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From
research, it is the writer's view that serious discussions transpired concerning separating the Thomas Legion's infantry
regiment from the Thomas Legion and designating it as the 69th North Carolina Infantry Regiment. Love, Stringfield,
D. H. Hill, Walter Clark, Bryan G. McDowell and others referred to the infantry regiment as the 69th, however,
their interchanging Thomas' Legion with the 69th only occurred after the War. Moreover, it never occurred and the Sixty-ninth
North Carolina Infantry Regiment remains an unofficial designation.
During the Civil War, there were 75 references to "Thomas' Legion" (not Thoma[s's] Legion)
in the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies; and the Legion is also recorded in the National Archives
as Thomas' Legion. The Congress of the Confederate States, Secretary of War James A. Seddon, Adjutant and Inspector General’s
Office, North Carolina Governor Zebulon B. Vance, President Jefferson Davis, numerous commanding generals, and the Thomas
Legion's field officers all referred to the unit as "Thomas' Legion."
In January 1865, the 14th North Carolina Cavalry Battalion was enlarged to 10 companies (a regiment) and was officially designated the
69th North Carolina Regiment-7th Cavalry, Lt. Colonel James L. Henry, commanding. There are only two references to the
"Sixty-ninth North Carolina Regiment" in the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies and both references
are to Lt. Colonel Henry and the cavalry regiment (O.R., i, 49, i, 1034 and O.R., i, 49, i, 1035). The other references to Henry's Cavalry are the Sixty-ninth North Carolina
and Sixty-ninth North Carolina State Troops. Officially one 69th, but unofficially there were two 69ths: officially one cavalry
and unofficially one infantry. The infantry is referring to Love's Regiment within Thomas’ Legion. Also, Walker's Battalion is referred to as the 80th Battalion and even the 80th Regiment.
Thomas’ Legion encompasses the entire command.
Within the legion there was infantry, cavalry, and artillery. Thomas' Legion is also unofficially known as Love's Regiment
and 69th North Carolina Infantry Regiment (not found or recorded on any official document). Will Thomas concluded the recruitment of the Cherokee Battalion in early 1865. The Cherokee Battalion should not be confused with Walker's Battalion (a.k.a. 80th Battalion: O.R., 1, 49, 2,
754).
Most
of the unit’s confusion is due to the fact that Thomas’ Legion is North Carolina’s only Civil War legion and to say the legion is unique is an understatement.
The legion was even scattered in numerous locations and it constantly shifted companies to meet demands. The various
scattered elements appear to have unofficially adopted numerical designations to preserve their identities.
However, there is no document, letter or correspondence reflecting
that this occurred during the war. This uniqueness is compounded by the fact that units were known by many
names. For example, the 64th North Carolina Infantry Regiment was also referred to as Allen’s Regiment in
honor of its commanding colonel, Lawrence Allen. Also the companies within the regiment had their own names.
In communication most units shortened their designations. Instead of “Infantry Regiment” one would usually write “Regiment.”
After the Civil War the Thomas Legion, for numerical purposes, unofficially adopted the 69th North Carolina
"Infantry" Regiment. And, after the Civil War, Walker's Battalion unofficially adopted the 80th North Carolina Battalion and 80th North Carolina Infantry Regiment.
Thomas'
Legion is recorded 75 times in the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies; William C. Walker and Battalion are mentioned once. Walker’s Regiment, 69th North
Carolina Infantry Regiment, and 80th Regiment (from North Carolina) were never recorded.
In addition, the Official National
Archives: A Comprehensive list of Confederate Military Units recognizes the unit as Thomas’ Legion. There is no official
recognition for the 69th North Carolina Infantry Regiment, 80th North Carolina Infantry Regiment and Walker’s Regiment.
Official Records
of the Union and
Confederate Armies designated the unit as "Thomas' Legion." James R. Love II was assigned to Thomas' Legion, while William C. Walker out ranked ranked Love, he, Walker, was officially assigned to Walker's Battalion. In June 1863 the Adjutant and Inspector General’s Office (A.&I.G.O) in Richmond
officially received and recorded the muster rolls. Love’s Regiment was commissioned as “Infantry Regiment, Thomas’
Legion.” The battalion was officially recorded as “Walker’s Battalion, Thomas’
Legion.”
Every known recording regarding Walker and Walker’s Battalion reflects Lieut. Colonel Walker or
a derivative; he is never stated or recorded as a Colonel or what is currently referred to as “Full-Bird”
Colonel. William C. Walker's highest recorded rank is Lieutenant-Colonel; he was murdered in 1864. Often times in correspondence
one will shorten the lengthy title. Officially this doesn’t appear to be the case with Walker. I have read a few unofficial records
regarding Walker
as Col. Walker. This is acceptable unofficial or informal communication.
During the course of the War they strived to raise Walker's Battalion to a regiment.
Unofficially, many believed it qualified for regimental status; on the other hand, some believed it was never raised to a
full-regiment. But this is debatable because in 1864 many officially designated regiments now mustered only battalion strength.
In 1861 a typical regiment
mustered approximately 1,100 soldiers. In late 1863 and by early 1864, due to combat fatalities (killed-in-action), diseases,
wounds, missing-in-action, desertions, enlistment expiration, and soldiers captured by the enemy, many regiments
were reduced by as much as 70%.
In
Storm in the Mountains, Vernon Crow mentions on page 146 that Love's Regiment and 69th Regiment are interchangeable as stated
in Lt. Colonel Stringfield’s writings. He also states that in Captain Robert A. Akin’s writings (also spelled
Akins, Aikin, Aikins, Aiken, and Aikens), he interchanges Walker's Battalion with 80th Regiment.
(It appears that some of the soldiers believed the battalion had enough troops to be called Walker's Regiment or the 80th Regiment. This
is still unofficial though). Vernon Crow also states on page 146 that there is no official record that reflects that the battalion
was ever recognized as a regiment, or qualified as a regiment.
On
page 147 Vernon further states that in papers, letters, diaries—official and unofficial records—in public and
private collections, at universities and specialized archives, this author has not uncovered one single document to alter
the position that, during the war, "the Regiment was never called the Sixty-ninth, nor was the Battalion ever called the Eightieth
Regiment." Vernon's "key words" are "during the war."
In Volume III of Clark's Regiments, page 518,
Lt. Colonel B. G. McDowell of the Sixty-second North Carolina Infantry Regiment recorded, "...Major W. W. Stringfield
with 150 Cherokee Indians and whites of the Sixty-ninth North Carolina..."
Volume
III of Clark's Regiments, page 736 reflects: "...several companies of Walker's Battalion (of our Legion)..." and then on the very same page Clark also recorded: "Part of the Sixty-ninth and most of the Eightieth
(Walker's
Battalion which had been raised to a regiment)…"
Furthermore,
in Volume III of Clark's Regiments on page 662, B. T. Morris of the 64th North Carolina Infantry Regiment recorded, "...Colonel
Walker of the Eightieth North Carolina Regiment..." And he also recorded on pp. 662, 664 and 671, "Sixty-ninth and Eightieth."
Morris believed, as many believed, that Walker's Battalion had been raised to a regiment and he further referred to it as
the 80th North Carolina Regiment.
On pages 114 and 161 in Confederate Military History of North Carolina, D. H. Hill, Jr. mentions
80th Battalion twice. On page 220, Hill writes, Sixty-ninth (?) North
Carolina Regiment. Mr. Hill clarifies his (?) by stating he
believed that General Martin counted Thomas' Legion twice in Palmer's Brigade. In 1899 Mr. D. H. Hill was unaware that the Fourteenth North Carolina Battalion
had increased to a regiment and was designated the 69th North Carolina Regiment. Martin did not count the 69th twice,
the 69th North Carolina Regiment is referring to the cavalry regiment and Thomas' Legion is correctly included in the report (O.R., 1, 49, 1, 1048). Hill makes no reference to the 80th Regiment; he does mention on page 114, Lt. Colonel Walker's cavalry battalion,
and on page 161 he wrote Walker's Battalion.
Clark's Regiments an Extended Index to the Histories of
the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War 1861-65: On page 468 he mentions Walker's Battalion, Thomas' Legion; Col, 80th North Carolina State Troops.
Official Records of the Union
and Confederate Armies (O.R.) or Official Record of the War of the Rebellion, Series 1 - Volume 32 (Part II) page 642 records:
Thomas' (North Carolina) Regiment, Lieut. Col. James R. Love. Walker's
(North Carolina) Battalion, Lieut. Col. William C. Walker.
NPS
Index records Walker's Battalion, Thomas Legion, and it never mentions Walker’s Regiment or 80th Regiment.
Moreover, during the last months of the Civil War, both Confederate General Martin (O.R., 1, 49, 1, 1048) and Union General Stanley (O.R.,1, 49, 2, 309) referred to the command as Thomas' Legion. This reinforces the fact that
at the end of the war the legion was viewed as being intact, hence, the regiment and battalion were not viewed as separate
and distinct units. And in 1865, in Jefferson
Davis's Letter of Confidence in Thomas' Legion, President Davis recognizes the entire unit as Thomas' Legion.
James
R. Love II was also promoted to Colonel (equal to the rank of Thomas), however, since the promotion occurred during
the last month of the war it was never official. He was also recommended for promotion
to Brigadier General, according to Lt. Colonel Stingfield's diary, November 1, 1864. In O.R., 1, 49, 2, 669, on May 7, 1865, James R. Love was officially recorded as Lieutenant Colonel. In the
same report, the writer was precise in his address by recording COLONEL Thomas and LEIUTENANT COLONEL
Love. However, Love was nominated and selected for COLONEL, but
since it occurred in the last month of the war, it never officially occurred. But, in informal communication, it
is acceptable to write or state, COLONEL in lieu of LEIUTENANT COLONEL.
Will Thomas concluded the recruitment
of the Cherokee Battalion in early 1865 (O.R.,
1, 49, 2, 754 and the Cherokee Battalion and Life Guard).
Also in the O.R. (original spelling):
Report
of Lieut. C. H. Taylor: Thomas’ Legion C. S. Army.
Murphy,
N.C.
November 1, 1863.
Sir:
on October 27, General Vaughn, with a detachment of his mounted men, overtook Goldman Bryson, with his company of mounted
robbers, in Cherokee County, N.C., attacked him, killing 2 and capturing 17 men and 30 horses.
On
the 28th, I left Murphy with 19 men, taking Bryson’s trail through the mountains; followed him 25 miles, when I came
upon him and fired on him, killing him, and capturing 1 man with him. I found in his possession his orders from General Burnside
and his roll and other papers.
My
men acted nobly; marched two days, and without anything to eat.
Yours
Respectfully,
C.
H. Taylor
Lieutenant,
Comdg, Co. B, Infantry Regt., Thomas’ Legion
Lieutenant
Colonel Walker
Commanding
Battalion, Thomas’ Legion
Also
in the O.R.:
General
Bragg:
Permit
me, General, to recommend to your notice C. H. Taylor, lieutenant, who commanded the Indians at the killing of Captain Bryson.
You will pardon me, General, in not sending this through the proper channel, we have no mails.
W.
C. Walker,
Lieutenant-Colonel,
Comdg. Battalion, Thomas’ Legion
In
the O.R. Colonel Thomas wrote:
Quallatown, N.C., February 28, 1864.
TO THE GOVERNOR AND COUNCIL OF SOUTH CAROLINA:
SIRS: At the commencement of the present war I urged
the Carolinians to make preparations for defending the passes in the Smoky Mountain for their common protection, and to aid
as far as I could in keeping back the Northern vandals, by the express permission of President Davis, I raised a Legion of
Indians and Highlanders. Last fall when East Tennessee was unfortunately surrendered to the enemy, I, with the Indians, was ordered
to fall back on the Smoky Mountains to check the progress of the enemy.
[In the same letter, Thomas also emphasized that the Indians were starving
and he further pleaded with South Carolina’s officials to immediately send the Cherokees provisions of corn, flour,
rice, beans, grain, and cotton for clothes. He further offered to pay for these provisions at his own expense. Should food
fail to arrive the Indians will certainly die and Thomas’ Legion will lack sufficient force to protect South Carolina’s
northwestern region. Hence, the Legion will retreat across the “Blue Ridge Line” and Lincoln will have access
to subjugate South Carolina. Subsequently, the South Carolinians met his requests, thus postponing the Indians’ starvation.]
Your obedient servant,
WM. H. Thomas
Colonel Thomas’ Legion Indians and Highlanders
Below
are additional 'official records' and information regarding Thomas' Legion and Walker's Battalion, etc.
In
October 1863 General A. E. Jackson's Brigade consisted of Thomas' Legion only: see O.R., 1, 29, 2, 812 and Thomas' Regiment: O.R., 1, 33, 1137. Was it a Legion or a Brigade? This confusing command structure was
highly contested. The situation was extremely tense between Jackson and Thomas, so General Jackson had Thomas
arrested in June of 1863 and charged with "disobedience of orders."
Original
Text, Spelling, and Footnotes:
Organization
of Buckner’s Division, Brig. Gen. Bushrod R. Johnson, C. S. Army, commanding, April 20, 1864.*
Jackson’s Brigade.
Brig.
Gen. Alfred E. Jackson.
Thomas’
regiment,++ Lieut. Col. James R. Love.
Walker’s battalion,++ Lieut. Col. James
A. Mckamy.
Levi’s
(Virginia)
battery.
Burroughs’
(Tennessee)
battery.
McClung’s
(Tennessee)
battery.
Johnson’s
Brigade.
Col.
John S. Fulton.
17th
Tennessee,
Col. R. H. Keeble.
23rd
Tennessee,
Col. R. H. Keeble.
25th
Tennessee,
Lieut. Col. John L. McEwen, jr.
44th
Tennessee,
Lieut. Col. John L. McEwen, jr.
63d
Tennessee,
Col. Abraham Folkerson.
Detachments,
+ Capt. Nathan Dodd.
Gracie’s
Brigade
Brig.
Gen. Archibald Gracie, Jr.
41st
Alabama,
Col. Martin L. Stansel.
43rd
Alabama,
Lieut. Col. John J. Jolly.
59th
Alabama,
Col. Bolling Hall, jr.
60th
Alabama,
Maj. Hatch Cook.
23rd
Alabama,
Battalion Sharpshooters, Maj. Nicholas Stallworth.
++
Otherwise known as the Thomas (North Carolina) Legion
+
From the Sixteenth Georgia Battalion and the Third, Thirty-first, Forty-third, Sixtieth, Sixty-first, and Sixty-second Tennessee
Regiments.
•
As shown by inspection reports of Lieu. Col. Archer Anderson, assistant adjutant-general. Jackson’s brigade at Carter’s Depot,
the others near Zollicoffer.
O.R., 1, 32, 3, 802
There
are a few records reflecting Thomas’ regiment, North Carolina, and Thomas’ regiment, North Carolina Volunteers. Notice the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies adds a footnote when it recorded
Thomas’ regiment, North Carolina. The footnotes in the Official Records clarify the command by recording "otherwise known as the Thomas
(North Carolina) Legion." This evidence reinforces the command rivalry between A. E. Jackson and William H. Thomas. In Lt. Colonel
William Stringfield’s writings: “It appears that Jackson broke up the Legion in order to make it a brigade and call it his Brigade.” And the organization
demotes the “Legion” by stating “regiment.” When you view the brigade it includes Thomas' Legion and
Thomas' entire Legion. The regiment, battalion, and artillery battery are core of the brigade and Thomas' entire Legion. Otherwise if Brig. Gen. A. E. Jackson called it a Legion, the Brigade designation would have little merit
or value.
Notice
the O.R. reflect who is commanding the regiment within the legion, Lieut. Col. James R. Love. Other times in the O.R. it states
Col. William H. Thomas commanding the regiment.
Library
of Congress:
Included:
original spelling and footnotes:
One
month before 1865 the Congress of the Confederate States of America records (still refers to the organization as Thomas' Legion):
Journal
of the Congress of the Confederate States of America, 1861-1865 [Volume 4]
MONDAY, November 21, 1864.
To
His Excellency Jefferson Davis,
President,
etc.
Executive
Department, Confederate States
of America,
Richmond, November 21, 1864.
To
the Senate of the Confederate States:
Agreeably
to the recommendation of the Secretary of War, I nominate James W. Terrell, of North Carolina, to be an assistant quartermaster, with the
rank of captain in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States of America.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
No.
11.] War Department, Confederate States
of America,
Richmond, November 19, 1864.
Sir:
I have the honor to recommend the nomination of James W. Terrell, of North Carolina, to be an assistant quartermaster, with
rank of captain in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States of America, for duty with Thomas' Legion
(an original vacancy), to date from November 12, 1864.
I
am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant,
JAMES
A. SEDDON, Secretary of War.
EXECUTIVE
SESSION.
The
following message was received from the President of the Confederate orates, by Mr. B. N. Harrison, his Secretary:
Executive
Department, Confederate States
of America,
Richmond, November 24, 1864.
To
the Senate of the Confederate States:
Agreeably
to the recommendation of the Secretary of War, I nominate Thomas D. Johnston, of North Carolina, to be assistant commissary, with rank of
captain in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States of America.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
No.
16.] War Department, Confederate States
of America,
Richmond, November 22, 1864.
Sir:
I have the honor to recommend the nomination of Thomas D. Johnston, of North Carolina, to be assistant commissary, with rank
of captain in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States of America, for duty with Thomas' Legion
(an original vacancy), to date from November 21, 1864.
I
am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant,
JAMES
A. SEDDON,
Secretary
of War.
To
His Excellency Jefferson Davis,
President,
etc.
The
message was read.
Ordered,
That it be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
On
motion by Mr. Sparrow,
The
Senate resolved rate open legislative session.
In
early 1864 the Congress of the Confederate States of America recorded:
Journal
of the Congress of the Confederate States of America, 1861-1865 [Volume 3]
FRIDAY, January 15, 1864.
To
His Excellency Jefferson Davis,
President,
etc.
The
message was read.
Ordered,
That it be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
The
following message was received from the President of the Confederate States, by Mr. B. N. Harrison, his Secretary:
Executive
Department, Confederate States
of America,
Richmond, January 14, 1864.
To
the Senate of the Confederate States:
Agreeably
to the recommendation of the Secretary of War, I nominate the officers on the accompanying list to the rank affixed to their
names, respectively.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
War
Department, Confederate States
of America,
Richmond, January 6, 1864.
Sir:
I have the honor to recommend the following nominations for appointment in the Provisional Army of the Confederate States
of America:
Adjutants--first
lieutenants.
•
E. S. Hammond, of Tennessee, to be adjutant Fourteenth Tennessee Cavalry Regiment, to rank from July 1, 1863.
•
John L. Barksdale, of Tennessee, to be adjutant Fifteenth Tennessee Cavalry Regiment, to rank from August 27, 1863.
•
W. B. Jones, of Tennessee, to be adjutant Sixteenth Tennessee Cavalry Regiment, to rank from August 29, 1863.
•
W. G. Williams, of North Carolina, to be adjutant Sixty-sixth North Carolina Regiment, to rank from November 30, 1863.
•
P. C. Gaston, of North Carolina, to be adjutant Walker's battalion, Thomas' Legion, to rank from May 20, 1863.
•
D. H. Halsey, of Alabama, to be adjutant Fourth Alabama Cavalry Regiment, to rank from October 1, 1863.
•
C. Wick. Gue, of Alabama, to be adjutant Twenty-fourth Alabama Battalion, to rank from December 16, 1863.
•
W. L. Pike, of Missouri, to be adjutant Seventh Missouri Cavalry Regiment, to rank from December 12, 1863.
•
G. E. Manigault, of South Carolina, to be adjutant Fourth South Carolina Cavalry Regiment, to rank from December 1, 1863.
•
John McRae, of Mississippi, to be adjutant Forty-sixth Mississippi Regiment, to rank from November 17, 1863.
•
C. V. Thompson, of Tennessee, to be adjutant Thirteenth Tennessee Regiment, to rank from December 4, 1863.
•
C. E. Kimball, of Virginia, to be adjutant Sixth Virginia Cavalry Regiment, to rank from October 1, 1863.
•
John Fennelly, of Louisiana, to be adjutant Fourteenth Louisiana Regiment, to rank from December 12, 1863.
•
O. R. Funsten, of Virginia, to be adjutant Eleventh Virginia Cavalry Regiment, to rank from December 7, 1863.
•
A. J. Brooks, of Alabama, to be adjutant Forty-sixth Alabama Regiment, to rank from November 17, 1863.
•
John Law, of Georgia, to be adjutant Thirty-eighth Georgia Regiment, to rank from November 21, 1863.
•
D. A. Hinton, of Virginia, to be adjutant Forty-fourth Virginia Battalion, to rank from December 15, 1863.
•
J. E. H. Post, of Maryland, to be adjutant First Maryland Battalion Cavalry, to rank from December 1, 1863.
I
am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant,
JAMES
A. SEDDON,
Secretary
of War.
To
His Excellency Jefferson Davis,
President,
etc.
The
message was read.
Ordered,
That it be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
On
motion by Mr. Johnson of Arkansas,
The
Senate resolved into open legislative session.
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