Forrest Looking For Information On Armstrong's Mississippi Brigade

James N.

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According to @east tennessee roots he's found two of my ancestors, father John A. Williams and his son James A., on the rolls of the 2nd Mississippi Cavalry, and from what I can tell the unit spent most of its time in Frank Armstrong's Mississippi Brigade that seems to have been variously under either Joe Wheeler (in the Atlanta Campaign) or Forrest. Does anyone have sources for either a regimental history, or barring that, more information on the Mississippi Brigade? Any help or recommendations would be appreciated!
 
According to @east tennessee roots he's found two of my ancestors, father John A. Williams and his son James A., on the rolls of the 2nd Mississippi Cavalry, and from what I can tell the unit spent most of its time in Frank Armstrong's Mississippi Brigade that seems to have been variously under either Joe Wheeler (in the Atlanta Campaign) or Forrest. Does anyone have sources for either a regimental history, or barring that, more information on the Mississippi Brigade? Any help or recommendations would be appreciated!

Didn't know if you've seen this? https://www.americancivilwar101.com/units/csa-ms/ms-cav-02-reg.html

I've gone over the Williams pensions in Louisiana and Mississippi at Family Search. Perhaps Family Search's content isn't complete.

You might try these:

http://www.mdah.ms.gov/arrec/digital_archives/pensions/list/1

 
According to @east tennessee roots he's found two of my ancestors, father John A. Williams and his son James A., on the rolls of the 2nd Mississippi Cavalry, and from what I can tell the unit spent most of its time in Frank Armstrong's Mississippi Brigade that seems to have been variously under either Joe Wheeler (in the Atlanta Campaign) or Forrest. Does anyone have sources for either a regimental history, or barring that, more information on the Mississippi Brigade? Any help or recommendations would be appreciated!

I found the following bits and pieces in my personal use files:

Col Edward Dillon, 2nd Miss Cav
Quoting Dunbar Rowland:
47th in the consecutive list, called 42nd in early rolls & 4th in official records.
Col’s: Edward Dillon assigned July 21, 1864.
(I don’t see where Dillon held a lower rank in this regt.)
This Regt was formed upon the nucleus if Gordon's Bn.

7/2/62 Hqs A of the W, Priceville, Gen Maury by D H Floweree to Gen Jordan-Maury requesting that Col F Armstrong of 3rd​ La be apptd B Gen so that I can place him in command of the Cav forces of this army & in charge of the outpost duty. There are 28 Co’s of Cav now on duty in this army. The Lt Col of the 3rd​ La is a most excellent officer & qualified to command it

Gen Van Dorn applied to the President to promote Col Armstrong just before he went from here.

I see no other way of bringing up the Cav & of ensuring efficient performance of outpost duty.

8/4/62 War Dept to Gen Maury-regarding your recommendation for Armstrong to be Brig Gen to command the Cav, it does not appear from your letter whether the Cav spoken of has been organized into Regts which must be done before it can be Brigaded. This is to be done & then you can forward nominations for field officers.

8/10/62 Hqs Cav Bgde, Guntown, Armstrong to Snead-AAG District of the Tenn: Pursuant to instructions I have established my Hqs at this place, & have nearly all of my Bgde encamped in advance of me.
Wirt Adams' Cav not yet arrived
Ark Regt not yet arrived.
The 4th Ms Cav reported five Co’s present last evening, but not more than three of them armed. Their horses are in good condition, but the officers have seen no service.

Will it be possible to have the ordnance officer at Columbus directed to have all Cav arms sent to Verona or Tupelo, where I can draw them to arm these Co’s? The train came up yesterday, but the QM failed to send any forage. My whole Bgde is today without any. A train of corn every day might be sent up. It is impossible to obtain it in any other way. I hope, Maj that some exertion on the part of the QM's Dept will be made to furnish what I ask for, as it will be useless to keep my Bgde together without it. I respectfully request that the telegraph line be put in working order to this place, as it would save much riding & express duty

8/21/62 Guntown- to his wife Sallie by Sgt B. J. Caldwell, Co G, [Pontotoc Rangers] 2nd Ms Cav- He relates to his wife in part...We have orders to leave here at 3 o'clock & I do not know when I will have a chance to send another letter, do not know where we are going except it is a two day scout...we may very well find some Yankees as I think we are on the right track but I will not get hurt...I expect to send this letter with whomever comes with Gov’ts wagon, write every chance you can, the boys are well, your husband until death...B . J. Caldwell.

Armstrong & W. H. Jackson raided into Tenn in Aug & were in battle at Bolivar 8/30, & at Britton's Lane near Denmark, 9/1. Gordon's Regt accompanied the Bgde to Iuka in advance of Price, drove in the Federal pickets 9/13. The 2nd Ms Cav were among those units under Armstrong

10/16/62 Camp near Salem- to his wife Sallie by Sgt B. J. Caldwell Co G, [Pontotoc Rangers] 2nd Ms Cav- He relates in part...he got a chill from riding in the rain Friday evening & got quite wet, he has received her letter brought by the Capt, they are camped two miles west of Salem, can't tell how long we will be there or where we will go but if the Yankees get down into our country I would like to come down...tells here to gather the corn as soon as she can & put your fattening hogs up...we have heard that the Yankees have gotten down to Tupelo & if they have I fear that they will be all over the country, if so I would love to come & drive them back...but if they come treat them as well as you can, if you have any meat or anything they can take hide it...Sally I am sorry to hear that the Cherry Creek boys were torn up so bad...we are in hopes it is not as bad as we heard at Corinth, he thought to have heard the cannons roar in Tenn, he did not hear anything to what was up at Corinth...Sam Campbell says he never did hear the like...B. J. Caldwell.

10/24/62 Camp near Salem-Sgt B. J. Caldwell, Co G, 2nd Ms Cav to his wife Sallie. He relates in part...mentions his two cousins Bob & Marcus who were ill, mentions some food that had arrived from home [chicken & biscuits & peaches]. His wife has told him that she has been ill & he states that she has been doing too much...five of them are on picket about 2 miles from camp & have been there for several days. The orderly states that Lt. Stephens is going home in the morning & will carry this letter. He is hunkered down write by firelight in an old church. He knows nothing of where they will go but near all his company is out on picket. Tells Sally to tell a friend Boswell to have stronger faith than to run from the Yankees- Most close as it is his time to go on post

The 2nd Miss Cav participated at Corinth with the Infy of Price & Van Dorn. In the battle Gordon dismounted his men & charged to the assistance of King's Btry, in danger of capture. On the second day, Gordon's Cav covered the retreat of Lovell's Div, & on the 5th they skirmished on Hatchie Creek & until Ripley was passed. The next campaign was during Grant's advance on the Central RR in Nov & Dec, during which the Regt skirmished at Oxford & Water Valley, & was in the battle of Coffeeville

1/18/63 Pitts Barre, Ms-to his wife Sally from Sgt B. J. Caldwell, Co G, 2nd Ms Cav-He relates in part...I reckon you have looked for me home this week but the Maj would not let me come home & you must do the best you can to get the hogs killed, as I don't know when I will get to come home. If they won't left me come home I am shifty...I can stay here Sally - get that corn "hold"...I will try & send you a horse before plow time. I have traded for "Billy Black"...I want to turn out & swap him [for a plow horse]. The Maj is talking about dividing our Co into three squads. Some say to cross the Yalobusha River some say we go to Sarepta that is on the other side of the Skinner. I do not know how things will turn out yet. Sally you must read this if you can as we are all writing around the fire & our light is bad. Write every chance you can. B. J. Caldwell.

This letter was written just before the Regt left for the Tenn campaign in 1863


4/4/64 Gen. Frank C. Armstrong took command of the Ms Cav Bgde in Jackson’s Div April 4, 1864, including the First, Second, Twenty-eighth & Ballentine's Regts. The Second Cav was transferred from Mabry's Bgde. They moved from Grenada to N Ala. Maj. J. J. Perry was detailed with a portion of the First & Second Cav in Fayette County, Ala., to collect deserters, April, 1864.

6/4/64 Armstrong’s Cav Bgde Hqs-regarding # of mules req’d for ambulances
1st​ Ms
2nd​ Ms
28th​ Ms
Ballentine’s Ms
Btry
 
Below is a link for the 1901 book: "Reminiscences of a Mississippian in Peace and War" by Lt. Col. Frank A. Montgomery, who served with the 1st Mississippi Cavalry in Armstrong`s Mississippi Brigade. Even though he reflects quite a bit on the 1st Mississippi Cavalry he spends a lot of the book writing about Armstrong`s Mississippi Brigade and their various campaigns, battles and actions during the ACW.

The primary research that I performed on Frank C. Armstrong`s Mississippi Cavalry Brigade concentrates from the Meridian Campaign (February 3 - March 3, 1864) through the Atlanta Campaign (May-October 1864). During the Meridian Campaign the 1st Mississippi Cavalry, 28th Mississippi Cavalry and Ballentine`s Cavalry Regiment (all three being a portion of Armstrong`s Mississippi Cavalry Brigade) was operating under Col. Peter B. Starke`s Cavalry Brigade along with Ferguson`s Cavalry Brigade, under whom the 2nd Alabama Cavalry was brigaded. During the Atlanta Campaign, Brig. General William Hicks Jackson`s Cavalry Division was comprised of just three Cavalry Brigades belonging to Samuel Wragg Ferguson, Lawrence Sullivan Ross and Frank C. Armstrong, with all three seeing a lot of action, mostly covering Johnston`s and Hood`s retreat from Resaca back to Atlanta and beyond after it fell, while also fighting along the three railroads that passed through Atlanta. They were often out-gunned, out-manned and out-numbered.

I hope that the book below helps in your research. If so you can download a PDF copy for free from this site.

 
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