page_title: Army National Guard units with campaign credit for the War of 1812
section_title: 155th Infantry (ARNG MS)
hierarchical_section_title: Army National Guard units with campaign credit for the War of 1812 / 155th Infantry (ARNG MS)
caption_attribution_description: English: DUI of 155th Infantry (ARNG MS)
context_page_description: Twenty-four current units of the Army National Guard perpetuate the lineages of militia units mustered into federal service during the War of 1812. Militia units from nine states that were part of the Union by the end of the War of 1812, plus the District of Columbia, are the predecessors of eighteen units that currently exist in the Army National Guard. Two of the four units derived from Virginia militias are in the West Virginia National Guard; at the time of the War of 1812, West Virginia was still part of Virginia. Only two current units, the 155th Infantry, a component of the Mississippi National Guard derived from militia units organized in the Mississippi Territory and the 130th Infantry, a component of the Illinois National Guard derived from militia units formed in the Illinois Territory, are from states or territories west of the Appalachians. Unfortunately, no militia units from the states of Kentucky, Louisiana, Ohio or Tennessee, or from the Indiana, Michigan, Missouri or Louisiana Territories, where militia units played a major role in the fighting, have survived as units in the modern Army National Guard.
context_section_description: Campaigns: Florida 1814, New Orleans
  The 155th Infantry traces its lineage back to the Legions of Militia, Upper and Lower Districts, Mississippi Territory, constituted on September 8, 1798. On October 25, 1798, the Legion of Militia of the Lower (or Southern) District was organized as the Militia of Adams County, which was reorganized and redesignated as the 1st Regiment, Mississippi Territorial Militia in 1802.
  By the late summer of 1812, the 1st Regiment, Mississippi Territorial Militia had become the 1st Regiment, Mississippi Territorial Volunteers. Between early 1813 and mid–1814 the 1st Regiment underwent a number of reorganizations and redesignations, and spent a period of time in federal service between September 1812 and April 1814. But this service did not result in the award of any campaign credits for the War of 1812. The War of 1812 campaign credits awarded to the 155th Infantry were earned by six Mississippi militia units mustered into federal service from September 1814 through January 1815 for service in Major General Andrew Jackson's Coast Campaign: Lieutenant Colonel J. Carson's Regiment of Volunteer Mounted Gunmen, Lieutenant Colonel D. Neilson's Infantry Detachment, Lieutenant Colonel T. Hinds' Squadron of Light Dragoons, Captain J. C. Wilkins' Natchez Volunteer Rifle Corps, Captain Boyle's Company of Volunteer Mounted Spies, and Major J. P. Kennedy's Company of Choctaw Indians.
  Of the six Mississippi militia units in the lineage of the 155th Infantry, Hinds' Dragoons was the one most involved in the Battle of New Orleans.  During the night attack on December 23 the Dragoons provided valuable reconnaissance that located the British encampment on LaCoste's Plantation, and during the major battle on January 8 they were in reserve just one mile behind the breastworks that comprised Jackson's front line. The Dragoons also participated in the last land fighting of the battle during a skirmish with the British rear guard near the mouth of Bayou Bienvenue on January 25.
  The cross in the chief (the upper third) of Distinctive Unit Insignia symbolizes service in the War of 1812.
caption: Distinctive Unit Insignia: 155 Inf
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