Cobb's Legion (also known as the Georgia Legion) was an

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the Military forces of the Confederate States, military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) duri ...

unit that was raised from the state of

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

by Thomas Reade Rootes Cobb during the summer of 1861.Longacre, 1986, p. 147. A legion in the Civil War usually meant a combined-arms unit, consisting of two or three branches of the military:

infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from ''cheval'' meaning "horse") are groups of soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Until the 20th century, cavalry were the most mob ...

, and

artillery Artillery consists of ranged weapons that launch Ammunition, munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during sieges, and l ...

. When it was originally raised, the Georgia Legion comprised 600 infantrymen in the infantry battalions, 300 cavalry troopers in the cavalry battalions, and 100 artillerists in a single battery. The legion concept was not practical for Civil War armies and, soon after Robert E. Lee took command of the

Army of Northern Virginia The Army of Northern Virginia was a field army of the Confederate States Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was also the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed agains ...

on June 1, 1862, the individual elements were assigned to other units.Krick, 1993, p. 263.Heidler, 2000, p. 462.

Infantry component

After the infantry

battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of up to one thousand soldiers. A battalion is commanded by a lieutenant colonel and subdivided into several Company (military unit), companies, each typically commanded by a Major (rank), ...

was brought up to regimental strength the unit was assigned to

Howell Cobb Howell Cobb (September 7, 1815 – October 9, 1868) was an American and later Confederate political figure. A southern Democrat, Cobb was a five-term member of the United States House of Representatives and the speaker of the House from 1849 to ...

brigade A brigade is a major tactical military unit, military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute ...

in Lafayette McLaws's Division of

James Longstreet James Longstreet (January 8, 1821January 2, 1904) was a General officers in the Confederate States Army, Confederate general during the American Civil War and was the principal subordinate to General Robert E. Lee, who called him his "Old War Ho ...

Corps Corps (; plural ''corps'' ; from French , from the Latin "body") is a term used for several different kinds of organization. A military innovation by Napoleon I, the formation was formally introduced March 1, 1800, when Napoleon ordered Gener ...

of the

. Howell Cobb was absent after the Battle of Malvern Hill in July 1862 until August 1862 and again in October 1862 before moving to another command. T.R.R. Cobb, commander of the infantry component of the former legion, commanded Cobb's brigade in his brother's absence and took full command in November 1862. Cobb was succeeded in brigade command by Colonel William T. Wofford after Cobb was killed at the

Battle of Fredericksburg The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. The combat between the Union Army, Union Army of the Potomac commanded by Major general ( ...

. The regiment surrendered at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. The cavalry became a regiment in Brigadier General Wade Hampton's brigade of Major General

J. E. B. Stuart James Ewell Brown "Jeb" Stuart (February 6, 1833May 12, 1864) was a Confederate cavalry general during the American Civil War. He was known to his friends as "Jeb,” from the initials of his given names. Stuart was a cavalry commander known f ...

's division and kept the name of Cobb's Legion or the Georgia Legion.

Organization

*Staff **Colonel Thomas Reade Rootes Cobb. Cobb formed the legion in the late summer of 1861, and served as its colonel. Cobb served as a colonel until he was promoted to brigadier general on November 1, 1862. However, the promotion was not confirmed by the Confederate States Congress before Cobb's death.Eicher, 2001, p. 592. Cobb was killed at the

on December 13, 1862. Colonel William T. Wofford, then in command of the 18th Georgia Infantry Regiment which had been incorporated into Cobb's brigade, succeeded to command of the brigade after T.R.R. Cobb's death. Wofford was promoted to brigadier general on January 17, 1863 and served in Major General Lafayette McLaws's division, commanded after McLaws was relieved of command following the Siege of Knoxville in 1864 by Major General

Joseph B. Kershaw Joseph Brevard Kershaw (January 5, 1822 – April 13, 1894) was an American planter and slaveholder from South Carolina. He was also a lawyer, judge, and a Confederate general in the American Civil War. Early life Kershaw was born on January 5 ...

. After the legion's components were separated, the highest rank in the infantry battalion was lieutenant colonel. **Lieutenant Colonel Jefferson Mirabeau Lamar (He was named Lieutenant Colonel on January 18, 1862. He was mortally wounded at the Battle of Crampton's Gap, Maryland, on September 14, 1862, and he died the next day.) **Lieutenant Colonel Luther Glenn (He was named lieutenant colonel on September 15, 1862. He retired on January 11, 1865.)

Companies

* A Company ( Lamar Infantry) was formed in

Newton County, Georgia Newton County is a county located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 112,483. The county seat is Covington. Newton County is included in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell MSA ...

. * B Company (Bowdon Volunteers) was formed in

Carroll County, Georgia Carroll County is a county in the West Central region of the State of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, its population was 119,148.US 2020 Census Bureau report, Carroll County, Georgia Its county seat is the city of Carrollton. Carroll County ...

. * C Company (Stephens Rifles) was formed in

DeKalb County, Georgia DeKalb County (, , ) is located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 764,382, making it Georgia's fourth-most populous county. Its ...

. * D Company (Mell Rifles) was formed in

Clarke County, Georgia Clarke County is located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 128,671. Its county seat is Athens, with which it is a consolidated city-county. Clarke County is included in the Athens ...

. * E Company (Poythress Volunteers) was formed in

Burke County, Georgia Burke County is a county located along the eastern border of the U.S. state of Georgia in the Piedmont. As of the 2020 census, the population was 24,596. The county seat is Waynesboro. Burke County is part of the Augusta-Richmond County, G ...

. * F Company (Carroll Boys) was formed in

. * G Company (Panola Guards) was formed in Morgan County, Georgia.

Battles

The infantry battalion fought in the following battles: * Battle of Yorktown (1862) (April 1862) * Battle at Lee's Mills (April 16, 1862) *

Seven Days Battles The Seven Days Battles were a series of seven battles over seven days from June 25 to July 1, 1862, near Richmond, Virginia, during the American Civil War. Confederate States Army, Confederate General Robert E. Lee drove the invading Union Army ...

(June 25 – July 1, 1862) * Battle of Malvern Hill (July 1, 1862) *

Battle of South Mountain The Battle of South Mountain, known in several early Southern United States, Southern accounts as the Battle of Boonsboro Gap, was fought on September 14, 1862, as part of the Maryland campaign of the American Civil War. Three pitched battles ...

(Crampton's Gap) (September 14, 1862) *

Battle of Antietam The Battle of Antietam ( ), also called the Battle of Sharpsburg, particularly in the Southern United States, took place during the American Civil War on September 17, 1862, between Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virgi ...

(September 17, 1862) *

(December 11–15, 1862) *

Battle of Chancellorsville The Battle of Chancellorsville, April 30 – May 6, 1863, was a major battle of the American Civil War (1861–1865), and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville campaign. Confederate General Robert E. Lee's risky decision to divide h ...

(May 1 – May 4, 1863) *

Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was a three-day battle in the American Civil War, which was fought between the Union and Confederate armies between July 1 and July 3, 1863, in and around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle, won by the Union, ...

(July 1 – July 3, 1863) *

Battle of Chickamauga The Battle of Chickamauga, fought on September 18–20, 1863, between the United States Army and Confederate States Army, Confederate forces in the American Civil War, marked the end of a U.S. Army offensive, the Chickamauga Campaign, in southe ...

ot engaged(September 19 – September 20, 1863) * Third Battle of Chattanooga (September – November 1863) * Siege of Knoxville (November–December 1863) **

Battle of Fort Sanders The Battle of Fort Sanders was the crucial engagement of the Knoxville Campaign of the American Civil War, fought in Knoxville, Tennessee, on November 29, 1863. Assaults by Confederate Lt. Gen. James Longstreet failed to break through the def ...

Battle of the Wilderness The Battle of the Wilderness was fought on May 5–7, 1864, during the American Civil War. It was the first battle of Lieutenant general (United States), Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Virginia Overland Campaign against General (C ...

(May 5 – May 6, 1864) *

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, sometimes more simply referred to as the Battle of Spotsylvania (or the 19th-century spelling Spottsylvania), was the second major battle in Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Maj. Gen. George G. Meade's 18 ...

(May 8 – May 21, 1864) *

Battle of North Anna The Battle of North Anna was fought May 23–26, 1864, as part of Union Army, Union Lieutenant General (United States), Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign against Confederate States Army, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of North ...

(May 23 – May 26, 1864) *

Battle of Cold Harbor The Battle of Cold Harbor was fought during the American Civil War near Mechanicsville, Virginia, from May 31 to June 12, 1864, with the most significant fighting occurring on June 3. It was one of the final battles of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses ...

(June 1 – June 3, 1864) *

Siege of Petersburg The Richmond–Petersburg campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War. Although it is more popularly known as the siege of Petersburg, it was not a c ...

(June 1864 – April 1865) *

Battle of Front Royal The Battle of Front Royal, also known as Guard Hill or Cedarville, was fought on May 23, 1862, during the American Civil War, as part of Jackson's Valley campaign. Confederate States of America, Confederate forces commanded by Major General (CS ...

(August 16, 1864) * Battle of Cedar Creek (October 19, 1864) * Battle of Sayler's Creek (April 6, 1865) *

Battle of Appomattox Court House The Battle of Appomattox Court House, fought in Appomattox County, Virginia, on the morning of April 9, 1865, was one of the last, and ultimately one of the most consequential, battles of the American Civil War (1861–1865). It was the final e ...

(April 9, 1865)

Cavalry component

The cavalry battalion was expanded first to eight companies, then later to eleven companies before finally being decreased to ten companies. It was redesignated as the 9th Georgia Cavalry, but continued to be called Cobb's Legion or the Georgia Legion.Sifakis, 2006, pp. 165-167 It surrendered at

Greensboro, North Carolina Greensboro (; ) is a city in Guilford County, North Carolina, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 299,035; it was estimated to be 307,381 in 2024. It is the List of municipalitie ...

, on April 26, 1865.

Organization

* Staff ** Colonel Pierce M. B. Young (He was named colonel on November 1, 1862. He was promoted to brigadier general in the fall of 1863.)Warner, 1959, p. 348. ** Colonel Gilbert Jefferson Wright (He was named colonel on October 23, 1863, and led the Legion until its surrender on April 26, 1865.) ** Lieutenant Colonel William Gaston Delony (He was named major on May 23, 1862. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel on November 2, 1862.) On September 13, 1862, he assumed command of the cavalry battalion after Lieutenant Colonel Young was wounded. He remained second in command of the Legion until mortally wounded and captured at the Battle of Jack's Shop, Virginia, on September 22, 1863, dying on October 2, 1863, in the Stanton Hospital in Washington City as a POW.

Companies

* A Company (Richmond Hussars, A Company) was formed in

Richmond County, Georgia Richmond County is located in the state of Georgia in the U.S. As of the 2020 census, the population was 206,607. It is one of the original counties of Georgia, created on February 5, 1777. Following an election in 1995, Augusta (the count ...

. This company was one of the original cavalry companies. * B Company (Fulton Dragoons, A Company) was formed in

Fulton County, Georgia Fulton County is a county in the north-central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 1,066,710, making it the state's most populous county. Its county seat and most ...

. This company was one of the original cavalry companies. * C Company (Georgia Troopers, A Company) was formed in

. Members of the company were from Clarke, Hall, Jackson, Lumpkin, and other counties. This company was one of the original cavalry companies. * D Company (Dougherty Hussars) was formed in Dougherty County, Georgia. This company was one of the original cavalry companies. * E Company (Roswell Troopers) was formed in

Cobb County, Georgia Cobb County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, and is a core county of the Atlanta metropolitan area in the north-central portion of the state. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 766, ...

. * F Company (Grubb's Hussars) was formed in

. * G Company (Fulton Dragoons, B Company) was formed in Morgan County, Georgia. * H Company (Georgia Troopers, B Company) was formed in

. * I Company (Richmond Hussars, B Company) was formed in

. * K Company (Richmond Dragoons) was formed in

. This company was transferred to Phillips' Legion (Georgia), Cavalry by Special Orders #161, Adjutant and Inspector's General's Office (July 11, 1864). * L Company was formed in

Battles

The cavalry component fought in the following battles: * Yorktown Siege (April 1862) *

(June 25, 1862 – July 1, 1862) *Battle of Harrison's Landing, Virginia (August 2 – 8, 1862) *Battle of Middletown, Maryland (September 13, 1862) * South Mountain, Maryland (September 14, 1862) * Sharpsburg (September 17, 1862) *Battle of Barbee's Crossroads, Virginia (November 5, 1862) *Battle of Dumfries, Virginia (December 12, 1862) *

(December 13, 1862) *Battle of Occoquan, Virginia (December 19, 1862) *Battle of Dumfries and Battle of Fairfax Station, Virginia (December 27, 1862 – December 29, 1862) *

Battle of Brandy Station The Battle of Brandy Station, also called the Battle of Fleetwood Hill, was the largest predominantly cavalry engagement of the American Civil War, as well as the largest ever to take place on American soil. It was fought on June 9, 1863, around ...

(June 9, 1863) *

Battle of Upperville The Battle of Upperville took place in Loudoun County, Virginia on June 21, 1863, during the Gettysburg Campaign of the American Civil War. Background The Union cavalry made a determined effort to pierce Confederate Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart' ...

(June 21, 1863) *

Battle of Hanover The Battle of Hanover took place on June 30, 1863, in Hanover in southwestern York County, Pennsylvania, as part of the Gettysburg Campaign of the American Civil War. Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart's Confederate cavalry, which was riding north to ...

(June 30, 1863) *

(July 1 – 3, 1863) * Battle of Hunterstown (July 2, 1863) *Second Battle of Brandy Station (August 1, 1863) * Bristoe Campaign (October 1863) *

Mine Run Campaign The Battle of Mine Run, also known as Payne's Farm, or New Hope Church, or the Mine Run campaign (November 27 – December 2, 1863), was conducted in Orange County, Virginia, in the American Civil War. An unsuccessful attempt of the Union ...

(November &ndash December, 1863) *

(May 5 – 6, 1864) *

(May 7 – 21, 1864) *

(May 23 – 26, 1864) * Battle of Trevilian Station (also called Trevilians). (June 11 – 12, 1864) *

(June 1, 1864 – April 1, 1865) *

, Virginia (June 1 – 3, 1864) *Battle of Williamsburg Road, Virginia (October 27, 1864) * Carolinas Campaign (February 2 – April 30, 1865) *

Battle of Bentonville The Battle of Bentonville (March 19–21, 1865) was fought in Johnston County, North Carolina, near the village of Bentonville, as part of the Western Theater of the American Civil War, Western Theater of the American Civil War. It was the last ...

(March 19 – 21, 1865)

Troup Artillery

The artillery battery was known as the Troup Artillery (named for former governor George M. Troup). It was from

Athens, Georgia Athens is a consolidated city-county in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. Downtown Athens lies about northeast of downtown Atlanta. The University of Georgia, the state's flagship public university and an Research I university, ...

. It was commanded by Captain Henry Hull Carlton after the Legion was reorganized, the Troup Artillery was assigned to the Artillery Battalion of Longstreet's Corps. The Troup Artillery disbanded April 9, 1865.Sifakis, 2006, pp. 144-146.

Battles

The battles it took part in were: * Yorktown Siege (April 1862) * Battle at Lee's Mills, Virginia (April 16, 1862) *

, Virginia (June 25 – July 1, 1862) * Battle of Malvern Hill (July 1, 1862) *

(September 14, 1862) *

(September 17, 1862) *

(December 13, 1862) *

(May 1 – 4 1863) *

(July 1 – 3, 1863) *Antietam Creek, Maryland (July 10, 1863) *

(May 5 – 6, 1864) *

May 8 – 21, 1864) *

(May 23 – 26 ,1864) *

(June 1, 1864 – April 1, 1865) *

(June 1 – 3, 1864) *

(April 9, 1865)

Famous members

* A famous fictional member of Cobb's Legion was

Ashley Wilkes George Ashley Wilkes is a fictional character in Margaret Mitchell's 1936 novel ''Gone with the Wind (novel), Gone with the Wind'' and the 1939 Gone with the Wind (film), film of the same name. The character also appears in the 1991 book ''Sca ...

, of ''

Gone with the Wind Gone with the Wind most often refers to: * Gone with the Wind (novel), ''Gone with the Wind'' (novel), a 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell * Gone with the Wind (film), ''Gone with the Wind'' (film), the 1939 adaptation of the novel Gone with the Wind ...

'', who was supposedly captured during the

in 1864. * Future

Atlanta Chamber of Commerce Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County and extends into neighboring DeKalb County. With a population of 520,070 (2024 estimate) living within the city limits, Atlan ...

President Benjamin Crane served in the legion. * Future Mayor of Atlanta Luther Glenn served in the legion. * Atlanta businessman, publisher, and Atlanta City Council member Zachariah A. Rice served as Major of B Company (Fulton Dragoons) in the cavalry battalion of the legion.

Citations

References

* Heidler, David S., and Jeanne T. Heidler, ''Cobb, Thomas Reade Rootes'' In ''Encyclopedia of the American Civil War: A Political, Social, and Military History'', edited by David S. Heidler and Jeanne T. Heidler. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2000. . p. 462. * Krick, Robert K. ''Cobb Thomas R. R.'' In Current, Richard N., ed., ''The Confederacy.'' New York: Simon and Schuster Macmillan, 1993. . Macmillan Compendium. Sections from the four-volume ''Macmillan Encyclopedia of the Confederacy.'' pp. 261–264. * Longacre, Edward C. ''Cobb's Legion''. In ''Historical Times Illustrated History of the Civil War'', edited by Patricia L. Faust. New York: Harper & Row, 1986. . p. 147. * Sifakis, Stewart. ''Compendium of the Confederate Armies: South Carolina and Georgia''. Westminster, MD: Heritage Books, Inc., 2006. . * Warner, Ezra J. ''Generals in Gray: Lives of the Confederate Commanders.'' Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1959. .

Literature

*Dooley, Vincent Joseph and Samuel Norman Thomas Jr., eds. ''The Legion's Fighting Bulldog: The Civil War correspondence of William Gaston Delony, Lieutenant Colonel of Cobb's Georgia Legion Cavalry, and Rosa Delony, 1853-1863.'' Mercer University Press. *Turner, Nat S. 2002. ''A Southern Soldier's Letters Home: The Civil War Letters of Samuel Burney, Cobb's Georgia Legion, Army of Northern Virginia.'' Macon GA: Mercer University Press.

External links

Cobb's Legion WebsiteTroup Artillery WebsiteNoble John Brooke Papers
a
Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, & Rare Book Library, Emory University
{{Authority control Artillery units and formations of the American Civil War Units and formations of the Confederate States Army from Georgia (U.S. state) Legions of the American Civil War 1861 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)

Infantry component

Organization

Companies

Battles

Cavalry component

Organization

Companies

Battles

Troup Artillery

Battles

Famous members

Citations

See also

References

Literature

External links