Home Guard (Union)

In the American Civil War the Home Guard or Home Guards were local militia raised from Union loyalists.

History

In

Missouri Volunteer Militia and eventually the secessionist Missouri State Guard. Many of the Home Guard regiments in the St. Louis area were raised from pre-existing Wide Awakes, a Republican Party organization established during the 1860 election, and from members of the German Turnverein cultural organization

.

St. Louis Unionists were mustered into Federal service in April 1861. Five regiments were designated the 1st–5th Missouri Volunteers and five additional regiments were created as the United States Reserve Corps. The second group were commonly referred to as the (St. Louis) Home Guard, and their creation was criticized as these regiments exceeded the requirement for Missouri volunteers under the

Claiborne Jackson and Missouri State Guard commander Major General Sterling Price demanded that the 1st–5th U.S.R.C. be disbanded as illegal organizations. (These regiments continued to serve though the Missouri Secession Crisis

, later being converted into three-year regiments.)

Once actual hostilities began in the state in June 1861, Union loyalists as Home Guard units in areas outside of St. Louis were organized and mobilized by

Battle of Cole Camp.^[1]

In late 1861 and early 1862 the three-month-service Home Guard were replaced by Unionist militia regiments, including the new Missouri State Militia, as well as the compulsory Enrolled Missouri Militia in July 1862, and the Provisional Enrolled Missouri Militia, formed later.

One particularly famous Home Guard militia was that of

bushwhackers in the surrounding areas of pro-Confederate Boone County, 90 men assembled a militia named the Fighting Tigers of Columbia. The brigade stockpiled weapons, kept watch, set up a warning bell for the town, and dug a moat around the city courthouse. The University of Missouri's athletic programs are named in honor of the militia.^[2]

Iowa

Iowa Home Guard companies provided border defense along the Missouri border during the Civil War. During the Battle of Athens, Missouri, Iowa Home Guard companies on the other side of the Des Moines River protected the supply depots.

Kentucky

The Kentucky Home Guard participated in the Battle of Barbourville, Kentucky in September 1861 as well as the Battle of Camp Wildcat and many other skirmishes such as the Battle of Augusta (1862).

Western Virginia

Union supporting Home Guards in

Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia

) attacked Confederate works and small detachments with indifferent success during the war. The best known of these irregulars called themselves the "Swamp Dragons".

Indian Territory

Union volunteer infantry regiments known as the

Indian Home Guard were recruited from the Five Civilized Tribes in the Indian Territory. Although the tribal leadership had supported the Confederacy

, many of the tribal members did not.

References

^ Cole Camp Community, Here We Speak Low German, 1989, pages 181–189.
^ "Articles | Common ground lies under sports rivalry Civil War 150". Archived from the original on 2011-04-23. Retrieved 2012-04-15.

External links

[1] Cole Camp Community, Here We Speak Low German, 1989, pages 181–189.

[2] "Articles | Common ground lies under sports rivalry Civil War 150". Archived from the original on 2011-04-23. Retrieved 2012-04-15.

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