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Re: 2nd Louisiana Cavalry
In Response To: Re: 2nd Louisiana Cavalry ()

Ms Lynn S.

To the best of my knowledge, there is no known picture of Lt. Col. James Alexander McWaters (McWaters Rangers; Lt. Col., F&S, 2nd Louisiana Cavalry, CSA). If there is, I certainly would like to have a copy for my files.

McWaters (James A) was given approval to form a company of Partisan Rangers from Rapides Parish on 29 May 1862, with the rank of Captain, by Louisiana Gov. Thomas Overton Moore (ORA, Series 1, Vol. 53, pp 813-814). He formed his company and moved them to Lafourche and St. Charles Parishes in late June or early July of 1862 and harassed Union Shipping on the Mississippi River in July and August of 1862. In September 1862 his company was combined with the five companies of Breazeale's Battalion of Partisan Rangers from North Louisiana (Natchitoches, Sabine, De Soto, and Bienville Parishes) and four independent companies from South Louisiana to form the 2nd Louisiana Cavalry (10 companies, also cited as the 33rd Regiment of Louisiana Partisan Rangers). This regimental formation took place at Camp Vincent, which was on St Emma and Crescent Plantations on Bayou LaFourche, about four miles south of Donaldsonville, Louisiana. He was appointed Lt. Colonel of the 2nd LA Cavalry by Col. William Germain Vincent, Regiment commander. As you know, McWaters was killed on 14 Jan. 1863 near Cornay's Bridge in St. Mary Parish, while protecting the cotton clad gunboat, J A Cotton.

For my 2nd Louisiana Cavalry files I have compiled service summary sheets on Lt. Col. McWaters (Co. G, and then F&S, 2nd LA Cavalry) and his son, Pvt. Isaac Thomas McWaters (Co. G, 2nd LA Cavalry). I will be happy to send you a copy of these summary sheets if you e-mail me at don.gayle@frontier.com.

As to Pvt. Isaac Thomas McWaters, he did serve in Co. G of the 2nd Louisiana Cavalry, but his enlistment date is not recorded. He did sign his final parole for the war on June 3, 1865 at Alexandria, Louisiana. As he was only 14 years old in 1862 (born late 1847 or early 1848), he may not have been a member of McWaters Rangers in the summer of 1862, and Co. G when the 2nd LA Cavalry was formed. Although I don't have any documentation as yet, it is possible he enlisted in Co. G (2nd LA Cavalry) after the death of his father in Jan. 1863 (he would have been 15 at this time0, but he did join at some point and served to the end of the war. There is a roster of the McWaters Rangers (Rapides Parish) in the Melrose Collection at the Cammy G. Henry Research Center, Watson Library, Northwestern State University of Louisiana (Natchitoches, LA), and it does not list Isaac or I. McWaters as a member of McWaters' Rangers.

Hope this helps

Don Parker

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2nd Louisiana Cavalry
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