122nd Infantry Regiment (United States)

122nd Infantry Regiment
Coat of arms
Active	1857-1865, 1898, 1916-present
Country	United States
Allegiance	Georgia
Branch	Georgia Army National Guard
Type	Infantry
Garrison/HQ	Marietta, Georgia
Motto(s)	Sentinel of Freedom
Engagements	American Civil War Spanish-American War World War I World War II

The 122nd Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment of the United States Army. It is a component of the Georgia Army National Guard and traces its roots back to the year 1857. It exists today as the 122nd Regiment–Regional Training Institute.

History

The 122nd Infantry Regiment traces lineage to the Gate City Guards in Atlanta. At the time, Atlanta was known as "The Gate City" of the South,^[1] because it was a major railroad terminus in the region. In 1857, the Gate City Guard was founded as a private militia company which comprised 100 men and officers. In the American Civil War, Georgia voted to secede and join the Confederate States of America and the Gate City Guard was the first to offer their service to the governor, Joseph E. Brown. Traveling to Macon, they joined the 1st Georgia Infantry Regiment. While in the regiment, they fought in the Western Virginia Campaign, particularly in the Battle of Laurel Hill. In early 1862, the regiment's initial period of service expired, but many men continued to fight in different units.^[1] The Gate City Guard was eventually reformed in 1877 after the war. In 1898, the Gate City Guard was formed into a part of the 5th Georgia Infantry for service in the Spanish-American War, but never saw combat. In 1916, the 5th Georgia was redesignated the 122nd Infantry Regiment and was sent to the Mexico-United States border to protect against raids from Pancho Villa. In 1917, the regiment was put into the 31st Infantry Division, the "Dixie Division," for service in World War I. It went overseas in September 1918. Upon arrival in France, the 31st was designated as a replacement division. The personnel of the 122nd Regiment were withdrawn and sent to other organizations as replacements for combat casualties. The 122nd was part of the Army of Occupation in Southern Germany at Koblenz, at Fort Ehrenbreitstein. In 1939, the 122nd was transformed into the 179th Field Artillery Regiment and served in the ETO of World War II.

In 1947, the 122nd Infantry Regiment was reorganized and assigned to the 48th Infantry Division until 1955, when it was redesignated as the 48th Armored Division. Since then, it has served as a training unit for the Army National Guard. It runs the modern Georgia Military Institute in Marietta, Georgia.

References