Cobb's Legion

Last updated
Cobb's Legion
Flag of the State of Georgia (1861, blue).svg
Georgia State flag prior to 1879
ActiveSummer 1861 April 26, 1865
CountryFlag of the Confederate States of America (1865).svg  Confederate States of America
AllegianceFlag of the State of Georgia (1861, blue).svg Georgia
BranchBattle flag of the Confederate States of America.svg  Confederate States Army
TypeMultiple Component Legion
Nickname(s)Georgia Legion
9th Georgia Cavalry
Carlton's Troup Artillery
Engagements American Civil War
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Colonel Thomas R. R. Cobb

Cobb's Legion (also known as the Georgia Legion) was an American Civil War Confederate States Army unit that was raised from the state of Georgia by Thomas Reade Rootes Cobb during the summer of 1861. [1] A legion in the Civil War usually meant a combined-arms unit, consisting of two or three branches of the military: infantry, cavalry, and artillery. When it was originally raised, the Georgia Legion comprised 600 infantrymen in the infantry battalions, 300 cavalry troopers in the cavalry battalions, and 100 artillerists in a single battery. [1] The legion concept was not practical for Civil War armies and, soon after Robert E. Lee took command of the Army of Northern Virginia on June 1, 1862, the individual elements were assigned to other units. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Infantry component

After the infantry battalion was brought up to regimental strength the unit was assigned to Howell Cobb's brigade in Lafayette McLaws's Division of James Longstreet's Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia. Howell Cobb was absent after the Battle of Malvern Hill in July 1862 until August 1862 and again in October 1862 before moving to another command. [4] T.R.R. Cobb, commander of the infantry component of the former legion, commanded Cobb's brigade in his brother's absence and took full command in November 1862. [3] Cobb was succeeded in brigade command by Colonel William T. Wofford after Cobb was killed at the Battle of Fredericksburg. [3] The regiment surrendered at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. The cavalry became a regiment in Brigadier General Wade Hampton's brigade of Major General J. E. B. Stuart's division and kept the name of Cobb's Legion or the Georgia Legion. [1]

Organization

Companies

Battles

The infantry battalion fought in the following battles:

Cavalry component

The cavalry battalion was expanded first to eight companies, then later to eleven companies before finally being decreased to ten companies. It was redesignated as the 9th Georgia Cavalry, but continued to be called Cobb's Legion or the Georgia Legion. [7] It surrendered at Greensboro, North Carolina, on April 26, 1865.

Organization

Companies

Battles

The cavalry component fought in the following battles: [7]

Troup Artillery

The artillery battery was known as the Troup Artillery (named for former governor George M. Troup). It was from Athens, Georgia. It was commanded by Captain Henry Hull Carlton after the Legion was reorganized, the Troup Artillery was assigned to the Artillery Battalion of Longstreet's Corps. The Troup Artillery disbanded April 9, 1865. [9]

Battles

The battles it took part in were: [9]

Famous members

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Longacre, 1986, p. 147.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Krick, 1993, p. 263.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Heidler, 2000, p. 462.
  4. Heidler, 2000, pp. 460-461.
  5. Eicher, 2001, p. 592.
  6. Warner, 1959, p. 344.
  7. 1 2 Sifakis, 2006, pp. 165-167
  8. Warner, 1959, p. 348.
  9. 1 2 Sifakis, 2006, pp. 144-146.

Related Research Articles

The 50th Georgia Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment raised by the state of Georgia to fight for the Confederacy in the American Civil War.

The 51st Georgia Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William T. Wofford</span> Confederate States general (1824–1884)

William Tatum Wofford was an officer during the Mexican–American War and a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Dearing</span> Confederate Army officer in the American Civil War

James Dearing was a Confederate States Army officer during the American Civil War who served in the artillery and cavalry. Dearing entered West Point in 1858 and resigned on April 22, 1861, when Virginia seceded from the Union. Dearing was mortally wounded at the Battle of High Bridge during the Appomattox Campaign of 1865, making him one of the last officers to die in the war. Despite serving as a commander of a cavalry brigade and using the grade of brigadier general after he was nominated to that grade by Confederate President Jefferson Davis, Dearing did not officially achieve the grade of brigadier general because the Confederate Senate did not approve his nomination. His actual permanent grade was colonel.

The 5th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hampton's Legion</span> Military unit

Hampton's Legion was an American Civil War military unit of the Confederate States of America, organized and partially financed by wealthy South Carolina planter Wade Hampton III. Initially composed of infantry, cavalry, and artillery battalions, elements of Hampton's Legion participated in virtually every major campaign in the Eastern Theater, from the first to the last battle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">3rd Arkansas Infantry Regiment (Confederate States)</span> Infantry regiment of the Confederate States Army

The 3rd Arkansas Infantry Regiment was a regiment of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War, and the most celebrated unit from the state. Formed and initially commanded by Colonel Albert Rust, and later falling under the command of Colonel Van. H. Manning, the regiment was part of the Army of Northern Virginia, serving under General Robert E. Lee. The 3rd Arkansas Infantry Regiment served for the duration of the war, from the late months of 1861, through to its surrender at Appomattox Court House in 1865. It was the only regiment from the state of Arkansas to serve the entire war in the Eastern Theater, where most of the major Civil War battles were fought. It was also the only Arkansas regiment to initially sign up for the duration of the Civil War, with all other regiments from the state signing on for a one-year enlistment.

The 24th Georgia Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. The regiment was part of Thomas Cobb's brigade at the Battle of Fredericksburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">18th Georgia Infantry Regiment</span> Infantry regiment of the Confederate States Army

The 18th Georgia Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. Originally brigaded with the three Texas regiments of John Bell Hood's Texas Brigade, it was transferred to Thomas R.R. Cobb's Georgia Brigade after the Battle of Antietam in late 1862. After General Cobb was mortally wounded at the Battle of Fredericksburg, the original colonel of the 18th Georgia, William T. Wofford, became Brigadier General of the Georgia Brigade.

The Pointe Coupee Artillery was a Confederate Louisiana artillery unit in the American Civil War made up primarily of men from the parishes of Pointe Coupee, East Baton Rouge, Livingston and other surrounding parishes as well as a large number of men from New Orleans.

Allen Sherrod Cutts was a Mexican-American War veteran who served as a colonel of artillery in the American Civil War, fighting for the Confederacy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James A. Cunningham</span>

James Adams Cunningham was a volunteer officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

The 3d Arkansas Cavalry Regiment (1861–1865) was a Confederate Army Cavalry regiment during the American Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas' Legion</span> Infantry regiment of the Confederate States Army

Thomas' Legion, also known as Thomas' Legion of Cherokee Indians and Highlanders, Thomas' Legion of Indians and Highlanders, and the 69th North Carolina Regiment, was a unit of the Confederate Army in the American Civil War. The formation was organized in 1862 by William Holland Thomas and fought in the last skirmish of the war in North Carolina before surrendering in May 1865.

The Jeff. Davis Legion was a cavalry regiment of the Confederate States Army. Made up of companies from Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia; it fought primarily in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. In 1865, it was reassigned to the Army of Tennessee, surrendering at Greensboro, N.C.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phillips' Legion</span>

Phillips' Legion or Phillips' Georgia Legion was a unit of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miles' Legion</span> Infantry regiment of the Confederate States Army

Miles' Legion was a unit of the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. It was commanded by Colonel William R. Miles. The unit was officially named the 32nd Louisiana Infantry Regiment but it was never referred to by that name. The legion fought at the Battle of Plains Store and the Siege of Port Hudson. Captured at Port Hudson, the men were paroled, and the legion was declared exchanged in fall 1863. Many of the exchanged men never returned to duty. Those who did return joined Gober's Mounted Infantry Regiment or the 15th Louisiana Sharpshooter Battalion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2nd Louisiana Infantry Regiment (Confederate)</span> Infantry regiment of the Confederate States Army

The 2nd Louisiana Infantry Regiment was a unit of volunteers recruited in Louisiana that fought in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Formed in May 1861, the regiment was sent to fight in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. Its first action took place during the Siege of Yorktown. The regiment suffered very heavy losses at Malvern Hill. After joining an all-Louisiana brigade, it fought at Cedar Mountain, Second Bull Run, Antietam, and Fredericksburg in 1862, at Chancellorsville, Second Winchester, Gettysburg, and Mine Run in 1863, and at the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, Monocacy, Third Winchester, Fisher's Hill, Cedar Creek, and Petersburg in 1864, and at Appomattox in 1865. The regiment lost over 100 men at both Second Bull Run and Chancellorsville. A company-sized remnant surrendered at Appomattox.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madison Louisiana Light Artillery</span> Military unit

The Madison Louisiana Light Artillery was a Louisiana artillery unit that fought in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Formed as an infantry company, it arrived in the Eastern Theater in May 1861 and was converted to an artillery battery in August. The unit was armed with six guns in 1861, but by September 1862, it had only four guns. It served at Garnett's and Golding's Farm, Savage's Station, Second Bull Run, Antietam, and Fredericksburg in 1862. The battery fought at Chancellorsville and Gettysburg and in the Knoxville campaign in 1863. The Madison Light Artillery served in the Overland campaign and at the Siege of Petersburg in 1864. The unit surrendered at Appomattox in April 1865.

References

Literature

See also