Mississippi Baptist minister Mark P. Lowrey organizes the 32nd Mississippi regiment in north Mississippi and is elected Colonel of the regiment. This represents his second, and an unanticipated, stint of Confederate service.
An excerpt from Lowrey’s autobiography speaks of his joining the army for the second time, as well as the days following:
I had professed the Christian religion in my 17th year and became a member of the Baptist Church. After a long struggle with my almost unconquerable resolution to become rich – a struggle between worldly interest and Christian duty – in my 24th year SI yielded to the call of my church, began the work of the gospel ministry and devoted my whole time to the pursuit of knowledge and to other duties of my profession. From the very beginning of this arduous undertaking I received great encouragement, both from the church and from the world. I was favored with large and attentive congregations, and my first labors were crowned with encouraging success. I was soon called to positions that opened the way to usefulness – gave me a support for my family, opportunities to improve my education, and to give myself wholly to my profession. As I had gained a victory over my ambition to gain wealth, this was all I asked, and I never indulged a moment’s thought of turning from the hold calling to make money, or for any civil or military position.
At the beginning of the late war I lived at Kossuth, a little village nine miles southwest of Corinth – was quietly pursuing my theological studies – had the pastoral of some religious congregations to whom I was much attached, and who cherished the warmest affection for me as their spiritual guide and instructor. In political questions I took no part, as I did not think it became a minister of the gospel to engage in the heated discussion that then prevailed throughout the country, and naturally led to the indulgence of immoderate feelings and passions. But our people were all aroused, and were, to a man, for the Confederacy. My feelings ran in the same channel, and there was no neutral ground to occupy. I was called out in several public meetings, and gave free expression to my sentiments. I was also prominently before the public in a manner I had endeavored to avoid. As I had some experience in military service in the Mexican War, I was soon urged to accept the command of men, and was more than once waited on and urged to do so, but positively declined.
But in the fall of 1861, the Legislature of Mississippi passed an act calling out ten thousand men for sixty days, to arm and equip themselves for an emergency. My neighbors raised a company and elected me captain of it, urging that I could go with them for sixty days and that it was my duty to do so. I could not refuse. In a few days I was with my company in Corinth, the place of rendezvous; and at the organization of a regiment, I was almost unanimously elected colonel of it. About the first of December – my regiment being fully organized (which was numbered at the State Capital “the Fourth Regiment of sixty days’ volunteers”), I was ordered to Bowling Green, Kentucky, with other state troops, all of which were commanded by General Reuben Davis, who had been made a major-general in the State service. My men having left comfortable homes in the cold winter, and being unused to camp life, nearly all got sick. Measles and pneumonia prevailed to an alarming extent, and many good men died. At the close of our term we were discharged, and I felt that my military career was at an end. I attempted to return to civil life and to take care of my Christian congregations.
But after the fall of Fort Donelson, the clamor for my services in the field so increased that it was irresistible. Many who had been with me in the sixty days’ State service, and who wanted to volunteer for the war begged me to go with them. Old ladies and old gentlemen earnestly entreated me to go with their sons. Tishomingo County had lost a regiment at Fort Donelson (the 26th Mississippi), and our people resolved to put another in the field in its place, and I was selected to raise and organize it. Our state was threatened with invasion, and Tishomingo County was the threatened point. All felt that every man who could bear arms should rise up and stand between his home and the enemy, and he [who] would not do so was deemed unworthy to be called a Mississippian. Churches felt that they had no use for pastors then – fighting men were in demand. I was restless and my blood was hot within me. The thought of sitting still until the enemy would overrun my home and family was more than I could bear. The result is soon told; I raised and organized the 32nd Mississippi regiment in a little less time than any other regiment was ever raised and organized in North Mississippi. The regiment was organized at Corinth on the 3rd of April, 1862, and I was unanimously elected colonel.
This was a few days before the Battle of Shiloh; but at the time of that battle the regiment had not been equipped or armed, and was not in the fight, but we received prisoners and captured property, and accompanied prisoners to the interior.
After the battle, my regiment was assigned to Brigadier-General S. A. M. Wood’s brigade of Hardee’s division. I was very soon the senior colonel in the brigade, except Col. W. B. Wood of the 16th Alabama, who was for nearly a year absent from the army. Then in the absence of the brigadier-general, I was entitled to the command. I was frequently thrown in command of the brigade before the commencement of the Kentucky campaign.
Sources: Lowrey’s autobiography (link); sketch of Lowrey (link).
