10 Militias That Waged Guerrilla Warfare In The Civil War

I don't know about this list, Moonshiner. There's a badly mangled Lincoln quote, plus, the list does not include Confederate Gen. John Hunt Morgan's raiders. They were among some of the most spectacular of the war.

I'm not a scholar, but let's bump this and see what others have to say. :cannon:
 
Have to second Drew's opinion. The list names some rather large and ill-defined group, like Jayhawkers, Home Guard and Privateers - at the same times has e.g. Mosby's battalion. I´m not sure about the label Militia for several of those.
 
The list is not bad per se but I take issue with how the list defines a militia. A militia means a group of local people who can be quickly mobilized to fight a conventional or guerrilla foe. In many states militia members had to spend months doing basic counter-insurgency duties due to a shortage of regular troops. Guerrillas in contrast fight on the offense. By definition they don't get tied down defending fixed points s does a militia. In Al Unionist guerrillas did take time out from guerrilla warfare to pinpoint CSA guerrillas on behalf of conventional Union forces.
Partisan rangers where mostly full time soldiers who fought behind Union lines. Has noted Mosby and O'neil where very effective and they mostly wore uniforms. If they failed to wear uniforms and where caught in arms the Union soldiers could legally kill them on the spot. The 2nd and 3rd Nc Mounted Infantry US was also very effective.
Quantril and Anderson where mounted guerrillas who because they attacked civilians and did not wear uniforms could be shot if they surrendered.
A privateer is not a milita man he is a privateer. If caught by the USN he could be shot on sight if not wearing a uniform.
Leftyhunter
 
Home guards are simply very poorly trained militias. Some milita men received training and worked with conventional forces has did some Union militia units in Mo. Home guards just had to wing it the best they could. Both sides had to use them since their was so many guerrillas and bandits in rural areas. Their where Unionist militias that defended Unionists even though their states where under CSA control. I have a thread militias the good the bad the ugly.
Leftyhunter
 
Home guards are simply very poorly trained militias. Some milita men received training and worked with conventional forces has did some Union militia units in Mo. Home guards just had to wing it the best they could. Both sides had to use them since their was so many guerrillas and bandits in rural areas. Their where Unionist militias that defended Unionists even though their states where under CSA control. I have a thread militias the good the bad the ugly.
Leftyhunter

Would you explain to the Forum the Home Guard situation in Missouri? It seems to me that well-trained, drilled, supplied and professionally-led Union Loyalist Guard troops were deployed against a bunch of Southern monkeys in 1861 Southwest Missouri. How did that work out for them?
 
Would you explain to the Forum the Home Guard situation in Missouri? It seems to me that well-trained, drilled, supplied and professionally-led Union Loyalist Guard troops were deployed against a bunch of Southern monkeys in 1861 Southwest Missouri. How did that work out for them?
You would have to pick your battle Drew. Union German troops that had trained as "Wide-Awakes" were well trained by the time they fought under Sigel at Carthage. But they were out-numbered and despite an orderly day long retreat....they lost to Missouri and Arkansas and even Louisiana militia and cavalry under Jo Shelby and General Parsons and maybe Clairborne Jackson at Carthage.
And not long afterwards actual Confederates and Missouri State Guard militia units won again against Sigel and other Union troops at Wilson's creek.
These were German units with lots of training in the US and some had prior military experience.

But Pea Ridge and Prairie Grove were seen as Union victories. I don't know what militias from north or south were there at that time.

So, in Missouri both side had militias that won and militias that lost. In SW MO early in the war anyway.
 
You would have to pick your battle Drew

I understand - I've just made time for and am about two thirds the way through the David Hinze/Karen Farnham work on the Battle of Carthage. It's fascinating. So far, the barefoot raggamuffins are doing well against Sigel's "shock troops." Give me the rest of the week we can talk about it.
 
I understand - I've just made time for and am about two thirds the way through the David Hinze/Karen Farnham work on the Battle of Carthage. It's fascinating. So far, the barefoot raggamuffins are doing well against Sigel's "shock troops." Give me the rest of the week we can talk about it.
oooops. Sorry.
 
Would you explain to the Forum the Home Guard situation in Missouri? It seems to me that well-trained, drilled, supplied and professionally-led Union Loyalist Guard troops were deployed against a bunch of Southern monkeys in 1861 Southwest Missouri. How did that work out for them?
I said some militia units where trained I did not say all. I didn't say they fought southern monkeys. You are creating a strong man argument.
Leftyhunter
 
Would you explain to the Forum the Home Guard situation in Missouri? It seems to me that well-trained, drilled, supplied and professionally-led Union Loyalist Guard troops were deployed against a bunch of Southern monkeys in 1861 Southwest Missouri. How did that work out for them?
In 1861 the CW had barely begun. Both armies where hardly trained let alone militia. Its a very silly question.
Leftyhunter
 
I thought the legend of a fire killing the relatives of Anderson and Quantrill has been debunked . I thought TJ Stiles wrote about it, but I can't find it. The list includes the story in its whole cloth version.
 
It's not very accurate in dealing with Quantrill's forces. For example, most of their actions were in Missouri, with a relative few in Kansas (including the infamous Lawrence raid). But, as Pete says, it's sort of a fun article.
 
I thought the legend of a fire killing the relatives of Anderson and Quantrill has been debunked . I thought TJ Stiles wrote about it, but I can't find it. The list includes the story in its whole cloth version.
Has I recall Andersons sisters where being held at the Garriot Street prison in St.Louis and the building collapsed. it was well known in St.Louis that the prison was very poorly maintained and conditions where bad although that also describes any CW prison on either side. T.J.Stiles in "Jesse James the Last Rebel" covers this plus"the Devil Knows how to ride" by Leslie.
Leftyhunter
 
New to me that"Bloody Bill" Anderson performed all of that mutilation- made me angry just to read it. And although an incomplete, inaccurate piece, I echo--fun to read.
 
That Stiles book is excellent. A good read if you're interested in the Civil War, western outlaws, Reconstruction, guerrillas or terrorism. It's an eye opener but still fun to read
 
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