Home Guard and militia

Regular Army / Marines could be sent anywhere along the front where ever they were needed to fight for the government of which they were sworn to defend. State militia was part of a specific state`s defenses which could coordinate with regular forces with-in that state if and when they were needed, the same regarding reserves. Home guard were authorized by a specific state but localized to a specific county, but again, if needed they could coordinate with both state militia and regular forces. In some cases a company could be both State Militia and Home guard. Most home guard was performed by men who were either unable to perform duty in the state militia or the regular army, or who were slightly under or over the age of conscription. As the war expanded a large number of state militia was pressed into the regular army of both the Union and Confederacy.
 
All those localized names were arbitrary and reflected little other than local preference and usage. For example, Kentucky had both a Southern-leaning State Guard headed by future Confederate General Simon Bolivar Buckner AND a Unionist Home Guard, both of which organizations might be thought of as militia.
 
Are militia and Home Guard two terms for effectively the same thing? Did Northern states have any Home Guard units? Or just western Union states?

mike
As a general rule Home Guards were local men who didn't fight conventional troops but we're used to fight guerrillas,bandits and round up deserter's at least Confederate home guards.
Home guards often if not always received no pay and no training. In Missouri there were Union Militia that fought side by side Union soldiers in counterinsurgency operations.
The Missouri State Militia where full time and payed troops that fought guerrillas but also fought in conventional battles across state lines such has Pea Ridge. The MSM frequently fought guerrillas in Northern Arkansas and received federal pensions post ACW.
Leftyhunter
 
The Indiana Home Guard tried to delay John Hunt Morgan at Corydon Indiana, when he made his northern raid.

The Home Guard had several main duties which they were expected to perform. One of which was to protect and keep an eye out on the community while those who were able to fight and met all of the requirements to serve were at the front fighting. In some areas of the south there were bands of outlaws who would roam around and prey on the local communities robbing from the old men, women and children. So it was left to the Home Guard to defend or at least protect them from those sorts of dangers. As well they also had the duty to return deserters from their communities to the army to be pressed back into service. But if enemy soldiers were raiding or foraging in their areas of responsibility their duty was to defend the community against them and, if necessary, coordinate with state militia or regular forces to achieve that, if they were permitted.

Edited... leftyhunter beat me to it, LOL. I guess we were typing what each of us wrote (almost the same thing) at the same time.
 
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The Home Guard had several main duties which they were expected to perform. One of which was to protect and keep an eye out on the community while those who were able to fight and met all of the requirements to serve were at the front fighting. In some areas of the south there were bands of outlaws who would roam around and prey on the local communities robbing from the old men, women and children. So it was left to the Home Guard to defend or at least protect them from those sorts of dangers. As well they also had the duty to return deserters from their communities to the army to be pressed back into service. But if enemy soldiers were raiding or foraging in their areas of responsibility their duty was to defend the community against them and, if necessary, coordinate with state militia or regular forces to achieve that, if they were permitted.

So when a deserter was captured by a Home Guard unit - was there a legal distinction between those that were hanged for desertion and those that were sent back into service? Or was it whatever mood the commander was in at the time?
 
There was also a state Militia the Indiana Legion that fought Confederate guerrillas in Kentucky.
Leftyhunter
That's true Lefty. While the Legion might have come up short against a sizeable train force like Morgan's men. They were in fact very effective at breaking up and raiding guerrillas from across the Ohio in Kentucky. They also maintained order in the State. Chased deserters and spies
I seem to recall they put down a riot in Brookville Ins. Just a short distance from Hamilton Ohio. They as I said ( though not regulars) were good at what they did.
 
So when a deserter was captured by a Home Guard unit - was there a legal distinction between those that were hanged for desertion and those that were sent back into service? Or was it whatever mood the commander was in at the time?

To be hanged for desertion it had to be egregious... As the war expanded numerous men deserted most were captured and pressed back into service, only a few of those would be hanged for desertion, if this happened it was often something added to the act of desertion like aiding the enemy or switching sides and fighting for the enemy, or spying, etc... Towards the latter part of the war I know that the south was so in need of men to fight at the front that they would do what they could not to execute a deserter but impress upon him his duty and try and keep him in service. This and lower and raise the age of conscription, allowing younger and older men to be conscripted and pressed into Confederate service regarding the south.
 
Maryland had the Potomac Home Brigade, while Maryland is Southern State it didn’t leave the Union. Whether it would or wouldn’t have is an argument for another thread. 😁

At least in Missouri no one seemed to know, Grant actually asked what were home guard while stationed in Missouri, as they weren't Army or State miltia, and didn't know what to do with them

The so called German home guard Lyon swore into US service were apparently little more then a private army, as when they formed they had no US or Missouri legal authority or standing
 
When the Civil War started there were three types of militia. Not all states had all three types.

1) Militia units under the control of the state adjutant general or some other state official. A common term was Uniformed Militia or some other term to distinguish them from other types of militia. They were usually under some type of state control. They had to follow rules set up by the state. They would often be provided with arms by the state, but paid for their own uniforms and armory. Some states even provide additional funding. This type of militia varied from state to state. Some were reasonably well trains and some poorly trained.

2) Independent militia companies. These were often allow by state law. They often existed outside control of the state officials and made up their own rules. In general they provided their own arms and paid all other expenses. This style of militia varied from good to poor.

3) The called up militia which was every male between 18 and 45 which lived in the state. These could be called out during emergencies. They were completely untrained and mostly poorly equipped. By the Civil this kind of militia was of almost no use and often little more than unarmed or poorly armed mobs.

Home Guards in general fell in the Independent militia type. They often were not uniformed, but some did purchase uniforms. They were often poorly trained and poorly armed. They were of limited use. Some of the Home Guards who were used for fighting raiders or guard areas did gain some skill.
 
Are militia and Home Guard two terms for effectively the same thing? Did Northern states have any Home Guard units? Or just western Union states?

mike
There were Unionist home guards behind Confederate lines that fought Confederate conscription officers as well as Confederate guerrillas when Union forces occupied their state's especially in Northern Alabama and Eastern Tennessee.
Leftyhunter
 
There were Unionist home guards behind Confederate lines that fought Confederate conscription officers as well as Confederate guerrillas when Union forces occupied their state's especially in Northern Alabama and Eastern Tennessee.
Leftyhunter
Yes and uniform National Guard units in East TN...in Kentucky you had a reb State Guard and a yank Home Guard. I don't know about the rest of the State but the warfare between the two groups in East Kentucky was just gruesome. No Marquis de Queensbury rules there.
 
Are militia and Home Guard two terms for effectively the same thing? Did Northern states have any Home Guard units? Or just western Union states?

mike
It's best to think of the Home Guards as local guys just doing what ever they want or think is best I E. The Shelton Laurel Massacre.
Leftyhunter
 
I believe those involved in the Shelton Laurel were regular troops. But I agree with you about the Home Guard....some tried their best to retain the law and stop civil breakdown and others took advantage of the situation to feed their own power.
 
Are militia and Home Guard two terms for effectively the same thing? Did Northern states have any Home Guard units? Or just western Union states?

mike
One very unique militia was a Union militia in Missouri called the " Paw Paw Militia". The PawPaw's were former pro Confederate men who joined the Missouri State Guard and in return for not having Union troops in their neighborhoods supposedly would keep the peace and keep out Confederate guerrillas.
In actuality they would oppress local Unionists who complained to no avail to the Union Army.
When the Confederate Army under Major General Price invaded Missouri in September 1864 the Paw Paw Militia fought alongside the Confederate Army. Those Paw Paw that were captured had their careers in the Paw Paw Militia terminated with extreme prejudice.
Leftyhunter
 
I believe those involved in the Shelton Laurel were regular troops. But I agree with you about the Home Guard....some tried their best to retain the law and stop civil breakdown and others took advantage of the situation to feed their own power.
You might be right in the Shelton Massacre. I have posted many times from two different books that the North Carolina Home Guards tortured women.
Basically in any counterinsurgency war there are never enough regular troops or police to combat the insurgents so the authorities must rely on armed civilians to protect the local population as best as possible.
Ideally Home Guards receive training and supervision but in the ACW that just wasn't possible.
Leftyhunter
 
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