Alan J. Pitts
Re: Murphy's Cavalry Battalion
Wed May 2 10:17:09 2001


This officer must have been some kind of character. Samuel Jenning Murphy raised an independent company of cavalry, the "Curry Dragoons", and briefly served as Lt.Col. of the 3rd Alabama Cavalry. How and why he left that command is not known to me, but it must have happened before the 3rd Cavalry went to Kentucky in the late summer of 1862. Murphy was not included among the field officers assigned to duty with the 15th Confederate. He later (1864) submitted a voucher for "secret service", but I suppose that's another story.

Murphy's Battalion was an informal organization that never appeared on the registers of the war department. To my knowledge there were no staff officers assigned and Murphy himself had no commission after he left the 3rd Alabama Cavalry.

Here are my notes on companies that composed this battalion. If a reader would like to use this information in a publication, I ask that they contact me first.

Companies and Their Captains

Company "A" of Jackson County, Florida "Marianna Dragoons"

Richard L. Smith. Later served as Captain of Company "B", 15th Confederate Cavalry Regiment.

This command mustered at Marianna, Florida, March 14, 1862. Captain Smith reported a variety of weapons in use by his company on July 21, 1863, including Maynard carbines, sporting rifles and muskets. Members later were assigned to Company “B”, 15th Confederate Cavalry Regiment. Early service records of this company are found Microcopy M251(Florida), reel 19.

Company "B" of Mobile County "Mobile Dragoons"

John H. Marshall. Later served as Captain of Company “G”, 15th Confederate Cavalry Regiment.

This company enrolled for twelve months under Captain James Hagan at Mobile, Alabama, July 30, 1861, the original muster roll being dated August 2, 1861. Officers and men reenlisted for two years or the war on May 19,1862, and served as an independent command near Bayou LeBatre, Alabama, until the early summer of 1863. Members included a number of men from the southern counties of Alabama and Mississippi, as well as a contingent from New Orleans, Louisiana. The company later served of Company “G”, 15th Confederate Cavalry Regiment.

Company "C" of Mobile and Baldwin Counties "Dorrance Rangers"

John W. Murrell. Later served as Captain of Company “H”, 15th Confederate Cavalry Regiment.

On May 9, 1862, Captain Murrell requested authority to recruit this company. He reported 25 horses on hand on July 1, 1862. The complete complement of officers and men were accepted in Confederate service as partisan rangers at Mobile, Alabama, September 4, 1862. On August 9, 1863, Captain Murrell reported arms on hand which included 12 Enfield rifles, a .58 cal. carbine and a .50 cal. rifled musket. Officers and men later served as Company “H”, 15th Confederate Cavalry Regiment.

Company "D" of Choctaw and Washington Counties

James White. Resigned December 27, 1862, being overweight, overage, and desirous of attending to his large plantation.
Duncan McKellar. Promoted Captain to rank from December 27, 1862. Later served as Captain of Company “K”, 15th Confederate Cavalry Regiment.

Members held elections in Washington County, Alabama, March 17, 1862. Captain James White's Company served with the 15th Alabama Partisan Ranger Battalion during the following year without ever being formally attached. It became Company “K” of the Confederate Cavalry Regiment.

Battles and Skirmishes

None reported.

Unit Bibliography

Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Alabama, Microcopy 311 (Washington: National Archives & Records Service, 1960), reels 44-46.