List of American Civil War legions

Last updated January 30, 2023

This is a list of American Civil War legions, legions being defined as combined arms units of infantry and cavalry and, not always, artillery.^[1] The popularity of this type of unit had declined by the time of the American Civil War owing to the difficulty of organizing and maintaining its disparate elements; nevertheless, the Confederate Congress authorized the raising of at least ten legions.^[1] Units called legions for other reasons are also included.

Confederate legions

Cherokee Legion, a short-lived unit of the Georgia State Guard organized in 1863. It consisted of one battalion of infantry and one battalion of cavalry.
Cobb's Legion or Georgia Legion, raised in the summer of 1861 by Colonel Thomas Reade Rootes Cobb
Floyd Legion, a short-lived unit of the Georgia State Guard organized in 1863. It consisted of one battalion of infantry and one battalion of cavalry as well as an artillery battery.
Hampton's Legion, raised in the summer of 1861 by Wade Hampton III
Hilliard's Legion, organized in Montgomery, Alabama in June 1862, under the command of Colonel Henry Washington Hilliard. It was composed of five battalions: three infantry, one cavalry, and one artillery.^[2] It suffered heavy losses at the Battle of Chickamauga.
Hindman's Legion, a unit raised and commanded by Thomas C. Hindman.^[3] Unapproved and quickly broken up; it consisted of the 2nd Arkansas Infantry Regiment, the 1st Arkansas Infantry Battalion, the 6th Arkansas Cavalry Battalion and Swett's Battery of Mississippi Light Artillery.
Holcombe Legion, briefly known as Steven's Legion, a South Carolina unit raised in 1861 with an infantry battalion serving in the Army of Northern Virginia and a split cavalry battalion mostly serving at Richmond.
Louisiana Legion. Established in 1821, it was "the oldest brigade in the city [New Orleans]. By the beginning of 1861 this consisted of the Orleans Battalion of Artillery, containing French and Spanish citizens; the Regiment of Light Infantry, composed of Germans; and the newly formed battalion of Chasseurs à Pied de la Louisiane."^[4]
Miles' Legion, organized May 16 or 17, 1862 at Camp Moore, Louisiana, with an infantry and a cavalry battalion under the command of Colonel William R. Miles^[5]
Phillips' Legion, organized circa June 1861 in Georgia, with one infantry and one cavalry battalion. The battalions were assigned to different units in 1862 and thereafter served apart.
Smith's Legion, a Georgia unit existing in 1862 and 1863. The infantry battalion later joined the 65th Georgia Infantry and the cavalry battalion became part of the 6th Georgia Cavalry.
Thomas' Legion, also known as Thomas' Legion of Cherokee Indians and Highlanders and the 69th North Carolina. It was raised on September 27, 1862, by William Holland Thomas and incorporated a large number of Cherokee Indians. It fought in the last skirmish in North Carolina before surrendering on May 9, 1865.
Waul's Legion, raised in spring 1862 by Brigadier General Thomas Neville Waul in Texas
Wise Legion, a brigade-sized command organized by Brig. Gen. Henry A. Wise in 1861. Initially three regiments, later designated as 46th Virginia Infantry, 59th Virginia Infantry and 60th Virginia Infantry, formed the infantry component to which others were added. The cavalry regiment became the 10th Virginia Cavalry while the legion also had at least one battery (Hale's) of artillery.
Wright's Legion, commanded by Col. Augustus R. Wright. Becoming the 38th Georgia Infantry; it consisted of eleven infantry companies, one of cavalry and one of artillery. Later the cavalry company was converted into infantry and the artillery battery was transferred.

Union legions

10th Legion, or 56th New York Infantry. Organized in October 1861 with eleven infantry companies, it acquired two light artillery batteries and two troops of cavalry.^[6]
Purnell Legion. Organized October to December 1861 from Baltimore and the Eastern Shore of Maryland, it consisted originally of nine infantry companies, two cavalry companies, and two light artillery batteries. It was broken up in early 1862, and elements served independently through the remainder of the war.^[7]

Legions in name only

Confederate

1st and 2nd Foreign Legion, applied to Tucker's Confederate Regiment and the 8th Confederate Infantry Battalion. Both units were recruited from prisoners of war.
Jeff. Davis Legion, a cavalry regiment
Kemper Legion, the 13th Mississippi Infantry
Pee Dee Legion, the 9th South Carolina Infantry Battalion^[8]
Rucker's Legion, also known as 1st East Tennessee Legion. This formation, commanded by Col. Edmund Rucker, consisted of the 12th and 16th Tennessee Cavalry Battalions.
Walker Legion, the 2nd (Robison's) Tennessee Infantry. Organized on May 6, 1861; this was a different unit than the 2nd (Walker's) Tennessee Infantry which was organized five days later.
Whitfield's Legion or First Texas Legion, raised in the summer of 1861, later renamed the 27th Texas Cavalry.^[9] As the last title implies, it was solely a cavalry unit.

Union

Chicago Legion, the 51st Illinois Infantry
Corcoran Legion or Irish Legion, composed of the 155th New York Infantry, 164th New York Infantry, 170th New York Infantry, 175th New York Infantry, and 182nd New York Infantry, commanded by Brigadier General Michael Corcoran ^[10]
German Legion, the Independent Battalion of New York Volunteer Infantry. Mustered with six companies in 1862; later another four were added. The battalion was broken up in 1864.
Indiana Legion, a name given to the Indiana militia^[11]
Irish Legion, the 90th Illinois Infantry ^[12]
Italian/Netherland/Polish Legion, all referring to the 39th New York Infantry
Louisville Legion, the 5th Kentucky Infantry
Lyon Legion, the 24th Missouri Infantry
Mountain Legion, the 156th New York Infantry
New York Excelsior Rifle Legion, the 92nd New York Infantry
Pennsylvania Legion, original name of the 73rd Pennsylvania Infantry
Polish Legion, the 58th New York Infantry, under Colonel Włodzimierz Krzyżanowski. It was listed in the official Army Register as the Polish Legion.
Scott Legion, the 20th Pennsylvania Infantry. A number of veterans of the Mexican–American War formed the "Scott Legion" afterward, named in honor of Winfield Scott.^[13] When the regiment was raised around April 1861, 31 of its 37 officers were members of the organization, so the unit acquired the (unofficial) name.^[14]
Stanton Legion, the 145th New York Infantry

Related Research Articles

Waul's Legion was a combined arms force from Texas that fought for the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. Raised in the spring of 1862 at the Glenblythe Plantation near Gay Hill, Washington County, Texas by Brigadier General Thomas Neville Waul, the legion originally consisted of twelve infantry companies, six cavalry companies, and a six-gun battery of artillery.

Cobb's Legion was an American Civil War unit that was raised on the Confederate side from the State of Georgia by Thomas Reade Rootes Cobb during the summer of 1861. A "legion" consisted of a single integrated command, with individual components from the infantry, cavalry, and artillery. When it was originally raised, the Georgia Legion comprised seven infantry companies, four cavalry troops, and a single battery. The concept of a multiple-branch unit was fine in theory, but never was a practical application for Civil War armies and, early in the war, the individual elements were assigned to other organizations.

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.

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.

During the American Civil War, Arkansas was a Confederate state, though it had initially voted to remain in the Union. Following the capture of Fort Sumter in April 1861, Abraham Lincoln called for troops from every Union state to put down the rebellion, and Arkansas and several other states seceded. For the rest of the civil war, Arkansas played a major role in controlling the Mississippi River, a major waterway.

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.

The 2nd Arkansas Infantry was an army regiment of the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. The regiment was raised in May 1861 under Colonel Thomas C. Hindman. It served throughout the war in the western theater, in the Confederate Army of Tennessee, seeing action in the Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia campaigns. Following its depletion in numbers, the regiment was consolidated several times with other Arkansas regiments, finally merging in 1865 into the 1st Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment. The regiment has no connection with the 2nd Regiment, Arkansas State Troops, which participated in the Battle of Wilson's Creek, and is also separate from the 2nd Arkansas Consolidated Infantry Regiment, which was formed in 1864 from remnants of regiments surrendered at Vicksburg and Port Hudson.

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> Unit of the Confederate Army in the American Civil War

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 18th Arkansas Infantry (Marmaduke's) (1861–1865) was a Confederate Army infantry regiment during the American Civil War. The unit was also briefly identified as the 1st Arkansas Infantry Battalion. The unit was most often referred to as the 3rd Confederate Infantry Regiment. The designation "Confederate Infantry Regiment" was intended to convey the difference between Provisional Confederate Army units and Regular Confederate Army Units, with Provisional units being those regiments who received a state designation such as "XX Arkansas Infantry Regiment". In practice, the designation was most often utilized when Regiments were assembled utilizing companies from more than one Confederate state. The "3rd Confederate Infantry Regiment" is occasionally misidentified as the 3rd Arkansas Infantry Regiment commanded by Colonel Van H. Manning.

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.

The Chew's Arkansas Infantry Battalion (1862) was a Confederate Army infantry battalion during the American Civil War. The unit was originally known as Hawthorne's Battalion, but the battalion is most often referred to as Chew's Sharpshooter Battalion. The unit was eventually consolidated with the 39th Arkansas Infantry Regiment.

The Crawford's Arkansas Infantry Battalion (1862–1863) was a Confederate Army infantry battalion during the American Civil War.

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

The following list is a bibliography of American Civil War Confederate military unit histories and are generally available through inter-library loan. More details on each book are available at WorldCat. For an overall national view, see Bibliography of the American Civil War. For histories of the Union, see Bibliography of American Civil War Union military unit histories. For a guide to web sources see: Carter, Alice E.; Jensen, Richard. The Civil War on the Web: A Guide to the Very Best Sites—Completely Revised and Updated (2003).

Hilliard's Legion or Hilliard's Alabama Legion was a Confederate unit which fought in the American Civil War. Unlike most Civil War formations, it was a combined arms force, with infantry, cavalry and artillery components.

The 118th Field Artillery Regiment is a field artillery regiment of the Georgia Army National Guard. The regiment's 1st Battalion is the cannon battalion assigned to the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. It is one of several National Guard units with colonial roots and campaign credit for the War of 1812.

References

1 2 Bergeron, Arthur W. (1996). Guide to Louisiana Confederate Military Units 1861-1865. Louisiana State University Press. p. 4. ISBN 0-8071-2102-9.
↑ "Hilliard's Legion". eHistory, Department of History, Ohio State University . Retrieved February 2, 2011.
↑ Neal, Diane (1997). The Lion of the South: General Thomas C. Hindman. Mercer University Press. p. 90. ISBN 9780865545564 . Retrieved January 19, 2014.
↑ Field, Ron (2006). The Confederate Army 1861-65: Virginia & Arkansas, Volume 4. Osprey Publishing. p. 5. ISBN 1-84603-031-5 . Retrieved January 29, 2011.
↑ "Miles Legion Volunteer Infantry". acadiansingray.com. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
↑ "56th Infantry Regiment / Civil War / Tenth Legion; Orange and Sullivan Regiment". New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center. Retrieved January 28, 2011.
↑ "History and Roster of Maryland Volunteers, War of 1861-6, Volume 1". Archives of Maryland.
↑ Seigler, Robert S. (2008). South Carolina's Military Organizations During the War Between the States, Vol. 1: The lowcountry & Pee Dee. History Press. p. 79. ISBN 978-1-5962-9158-4.
↑ Thomas W. Cutrer. "Whitfield's Legion". Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved January 29, 2011.
↑ "Corcoran's Brigade or Irish Legion". New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center. Retrieved January 28, 2011.
↑ "The Civil War Period / The Indiana Legion". Indiana County History Preservation Society. Archived from the original on January 31, 2011. Retrieved February 3, 2011.
↑ Rodgers, Thomas G. (2008). Irish-American Units in the Civil War . Osprey Publishing. p. 7. ISBN 978-1-84603-326-1 . Retrieved January 28, 2011. Irish Legion 90th Illinois.
↑ J. Jacob Oswandel; Timothy D. Johnson; Nathaniel Cheairs Hughes (2010). Notes of the Mexican War, 1846-1848. University of Tennessee Press. p. 351. ISBN 978-1-57233-703-9 . Retrieved January 29, 2011.
↑ Samuel P. Bates. "Twentieth Regiment (History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, by Samuel P. Bates)". Making of America . Retrieved January 28, 2011.

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[Guide-1] 1 2 Bergeron, Arthur W. (1996). Guide to Louisiana Confederate Military Units 1861-1865. Louisiana State University Press. p. 4. ISBN 0-8071-2102-9.

[2] "Hilliard's Legion". eHistory, Department of History, Ohio State University . Retrieved February 2, 2011.

[3] Neal, Diane (1997). The Lion of the South: General Thomas C. Hindman. Mercer University Press. p. 90. ISBN 9780865545564 . Retrieved January 19, 2014.

[4] Field, Ron (2006). The Confederate Army 1861-65: Virginia & Arkansas, Volume 4. Osprey Publishing. p. 5. ISBN 1-84603-031-5 . Retrieved January 29, 2011.

[5] "Miles Legion Volunteer Infantry". acadiansingray.com. Retrieved January 29, 2011.

[6] "56th Infantry Regiment / Civil War / Tenth Legion; Orange and Sullivan Regiment". New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center. Retrieved January 28, 2011.

[7] "History and Roster of Maryland Volunteers, War of 1861-6, Volume 1". Archives of Maryland.

[8] Seigler, Robert S. (2008). South Carolina's Military Organizations During the War Between the States, Vol. 1: The lowcountry & Pee Dee. History Press. p. 79. ISBN 978-1-5962-9158-4.

[9] Thomas W. Cutrer. "Whitfield's Legion". Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved January 29, 2011.

[10] "Corcoran's Brigade or Irish Legion". New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center. Retrieved January 28, 2011.

[11] "The Civil War Period / The Indiana Legion". Indiana County History Preservation Society. Archived from the original on January 31, 2011. Retrieved February 3, 2011.

[12] Rodgers, Thomas G. (2008). Irish-American Units in the Civil War . Osprey Publishing. p. 7. ISBN 978-1-84603-326-1 . Retrieved January 28, 2011. Irish Legion 90th Illinois.

[13] J. Jacob Oswandel; Timothy D. Johnson; Nathaniel Cheairs Hughes (2010). Notes of the Mexican War, 1846-1848. University of Tennessee Press. p. 351. ISBN 978-1-57233-703-9 . Retrieved January 29, 2011.

[14] Samuel P. Bates. "Twentieth Regiment (History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, by Samuel P. Bates)". Making of America . Retrieved January 28, 2011.

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