140th Infantry Regiment (United States)
| 140th Infantry Regiment | |
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Coat of arms
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| Country | United States |
| Allegiance | Missouri |
| Branch | Missouri Army National Guard |
| Type | Infantry |
| Motto(s) | Siempre Listo (Always Ready) |
| Engagements |
American Civil War Spanish–American War World War I World War II |
| Insignia | |
| Distinctive unit insignia | |
| U.S. Infantry Regiments | |
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| Previous | Next |
| 139th Infantry Regiment | 141st Infantry Regiment |
The 140th Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of the United States Army, Missouri Army National Guard. It is one of the few US Army regiments that trace its heritage to historic regiments of the Confederate States Army, the 6th Missouri Infantry. They continued to serve through the Spanish–American War, World War I, and World War II before its deactivation in 1963.
The 6th Missouri was first organized in 1862 during the American Civil War in order to serve the Confederate States of America. The former Missouri State Guard battalions under CPT J.W. Hedgpeth and CPT Eugene Erwin joined together at Guntown, Mississippi in September 1862 to consolidate into the 6th Missouri. CPT Erwin was promoted to Colonel, and became the regimental commander. They fought as a part of the Confederate Missouri Brigade in the Battle of Iuka, the Second Battle of Corinth, the Battle of Grand Gulf, and the Battle of Port Gibson. During the Battle of Corinth, the 6th Missouri suffered 214 total casualties. Then at Port Gibson, the Missourians distinguished themselves by advancing ahead of the main battle line in order to recapture lost artillery pieces. During the Siege of Vicksburg on 25 June 1863, COL Erwin was killed in action while attacking the Union Army's 45th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment. When the Confederates eventually surrendered at Vicksburg on 4 July 1863, the 6th Missouri suffered more casualties than any other Confederate unit in the campaign. In September 1863, the 6th Missouri consolidated with the 2nd Missouri due to its heavy losses at Vicksburg, and had earned the moniker, "The Bloody Sixth." The new 2/6th Missouri fought valiantly in the Battle of New Hope Church, Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, Battle of Franklin, Battle of Allatoona, and the Battle of Fort Blakely in the closing days of the war. The 2/6th Missouri fought fiercely until the last moment, but eventually were forced to surrender in the end.
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