Mississippi State Troops | |
---|---|
Active | 1862–1865 |
Disbanded | May 4, 1865 |
Country | Confederate States |
Allegiance | Mississippi |
Branch | State troops |
Type | Infantry and cavalry |
Nickname(s) | "Minute men" |
Campaigns | |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | T.C. Tupper Samuel J. Gholson |
The Mississippi State Troops were military units formed by the Mississippi Legislature for State defense (rather than Confederate service) during the American Civil War. Five infantry regiments, four infantry battalions, and one cavalry battalion were drafted from the Mississippi militia in 1862. Two of the infantry regiments participated in the 1863 siege of Vicksburg, and several State Troop cavalry units were later reorganized and brought into Confederate service. However, most of the State Troop units were kept in military camps and never saw combat.[1] In 1864, another set of State Troop units was created, with all white men aged 16–55 required to report for 30 days military service. Reserve State Troop units were also organized in 1864, consisting of men and boys who were otherwise too young or too old for regular military service. All of the remaining State Troops were officially disbanded when Confederate Lieutenant-General Richard Taylor surrendered all Confederate forces in the Department of Alabama, Mississippi, and East Louisiana to United States authorities on May 4, 1865, at Citronelle, Alabama.