Local Defense Companies
(from Dunbar Rowland’s "Military History of Mississippi, 1803-1898"; company listing courtesy of H. Grady Howell’s "For Dixie Land, I’ll Take My Stand’)
From the Official Records of the War of Northern Aggression:
"Under the call of the Governor for companies for local defense, to serve six months, in 1863, a large number of companies were formed throughout the State. A list of twenty-six is given in the AdjutantGeneral's report of November, 1863:
Local defense companies.
Name of company. County. Captain. Description. No. of Men.
Leake Rangers Leake J. Nash Cavalry 36
Capitol Guards Hinds W. W. Hardy Infantry 71
Knox's company Neshoba J. G Knox Cavalry 45
Morgan Riflemen Calhoun C. C. Morgan Cavalry 35
Foote's company Noxubee H. W. Foote Cavalry 25
Yalobusha Rangers Yalobusha L. R. Stewart Cavalry 58
Vaiden Guards Carroll W. J. Booth Infantry 56
Fant's company Noxubee A. E. Fant Infantry 37
Burt's cpmpany West Point William Burr Infantry 43
Barr's company Calhoun A. Barr Infantry 33
Gage's company Louisville W. A. Gage Infantry 44
Choctaw Silver Grays Choctaw G.W.C. Drane Infantry 26
Choctaw Reserves Choctaw James Drane Cavalry 40
Local Guards Wilkinson G. H. Gordon Infantry 28
Semple's company Wilkinson R. Semple Cavalry 22
Slate Springs Calhoun T. K. McCord Cavalry 46
Hightower's Calhoun Thomas Hightower
Cavalry 36
Standefer's Chickasaw J. J. Standefer Infantry 51
Neshoba Rangers Neshoba J. McH. Wilson
Cavalry 32
Terry's company Chunkey Station
P. P. Terry Infantry 20
Foster Creek Rangers Copiah H. G. D. Brown
Cavalry 27
Boomerangs Pontotoc S. H. Taylor Cavalry 24
Wilson's company Pontotoc H. C. Wilson Infantry 27
Williams' company Itawamba Thomas Williams
Infantry 24
Wesson Artillery Choctaw J. C. Kittrell Artillery 39
Noxubee Home Guards Noxubee J. B. McLelland
Cavalry 28"
From Rowland:
"Rolls are on file [i.e., at the MS Dept. of Archives & History, 1908] of the following:
Home Guards, company enlisted 19 October, 1863.
Captain -- J. C. Barnes.
Lieutenants -- G. W. Walker, William Norwood, J. P. Touchstone.
Thirty-three non-conscripts.
Capital Guards, organized at the machine shop of J. O. Stevens May 2, 1863, at Jackson.
Captain -- W. W. Hardy.
Lieutenants -- J. F. O'Sullivan, A. F. Cameron, T. Smith.
Original roll, 71.
Brandon Company, Mounted Infantry, local defense, organized 26 April, 1863.
Captain -- William P. Maxey.
Lieutenants -- B. M. Melton, William Thornton.
Enrolled, 59.
Merwin Guards, Reserves.
Captain -- H. Newton Berry.
Lieutenants -- Joseph A. Thompson, Nathaniel M. Collins, William L. Evans.
Company raised at Enterprise by Captain Berry, formerly of Fourteenth Infantry, enrolling officer. [Apparently not the same as Merwin Guards, above.]
Brandon Company, Infantry, local defense, organized 27 April, 1863.
Captain -- Richard Cooper.
Lieutenants -- J. A. Whitfield, L. D. Rhodes.
Enrolled, 55."
Do you have an ancestor in one of these units? If so, contact the Mississippi Department of Archives and History for his service record. Then contact us for a membership application.
