The Jeff. Davis Legion (also known as the Jeff Davis Legion, Mississippi Cavalry) was a

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light 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. Greensboro (; formerly Greensborough) is a city in and the county seat of Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, third-most populous city in North Carolina after Charlotte, North Car ...

Formation

The Jeff. Davis Legion was organized as the 2d Battalion, Mississippi Cavalry, consisting of five companies on October 24, 1861, at Camp Cooper, Virginia. Company A, from Mississippi, was mustered for the war. Companies B and C, from Mississippi, were mustered for 12 months. Company D, from Alabama, was mustered for 12 months and Company E, from Alabama, mustered for the war. In December 1861, Company F, from Georgia, was attached to the battalion by order of the Secretary of War, when Major

William T. Martin William Thompson Martin (March 25, 1823 — March 16, 1910) was an American lawyer and politician who became a Confederate States Army major general during the American Civil War. He later served in the Mississippi state senate, and was a delega ...

was promoted to the rank of

lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

. A portion of the battalion (the 12 month companies) were reorganized under Act of Congress on May 23, 1862. The war companies retained their existing organization. The election was held for field officers in accordance with instructions from the Secretary resulting in the election of the existing field officers. The unit retained this organization until July 11, 1864, when three companies of Love's Battalion, Alabama Cavalry, and one company of the 20th Battalion, Georgia Cavalry, were attached to the unit increasing it to a regiment with one colonel and two

major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

History

Led by Lieutenant-Colonel Martin, the Jeff. Davis Legion joined what would eventually become the Cavalry Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia. It fought in the Battle of Williamsburg on May 5, 1862; doing surveillance of Union movements and gaining knowledge of their dispositions. Reporting to Brigadier-General Jeb Stuart, the report led to a flank maneuver around Major-General George B. McClellan's army, in which two squadrons of the Legion participated. Later, Stuart wrote that the unit had performed extremely well and helped him greatly. During the Seven Days Battles the Legion was ordered to across the Chickahominy. They took control of the South Anna, screening the crossing of

Thomas J. Jackson Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (January 21, 1824 – May 10, 1863) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, considered one of the best-known Confederate commanders, after Robert E. Lee. He played a prominent role in near ...

and his troops. After Jackson crossed, it went north and fought against the 42nd New York Infantry. It dislodged the Union from the position and took 3 prisoners. On September 5, during the Maryland campaign, Wade Hampton's brigade crossed the Potomac in order to retake a battery captured by the Union. The Legion operated as rear guard and covered the mountain gap while the rest of the brigade followed

Robert E. Lee Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, towards the end of which he was appointed the overall commander of the Confederate States Army. He led the Army of Nort ...

's army to Middleton; and at daylight of September 13 the Legion was attacked by the pursuing Union forces. It held off the Union troops until it had to give way, buying the Confederates valuable time. "Martin and his men fought with their accustomed gallantry," was Hampton's report. When Martin was promoted and transferred in 1863, command of the Legion developed on Lieutenant-Colonel J. Fred. Waring. The composition of the unit changed several times during the war and in March 1864 it was augmented into a full regiment of 10 companies. When Hampton went to South Carolina, the Legion, its brigade now led by Pierce M.B. Young, accompanied him. Serving as part of the Army of Tennessee it fought in the

Carolinas The Carolinas are the U.S. states of North Carolina and South Carolina, considered collectively. They are bordered by Virginia to the north, Tennessee to the west, and Georgia to the southwest. The Atlantic Ocean is to the east. Combining Nort ...

and surrendered with the rest of General Joseph E. Johnston's forces in April 1865.

Regimental order of battle

Units of the Jeff. Davis Legion included: * Company A (Natchez Cavalry),

Adams County, Mississippi Adams County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 29,538. The county seat is Natchez. The county is the first to have been organized in the former Mississippi Territory. It is named ...

* Company B (Chickasaw Rangers), Chickasaw County, Mississippi * Company C (Southern Guards), Kemper County, Mississippi * Company D (Sumter Mounted Guards), Alabama * Company E (Canebrake Legion), Marengo County, Alabama * Company F (Georgia Hussars or Dixie Cavaliers),

Chatham County, Georgia Chatham County ( ) is located in the U.S. state of Georgia, on the state's Atlantic coast. The county seat and largest city is Savannah. One of the original counties of Georgia, Chatham County was created February 5, 1777, and is named after Will ...

* Company G (Liberty Mounted Rangers), Liberty County, Georgia * Company H (Morehead Rangers), Alabama * Company I, Alabama * Company K, Alabama

Notes

References

External links

Confederate Battle Flag from Jeff Davis Legion
at the Georgia Historical Society
Georgia Hussar Flag from Jeff Davis Legion
at the Georgia Historical Society 1861 establishments in Virginia 1865 disestablishments in North Carolina Cavalry regiments Military units and formations established in 1861 Military units and formations disestablished in 1865 Units and formations of the Confederate States Army from Mississippi {{AmericanCivilWar-unit-stub