leftyhunter
Brev. Brig. Gen'l
- Joined
- May 27, 2011
- Location
- los angeles ca
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confederate_Home_GuardForgive my ignorance here, but I've got a few questions as to how the militia system worked during the Civil War in both north and south. I realize that the questions I'm asking probably have very different answers north and south of the line, and maybe even between states on either side ... I'm interested in any and all examples.
Question 1: What sort of oaths of enlistment / allegiance did state militiamen typically swear? For instance did they only swear loyalty to their particular state, or did their oaths also include pledges to the Union/Confederacy? And did this differ at all with militias raised in territories, such as Colorado or Confederate Arizona?
Question 2: How long were typical terms of enlistment in state militias?
Question 3: Am I right in thinking that state militias were typically supplied with uniforms and equipment at the expense of their own state government, or did individual unit commanders have to chip in for the costs? And if the latter, were there specific regulations set down by a state government as to what equipment a militia unit should be supplied with, or did unit commanders have a certain degree of autonomy in what they outfitted their men with?
Question 4: I've come across references to several units (particularly in the south) referred to as "state guards". Was this just another term for a state militia, or did it signify something different?
Question 5: The vast majority of militia units I've come across are land-based. Did any states organize their own naval militias?
Not a great article but it gives a general sketch of Confedrate Homeguards.
Leftyhunter
https://www.ncpedia.org/home-guardForgive my ignorance here, but I've got a few questions as to how the militia system worked during the Civil War in both north and south. I realize that the questions I'm asking probably have very different answers north and south of the line, and maybe even between states on either side ... I'm interested in any and all examples.
Question 1: What sort of oaths of enlistment / allegiance did state militiamen typically swear? For instance did they only swear loyalty to their particular state, or did their oaths also include pledges to the Union/Confederacy? And did this differ at all with militias raised in territories, such as Colorado or Confederate Arizona?
Question 2: How long were typical terms of enlistment in state militias?
Question 3: Am I right in thinking that state militias were typically supplied with uniforms and equipment at the expense of their own state government, or did individual unit commanders have to chip in for the costs? And if the latter, were there specific regulations set down by a state government as to what equipment a militia unit should be supplied with, or did unit commanders have a certain degree of autonomy in what they outfitted their men with?
Question 4: I've come across references to several units (particularly in the south) referred to as "state guards". Was this just another term for a state militia, or did it signify something different?
Question 5: The vast majority of militia units I've come across are land-based. Did any states organize their own naval militias?
This article is about the Confedrate North Carolina Homeguards who actually were paid when on duty but by 1863 Confedrate money wasn't worth much. The Nc Homeguards sometimes fought well against Union forces. The article doesn't mention that the Third North Carolina Mounted Union killed a fair amount of Homeguards also Unionist guerrillas killed some as well. For more details see " Kirks Raiders A notorious band of outlaw's and thieves" George Bumgardner Tar Heel Press and " War in the Mountains" I don't have the book with me know give the complete citation but it covers Unionist guerrillas vs the Confedrate Homeguards.
Leftyhunter
Any good book on Jones County Mississippi will have information about Newt Knight vs the Confedrate Army andForgive my ignorance here, but I've got a few questions as to how the militia system worked during the Civil War in both north and south. I realize that the questions I'm asking probably have very different answers north and south of the line, and maybe even between states on either side ... I'm interested in any and all examples.
Question 1: What sort of oaths of enlistment / allegiance did state militiamen typically swear? For instance did they only swear loyalty to their particular state, or did their oaths also include pledges to the Union/Confederacy? And did this differ at all with militias raised in territories, such as Colorado or Confederate Arizona?
Question 2: How long were typical terms of enlistment in state militias?
Question 3: Am I right in thinking that state militias were typically supplied with uniforms and equipment at the expense of their own state government, or did individual unit commanders have to chip in for the costs? And if the latter, were there specific regulations set down by a state government as to what equipment a militia unit should be supplied with, or did unit commanders have a certain degree of autonomy in what they outfitted their men with?
Question 4: I've come across references to several units (particularly in the south) referred to as "state guards". Was this just another term for a state militia, or did it signify something different?
Question 5: The vast majority of militia units I've come across are land-based. Did any states organize their own naval militias?
Being in the Milita or Homeguards could be very dangerous. Escaped slaves most often didn't have guns but Unionist guerrillas sure did and the 3rd North Carolina Mounted Union had Spencer rifles and not always kindly regarding Confedrate Homeguards. Milita and Homeguards often fought by themselves. There were combined Union and milita patrols in Missouri some of the time. This concept was used in Vietnam by the USMC called " Combined Action Platoons".Militia units both US & CS had a variety of purposes and reasons for their creation. Some were created to protect a community from physical threats such as criminal gangs, Native depradations and slave revolts. Some originally started as Fire Brigades and would gain a military theme as well. In the slave holding regions militias maintained a very real presence due to the fear of slave revolts, especially after the Nat Turner Rebellion. In the West militia units were needed to deal with the very real threat of Native raids by aggressive tribes sucah as the Commanche, Kiowa, Lakota, Cheyenne etc. In all cases their effectiveness was varied. It's one thing to train with friends and neighbors when there is no real threat of violence, it's another thing entirely when it comes time to stand in a line of battle.
The practice of wealthy men or militia units arming and equiping themselves varied dramaticly as well. Men like Wade Hampton in particular did a superb job of creating units and taking them off to war with those units arriving well equipped and ready for a fight. Wheras others showed up with a self appointed Captain or Colonel leading a group of men with shotguns and squirrel rifles expecting the state to arm and equip them. It wasn't much better when a fire brigade of fraternity showed up but they at least, sometimes, had a degree of discipline and organization.
It has been said that the South had a better militia system than the rest of the country becuase they had the experiance of Slave Patrols. The reality was that escaped slaves rarely were able to shoot back and it's a whole nother matter when the enemy is shooting back.
Leftyhunter