31st Regiment, North Carolina Infantry

Brief History
The 31st Regiment, North Carolina Infantry was first organized for 12 months at Hill's Point, Beaufort County, on 19 September 1861. It was reorganized for the war at Camp, Mangum, Raliegh, Wake County, on 17 September 1862. It surrendered at Durham Station, Orange County, North Carolina, on 26 April 1865.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System contains a different history for the 31st Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, which says it organized at Wilmington, North Carolina, in September of 1861. It surrendered with the Army of Tennessee.

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties of Origin
The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 1901 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Men often enlisted in a company recruited in the counties where they lived though not always. After many battles, companies might be combined because so many men were killed or wounded. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first.

Company A - many men from Robeson County

Company B - "O K Boys" - many men from Anson County

Company C - "Chalybeate Guards" - many men from Harnett County and Wake County

Company D - many men from Wake County

Company E - many men from Orange County

Company F - many men from Martin County

Company G - many men from Hertford County

Company H - many men from Wake County

Company I - "Cape Fear Boys" - many men from Harnett County

Company K - many men from Craven County

The information about the companies comes from A Guide to Military Organizations and Installations North Carolina 1861-1865 Information about the companies and their rosters are in Manarin and Jordan, North Carolina Troops 1861-1865 A Roster.

Other Sources

 * Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in ‘North Carolina in the Civil War’ and ‘United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865’ (see below).


 * National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, is searchable by soldier's name and state. It contains basic facts about soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, a list of regiments, descriptions of significant battles, sources of the information, and suggestions for where to find additional information.


 * North Carolina in the Civil War describes many sources, specifically for North Carolina, and how to find them. These include compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865 describes and explains United States and Confederate States records, rather than state records, and how to find them. These include veterans’ censuses, compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * Birdsong, James C. (James Cook). Brief sketches of the North Carolina State troops : in the war between the states. (Raleigh, North Carolina : Josephus Daniels, 1894),


 * John Wheeler Moore. Roster of North Carolina Troops in the War between the States. (Raleigh : Ash & Gatling, State printers, 1882). Internet Archive