3d Mississippi Cavalry Regiment

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3d Mississippi Cavalry Regiment
Active1863–65
DisbandedMay 12, 1865
Country Confederate States
Allegiance Mississippi
Branch Army
TypeCavalry
SizeRegiment
Nickname(s)"Third Mississippi"
FacingsYellow
Battles
Commanders
Commanding officerCol. John McGuirk

The 3d Mississippi Cavalry Regiment (also known as the "Third Mississippi") was a cavalry formation in the Western Theater of the American Civil War commanded by Colonel John McGuirk.[1]

History[edit]

The regiment was established on June 9, 1863, in the Mississippi State Troops at Panola of cavalry from new and existing companies, as the 3d Mississippi State Cavalry Regiment and assigned to the 5th Military District, Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana.[2] In the summer and fall of 1863 the Regiment served in North Mississippi and Tennessee, opposing Federal cavalry raids, and taking part in various counter-raids against Union-controlled railroads and garrisons, including the First Battle of Collierville in October 1863 and numerous other skirmishes.[3]

It was reorganized in April, 1864, and mustered into Confederate service on May 3, 1864, as the 3d Mississippi Cavalry Regiment. The regiment reported a strength of 325 men upon transfer to CSA service under General Gholson's brigade.[3] In 1864, the regiment was again active in North Mississippi, opposing General Sherman's Meridian campaign, fighting in various skirmishes as well as the Battle of Okolona. In late July the Regiment was sent to Georgia and assigned to General Walthall's Division on the Atlanta defensive lines, fighting at the Battle of Jonesborough and Battle of Ezra Church. The remnants of the 3d Mississippi retreated to Alabama, where the regiment was disbanded on May 12, 1865, at Gainesville.[4]

Regimental order of battle[edit]

Units of McGuirk's regiment included:

  • Company A
  • Company B
  • Company C
  • Company D
  • Company E
  • Company F
  • Company G
  • Company H
  • Company I
  • Company K[5]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Sifakis 1995, pp. 41-42.
  2. ^ Evans 1889, p. 130.
  3. ^ a b Rowland, Dunbar. (1908). The Official and Statistical Register of the State of Mississippi, Volume 2. Mississippi Department of Archives and History. pp. 904–911.
  4. ^ Crute 1987, pp. 166-67.
  5. ^ Rowland 1908, pp. 518-20.

References[edit]

Further reading[edit]