The Georgia in the Civil War Message Board

Re: State Guards Were Not Combat Units
In Response To: 10th Ga. Cavalry State Guards ()

State Guard units weren't organized for combat purposes and wouldn't have been much help on the front lines. Lack of arms, equipment and training prevented them from being useful as military units. As a group of men with little in the way of arms, equipment and training, they were much more useful as military police.

As mentioned in my post on this command yesterday, State Guards were intended to assist the military by rounding up deserters and conscripts, and maintaining law and order in their home districts. They were needed to keep roads open so military communications arrived safely and transportation moved freely. The U.S. military raised regiments in Tennessee and Kentucky to fight guerillas and carry out these same purposes.

In 1863 a number of mounted companies organized for service with the Conscript Bureau. Most of them were armed, equipped and trained just as described. In the winter of 1863-64 the War Department began organizing these companies into cavalry regiments, but they didn’t perform well in combat. The Official Records include General Johnston’s rejection of an Alabama cavalry brigade formed of Conscript Bureau companies. He asked that they return to Alabama and continue serving as they had in the past.
More on that if anyone is interested.

Here's another reason why they couldn't have been reorganized. On February 17, 1864, the Confederate Congress passed legislation requiring young men age 17 and older men age 45-50, to enroll in Junior and Senior Reserve companies. Most former members of the State Guard units should have become Confederate Reserves. Senior Reserves were specifically organized to carry oiut the roles just described, plus provide guards for prison camps, depots, arsenals and other installation. The law was designed to release able-bodied Confederate soldiers serving in those roles so that they could fight in front-line units.

Besides all that, if they really wanted to fight, was there anything to prevent the men you mentioned from volunteering in a Georgia Confederate command?

Messages In This Thread

10th Ga. Cavalry State Guards
Re: State Guards Were Not Combat Units
Re: State Guards Were Not Combat Units
Re: State Guards Were Not Combat Units
Re: State Guards Were Not Combat Units
Re: Home Guards in Postwar Memory
Re: Home Guards in Postwar Memory
Re: State Guards Were Not Combat Units
Re: Cold Mountain and the Home Guards
Re: State Guards Were Not Combat Units