Confederate States of America. Army. Cobb's Legion. Cavalry Battalion

Variant names

Biographical notes:

Cobb's Legion (also known as the Georgia Legion) was a Confederate States Army military unit raised in Georgia by Thomas Reade Rootes Cobb during the summer of 1861. A "legion" consisted of a single integrated command, with individual components from the infantry, cavalry, and artillery. When it was originally raised, the Georgia Legion comprised seven infantry companies, four cavalry companies, and a single battery. The concept of a multiple-branch unit was fine in theory, but never was a practical application for Civil War armies and, early in the war, the individual elements were assigned to other organizations.

The infantry battalion was assigned to Howell Cobb's brigade in Lafayette McLaws's Division of James Longstreet's Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia. The infantry battalion surrendered at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865.

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. It surrendered at Greensboro, North Carolina, on April 26, 1865.

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

From the guide to the Confederate States Army, Ninth Georgia Cavalry Regiment (Cobb's Legion) vouchers MSS. 0565., 1862, (University Libraries Division of Special Collections, The University of Alabama)