3d Mississippi Cavalry Regiment

The 3d Mississippi Cavalry Regiment, also known as the "Third Mississippi", was a cavalry formation in the Western Theater of the American Civil War commanded by Colonel John McGuirk.^[1]

3d Mississippi Cavalry Regiment
Active	1863–65
Disbanded	May 12, 1865
Country	Confederate States
Allegiance	Mississippi
Branch	Army
Type	Cavalry
Size	Regiment
Nickname	"Third Mississippi"
Facings	Yellow
Battles	American Civil War Battle of Salem Battle of Collierville Battle of Wyatt Battle of Okolona Battle of Ezra Church Battle of Jonesborough
Commanders
Commanding officer	Col. John McGuirk

History

The regiment was organized on June 9, 1863, in the Mississippi State Troops at Panola of cavalry from new and existing companies, as the 3d Mississippi State Cavalry Regiment and assigned to the 5th Military District, Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana.^[2] In the summer and fall of 1863 it served in North Mississippi and Tennessee, opposing Federal cavalry raids, and taking part in various counter-raids against Union-controlled railroads and garrisons, including the Battle of Collierville in October 1863 and numerous other skirmishes.^[3]

The regiment was reorganized in April, 1864, and mustered into Confederate service on May 3, 1864, as the 3d Mississippi Cavalry Regiment. It reported a strength of 325 men upon transfer to Confederate service under Gholson's brigade.^[3] In 1864, it was again active in North Mississippi, opposing Sherman's Meridian campaign, fighting in various skirmishes as well as the Battle of Okolona. In late July the regiment was sent to Georgia and assigned to Walthall's division on the Atlanta defensive lines, fighting at the Battle of Ezra Church and Battle of Jonesborough. The remnants of the 3d Mississippi retreated to Alabama, where it was disbanded on May 12, 1865, at Gainesville.^[4]

Regimental order of battle

Units of the 3d Mississippi Cavalry Regiment included:^[5]

• Company A
• Company B
• Company C
• Company D
• Company E
• Company F
• Company G
• Company H (Kilgore Rangers)
• Company I (Webb’s Rangers)
• Company K (Barksdale’s Rangers)

See also

• List of Mississippi Civil War Confederate units

Notes

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the National Archives and Records Administration.