CONFEDERATE GEORGIA TROOPS
Cobb Guards, Georgia Infantry
- Overview:
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Cobb's Legion was organized by Howell Cobb during the spring of 1861 and soon moved
to Virginia. The legion was composed of cavalry, infantry, and artillery, but did not serve as one
command. The artillery company was an independent unit known as the Troup Light Artillery
and its history is given under that name.
The cavalry battalion included men from Richmond, Fulton, and Dougherty counties and
contained six companies. Later five more were added and the unit served with eleven until July,
1864. At that time one company transferred to Phillips' Georgia Legion. Its strength now
totalled 526 officers and men. Also its designation was changed to the 9th Georgia Cavalry, but
was rarely used. The unit was assigned to General Hampton's, Butler's, and P.M.B. Young's
Brigade, and participated in various conflicts from the Seven Days' Battles to Cold Harbor. Later it was involved in
numerous engagements south and north of the James River. This command lost 3 officers and 41
men at Brandy Station, and
sustained 21 casualties out of the 330 engaged at Gettysburg. In 1865 it was attached to
T.M. Logan's Brigade, fought in the Carolinas, and surrendered with the Army of Tennessee.
The field officers were Colonels Pierce M.B. Young and Gilbert J. Wright; Lieutenant Colonels
W.G. Delony and Barrington S. King; and Majors Z.A. Rice and Benjamin C. Yancey.
The infantry battalion included men from Stephens, Lamar, Burke, and Carroll counties. It
contained seven companies and in April, 1862, had a force of 594 effectives. The battalion served
under Generals H. Cobb, T.R.R. Cobb, Wofford, and DuBose. It fought with the Army of
Northern Virginia from the Seven Days' Battles to Gettysburg, then moved with Longstreet to
Georgia. Not engaged at Chickamauga, it was active in the Knoxville Campaign. Returning to
Virginia the unit took an active part in the battles of The Wilderness, Spotsylvania, and Cold Harbor, moved with Early to the
Shenandoah Valley, and saw action in the Appomattox Campaign. Its casualties were
twenty-seven percent of the 248 at Crampton's Gap, 22 killed and 135 wounded at Chancellorsville, and about ten percent of
the 213 at Gettysburg disabled. Many were captured at Sayler's Creek and only 1 officer and 55
men surrendered. The field officers were Colonel Thomas R.R. Cobb; Lieutenant Colonels
Richard B. Garnett, Luther J. Glenn, G.B. Knight, and Jefferson M. Lamar; and Majors Ed. F.
Bagley, Thomas Camak, William D. Conyers, and W.W. McDaniel.
- Soldiers:
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