Georgia Militia

The Georgia Militia existed from 1733 to 1879. It was originally planned by General James Oglethorpe before the founding of the Province of Georgia, the Crown colony that would become the U.S. state of Georgia. One reason for the founding of the colony was to act as a buffer between the Spanish settlements in Florida and the British colonies to the north.The Historical Society of the Georgia National Guard For background with respect to the region's Native Americans, see the Yamasee War (1715–1717) and Cherokee–American wars (1776–1795).

Gordon Smith states, "'ante-bellum' Georgia was in an almost constant swirl of 'war or rumors of war'" due to the presence of Tories, Indians, bandits, privateers, and border disputes with France and Spain. "Central to the American concept of a republican democracy, composed as it was of citizen-soldiers, the militia system was essential to the political and social structure. The basic building blocks at the bottom of the Georgia Militia pyramid were the general militia districts. Formally established pursuant to the Militia Act of 1784, these theoretically contained one company of at least sixty-three men … the governor as commander-in-chief. ... "The General Militia Acts of 1803, 1807, and 1818 directed that all district male residents from eighteen to forty-five years old, except those exempted by laws such as ministers, enrol in their district company and perform regularly scheduled drills, at the designated unit muster ground."Smith, pp 21–22 Campaigns included the War of Jenkins' Ear, 1737-1748, American Revolutionary War, 1775–1783, the Oconee Wars, 1787–1797, The Embargo Wars, 1807–1812, the War of 1812, 1812–1815, the First Seminole War, 1817–1819, the Second Seminole War, 1835–1843, the Creek War of 1836, 1836–1837, the Cherokee Disturbances and Cherokee Removal, 1836–1838, and the Mexican–American War, 1846–1848.Smith, pp 5-9

Three brigades of militia under the command of Brigadier General Pleasant J. Philips engaged U.S. forces on November 22, 1864, near Macon, Georgia, in the Battle of Griswoldville, the first battle of Sherman's March to the Sea. On April 16, 1865, in response to Wilson's Raid through Alabama, militia forces under the command of Brigadier General Robert C. Tyler engaged U.S. soldiers at the Battle of West Point. The desperate Battle of Columbus (1865), fought the same day, would prove to be one of the last battles of the American Civil War east of the Mississippi River.

Notable generals George T. Anderson, 11th Division, 1848–1850.Smith, P. 257 Allen S. Cutts, 2nd Brigade, 1861, future mayor of Americus.Smith, P. 275 Allen Daniel Jr., (1807 -1817) Promoted to Major General of the 4th Division on November 9, 1812. Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives (1822), State Senator, namesake of Danielsville and Fort Daniel (1813) Robert Milner Echols, 11th Division, 1833.Smith p. 283 Samuel Elbert, 1782, Georgia State Navy, future governor.Smith, p. 285 William Ezzard, 1st Brigade of the 11th Division, 1830–1840, future mayor of Atlanta.Smith, p. 287 Charles Rinaldo Floyd, 1st Brigade of the 1st Division, 1829.Smith, p. 289 John Floyd (Georgia politician), 1st Brigade of 1st Division and then 1st Division, 1806–1829, future US Representative, and father of Charles Rinaldo Floyd.Smith, p. 291 Ira Roe Foster, 2nd Brigade of the 7th Division, 1845–1851.Smith, p. 292 Thomas Glascock (I), 1st Brigade of the 2nd Division, 1792, and father of Thomas Glascock (II).Smith, pp 293–294 Thomas Glascock (II), 1st Brigade of the 2nd Division, 1816–1822, future US Representative.Smith, p. 294 James Gunn (senator), 1st Brigade of the 1st Division, 1792–1801, future US Senator.Smith 297 Hugh A. Haralson, 9th Division, 1838, future US Representative, and father-in-law of John Brown Gordon.Smith, pp 299–300 Jeptha Vining Harris, promoted to major general of the 4th Division on November 9, 1829, resigning his commission in 1845.(Ref 20 - see \Cowan\Cowan Library Research0001.pdf file) George Paul Harrison Sr., 1st Brigade, 1856–1861.Smith, p. 303 Jared Irwin, 2nd Brigade of the 2nd Division, 1792, future governor.Smith, 312 James Jackson (politician), 1st Brigade, 1786, future US Representative, US Senator, and governor.Smith, p. 315 David Meriwether, 3rd Division, September 21, 1797 commission, future Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives David Brydie Mitchell, 1st Brigade of the 1st Division, 1803, future mayor of Savannah and governor.Smith, p. 325 Daniel Newnan, 3rd Division, 1817–1825, future US Representative.Smith, p. 330 John C. Nicholls, 2nd Brigade of the 6th Division, 1861, future US Representative.Smith, p. 331 Charles Phillips, 1st Brigade of the 5th Division, 1825–1828. Member of the Georgia House of Representatives in 1821 and 1822 and the Georgia Senate in 1823. General Phillips and his wife, Anne (Nicks) Phillips, were the parents of Pleasant J. Philips and Elizabeth Y. Phillips. Elizabeth married Colonel Reuben J. Crews in 1828, and their first child was C.C. Crews.Smith, pp 331–332 John W. A. Sanford, 3rd Division, 1832–1850, future US Representative.Smith, p. 335 Paul Jones Semmes, 1st Brigade of the 4th Division, 1837-1840.Smith, p. 337 Daniel Stewart Benjamin Taliaferro, 3rd Division, 1795, future US Representative.Smith, P. 343 Josiah Tattnall, 1st Regiment, 1801, future US Senator and governor.Smith, pp. 343–344 Jett Thomas, 3rd Division, 1816.Smith, p. 345 Wiley Thompson, 4th Division, 1817, future US Representative.Smith, p. 346–347

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Georgia Militia

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