This regiment was organized at Columbus, Miss., in May 1862, and was composed principally of men who re-organized, in two or three instances as entire companies, after serving a year as the Second Alabama Infantry. The regiment joined Generals Price and Van Dorn at Ripley in September, and was brigaded under Gen. John C. Moore of Texas. A month later the Forty-second went into the battle of Corinth with 700 men, and lost 98 killed and about 250 wounded and captured in the fighting at and near that place. It wintered in Mississippi, Moore's brigade being re-organized with the Thirty-seventh, Fortieth, and Forty-second Alabama, and Second Texas regiments. It was part of the garrison of Vicksburg, and lost 10 killed and about 95 wounded there, and the remainder captured at the surrender of the fortress. The Forty-second was in parole camp at Demoplis, then joined the Army of Tennessee. It fought with severe loss at Lookout and Mission Ridge, and wintered at Dalton. Gen. Baker of Barbour then took command of the brigade, which was in Clayton's (Stewart's) division, Polk's corps. In the spring the Forty-second fought at Resaca with a loss of 59 killed and wounded. It was then continually skirmishing till the battle of New Hope, where its loss was comparatively light, as it was at Atlanta the 22d of July. On the 28th of July the loss was very heavy, and the ranks of the regiment were fearfully thinned by the casualties of battle. A few days later the regiment was sent to Spanish Fort, where it remained on garrison duty during the fall, and till January 1865. It then moved into North Carolina, and its colors floated in the thickest of the battle at Bentonville, and were furled at the capitulation of that army.
