The Louisiana 6th Infantry Regiment was organized in May, 1861 at Camp Moore, Louisiana. Many of these men were of the newspaper trades and half were "Irishmen." Ordered to Virginia, the regiment served under General Ewell at First Manassas, then was assigned to R. Taylor's, Hays', and York's Brigade. After participating in Jackson's Valley Campaign, it fought with the Army of Northern Virginia from the Seven Days' Battles to Cold Harbor. It continued the fight with Early in the Shenandoah Valley and later shared in the Appomattox operations.

The Louisiana 12th Infantry Regiment completed its organization at Camp Moore, Louisiana, in August, 1861. Its companies were from the parishes of Caldwell, Claiborne, Vermilion, Cameron, Calcasieu, Jackson, Ouachita, Bossier, and Iberia. Sent to Missouri, the unit was captured at Island No. 10 in April, 1862. After being exchanged, it was assigned to Rust's, Buford's, T.M. Scott's, and Lowry's Brigade. It fought at Champion's Hill and Jackson before participating in the campaigns of the Army of Tennessee from Resaca to Bentonville. In July, 1862, the unit contained 41 officers and 546 men, reported 11 killed, 57 wounded, and 5 missing out of the 318 engaged at Peach Tree Creek, lost many during Hood's Tennessee Campaign, and surrendered with only a remnant on April 26, 1865. Its commanders were Colonel Thomas M. Scott; Lieutenant Colonels James A. Boyd, Wade H. Hough, Noel L. Nelson, and Thomas C. Standifer; and Majors John C. Knott and Henry V. McCain.

The Mississippi 39th Infantry Regiment was organized at Jackson, Mississippi, during the late spring of 1862. About twenty-five percent of this unit was sick in June, and there were 29 officers and 541 men present for duty in July. Company I took part in the fight at Baton Rouge, then, assigned to General Beall's command, the regiment was captured at Port Hudson in July, 1863. After the exchange in December it totalled 220 effectives. Attached to Ross' and Sears' Brigade it was involved in the Atlanta Campaign, Hood's Tennessee operations, and the defense of Mobile. The regiment reported 7 casualties at New Hope Church, 30 at Kennesaw Mountain, 5 at the Chattahoochee River, and 48 in the Battle of Atlanta. Few surrendered with the Department of Alabama, Mississippi, and East Louisiana.

The 6th Michigan Volunteer Infantry first deployed to Baltimore, where the soldiers' exemplary demeanor charmed a mainly secessionist population. Their subsequent service along the Mississippi River was a perfect storm of epidemic disease, logistical failures, guerrilla warfare, profiteering, martinet West Pointers and scheming field officers, along with the doldrums of camp life punctuated by bloody battles. The Michiganders responded with alcoholism, insubordination and depredations. Yet they saved the Union right at Baton Rouge and executed suicidal charges at Port Hudson. This first modern history of the controversial regiment concludes with a statistical analysis, a roster and a brief summary of its service following conversion to heavy artillery.