I hope you find this information to be of use. It is from my personal notes with my own abbreviations. In compliance with the board, it has been separated into sections.
5/25/64 Whiting to Holmes-regarding the 2000 reserves Holmes is giving to Whiting. I have applied for arms for them, & I can supply them with tent flies & camp equipment. I have excellent officers here for drilling & discipline. Their presence is very much needed as fast as you can assemble them.
5/26/64 Whiting to Holmes-Asking his views as to how the Reserves should be organized-appointment or election of officers, number of same, number of men per Co, designation, organization of Co’s into Bns or Regts, field & staff officers, etc.
5/30/64 The 4th Bn, 400 strong, was organized at Camp Holmes, near Raleigh by the election of J. M. Reece, of Greensboro. Maj: John S. Pescud, of Raleigh, was appointed Adjt Pescud was a brave, true-hearted lad, & is now an honored citizen of Raleigh.
6/2/64 The 4th Bn was sent to Goldsboro
6/17/64 Weldon-Ref to 1st Regt NC Reserves, Col Armistead
1st Regt Jr Reserves [aka 70th NC] was formed in July 1864, at Weldon by consolidating the 1st & 6th Jr Reserves Bns which had just been organized.
7/19/64 Holmes issues order organizing the 1st Regt NC Reserves
1/6/65 War Dept issues order recognizing this action
6/27 Whiting to Col Armistead, Magnolia: You are ordered by the President through Gen Holmes to Weldon at once with the Jr Reserves.
6/29/64 NC Standard-Raleigh
1st Bn NC Reserves, commanded by Maj C.W. Broadfoot
2nd Bn NC Reserves, commanded by Maj J.A. Anderson
3rd Bn NC Reserves, commanded by Maj Hooks
4th Bn NC Reserves, commanded by Maj J.M. Reece
5th Bn NC Reserves, commanded by Maj Wm. F. Beasley
6th Bn NC Reserves, commanded by Maj W. M Clark
10/8/64 Lee says he has sent Vance 7500 arms for the NC Reserves & will send more if needed
11/22/64 Richmond-[Special orders #277 by A&IGO]
III. The 1st Bn NC Reserves, with the unattached Co, commanded by Capt MT. R. Williams, which is hereby added thereto, will constitute the 2nd Regt NC Reserves.
IV. The ten Co’s comprising the 4th, 7th, & 8th Bns of NC Reserves, as organized under the orders of Gen Holmes, will constitute the 3rd Regt NC Reserves.
V. The organization of the 8th Bn of NC Reserves (Millard’s), consisting of three Co’s, is hereby reorganized [recognized] & made the action of the War Dept. It will hereafter be designated as the 1st Bn NC Reserves.
VI. The 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Regts, with the 1st Ban NC Reserves, will constitute a Bgde.
11/22/64 Armistead’s Reserve Bgde was organized on orders from this Dept.
1/2/65 Gen Holmes recommends Col F S Armistead cdg Jr Reserves at Goldsboro be made BGen to command them permanently
1/9 Cooper endorses to Sec of War-Armistead graduated from West Point in 1856 in 1st Infy, U.S. born & appointed from Va, joined CSA early 61 & apptd 1st Lt Arty. He is the Sr Col of this Jr Bgde which consists of 3 Regts & a Bn, the rolls of which are on file here. The Bgde was organized 11/22/64 on orders from this Dept.
2/24 Cooper endorses to Sec of War-I think Col Armistead has sufficient rank to command a Bgde of Reserves, his rank of Col will take precedence of any Col of reserve forces. He is reported to be a good officer & acquainted with discipline, etc.
12/8/64 Gen Whiting was notified by Gen Lee that the 5th & 2nd Corps of Grant's army, with Bragg's Div of Cav, were moving under Gen Warren upon Weldon, & that, they were near Belfield & that Hill & Hampton were following them. One object of this raid was to destroy the RR Bridge at Weldon & thus cut off supplies for Lee's army from that direction. Gen Whiting at once ordered Col George Jackson to proceed with the 4th, 7th, 8th & 9th Bns of Jr Reserves & four pieces of Paris' Arty with three days' cooked rations, to Weldon, & there report for temporary service to Gen Leventhorpe, cdg. The latter, an Englishman by birth, was the 1st Col 1st of the 34th & then of the 11th NC Regts & had done splendid service in clearing the enemy from the Roanoke River & in defending the Wilmington & Weldon RR.
Under the law, the reserves could not be required to cross their State lines, but without hesitation & without an exception, the brave boys at Weldon hurried on to Belfield, Va, there to meet the invading foe. The Federals withdrew, leaving their dead unburied, after a sharp fire & repulse from the reserves who had just reached the battlefield, & the latter joined in the pursuit across the Meherrin River at Hicks' Ford.
12/17/64, the Gen Assembly of NC, recognizing their heroism, passed the following resolutions…
12/26/64 Report of effective strength of Gen Taliaferro's command, &c
Command Effective strength
Co’s I & K, 3rd SC Cav 109 near Pocotaligo.
Co’s A & B, Kirk's Sqdrn 105 Seabrook Depot
Total 214
Maj Jenkins' command
1.5 mi from Coosaw:
5th Ga Regt, Maj Hundley 222
32nd Ga Regt, Lt Col Bacon 272
1st Ga Reserves, Lt Col Neely 119
Coosawatchie
3rd Ga Reserves, Col Moore 397
Tullifinny works
47th Ga Regt, Capt Thompson 232
Dtchmt 1st SC Cav Capt Trezevant 131
7th NC Reserves, Lt Col Hancock 130
1st SC Militia Lt Col Herndon 403
1/2/65 Gen Holmes recommends Col F S Armistead cdg Jr Reserves at Goldsboro be made BGen to command them permanently
1/9 Cooper endorses to Sec of War- Armistead graduated from West Point in 1856 in 1st Infy, U.S. born & appointed from Va, joined CSA early 61 & apptd 1st Lt Arty CSA. He is the Sr Col of this Jr Bgde which consists of 3 Regts & a Bn, the rolls of which are on file here. The Bgde was organized 11/22/64 on orders from this Dept.
2/24 Cooper endorses to Sec of War-I think Col Armistead has sufficient rank to command a Bgde of Reserves, his rank of Col will take precedence of any Col of reserve forces. He is reported to be a good officer & acquainted with discipline, etc.
1/3/65 The 3rd Regt of Jr Reserves was formed by the consolidation of the 4th Bn, commanded by Maj J. M. Reece; the 7th Bn, commanded by Maj W. F. French; & the 8th Bn, commanded by Maj J. B. Ellington. It is proper, therefore, to give an account of their services as separate organizations.
1/3/65 while the Regt was at Camp McLean, near Goldsboro, it was finally organized by the election of Capt John W. Hinsdale. Col; W. F. French, Lt-Col, & Capt A. B. Ellington, Maj
1/11/65 Raleigh Standard
Capt John W. Hinsdale, AAG on Gen Holmes’ staff has been elected Col, 3rd Regt Reserves.
This Regt was formed at Goldsboro out of the 4th, 7th, & 8th Bns of Reserves.
The following are the field officers:
Col. John W. Hinsdale
Maj A.B. Ellington
1/16/65 ltr to Hardee enclosing one from Gen Lee [1/19] with directions to return the troops to their proper commands
50th NC Kirkland’s Bgde
10th NC Bn Infy Hebert’s command
Shober’s Regt Jr Reserves now in SC
1/23/65 Richmond-The ten Co’s of NC Reserves, commanded by Col A. A. Moss, will constitute a Regt, to be designated as the 6th Regt NC Reserves.
The ten Co’s of NC Reserves under Col C. E. Shober, will constitute a Regt, to be designated as the 7th Regt NC Reserves
1/31/65 & 2/10Troops in the Dept of SC, Ga, & Fla-Gen Hardee
Hardy's Bgde
7th NC Reserves
10th NC Bn
50th NC
2/17/65 the 10 Co’s of McKay’s NC Reserves are designated as the 8th NC Reserves
2/21/65 Richmond-IX. The ten Co’s of NC Reserves, commanded by Col Almost A. McKoy, will constitute a Regt to be designated the 8th Regt NC Reserves.
3/2 Hqs NC Reserves, Raleigh-Holmes to Cooper-All the Reserves in NC have long been in active service under the different cdrs, & I have no men to order, as required by Orders, # 8, just received. I have written to Gen Bragg for a Regt of Sr Reserves, & I respectfully ask you to order the Bgde now at Salisbury to be returned to me. The Federal prisoners there, I presume, will soon be forwarded for exchange.
3/2/65 Goldsboro, Hqs Dept of NC-S O #54-the SC Reserves & dtchmt of 55th Ga now at this place as prison guards will move to Rockfish Gap & report to Gen Hoke for temporary assignment to SC & Ga Bgdes.
Capt Frost supernumerary of Hagood’s Bgde is assigned to the 1st Bgde Jr Reserves, Col Armistead cdg near Kinston-Archer Anderson AG to Gen Bragg
3/6 the Jr Reserve Bgde, consisting of the 1st Regt under Lt-Col Charles Broadfoot: the 2nd under Col John II. Anderson & the 3rd under Col Hinsdale, & Millard's Bn under Capt C. M. Hall all under Col F. S. Armistead
The arrival of Sherman in Fayetteville & the approach of the troops from Wilmington to form a junction with Sherman at Goldsboro made it necessary for us to withdraw to prevent being cut off & in order to form a junction with Gen Johnston's Army, which was moving in the direction of Smithfield.
After the engagement at Kinston, Mallard’s 9th [renumbered 1st] Bn was assigned to the Bgde of Jr Reserves, which already embraced the 70th, 71st, & 72nd Regts (1st, 2nd & 3d Jr’s), commanded by Col J. H. Nethercutt. This Bgde belonged to Hoke's Div, & met the enemy next at Bentonville 19-21 March, 1865
Jan-Mallard's 9th NC Bn after services at Wilmington, was Bgded with the three Jr Reserve Regts (70th, 71st, & 72nd NC) at Kinston in Jan, 1865, & attached to Hoke’s Div
3/6 Jr Bgde Formed from Military Sub-districts of Goldsboro, Kinston, & Weldon-attached to Gen Hill
Baker, Nethercutt
70th NC [1st Jr Res]
71st NC [2nd Jr res]
72nd NC [3rd Jr Res]
1st Bn NC Jr Res
3/12 Holmes to Cooper-By orders of Gen Johnston, I have ordered all the Reserves & detailed men in this State to be assembled at convenient points on the RRs, with a view to call them into immediate service in the field.
The reasons for this order have doubtless been given to you by Gen Johnston. In my judgment they are paramount. The failure to destroy the column advancing on Kinston & the abandonment of that important position makes it very doubtful whether a junction of that army with Sherman's can be prevented, & hence every musket that can be brought to bear will be required.
The evils to be apprehended are the consequences that may result from withdrawing the Reserves from the apprehension of deserters, a duty to which they have recently been assigned, & which is now being prosecuted with some success.
This, together with the stoppage of all public & Pvt works on which detailed men are employed, is, in my judgment, more than counterbalanced by the imperious necessity of increasing Gen Johnston's force.
The three Regts of Reserves lately stationed at Salisbury as a prison guard were reduced by desertions & other causes to one-quarter their proper strength, & I have some fear that the feeling of disaffection among the people will prevent their rallying in time to be of service, though I am assured by their Cols that such will be the case. The apparent certainty that this capital is the point at which the enemy's united armies will strike has induced me, by the advice of Gen Johnston, to order the camp of instruction & conscript office to be removed to Greensborough.
Every preparation for this will be immediately made, but the movement will not commence until the intentions of the enemy are certain. I shall remain here, & if it be possible to assemble the desultory troops I have called out, will take the immediate command of them.
If there be any objection to what I have done, or intend doing, I respectfully ask that you instruct me by telegraph, as there will be ample time to restore the original status of things before any injury is done.
3/15 Col John H. Nethercutt, of the 66th NC, was placed in command of our Bgde which was permanently assigned to Hoke's Div.
3/18 Richmond-Respectfully returned to the honorable Sec of War-The action of Lt-Gen Holmes is approved by Gen R. E. Lee. W. H. Taylor, AAG [Enclosure]
3/28 Raleigh, Bragg to Lt Gen T. H. Holmes, cdg Reserves, NC: Under the provisions of G O # __ - Feb 1865, I have ordered the two Regts of Sr Reserves under my orders to report to you for the purposes indicated in that order. These Regts are so reduced as to be of little service in the field & can doubtless be employed to better advantage on this duty than in the field. I enclose you a copy of a report referred to me by Gen Johnston, giving information on this subject.
The Confederates never fought with more spirit, & the Federals with less, than in the battle of Bentonville. Gen D. H. Hill remarked upon this & said: "It may be that even a Yankee's conscience has been disturbed by the scenes of burning, rapine, pillage & murder so recently passed through."
Gen Hampton said of this last great battle of the Civil War, that in his opinion it was one of the most extraordinary: "The Infy forces of Gen Johnston amounted to about 14,100 men, & they were composed of three separate commands which had never acted together. These were Hardee's troops, brought from Savannah & Charleston; Stewart's from the Army of Tenn; & Hoke's Div of veterans, many of whom had served in the campaigns of Va. Bragg, by reason of his rank, was in command of this latter force, but it was really Hoke's Div, & the latter directed the fighting. These troops, concentrated only recently for the 1st time, were stationed at & near Smithfield, eighteen miles from the field, where the battle was fought, & it was from there that Gen Johnston moved them to strike a veteran army numbering about 60,000 men.
"Histories of the several Regts & Bns from NC, in the great war 1861-'65"
http://www.archive.org/stream/cu31924092908569/cu31924092908569_djvu.txt
Organization of Reserves, by the Editor
70th Regt (1st Res) by Col Charles W. Broadfoot, 9
71st Regt (2nd Res) by Capt David E McKinney 25
72nd Regt (3rd Res) by Col John W. Hinsdale 35
73rd Regt (4th Res.) by the Editor 65
74th Regt (5th Res.) by the Editor 69
75th Regt, (7th Cav) by Col John T Kennedy & Lt W. Fletcher Parker 71
75th Regt (7th Cav) by Lt E. J. Holt 91
76th Regt, (6th Res) by the Editor 99
77th Regt (7th Res) by Lt John O. Albright - 99
78th Regt (8th Res) by the Editor 107
79th Regt (8th Cav) by S. V Pichens, Adjt, 109
80th Regt, by Capt R. A. Aiken 117
81st Regt (1st Detailed) *by the Editor 129
82nd Regt (2nd Detailed) by Col A. O. Brenizer 131
83rd Regt (3rd Detailed) by the Editor, 133
The Gen Orders to embody the Reserves were formulated & issued. Those between 17 & 18 years of age were embodied in April & May 1864.
Those between 45 & 50 were, with the exception of two Regts & two Bns, left at home till Aug & Sept to make & harvest the crops, & the remainder was organized into Regts in the fall.
The reserves ordered out in April were organized into Co’s & sent to camps of instruction at Wilmington, Raleigh & Morganton & during May & June nine Bns were organized, as follows — the men electing their Co officers:
1st Bn (three Co’s), Maj Charles W. Broadfoot, 25 May, at Raleigh
2nd Bn (three Co’s) Maj John H. Anderson, 28 May, at Raleigh
3rd Bn (three Co’s) Maj B. F. Hooks, 31 May, at Goldsboro
4th Bn (three Co’s) Maj J. M. Reece, at Raleigh, 30 May.
5th Bn; (three Co’s) Maj W. F. Beasley, at Goldsboro, 2 June
6th Bn (five Co’s) Maj Walter Clark, 3 June, at Raleigh
7th Bn (three Co’s,) Maj W. Foster French, 4 June, at Wilmington
8th Bn (three Co’s) Maj J. B. Ellington, 10 June, at Morganton
9th Bn (three Co’s), Maj D. T. Millard, Asheville, 28 June
The 6th was the only Bn having more than three Co’s when organized. On 15 June another Co each was added to the 1st, 4th & 5th Bns & later another Co to the 2nd.
All these were Jr Reserves except the 3rd Bn, which were Sr’s. This Bn of Sr’s went into immediate service as bridge guards & later on were in several battles & became part of the 8th Regt of Reserves — or 78th NC. Another Bn was partially organized -with three Co’s at Morganton where over 100 of them were captured 28 June 1864, in Geo. W. Kirk's raid.
The remainder was recruited up by the addition of Jr’s from other counties & two new Co’s were thus created which later at Salisbury were added to Mallard's 9th Bn. This Bn after seeing services at Wilmington as is narrated in its history herein, was brigaded with the three Jr Reserve Regts (70th, 71st & 72nd NC) at Kinston in Jan 1865, & attached to Hoke’s Div whose fortunes that Bgde thenceforward shared till Johnston's surrender. As to the other eight Bns, the 1st (Broadfoot) & 6th (Clark) Bns with two other Co’s added, were organized into the 1st Regt of Reserves (70th NC) at Weldon 4 July 1864.
The 2nd (Anderson) & 5th (Beasley) was organized into a larger Bn at Weldon 16 July, & this on 7 Dec 1864, by the addition of two Co’s, was raised to a Regt, the 2nd Reserves or 71st NC.
The 4th (Reece), 7th (French), & 8th (Ellington) Bns were organized into the 3rd Regt of Reserves or 72nd NC, at Wilmington, 3 Jan 1865. Maj Reece, with six other officers & between 100 & 200 men of these three Bns, which were then under his command, were captured near Fort Fisher the night of 12/25/64, under circumstances not creditable to him. His brave but inexperienced boys, many of them, stoutly refused to be surrendered & saved themselves. The report made by one of these, the gallant young Adjt, F. M. Hamlin, will be found in Serial Vol 87
The Jr Reserve Bgde, composed of the above three Regts & Millard's Bn, was commanded at 1st by Col F. S. Armistead, of the 70th. At the battle of South West Creek below Kinston 8-9 March 1865, it was under Gen L. S. Baker, & 15 March Col J. H. Nethercutt, of the 66th NC, was assigned to it just before the battle of Bentonville & commanded the Bgde till the surrender under Johnston. 1st, Adjt A. T. London & Lt E. S. Foster of the 70th acted as AAG & Ordnance Officer, respectively, of this Bgde but when Col J S Nethercutt took command 15 March, he assigned Lt Wm. Calder as AAG & Lt E. S. Martin as Ordnance Officer, both of the 1st Hvy Arty Bn •
The field officers of the Jr Reserves without exception had seen previous service in the army. The writer was the only field officer who was himself a Jr Reserve (under 18) & only one other (Beasley) was under 21 years of age, which fact it appears from Gen Holmes' letter book he reported to the authorities at Richmond. The Co officers were, as a rule, 17 years of age when elected, but those who passed the Examining Board were retained after they reached that age & there was a good sprinkling of Co officers of more mature age & army experience who having resigned, or been discharged, from the army by reason of wounds or physical disability re-entered service with the Jr’s. The Examining Board was composed of Major’s C. W. Broadfoot, J. H. Anderson & Walter Clark.
As may be imagined at first many of the young Co officers were found by this board deficient in education or knowledge of tactics & dropped. These as fast as they became 18 years of age were sent, together with all NCO’s & Pvt’s who arrived at that age, to the Regts in Virginia. The Co officers who passed the required examination were retained with their Co’s. The vacancies caused by those failing to pass were filled usually by electing old soldiers "on light duty" by reason of wounds, or other disability or by the election of young men of better education, resulting in a very decided improvement in the personnel of the Co officers. Towards the last, amid the pressure & hurry of events, Pvt’s & NCO’s arriving at 18 years of age were not always sent off to the older Regts.
So much for the three Regts & the Bns of the Jr’s
Of the Sr’s, there were five Regts & two Bns. The words "Jr" & "Sr" were not officially used & the 1st three were designated simply "1st, 2nd & 3rd Regt of Reserves" (or 70th, 71st & 72nd NC),
The latter were “designated as the "4th, 5th, 6th, 7th & 8th Regts of Reserves" (or 73rd, 74th, 76th, 77th, & 78th NC, for a Regt has somehow gotten switched into the enumeration in Moore's Roster as the 75th).
There were also three Bns, besides that of Maj Hooks', above mentioned, which were merged into the 8th Reserves (78th NC).
There was a Bn of Sr’s organized at Asheville & commanded by Maj L. P. Erwin, who did good service in that section, another from Catawba & adjacent counties, commanded by Maj Hill, & the 3rd Bn organized at Raleigh, which served at Fort Fisher & was commanded by Maj J. T. Littlejohn. A large part of the officers of these five Regts & three Bns of Sr’s had doubtless seen service in the army & probably many of the Pvt’s had also.
The 4th, 5th & 6th Reserves were formed into the 2nd Bgde & commanded by Col John F. Hoke, with Hqs at Salisbury. Of this Bgde Maj Beardon was QM & Capt R. P. Waring AG
The 7th, together with the Co’s late organized into the 8th Reserves in Dec 1864, were in a Bgde at Wilmington commanded by Col Jno. K. Connally, of the 55th NC.
From Dec 1864 to March 1865, the 7th Reserves served in Ga, SC & this State, brigaded with the 10th NC Bn (Young) & part of the time with the 50th NC, the Bgde being commanded by Col Wash Hardy, of the 60th NC.
The services of the above Regts & four Bns of Reserves are narrated, as well as they can now be recalled, in the following sketches of their respective Regts & Bns, but this history of their organization is here given as the reference thereto in Maj Gordon's admirable article on the organization of troops in Vol. 1 (p. 16) of this work was very brief from his lack of information in this particular matter. Maj H. R. Hooper was QM of all the Reserves of NC & Dr. Thomas Hill, Surgeon in Chief. Lt-Gen Holmes commanded the Reserves with Capt John W. Hinsdale AAG till his promotion to Col of the 72nd NC (3rd Jr’s) when he was succeeded by Maj Chas. S. Stringfellow as AAG.
The rolls kept in Raleigh of our Regts were duplicates & naturally not kept up with the care of those used as pay rolls, which were sent to Richmond, hence much of the complaint of the defects in Moore's Roster, which is nowhere more incomplete than in regard to the Reserves. The State cannot now get a complete & correct roster of her troops unless an act of Congress is passed to have a complete transcript made from the original CS pay rolls which were surrendered at Greensboro, where they had been carried from Richmond, 100 (Serial Vol.)
Raleigh, 4 July 1901[From NC Regts, 1901, by Walter Clark, Vol. 4, pg. 1-7]
Detailed history of each unit follows at link above
See also http://books.google.com/books?pg=PA230&id=XAsTAAAAYAAJ&output=text