The 7th Regiment was a North Carolina Confederate infantry unit formed at Camp Mason (Graham, NC) in Alamance County, North Carolina in August 1861. Most of the men came from Rowan and Davidson Counties. It was mustered in for the term of the war on August 21, 1861. Seven days later, the unit was on its way to New Bern, NC. After arriving, the unit camped two miles from the town. Its first commander was General Lawrence O'Brian Branch, a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives. He was killed at Sharpsburg, MD. By September 1861, the unit had moved twice more and eventually found itself at Fort Burgwyn on the Neuse River on Bogue Island. In October, the unit moved once again to Carolina City eventually going into winter quarters at Shepherdsville, NC. One of the first official duties of the 7th Regiment was to guard the railroad bridge over Slocumb's Creek . It remained there until the entire unit was ordered back to New Bern, NC on March 6, 1862. In defense of New Bern, the 7th Regiment's first major battle occurred. There were many more. The 7th Regiment proudly and distinguishly fought at New Bern, Hanover Courthouse, Seven Days Battles, Cedar Run, Manassas Junction, Manassas Plains, Ox Hill, Harpers Ferry, Antietam, Shepherdstown, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Falling Waters, Bristoe Campiagn, Mine Run Campaign, The Wilderness, Spotsylvania Courthouse, North Anna, Cold Harbor, Petersburg Seige, Gravel Hill, Fussell's Mill, Ream's Station, Squirrel Level Road, Jones Farm, Pegram's Farm, and Hatcher's Run. |
