CONFEDERATE GEORGIA TROOPS
Phillips' Legion, Georgia
- Overview:
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Phillips' Legion was organized prior to June, 1861, with a cavalry and infantry battalion.
However, the legion did not serve as one command.
The cavalry battalion recruited its men in Coweta, Cherokee, Bibb, and Richmond counties. It
contained six companies until June, 1864, when one company was transferred to Cobb's Cavalry
Legion and the 4th Alabama Cavalry Battalion was assigned to the command. Its strength was
now 463 officers and men. For a time the unit served in Georgia and along the South Carolina
coast, then it moved to Virginia where it served under Generals Hampton, Butler, and P.M.B.
Young. It participated in the campaigns of the Army of Northern Virginia from Fredericksburg to Cold Harbor, then shared in the defense of
Petersburg. Later it served in
T.M. Logan's Brigade, was active in the campaign of the Carolinas, and surrendered with less
than 50 men in April, 1865. Its commanders were Lieutenant Colonel William W. Rich, and
Majors William B.C. Puckett and John B. Wilcoxon.
The infantry battalion included men from Whitfield, Polk, and Habersham counties. There were
fifteen companies when the unit was originally organized. However, during the war these
companies were consolidated and by mid-1863, only nine remained. It was ordered to Western
Virginia and assigned to the Army of Kanawha, then moved to South Carolina. Later it returned
to Virginia and served in General Dayton's, T.R.R. Cobb's, Wofford's, and DuBose's Brigade.
In November, 1862, only 101 men were fit for duty. The battalion was active from Second Manassas to Gettysburg, moved with Longstreet to
Georgia, but did not fight at Chickamauga. It was involved in the Knoxville Campaign, the battles of The Wilderness, Spotsylvania, and Cold Harbor, Early's operations in the
Shenandoah Valley, and various conflicts around Appomattox. The unit took 273 effectives
to Gettysburg, had many
captured at Sayler's Creek, and
surrendered with 5 officers and 88 men. The field commanders were Colonel William Phillips;
Lieutenant Colonels E. Sandy Barclay, Robert T. Cook, Joseph Hamilton, and Seaborn Johns, Jr.;
and Major John S. Norris.
- Soldiers:
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