Mississippi Rifles
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The "Mississippi Rifles" or the 155th Infantry Regiment, is Mississippi's oldest National Guard unit. Its history predates statehood, back to June 1799, and it is the seventh oldest infantry regiment in the United States Army. They patrolled the frontiers of the Mississippi Territory, captured Aaron Burr, defended Fort Mims, and served under General Andrew Jackson in the Battle of New Orleans in the War of 1812.
They were known as the "Mississippi Rifles" under the command of Colonel Jefferson Davis in the war with Mexico. They acquired this nickname because the regiment was the first in American history to have an official issue rifled musket (Model 1841 Whitney) instead of a smoothbore musket. It was at the Battle of Buena Vista when other American units began to be overrun by the Mexicans that Col. Davis gave the now-famous order, "Stand fast, Mississippians!" The regiment stood their ground and the battle was eventually won. Davis' order later became the regimental motto. The unit was instrumental in capturing Monterrey, and mustered for service in the Spanish-American War.
The Mississippi Rifles went with General Pershing's "Punitive Expedition" in Mexico and fought against Pancho Villa in 1916. In World War I under the Army's new federalization system, they were designated the 155th Infantry Regiment and fought with the 39th Division. In World War II the regiment fought with the 31st Infantry Division in the Pacific Theater. They conducted training for Korea and many members went forward to fight. During the 1950's all but the 1st Battalion were deactivated.
First Bn, 155th Infantry (Mechanized) is now a part of the 155th Separate Armored Brigade (Heavy), Mississippi Army National Guard. The unit has seen recent action in Bosnia as "Task Force Rifles" and in Iraq in 2004-2005. The battalion is headquartered in McComb, MS and has rifle companies in Tylertown, MS (A Co), Poplarville, MS (B Co), and Biloxi, MS (C Co) as well as a tank company in Bay St. Louis, MS (D Co) and an engineer company in Pascagoula, MS (E Co)
