Mississippi's Only White Union Regiment - The 1st Mississippi Mounted Rifles

Championhilz

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Clinton, Mississippi
Over 78,000 Mississippians served in the Confederate army, but few people know about the one regiment of white Mississippians that served in the Union army as part of the 1st Mississippi Mounted Rifles. Organized at Memphis, Tennessee, in 1864, the regiment was involved in numerous raids in their home state, taking part in expeditions to Grand Gulf, Bolivar, Port Gibson, Oxford, and many other places. Documentation on the regiment is hard to find, but while doing some research recently I found the following recruiting ads for the regiment:

VicksburgDailyHeraldJuly71864_zpsa2ce82fb.jpg

Vicksburg Daily Herald, July 7, 1864


VicksburgDailyHeraldAugust41864_zpsece633b4.jpg

Vicksburg Daily Herald, August 4, 1864

I also found this article about Major Samuel Shorey, one of the officers of the 1st Mississippi - it's from the Vicksburg Daily Herald, August 2, 1864:

VicksburgDailyHeraldAugust21864_zpsa1c829d2.jpg

VicksburgDailyHeraldAugust21864PartII_zps6db95555.jpg
 
Over 78,000 Mississippians served in the Confederate army, but few people know about the one regiment of white Mississippians that served in the Union army as part of the 1st Mississippi Mounted Rifles. Organized at Memphis, Tennessee, in 1864, the regiment was involved in numerous raids in their home state, taking part in expeditions to Grand Gulf, Bolivar, Port Gibson, Oxford, and many other places. Documentation on the regiment is hard to find, but while doing some research recently I found the following recruiting ads for the regiment:

VicksburgDailyHeraldJuly71864_zpsa2ce82fb.jpg

Vicksburg Daily Herald, July 7, 1864


VicksburgDailyHeraldAugust41864_zpsece633b4.jpg

Vicksburg Daily Herald, August 4, 1864

I also found this article about Major Samuel Shorey, one of the officers of the 1st Mississippi - it's from the Vicksburg Daily Herald, August 2, 1864:

VicksburgDailyHeraldAugust21864_zpsa1c829d2.jpg

VicksburgDailyHeraldAugust21864PartII_zps6db95555.jpg
Great find on the add like the others I had no idea about the Miss Mounted Rifles! All I know about Unionists in Ms is that there was a large deserter gang in Jones County. I don't know if this unit was recruited mostly from Jones County? I am very surprised that POWs from the 1st Miss where treated well by Southern women. Judging from Ft. Pillow and the book "the south Bitterly divided'Unionists who surrendered very often left this veil of tears real quick after they surrendered.

Leftyhunter
 
Great find on the add like the others I had no idea about the Miss Mounted Rifles! All I know about Unionists in Ms is that there was a large deserter gang in Jones County. I don't know if this unit was recruited mostly from Jones County? I am very surprised that POWs from the 1st Miss where treated well by Southern women. Judging from Ft. Pillow and the book "the south Bitterly divided'Unionists who surrendered very often left this veil of tears real quick after they surrendered.

Leftyhunter
Most of the men recruited into the 1st Mississippi came from the Northeast part of the state
 
In the Official Records I found a reference in 1863 to a union units called the Tippah and Mississippi rangers but no references to them later. Do you know if these companies became part of the 1st MS rifles?
 
Times were tough in 1864 Mississippi. The promise of $100 - $300, food and clothing had to pretty attractive. I seriously doubt than most of these men were any more than mercenaries. This from the linked paper:

By the time of the First Mississippi’s fourth expedition, it had around 350 enlisted men and fourteen officers in its ranks, with many having been in the battalion since earlier in the year and many new recruits added to the ranks. During its first year, the Mississippi had over 600 men sign up for duty. Also during this time 11 men had been captured, 9 were in prison, over 160 had deserted, 54 had died, 16 were discharged and 5 were still missing in action. Though the battalion had seen its share of action, it still did not have much respect from the higher command.
 
Times were tough in 1864 Mississippi. The promise of $100 - $300, food and clothing had to pretty attractive. I seriously doubt than most of these men were any more than mercenaries. This from the linked paper:

By the time of the First Mississippi’s fourth expedition, it had around 350 enlisted men and fourteen officers in its ranks, with many having been in the battalion since earlier in the year and many new recruits added to the ranks. During its first year, the Mississippi had over 600 men sign up for duty. Also during this time 11 men had been captured, 9 were in prison, over 160 had deserted, 54 had died, 16 were discharged and 5 were still missing in action. Though the battalion had seen its share of action, it still did not have much respect from the higher command.
How much money would you take to be called a traitor by your family and neighbors? To call them little more then mercenaries going to war against their fellow statesmen for money seems a bit simplistic and overlooks the Union sympathy that did exist in the state..Another question might be did they have chances to organize and form a unit to join the Union forces earlier in the war?
 
How much money would you take to be called a traitor by your family and neighbors? To call them little more then mercenaries going to war against their fellow statesmen for money seems a bit simplistic and overlooks the Union sympathy that did exist in the state..Another question might be did they have chances to organize and form a unit to join the Union forces earlier in the war?
Morning, Wilber. It's a kinda feel good story for some, and from the paper it seems that's really what is was at the time. These men were officered by Midwesterners, had a 25% desertion rate, and admittedly in that piece collected a bounty or two before moving on. Certainly there was Union sympathy in the state, though not much. I'm sure there was more than a little anti-war sentiment in the Mohawk Valley too (Lincoln won by less than 1% in NY in 1864). But if you or family is starving, or dead, it doesn't make much difference does it? It was the middle of 1864, the war was over in Mississippi and everybody knew it.

As for the chance to join other Union units earlier in the war. Well, they had free will and so I guess they could have. Memphis was occupied in June '62, two years before this outfit was organized in that city. They could've just walked over.
 
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Times were tough in 1864 Mississippi. The promise of $100 - $300, food and clothing had to pretty attractive. I seriously doubt than most of these men were any more than mercenaries. This from the linked paper:

By the time of the First Mississippi’s fourth expedition, it had around 350 enlisted men and fourteen officers in its ranks, with many having been in the battalion since earlier in the year and many new recruits added to the ranks. During its first year, the Mississippi had over 600 men sign up for duty. Also during this time 11 men had been captured, 9 were in prison, over 160 had deserted, 54 had died, 16 were discharged and 5 were still missing in action. Though the battalion had seen its share of action, it still did not have much respect from the higher command.
Did not Confederate units at that same time period also have similar desertion rates?
Leftyhunter
 
Did not Confederate units at that same time period also have similar desertion rates?
Leftyhunter
I don't know, they might have, maybe someone has the time to research it. Most of the desertion in CS ranks has been attributed to lack of food, clothing and families struggling at home in war torn areas. These guys didn't suffer any of that unless they were terrorizing their own folks.
 
I don't know, they might have, maybe someone has the time to research it. Most of the desertion in CS ranks has been attributed to lack of food, clothing and families struggling at home in war torn areas. These guys didn't suffer any of that unless they were terrorizing their own folks.
I have a whole thread on the subject of CSA desertion with some interesting quotes. If 25% deserted and 75% did not and if on the whole they caused some damage to the CSA then its not a bad investment for the Union. The CSA needed
every single fit white man it could lay its hands on. The more white men that either don't serve or toss lead at the CSA so much the better for the Union.
Leftyhunter
 
Over 78,000 Mississippians served in the Confederate army, but few people know about the one regiment of white Mississippians that served in the Union army as part of the 1st Mississippi Mounted Rifles. Organized at Memphis, Tennessee, in 1864, the regiment was involved in numerous raids in their home state, taking part in expeditions to Grand Gulf, Bolivar, Port Gibson, Oxford, and many other places. Documentation on the regiment is hard to find, but while doing some research recently I found the following recruiting ads for the regiment:

VicksburgDailyHeraldJuly71864_zpsa2ce82fb.jpg

Vicksburg Daily Herald, July 7, 1864


VicksburgDailyHeraldAugust41864_zpsece633b4.jpg

Vicksburg Daily Herald, August 4, 1864

I also found this article about Major Samuel Shorey, one of the officers of the 1st Mississippi - it's from the Vicksburg Daily Herald, August 2, 1864:

VicksburgDailyHeraldAugust21864_zpsa1c829d2.jpg

VicksburgDailyHeraldAugust21864PartII_zps6db95555.jpg

P1226624.gif


George N. Leoni

Residence Delavan IL;
Enlisted on 9/6/1861 as a Sergeant.

On 9/26/1861 he was commissioned into "H" Co. IL 4th Cavalry
He was discharged for promotion on 1/16/1865

On 1/16/1865 he was commissioned into "E" Co.
MS 1st Cavalry
He was Mustered Out on 6/26/1865
Promotions:
* 2nd Lieut 2/25/1863
* Capt 1/16/1865 (As of Co. E 1st MS Cavalry)
Intra Regimental Company Transfers:
* 6/14/1865 from company H to company E
Sources used by Historical Data Systems, Inc.:

- Illinois: Roster of Officers and Enlisted Men
- Index to Compiled Military Service Records
- Official Army Register of the Volunteer Force 1861-1865
- Photo courtesy of John Wernick
(c) Historical Data Systems, Inc. @ www.civilwardata.com

..........................................................................




MISSISSIPPI VOLUNTEERS.
1st REGIMENT MOUNTED RIFLES.

Organized at Memphis, Tenn., March, 1864. Attached to District of Memphis, Tenn.,
16th Army Corps, Dept. Tennessee, to June, 1864. 1st Brigade, Cavalry Division,
District of West Tennessee, to July, 1864. 1st Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Division, District
West Tennessee, to December, 1864. 1st Brigade, Cavalry Division, District West Tennessee,
to June, 1865.

SERVICE.-Duty in the. Defences of Memphis, Tenn., till August, 1864. Expedition from
Memphis to Grand Gulf, Miss., July 7-24. Near Bolivar July 6. Port Gibson July 14.
Grand Gulf July 16. Smith's Expedition to Oxford, Miss., August 1-31. Tallahatchie
River August 7-9. Hurricane Creek August 9. Oxford August 9 and 11. Hurricane Creek
August 13-14 and 19. At Memphis and in District of West Tennessee, till December.
Grierson's Expedition from Memphis against Mobile & Ohio Railroad December 21, 1864,
to January 5, 1865. Verona December 25, 1864. Okolona December 27. Egypt Station
December 28. Franklin and Lexington January 2, 1865. Mechanicsburg January 3. The Ponds
January 4. Moved from Vicksburg to Memphis and duty there till June, 1865. Expedition
from Memphis into Southeast Arkansas and Northeast Louisiana January 26-February 11.

Mustered out June 26, 1865.
Frederick A. Dyer "A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion" vol. 3

****************************************************************************
The following was taken from the Supplement to the Official Records:
Record of Events for First Battalion,
Mississippi (Union) Mounted Rifles,
December 1863-April 1865.
Field and Staff

Stationed at Memphis, Tennessee, January-April 1865.

Regiment

Stationed at White's Station near Memphis, Tennessee, August
1864.
Stationed at Camp Kargi near Memphis, Tennessee, December
1863-November 1864.
Company A

Stationed at Memphis, Tennessee, enrollment to June 30, 1864.
Stationed at White's Station, Tennessee, July-August 1864.
Next roll on file February 1865.
Stationed at Memphis, Tennessee, January April 1865.
Company B

Stationed at Memphis, Tennessee, enrollment to April 30, 1864.
Station not stated, May August 1864.
Stationed at Memphis, Tennessee, February 28-April [30], 1865.
Company C

Stationed at Memphis, Tennessee, June 30, 1864.
Next roll on file February 1865.

Stationed at Memphis, Tennessee, January-April 1865.
February 26-27.— Eight men of this company, with others of the
regiment, left Memphis, Tennessee on the Hernando Road,
reaching Hernando City in the morning of February 27. Pressed
east through [illegible] Cross-Roads across the Coldwater; thence
northeast near Byhalia and crossed the Coldwater again through
Olive Branch.

February 28.— Reached camp on the evening of February 28,
traveling near seventy-five miles.
March 24.— Thirteen men made scout of thirty miles.
March 26.— Fifteen men made scout of thirty miles.
Company D

Stationed at Memphis, Tennessee, enrollment to April 30, 1864.
Stationed at Memphis, Tennessee, January-April 1865.
Company E

Stationed at White's Station, Tennessee, August 31, 1864.
Stationed at Memphis, Tennessee, November 1864-April 1865.
Company F

Stationed at Memphis, Tennessee, February 28, 1865.
Company G

Stationed at Memphis, Tennessee, enrollment to April 30, 1864.
Stationed at Memphis, Tennessee, May-June 1864.
 
This is just fascinating stuff. Any indication of what happened to these vets after the war?
Any indication in pension records?
That is something I would like to find out. My great grandfather was wounded and received a medical discharge. I have his discharge papers. But it does not state if he is entitled to benefits. He died in Conway Ark. late 1865 age 20. He was in Company B.
 
That is something I would like to find out. My great grandfather was wounded and received a medical discharge. I have his discharge papers. But it does not state if he is entitled to benefits. He died in Conway Ark. late 1865 age 20. He was in Company B.
All Unionist troops were as eligible for pensions as any other Union soldier providing they met certain criteria. Assuming you're GgF "s family suffered property damage in the Civil War they could file a claim with the Southern Claims Commission. Four caveats ;
1. They need for practical purposes to hire an attorney.
2. The attroney charges a contingency fee.
3. No guarantee that they will win their claim.
4. If they do win they will get pennies on the dollar.
Different Unionist soldiers had different post war outcomes.
Most Unionist soldiers came from East Tennessee and after some skirmishing with ex Confederate soldiers they stayed put. Some Unionist troops joined state militias that fought the KKK and other similar paramilitaries particularly in Arkansas. Their were sharp clashs between former Unionist and Confederate troops in Northern Alabama.
Many Unionist veterans had to flee to the west.
Has far as Mississippi Unionist veterans hard to say. Newt Knight stayed in Jones County Mississippi until he died in his eighties or older in the 1920s.
Leftyhunter
 
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