North Carolina Home Guard

Hard to find anything on any Home Guard units most of the time.

I don't have any details, but Home Guard in North Carolina, like everywhere in the CSA, were a militia. What that means during the War, is probably poorly equipped, little to no uniform, and second hand or everyday civilian arms. One thing I do know, they looked nothing like they did in the movie Cold Mountain.

I believe there are some photos of a NC Home Guard exhibit running around somewhere in another thread. As for battles you wouldn't find Home Guard at the front, their job was behind the lines and "keeping the peace" and when Union troops came knocking most of them either disbanded or in very rare cases took to the brush for partisan warfare. But the latter was very rare, Home Guards were always made up of men either to old or to young to enlist in the Army, or paroled, convalescing, or otherwise discharged Confederate soldiers. That rule held with North Carolina like most States.
 
Hard to find anything on any Home Guard units most of the time.

I don't have any details, but Home Guard in North Carolina, like everywhere in the CSA, were a militia. What that means during the War, is probably poorly equipped, little to no uniform, and second hand or everyday civilian arms. One thing I do know, they looked nothing like they did in the movie Cold Mountain.

I believe there are some photos of a NC Home Guard exhibit running around somewhere in another thread. As for battles you wouldn't find Home Guard at the front, their job was behind the lines and "keeping the peace" and when Union troops came knocking most of them either disbanded or in very rare cases took to the brush for partisan warfare. But the latter was very rare, Home Guards were always made up of men either to old or to young to enlist in the Army, or paroled, convalescing, or otherwise discharged Confederate soldiers. That rule held with North Carolina like most States.

Thank you. I am reminded of modern day State Defense Forces...volunteer and not mush to do really.
 
Does anyone have any information on the Home Guard units in North Carolina? Hard to find anything on these units.
Most definitely the books "Kirk's Raider's a notorious bunch of Scoundrels and thieves" George Bumgardner Tar Heel Press
Discuss the North Carolina Home Guards. Colonel George Kirk and the North Carolina Mounted Infantry Union definitely interacted with the Home Guards.
Leftyhunter
 
The Home Guard totaled approximately 4,000 in North Carolina and were included in the state's estimated 125,000 troop contribution. Hugh T. Lefler and Abert R. Newsome. North Carolina: The History of a Southern State, p.430.
A Home Guard company ambushed and killed five of Kilpatrick's men on 7 March 1865 in my county. A hastily assembled Home Guard was strong enough to send George Kirk's Spencer carbine armed regiment skedaddling after a raid on a Junior Reserve training camp near Morganton, North Carolina.
 
Thank you. I am reminded of modern day State Defense Forces...volunteer and not mush to do really.

Anytime.

As for comparing them to modern SDF's eh, I'd say its a somewhat fair comparison. Main difference being there was a war on in their country with Unionists guerillas running around from time to time, I'd say they had a bit more to do though than modern SDF's, but a good comparison nonetheless. But of course there's always the dreaded elephant in the room on the Confederate Home Front of Home Guards being used to track down runaway slaves, and deserters. They were usually a militia conducting 19th Century militia duties, they just rarely went into battle as they were to small, underequipped, and some of their men not fit for a battle.
 
A hastily assembled Home Guard was strong enough to send George Kirk's Spencer carbine armed regiment skedaddling after a raid on a Junior Reserve training camp near Morganton, North Carolina.
That- a review of the 'exploits' of George Kirk- would make an interesting thread.
 
The Home Guard totaled approximately 4,000 in North Carolina and were included in the state's estimated 125,000 troop contribution. Hugh T. Lefler and Abert R. Newsome. North Carolina: The History of a Southern State, p.430.
A Home Guard company ambushed and killed five of Kilpatrick's men on 7 March 1865 in my county. A hastily assembled Home Guard was strong enough to send George Kirk's Spencer carbine armed regiment skedaddling after a raid on a Junior Reserve training camp near Morganton, North Carolina.
You forgot to add the that the Home Guard followed Kirk's Raider's at a very slow pace and Kirk returned to East Tennessee with many prisoners and booty.
I would definitely recommend that our new friend @BenKalba get Kirk's Raider's for a more accurate view of the noble Kirk.
Leftyhunter
 
Thank you. I am reminded of modern day State Defense Forces...volunteer and not mush to do really.
I wouldn't go quite that far. During the ACW there was quite a bit of guerrilla warfare and not enough regular troops to track them down although both sides did detail regular troops for counterinsurgency duties. There was also a fair amount of free lance bandits who preyed on both sides. Both sides just didn't have the time or money to adequately train home guards and so as in almost every counterinsurgency conflict governments have to rely on at best semi trained Militia which doesn't always lead to fantastic results.
Most definitely you should check out the thread on the Shelton Laural Massacre .
Leftyhunter
 
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I know the Governor was in a continual 'conversation' with the War Department and Jeff Davis due to conscript activities, and Provost-Guards overstepping the law, while he tried to maintain a force on his own home front. Maybe 'obliged contestation' would be a better term.
Lubliner.
 
I believe that one of my ancestors belonged to Hoskins Company NC Home Guard
No doubt during the ACW both sides would drag any male who could walk or waddle into the home guards. I have a thread I can bump up "Compare and Contrast Union and Confederate counter guerrilla operations". That goes into Militia's during the ACW.
Leftyhunter
 
I believe Clark's Histories has a chapter on the Home Guard and I will look for it when I have more time.

Also, have you checked Manarin's Roster?

This subject interests me also. Family relatives were in the Home Guard in the Cape Fear river valley region, but I have been unsuccessful in developing any information on them.
 
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