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

N.W. Arkansas was strong Union country. I had relatives from east Tennessee that settled there before the war. They all fought for the Union. They were also in Madison County.
I noticed that there were union supporter in Madison too, but I wasn't sure if it was widespread. Thomas lived with N.C. Bridges in Blackfish, Crittenden Arkansas when Thomas was 12 years old.
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N. C. Bridges Co J 46 Mississippi Infantry Private

As you can see he fought for the confederate side. He died in action. He was born in Ohio. I thought that was strange since Thomas south born then fights for the union. He joined up the same year N. C. Bridges died. The next census he lived with N. C. Bridges widow or perhaps Thomas' mother.
 
Excellent thread! I look forward to reading the paper. Northeast Mississippi is hill country with few if any large farm operations in the
ACW so not surprised the regiment was formed here.
Regards
David
 
N. C. Bridges didn't have his pension drawn on either. This record for his head stone states that it was not drawn on. It seems to me his widow Mary A. would of drawn for help in her support. Instead Thomas W. Martin was recruited into the 1st Mississippi mounted riffles, most likely for the bounty to support himself at 18 and the widow Mary A. Bridges.

N.C. Bridges aplication for headstone.jpg
 
N. C. Bridges didn't have his pension drawn on either. This record for his head stone states that it was not drawn on. It seems to me his widow Mary A. would of drawn for help in her support. Instead Thomas W. Martin was recruited into the 1st Mississippi mounted riffles, most likely for the bounty to support himself at 18 and the widow Mary A. Bridges.

View attachment 328005

Being a Confederate, his dependents would have applied to the State of Mississippi. The Federal Government only paid Union Veterans.
 
I believe the 1st MMR scouted for Grierson, correct?

I've always thought Ken Curtis' character in The Horse Soldiers was probably intended to represent someone from the 1st MMR. He and his buddy spoke with a twang and scouted for the main column.

Grierson was from Illinois and his 1863 raid had 2 Illinois regiments. Many Illinoisans from south of I-80 speak with a twang. People from Wilmington, south of Joilet, are often referred to as Yellowhammers. No doubt many western Yankees had a twang.
 
Being a Confederate, his dependents would have applied to the State of Mississippi. The Federal Government only paid Union Veterans.

I'll have to look and see if I can find a Mississippi record. I wonder if a resident moved to Arkansas if they could still draw from Mississippi? I don't believe the states worked together in that capacity. It seems they wouldn't be able to collect because they moved.
 
I'll have to look and see if I can find a Mississippi record. I wonder if a resident moved to Arkansas if they could still draw from Mississippi? I don't believe the states worked together in that capacity. It seems they wouldn't be able to collect because they moved.


Sorry, I miss-spoke, Confederates applied in the State they resided in. The respective pension boards then checked records for accuracy. They also had to have witnesses (usually 2 comrades) that could vouch for their service. It could become a very complicated and drawn-out process, especially if one lived outside the State he served.
 
A governor of Maine claims there were 7,600 Mainers who fought for the Confederacy. Sounds like an awful lot to me, but then again, he knows more about his state than me.
It was an absurd statement and he was universally criticized. The State Archivist put the number at 30.
 
Grierson was from Illinois and his 1863 raid had 2 Illinois regiments. Many Illinoisans from south of I-80 speak with a twang. People from Wilmington, south of Joilet, are often referred to as Yellowhammers. No doubt many western Yankees had a twang.

Thank you, I was not aware of that.

I did a little reading and now realize how I got mixed up. The 1st Mississippi was not even organized until 1864. It was with Grierson in December 1864 - January 1865: https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-battle-units-detail.htm?battleUnitCode=UMS0001B0T
 
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