Cobb's Legion was organized by Howell Cobb during the spring of 1861 and soon moved to Virginia. The legion was composed of cavalry, infantry, and artillery, but did not serve as one command. The artillery company was an independent unit known as the Troup Light Artillery and its history is given under that name. This book covers the infantry battalion. There is a separate volume for the cavalry battalion. The infantry battalion included men from Stephens, Lamar, Burke, and Carroll counties. It contained seven companies and in April, 1862, had a force of 594 effectives. The battalion served under Generals H. Cobb, T.R.R. Cobb, Wofford, and DuBose. It fought with the Army of Northern Virginia from the Seven Days' Battles to Gettysburg, then moved with Longstreet to Georgia. Not engaged at Chickamauga, it was active in the Knoxville Campaign. Returning to Virginia the unit took an active part in the battles of The Wilderness, Spotsylvania, and Cold Harbor, moved with Early to the Shenandoah Valley, and saw action in the Appomattox Campaign. Its casualties were twenty-seven percent of the 248 at Crampton's Gap, 22 killed and 135 wounded at Chancellorsville, and about ten percent of the 213 at Gettysburg disabled. Many were captured at Sayler's Creek and only 1 officer and 55 men surrendered. Companies Of The GA Cobb's Legion A Company (Lamar Infantry) was formed in Newton County, Georgia. B Company (Bowdon Volunteers) was formed in Carroll County, Georgia. C Company (Stephens Rifles) was formed in DeKalb County, Georgia. D Company (Mell Rifles) was formed in Clarke County, Georgia. E Company (Poythress Volunteers) was formed in Burke County, Georgia. F Company (Carroll Boys) was formed in Carroll County, Georgia. G Company (Panola Guards) was formed in Morgan County, Georgia.

"The best regiment of either army, North or South"--this was the description of Cobb's Legion offered by Confederate General Wade Hampton during the Civil War. This large and experienced unit played a crucial role for the South throughout the war. Their actions in more than 130 battles and other engagements over the course of the war are the subject of this book. Additionally, biographies of the officers and the nearly 1500 men of the regiment are included, as well as records of those who died, deserted, or were prisoners of war.

“The best regiment of either army, North or South”—this was the description of Cobb’s Legion offered by Confederate General Wade Hampton during the Civil War. This large and experienced unit played a crucial role for the South throughout the war. Their actions in more than 130 battles and other engagements over the course of the war are the subject of this book. Additionally, biographies of the officers and the nearly 1500 men of the regiment are included, as well as records of those who died, deserted, or were prisoners of war.

The 20th Georgia Infantry was formed at Columbus in May 1861. They served in the Army of Northern Virginia throughout most of its campaigns. They were attached to Early's Brigade in September of 1861 and transferred to the brigades of Generals Toombs and Benning in April 1862. The 20th fought with the army from the Seven Days Battles to Cold Harbor. They went with General Longstreet to fight at Suffolk, Chickamauga, and operations in east Tennessee including Chattanooga and Knoxville, then returned to Virginia in time for the spring campaign of 1864, enduring the hardships of the Petersburg trenches south and north of the James River. Companies Of The GA 20th Infantry Regiment Company A: Bibb County Company B: Muscogee County. Company C: Jefferson County. Company D: Polk County. Company E: Harris County Company F: Fulton County. Company G: Muscogee County. Company H: Telfair County. Company I: Muscogee County. Company K: Richmond County.

The Phillips Legion's Infantry Battalion formed the infantry component of this Georgia unit. As originally organized in 1861 the Legion contained six infantry companies (A -F) and four cavalry companies. During the spring of 1862, three new infantry companies, L, M and O, were recruited in Cobb and Bartow counties and added to the Infantry Battalion. These nine companies, retaining their original company letter designations, served throughout the remainder of the war. Like almost all Civil War Legions, the infantry and cavalry battalions of the unit were separated early in the war (July 1862). Shortly after being mustered into Confederate service at Lynchburg, Va. on August 9th 1861, the unit was ordered into the mountains of western Virginia (today's West Virginia) to serve in the Army of the Kanawha under General John B. Floyd. The unit endured brutal winter weather and disease until December 16, 1861 when it was ordered to South Carolina. The unit, now expanded with the addition of companies L, M & O, next served in the Department of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. In July of 1862 the Battalion returned to Virginia as part of Thomas Drayton's mixed Georgia, South Carolina brigade, joining the Army of Northern Virginia. It was reassigned to General T R R Cobb's Georgia brigade in November of 1862 and continued to serve with the ANV until the late summer of 1863 when it was moved west to Georgia along with two divisions of Longstreet's Corps, serving in the Army of Tennessee at Chattanooga and later in the Department of East Tennessee during the Knoxville campaign. Returned to Virginia in April of 1864, the unit again served in the Army of Northern Virginia. In August of 1864, the unit joined the Army of the Valley District where it served in the Shenandoah Valley until November, 1864. Once again returned to the Army of Northern Virginia, the Battalion served in that Army for the duration of the war. Companies Of Phillips Legion Company A. - "Greene Rifles" - Greene County Company B -"Dalton Guards" - Whitfield County Company C - "Habersham Rifles" or "Habersham Volunteers" - Cobb and Habersham Counties Company D - "Polk Rifles" - Polk County. Company E - "Blue Ridge Rifles" - Lumpkin County. Company F - "Lochrane Guards" - Bibb County. Company L - "Blackwell Volunteers" - Cobb County. Company M - "Denmead Volunteers" - Cobb County. Company O - "Marietta Guards" - Cobb and Bartow County.

The GA 38th Infantry Regiment was a part of the Lawton - Gordon - Evans brigade made up of the 13th, 26th, 31st, 38th, 60th, & 61st Georgia Regiments and the 12th Georgia Light Artillery Battalion. It fought in many conflicts from the Seven Days' Battles to Cold Harbor, then moved with Early to the Shenandoah Valley and was active around Appomattox. The unit lost 54 killed and 118 wounded at Gaines' Mill and sixty-two percent of the 123 engaged at Sharpsburg. In the fight at Fredericksburg there were 10 killed and 91 wounded, and of the 341 at Gettysburg, more than thirty-five percent were disabled. It surrendered with 112, of which 73 were armed.

The 3rd Ga Battalion Sharpshooters was formed from troops primarily from the Wofford's Brigade which consisted of the 16th Georgia Infantry, 18th Georgia Infantry, 24th Georgia Infantry, Cobb's Georgia Legion, and Phillips' Georgia Legion. Gen. Wofford was very interested in the use of battalion sharpshooters as a select, light infantry unit, as Rhodes had demonstrated its value. When the Confederate Congress signed off on the establishment of the Sharpshooter Battalions, Wofford acted at once. He and his staff selected the officers, and the officers were to hand-pick only veteran soldiers, five from each company of each regiment of the brigade. They were equipped with the best available weapons, and trained in scouting, to be deployed as flank protection when the brigade was on the move, skirmish duties when the brigade was on the attack, and sniper and harassment actions. We know that they were first called out to action as a unit at Chancellorsville, but the official designation was not made until 8, June. The battalion fought throughout the war in Virginia except when they accompanied Longstreet to Tennessee where they participated in Chickamauga and Knoxville. They surrendered 1 officer and 22 men at Appomattox. Companies of the GA 3rd Infantry Battalion Sharpshooters Company A was formed in June 1863 from men of the 18th GA Company B was formed in June 1863 from men of the 24th GA Company C was formed in June 1863 from men of the 16th GA Company D was formed in June 1863 from men of Cobb's Legion Infantry Company E was formed in June 1863 from men of the 24th GA Company F was formed in June 1863 from men of the Phillips Legion Infantry