Cumberland
County, NC
Civil War Companies
Formed in Cumberland County, North Carolina
If you have additional information, troop rosters, etc. on any of these companies, please email me - Myrtle Bridges - for details about how to submit it.
Many thanks to Jo Grasso kodiwolf@earthlink.net - for submitting this information!
At the outset of the Civil War Cumberland County, NC provided eight initial Confederate Companies. Roy Parker and Raleigh Divas in A Brief History of Cumberland County estimated that 1/4 of those who served in these units were white males and 1/3 were Black males.
1. The Fayetteville Independent Light Infantry served with the Big Bethal Regiment of the 1st North Carolina Regiment. The Bethel Regiment was formed at Big Bethal Church, Virginia on June 10, 1861.
2. The Lafayette Light Guard also served with the First North Carolina Regiment. The Lafayette became an artillery unit that became part of the 13th North Carolina Battalion known as "Starrs Battery" under the leadership of Captain Joseph Starr.
3. The Cumberland Plowboys, an infantry company, commanded by Jonathan Evans became Company F of the 24th North Carolina.
4. Company E of the 8th North Carolina was originally raised as the "Manchester Guardians" in Northern Cumberland County. Captain James M. Williams commanded this company.
5. The Carolina Boys were Company K of the 38th North Carolina Regiment headed by Captain Murdoch McLaughlin McRae age 20. This unit boasted the highest percentage of men with Highland Scot names in the Confederacy. Captains Peter Mallet, O.H. Blocker, Francis N. Roberts and Peter Sinclair commanded troops in this regiment.
6. Company D of the 2nd Regiment of North Carolina Cavalry was formed in 1861 under Captain James W. Strang.
7. McNeill's Company of Partisan Rangers became Company A of the 5th North Carolina Cavalry in 1862 and was commanded by James H. McNeill.
The 51st Regiment of the North Carolina Troops, according to A.A. McKethan (2nd Lieut, 51st Regiment), could be called the "Cape Fear Regiment" as the ten companies composing it came from the counties of Cumberland, Sampson, Duplin, Columbus, Robeson and New Hanover. The 51st Regiment was organized on April 3, 1862 in Wilmington, North Carolina.
Cumberland
County Battn., Detailed Men, was abstracted from microfilm roll
M270-566. "Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers who served
in Organizations from the State of North Carolina."
