12th Missouri Infantry Regiment (Confederate)

The 12th Missouri Infantry Regiment was a Confederate infantry regiment that served primarily in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. It was formed in the fall of 1862, largely from Missourians who had crossed into Arkansas to join the Confederate army.

The regiment was initially assigned to various brigades within the Confederate Army of the Trans-Mississippi before being transferred east of the Mississippi River. It fought in several major campaigns and battles, including the Vicksburg Campaign, the Atlanta Campaign, and the Franklin-Nashville Campaign.

Notable battles the 12th Missouri participated in include Champion Hill, where it suffered heavy casualties during the Vicksburg Campaign, and the battles around Atlanta, such as Resaca, Kennesaw Mountain, and Peachtree Creek. The regiment also saw action at the Battle of Franklin in November 1864, incurring further losses.

Throughout its service, the 12th Missouri Infantry Regiment was plagued by desertion, disease, and battlefield casualties. The regiment's strength dwindled significantly as the war progressed. By the time of the Confederate surrender in 1865, only a fraction of the original number of men remained. The surviving members of the 12th Missouri Infantry were paroled at various locations in the spring of 1865, marking the end of their service in the Confederate army. The regiment's records are incomplete, making a full accounting of its history challenging.