Military...

Military Resources for Carroll County

Generals of the Civil War  

The War for Southern Independence:

MISSISSIPPI MINUTE MEN

(STATE TROOPS)

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1st (King’s) Regiment Mississippi Infantry Minute Men

2nd (Quinn’s) Regiment Mississippi Infantry Minute Men

3rd (Owens’) Regiment Mississippi Infantry Minute Men

4th (Bromley’s) Regiment Mississippi Infantry Minute Men

5th (Robinson’s) Regiment Mississippi Infantry Minute Men

1st (Harper’s) Battalion Mississippi Infantry Minute Men

2nd (Cook’s) Battalion Mississippi Infantry Minute Men

3rd (Burgin’s) Battalion Mississippi Infantry Minute Men

4th (Postlethwait’s) Battalion Mississippi Infantry Minute Men

1st (Blythe’s) Battalion Mississippi Cavalry Minute Men

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(from Dunbar Rowland’s "Military History of Mississippi, 1803-1898";

company listings courtesy of H. Grady Howell’s "For Dixie Land,

I’ll Take My Stand")

The Minute Men were organized under the order of Maj.-Gen. T. C. Tupper, commanding State troops. dated May, 1862, in accordance with which the Colonels of Militia in each county made up the companies required of them severally from the militia companies. The term of enlistment was six months. The troops were not mustered into the Confederate States service, bit were subject to the orders of Confederate officers. According to the report of Adjutant-General Jones S. Hamilton, bearing date November 1, 1863, but apparently of earlier date in fact, "there were at first seventy companies of infantry and thirteen companies of cavalry, from which there were organized five regiments and four battalions of infantry and one battalion of cavalry. The remaining cavalry companies were unattached and operated in the northern and northwestern part of the State. The cavalry battalion is now filled to a regiment and the unattached companies have entered other cavalry organizations since formed. Most of the infantry served out their term of enlistment in that arm of the service, but cavalry being greatly needed in April last, many were permitted to change their service, upon condition that they were to re-volunteer for twelve months. By this means nearly two regiments were formed of men whose term of enlistment had nearly expired."

The organization of Minute Men then were:

First Regiment. Lientenant-Colonel Lawhorn, disbanded.

Second Regiment, Colonel Quin, now being reorganized.

Third Regiment, Col. W. J. Owens, disbanded.

Fourth Regiment, Col. W. Bromley, disbanded.

Fifth Regiment, Col. H. C. Robinson. Vicksburg.

First Battalion, Major Harper, disbanded.

Second Battalion, Major Cook, disbanded.

Third Battalion, Lieutenant-Colonel Burgin, Vicksburg.

Fourth Battalion, Major Fairley, being reorganized.

First Battalion Cavalry, Major G. L. Blythe.

As a result of the reorganization mentioned by the Adjutant-General the following commands were formed:

First Regiment Cavalry, Colonel Blythe.

Second Regiment Cavalry, Colonel Smith.

Third Regiment Cavalry, Colonel McGuirk.

Ham's Battalion Cavalry.

Davenport's Battalion Cavalry.

Perrin's Battalion Cavalry.

There were also unattached companies in North Mississippi, in the fall of 1863, being organized into a regiment by General George.

Charles E. Smedes was Brigadier-General commanding Third Brigade, Camp Tupper, at Bolton, August, 1862.

Reuben Davis commanded one brigade.

In September, 1863, Gen S. D. Lee listed the following as State troops of mounted men organized under the call of General Johnston for defense of the State during the Vicksburg campaign, armed and provisioned and paid by the Confederate States but not enlisted in the Confederate States Provisional Army:

First Regiment, reorganized under Brigadier-General George.

Second Regiment--Lieutenant-Colonel Lowry.

Third Regiment, Colonel McGuirk.

Ham's Battalion.

Davenport's Battalion.

Companies of Captains Weatherell, Perry, Herden, Hartin, Red, Hall, Saunders, Brookten.

These included same companies that had been organized under the act of Congress authorizing Partisan Rangers, and had been in service from 1862. They were accustomed to meeting raiding parties, defending the country and attending to their crops in times of quiet. They were disposed to give little heed to demands for organization.

Brigadier-General George, of the State troops, began the work of reorganizing the independent commands in the north part of the State after Colonel Miller was killed (see First Regiment). The work was carried on by Maj.-Gen. Samuel J. Gholson, State troops, commissioned April 18, 1863, a work in which he was aided by his staff: Major L. Haughton, Adjutant-General; Maj. Thomas W. Harris, Inspector General; Maj. R. M. Bradford, Quartermaster; Capts. James G. Payne and C. Ferguson, Aides.

At Tupelo, December 15, 1863, General Gholson had Lowry's Regiment (McGuirk's), Ham's Battalion, and the companies of Weatherall, Kilpatrick and Grace, aggregate 1,151.

Many companies were reorganized and re-enlisted early in 1864, when the brigade, known as Gholson's Independent Brigade, was composed of McGuirk's and Lowry's Regiments and Ham's and Harris' Battalions, aggregate 1,968. Ashcraft's Battalion was added, before the transfer to the Confederate States service May 1, 1864, after which the brigade included the regiments of McGuirk, Lowry, Ham and Ashcraft. General Gholson was commissioned as Brigadier-General in the Confederate States service May 6, 1864, and was severely wounded in each of his battles. February, 1865, the brigade was consolidated as Ashcraft's Regiment. Enrollment May 10, 1864, 2,707; effective 1,213.

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3RD (OWENS’) REGIMENT MISSISSIPPI INFANTRY MINUTE MEN

Company A -- Yalobusha Home Defenders (raised in Yalobusha County, MS)

Company B -- Carroll County Defenders (raised in Carroll County, MS)

Company C -- Capt. Walker’s Company, aka "Walker’s Company, Carroll County Militia" (raised in Carroll County, MS)

Company D -- Capt. Barksdale’s Company (raised in Yalobusha County, MS)

Company E -- Capt. Mitchell’s Company (raised in Yalobusha County, MS)

Company F -- Holmes County Minute Men [Tradewell’s] (raised in Holmes County, MS)

Company G -- Holmes County Minute Men [Kyles’] (raised in Holmes County, MS)

Company H -- Choctaw Company No. 2 (raised in Choctaw County, MS)

Company I -- Choctaw Company No. 1 (raised in Choctaw County, MS)

Company K -- Calhoun Minute Men (raised in Calhoun County, MS)

This regiment was organized August 7, 1862. February, 1863, the regiment was stationed at Grenada.