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.

LYONS, J. W. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.

MARKS, Fred. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.

MARKS, Marion H. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index: M. H. MARKS.  //  Served also in Companies B & H, 23rd/22nd Regiment Infantry as Pvt. & CPT.

MILLER, D. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.

REINE, F. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.  //  Same F.R. as in Company E, 18th Regiment Infantry; & Company B, Consolidated 18th Regiment & Yellow Jackets Battalion Infantry?

SMITH, John E. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.

WILTZ, T. D. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.

15  Co. A, 1st (Dreux's/Rightor's) Bn. Inf.

Individuals from non-Cajun families, CSRC Index

ALEXANDER, Charles O. D. Sgt. ALLEN, Cicero M. Pvt.
2

 

Company B (Crescent Rifles Company A, Fisk's, Smith's)

Orleans

 

JOHNSON, P. L. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.

LALANDE, J. G. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index; J. G. Lalland, J. G. Lallande.  //  Served also in Company A, 11th Regiment Infantry as Jr2LT.

NOTT, William. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.

SMITH, C. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.

SMITH, H. S. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.  //  Served also in Fenner's Battery.

SMITH, J. P. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.

SMITH, Thaddeus A. CPT.  //  CSRC, Index.

7  Co. B, 1st (Dreux's/Rightor's) Bn. Inf.

Individuals from non-Cajun families, CSRC Index

ABINGTON, S. C. Pvt. ABY, C. H. Pvt. ALLEN, C. M. Pvt. AMES, F. W. Cpl. ARMSTRONG, F. A. Pvt.
5

 

Company C(2nd) [formerly Company C(1st), 1st (Nelligan's) Regiment Infantry] (Louisiana Guards Company C, Rawle's) [to ?]

Orleans

 

DUVAL, James. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.

TAYLOR, William. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.  //  Same W.T. as in Donaldsonville Artillery?

2  Co. C(2), 1st (Dreux's/Rightor's) Bn. Inf.

Individuals from non-Cajun families, CSRC Index

ARAM, Fred. Pvt.
1

 

Company D (Shreveport Greys, Beard’s, B.L. Moore’s, W.E. Moore’s) [to 1st (Nelligan’s) Regiment Infantry]

Caddo

 

DUPONT, F. Pvt.  To Company H(1), 1st (Nelligan's) Regiment Infantry.  //  CSRC, Index.

FAULK, E. Pvt.  To Company H(1), 1st (Nelligan's) Regiment Infantry.   //  CSRC, Index: E. Falk.

JOHNSON, Robert. Pvt.  To Company H(1), 1st (Nelligan's) Regiment Infantry.  //  CSRC, Index.

MARKS, L. D. 2LT.  //  CSRC, Index.

MARTIN, D. A. Pvt. En. 20 Apr 61, New Orleans. Trfr. to "Chasseurs," Company A, 7th Battalion Infantry, 12 May 61. (B2:889)  //  Probably not Cajun.

SMITH, H. R. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.

6  Co. D, 1st (Dreux's/Rightor's) Bn. Inf.

Individuals from non-Cajun families, CSRC Index

ANDERSON, E. L. D. Pvt. ANDREWS, J. A. 1Sgt.
2

 

Company E (Grivot Guards, Goode’s, Dunn’s) [to ?]

Terrebonne

 

BABIN, Valentin. Pvt.  En. 25 Aug 61, Yorktown, VA. Pres. Jan-Feb 62. [NFR.] (B1:98a)

BELANGER, Frank. Sgt.  //  CSRC, Index.

BERGERON, Emile. Pvt. En. 16 Apr 61, Houma. Pres. to Feb 62. [NFR.] (B1:172a)

+BERTEAU, Charles Augustin. Sgt.  Died in VA, Apr 62.   //  CSRC, Index: Charles A. Bertheaud.

BLANCHARD, J. H. Cpl. En. 16 Apr 61, Houma. Pres. to Aug 61. [NFR.] (B1:6b)

BONVILLAIN, Bannon. Pvt. 4Cpl.  Enlisted in Company E, 16 Apr 61, Houma.  Present to Dec 61.  Jan-Feb 62: Present; promoted from Pvt. to 4Cpl., 31 Jan.  No further record in Booth.  Buried St. Francis de Sales Cemetery, Houma.   //  Booth, LA Confed. Soldiers, 2:37: Banon BONVILLAIN.  CSRC, Index: Bannon Bonvillian.  //  [photo]

BONVILLAIN, Gustave. Pvt.   //  CSRC, Index: Gustave Bonvillian.

BOUDREAUX [Bondreaux], Omer. Pvt. En. 11 Apr 61, Houma. Pres. to Feb 62. [NFR.] (B1:31b)

BOUDREAUX [Bondreaux], Seraphin. Cpl. 1Sgt. 1LT. En. 16 Apr 61, Houma. Pres. to Feb 62. Prm. fr 1Sgt. to 1LT, 17 Jan 62. [NFR.] (B1:31b)  Same S.B. as in 1st Battery?

BOURGEOIS, Henry T. Pvt. En. 16 Apr 61, Houma. Pres. to Feb 62. [NFR.] (B1:63b)

CHAUVIN, Alfred F. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.

CLEMENT, Edward. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.

EYRAUD, Theodore. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.

GAUTREAUX, Volzi. Pvt. En. 16 Apr 61, Houma. To late May 61: Abs. w/lv. Pres. Jun 61-Feb 62. [NFR.] (B1:991)

GUCHEREAU, Guill. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index: Guill Gucherau.

GUCHEREAU, Henry. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index: Henry Gucherau.

GUIDRY [Guedry], Ernest D. [F. E.]. Pvt. En. 16 Apr 61, Houma. [NFR.] (B2:119)

GUIDRY [Guedry], J. B. Pvt. En. 16 Apr 61, Houma. Disch. on account of injury, Pensacola, FL, 30 May 61. [NFR.] (B2:119)  //  Same J.B.G. as in Company H, 2nd Regiment Cavalry?

HEBERT, J. Baptiste. Pvt. En. 16 Apr 61, Houma. Pres. Jun 61-Feb 62. [NFR.] (B2:248)

LABIT, Surville. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.

LIRETTE, Banane. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.

MARS, J. D. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.

MILLER, John O. B. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.

MUNSON, Alfred J. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.

RODDY, John H. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.

RODDY, Taylor. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.

RODDY, Thomas. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.

SAVOIE, Jules. Pvt. En. 16 Apr 61, Houma. Pres. to Aug 61. Pres. Jan-Feb 62. En. extended for two years. [NFR.] (B3:459)  //  Served also in Donaldsonville Artillery.

SHAFFER, Thomas J. Pvt.  Born 9 Oct 1842, Terrebonne Parish.  Son of William A. SHAFFER (d.1886) & Emilie BOURGEOIS (d.1875) of Terrebonne Parish.  Light complexion.  Light hair.  Gray eyes.  5' 8 1/2".  Educated in private schools, Terrebonne Parish, before attending Shelby College, KY, 1854-58, & Centenary College, Jackson, LA, 1858-61.  Single, probably a resident of Crescent Farm, Black Bayou, Terrebonne Parish, his father's plantation, when he enlisted in Company E, 31 May 61, Richmond, VA, age 18.  Present to Feb 62.  Transferred to Company F, 26th Regiment Infantry as 2LT, Mar 62.   //  Booth, LA Confed. Soldiers, 3(2): 523: Thomas SHAFFER, T. J. SHAFFER.  CSRC, Index: Thomas SHAFFER, T. J. SHAFFER.  Perrin, SW LA, 382-83: Thomas SHAFFER.  Lee Shaffer, collateral descendant.  //  Called Thomas SHAFFER in this battalion, T. J. SHAFFER in 26th Regiment Infantry.

SMITH, Michael. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.

SMITH, Peter. Pvt.  //  CSCR, Index.

TERREBONNE, V. D. Pvt..  //  CSRC, Index.

THIBODEAUX, Achille. Pvt. En. 28 Aug 61, Yorktown, VA. Pres. Jan-Feb 62. [NFR.] (B3:801)

THIBODEAUX [Thibodeau], Alfred [Adalbert]. Pvt. En. 28 Aug 61, Yorktown, VA. Regt. roll of Dec 61: Abs. sick, hosp., Richmond, VA. Regt. roll of Jan 62: Disch. for disabl., 28 Dec 6[1]. Pres. Jan-Feb 62. [NFR.] (B3:801)

THIBODEAUX, Simon. Pvt. En. 16 Apr 61, Houma, or 25 Apr 61, Pensacola, FL. Pres. to Aug 61. Pres. Jan-Feb 62. En. extended for two years, CPT MORIN’s [MAURIN’s] Co. To Donaldsonville Arty. (B3:803)

TRAHAN [Trahant], Martial. Pvt. En. 28 Aug 61, Yorktown, VA. Pres. Jan-Feb 63. [NFR.] (B3:861)  //  Same M.T. as in Co. K, 2nd Regt. Reserve Corps?

WILTZ, F. A. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.

WILTZ, L. Arnold. 3/1Sgt.  //  CSRC, Index.

38  Co. E, 1st (Dreux's/Rightor's) Bn. Inf.

Individuals from non-Cajun families, CSRC Index

 

Company F (Orleans Cadets, Collins’s) [to ?]

Orleans

 

BIGOT, Theo. L., Jr. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.  //  Same as T.B. as in Company E, 3rd Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Division Militia?

BRUNET, R. H., Jr. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.  //  Served also in Fenner's Batt.

BRUNET, W. M. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.  //  Served also in Fenner's Batt.

DAIGLE, Louis. Pvt. Age 23. En. 11 Apr 61, New Orleans. Pres. to Oct 61. [NFR.] (B1:519)  //  Served also in Company H, 4th Regiment Infantry as Pvt. & Jr2LT.

DUGUE, F. A. Ens.  //  CSRC, Index.

FONTAINE, E. O. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.

HENRIQUES, A. D. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.  //  Served also in Company E, Crescent Regt. Inf.; & Fenner's Batt.

MILLER, Charles. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.

RENAUD, John K. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.

VOORHIES, George. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.

YOUNG, C. Pvt.  //  CSRC, Index.

11  Co. F, 1st (Dreux's/Rightor's) Bn. Inf.

Individuals from non-Cajun families, CSRC Index

ALEXANDER, R. J. Pvt.
1

 

No Company Designation

 

DUGAS, Octave. Pvt. Age 24. En. 5 May 61, Pensacola, FL. Pres. May 61-Feb 62. [NFR.] (B1:704)

1  ?, 1st (Dreux's/Rightor's) Bn. Inf.

Individuals from non-Cajun families, CSRC Index

ANDREWS, E. W. C. Pvt. 1st Bn.
1

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