Georgia Troopers – Company H

Cobb’s Legion Cavalry Battalion
Army of Northern Virginia Cavalry
Georgia Troopers – Company H
Athens, Georgia

compiled by Ed Rowe

There were two cavalry companies from Athens known as the Georgia Troopers. The first one was originally designated as company A and was also known as Delony’s Company since William G. Delony raised it in August of 1861 and was elected as its first captain. Company A was redesignated as company C of Cobb’s Legion Cavalry Battalion after being mustered into the Confederate States Army. The second one was originally designated as company B and was also known as Ritch’s Company since 2nd Lt. Jeremiah E. Ritch, formerly of Delony’s Company, returned to Athens to start raising it in February of 1862 and was elected as its first captain in May of the same year. Company B was redesignated as company H of Cobb’s Legion Cavalry Battalion after being mustered into the Confederate States Army on 29 Apr 1862 and being sent north to VA to join the rest of Cobb’s Legion under the command of Colonel Thomas R. R. Cobb. The Legion cavalry was later transferred to the Army of Northern Virginia Cavalry under the command of Major General J. E. B. Stuart where it was led by Col. Pierce M. B. Young for most of the war and was initially in Brigadier General Wade Hampton’s Brigade, along with Phillips’ Legion (GA), the Jeff Davis Legion (MS), the 1st and 2nd South Carolina Cavalry Regiments and the 1st North Carolina Cavalry Regiment. Wade Hampton was eventually promoted to major general and commander of his own division and Col. Matthew C. Butler of the 2nd SC Cavalry was promoted to brigadier general and took over Hampton’s old brigade, which then became known as Butler’s Brigade, but only for a brief period. Col. Young was promoted to brigadier general in September of 1863 to take over command of the brigade from Brig. Gen. Butler, who was to be transferred to lead the newly formed SC Cavalry Brigade. Hampton’s former command then became known as Young’s Brigade and would continue to go by this designation until the end of the war. Other leaders of Cobb’s Legion Cavalry Battalion, in order of succession, were Lt. Col. William G. Delony, Lt. Col. Barrington S. King and Col. Gilbert J. Wright. Cobb’s Legion Cavalry Battalion was directed to be redesignated as the 9th Georgia Cavalry Regiment on 11 Jul 1864, but the eleven companies of the Legion decided to go by their original name for the remainder of the war.

For clarification purposes in this roster, all references to company A will be shown as company C and all references to company B will be shown as company H. Twenty-one men in the company, including one officer, died from disease or from wounds received during the war. Nine men, including two officers, were killed in action during the war. Fourteen men in the company, including two officers, were captured by the enemy during the war. Forty-three men in the company were sent on horse detail to GA on 20 Sep 1864 to procure remounts. Only nineteen of these men were part of the thirty-four who were listed on the surrender muster roll at Greensboro, NC on 26 Apr 1865. Initial ranks, final ranks and appointed positions are shown in parentheses to the right of each man’s name. Interim ranks are shown between the initial and final ranks.

The battle flag carried by Cobb’s Legion Cavalry Battalion during the war is on display at the Augusta Museum of History http://www.augustamuseum.org/

Sources for this roster include the books These Men She Gave by John F. Stegeman, Sketch of Cobb Legion Cavalry and Some Incidents and Scenes Remembered by Wiley C. Howard, Annals of Athens, GA, 1801 – 1901 by Augustus Longstreet Hull, copies of letters written by William G. Delony of Athens obtained from the Hargrett Library at the University of Georgia, the Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System Web site (http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/), the compiled service records of numerous soldiers in this company viewed or copied at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., copies of the compiled service records of several soldiers in the company obtained from the Thomasville Genealogical, History & Fine Arts Library in Thomasville, GA, copies of the muster rolls for this company obtained from the Georgia Archives in Atlanta, copies of the surrender muster roll for this company obtained from the National Archives and copies of Confederate soldier pension applications for some of the men in the company obained from the Washington Memorial Library in Macon, GA.

If you have any questions or additional information about this roster, please contact Ed Rowe jedrowe@bellsouth.net.