Alan J. Pitts
Re: Provost Duty, Camp Wright, Macon GA
Wed Jun 20 11:35:19 2001


I'm not familiar with the unit. However, I'd guess this to be an ad hoc command created for emergency duty during Sherman's march to the sea. There was fighting near Macon in late November 1864.

I can't think of any great distinction between provost guards and military police, a more modern term. The military law of Feb. 17, 1864, specified that Senior Reserves were to replace able-bodied men on provost guard duty. When the supply of seniors was exhausted, convalescents and other men from from front-line units could be assigned while they were physically unfit for field service.

Keep in mind that the unit at Camp Wright was a temporary command. All the men assigned to it belonged to other Confederate regiments &c. Also, provost guard duty was also a temporary assignment. Officers and men on detail duty for recruiting or provost guard duty were assumed to be absent from their regular commands for a limited time.

Considering various detail duties, I recently saw a note stating that an officer was absent, having been assigned to "impress negroes". This could be taken a number of ways; however, I believe he was expected to assist the quartermaster department by collecting able-bodied slave laborers for a construction project.