The Alabama in the Civil War Message Board - Archive

Re: 16th Confederate cavalry
In Response To: Re: 16th Confederate cavalry ()

Well, no, not directly. I can give you a few pieces of information that might help, though.

It is very confusing about where each part of the regiment was, and when, during the Spring of 1865. Most of the following is taken directly from my writings on the regiment.

The four Mississippi companies were assigned to Armstrong's Brigade, which was a part of Chalmer's Division, on March 18. Armstrong's portion of the regiment reported to Colonel [William B. ?] Wade, and transferred to Dillon's 2nd Regiment. This division was located at Forrest's Pickensville Headquarters in Pickens County on and about March 24, 1865. From there, they moved in defense of Selma, where they were using the designation "12th Mississippi Cav." or "12th Miss. and Ala. Cav.", separately from the Dillon's 2nd Regiment.

The rest of the companies remained under Gen. Armistead. According to orders on file, on March 24, 1865 the 16th Confederate Cavalry was redesignated as the 12th Mississippi Cavalry. [Note the order of progression of names of the regiment: Armistead's Regiment, 12th Miss. and Ala. Cav., 16th Conf. Cav., 12th Miss. Cav.]

On April 1st, 1865, the 12th joined in the defense of Selma against the forces under Maj. Gen. Wilson, who led 13,500 Union Cavalry and Mounted Infantry. Many of the members of the 12th were captured, as was its flag which was taken by Private James P. Miller, of Company D, 4th lowa Cavalry on April 2.

The 16th Confederate Cav. (now called the 12th Miss. Cav. in the official records, but still often referred to as the 16th Conf. in field reports) reported to Spanish Fort. During it’s time at Ft. Blakely, Armistead's Cavalry Brigade, reportedly contained the following: 8th Alabama Cavalry under Col. Charles P. Ball, 16th Confederate under Lt. Col. Philip B. Spence, and Lewis's battalion under Major William V. Harrell.

On March 27, 1865, Maj. Gen. E.R.S. Canby's Union forces rendezvoused at Danley's Ferry, and began a siege of Spanish Fort. According to Gen. Maury’s writings regarding this siege, Col. Spence’s 16th Cavalry of five hundred men was the only force standing in the path of forty thousand Union troops. These cavalrymen alone caused the twenty mile march of Canby’s force to take nine days. That delaying action was an incredible accomplishment, considering they were outnumbered by eighty to one!

The Union forces captured the fort on April 8. Most of the Confederate forces, under the command of Brig. Gen. Randall L. Gibson, escaped to Mobile. The 16th, for some time thereafter, was at Ft. Pollard, and fought around Pensacola, Fla., according to some sources. Another says that they participated as the rear guard of the evacuation from Mobile to Demopolis with Lt. Col. Spence commanding.

Another flag of this regiment was captured at Talledega on April 15th, as was Major Cox who was then commanding the regiment. The capture was made by Private Shoef of the 3rd Ohio. I suspect that this is the remains of the part of the regiment which was at Selma.

Yet another flag was in the possession of the flag bearer after the war, apparently never captured. There are at least two photos of him and the flag, one being published in the Confederate Veteran magazine. The photo in the Conf. Vet. magazine also has Col. Spence in the photo, lending credence to the story that this is the "real" flag of the 16th Conf. Cav. The capture at Spanish Fort may have been a banner or a guidion, or not this regiment's flag, at all. The Talledega flag was probably a separate flag, being used by the Armstrong part of the regiment.

Messages In This Thread

16th Confederate cavalry
Re: 16th Confederate cavalry
Re: 16th Confederate cavalry
Re: 16th Confederate cavalry
Re: 16th Confederate cavalry
Re: 16th Confederate cavalry
Re: 16th Confederate cavalry
Re: 16th Confederate cavalry
Re: 16th Confederate cavalry
Company size
Re: 16th Confederate cavalry
Re: 16th Confederate cavalry
Re: 16th Confederate cavalry
Re: 16th Confederate cavalry
Re: 16th Confederate cavalry
Major Cox
Re: 16th Confederate cavalry