The Forty-second was organized on May 14, 1862, in the Mississippi Volunteers at Oxford from the counties of Carroll, DeSoto, Tishomingo, Calhoun, Yalobusha, Panola, and Itawamba. For a time, it served on provost duty in Richmond, then was assigned to Davis' Brigade, Heth's Division, Third Corps, Army of Northern Virginia. The regiment was active from Gettysburg to Cold Harbor, endured the hardships of the Petersburg siege south of the James River, and saw action around Appomattox. It lost 46 percent of the 575 engaged at Gettysburg, had eight disabled en route from Pennsylvania, and had six killed and 25 wounded during the Bristoe Campaign. The regiment surrendered one lieutenant, one chaplain, and five enlisted men on April 9, 1865.