Sketches of Company "A", 2nd Regiment of North Carolina Cavalry, from May 1st, 1861 to January 1st, 1862

Number One

It was about the middle of May, 1861, that a very sudden and determined reaction took place among the people of Western North Carolina, who had previously been opposed to secession, and had voted, by an overwhelming majority, against Convention. The causes which led to this sudden change on the part of our honest mountain yeomanry, are perhaps very well understood, as having been caused by the course which President Lincoln was disposed to pursue with regard to the seceded States.

First, his proclamation of the 15th of April, calling upon North Carolina for troops, to wage war upon her sister States of the South, began to kindle the fires of patriotism in their breasts and then the intelligence of his attempting to reinforce the garrison at Fort Sumter, after promising the Peace Commissioners at Washington that the Fort should be evacuated in less than ten days, was well calculated to fan the sparks of patriotism, already started, into a violent flame, especially when it was understood that Mr. Lincoln's, who had just been elected President, policy was for war, and in violation of the Constitution of the United States, he assumed the unprecedented prerogative of declaring war upon South Carolina and the other seceded States.

As these proceedings on the part of the President became the all absorbing topic of conversation in Cherokee and Clay Counties, it became evident that war was inevitable, and the formation of military companies began seriously to engage the attention of the people. George W. Hayes, who was then the Representative from Cherokee and Clay counties, in the General Assembly had been appointed and commissioned a Captain, with authority to raise a company of cavalry, and returning home from Raleigh in May, he at once went to work to raise his company, which was completed within a few days by the enrollment of one hundred and eight men.

Even before the assembling of the State Convention on the 20th of May, it was a foregone conclusion that the State would secede, and when that event took place, it found the country ready to engage in a war, and to link the destiny of North Carolina with that of the Southern Confederacy. Captain Hayes' company of "Cherokee Rangers," was the first company to march from these counties to the war. It was made up for three years or the war, and first entered the State service and was afterwards transferred to the Confederate States Army. The company was ordered to assemble on the 19th of June, 1861, at Valleytown in Cherokee County, at which time and place the company was organized by the election of officers. Although Captain Hayes had been commissioned for the purpose and had raised the company, he declined to assume the command of it, without an election, and on submitting himself as a candidate, he was unanimously elected as Captain, which was unmistakable evidence of the popularity and high esteem with which he was regarded by his men.

The following is the roll of the company as first organized:

Cherokee Rangers

Officers:
George W. Hayes, Captain
John V. B. Rogers, 1st Lieutenant
Wm. P. Moore, 2nd Lieutenant
John M. Martin, 2nd Lieutenant

Non-Commissioned Officers:
Jacob E. Williams, Orderly Sergeant
N. W. Moore, Quartermaster Sergeant
David L. Whitaker, 1st Sergeant
Hilliard W. Ledford, 2nd Sergeant
E. J. Fain, 3rd Sergeant
Joab L. Moore, 4th Sargeant
J. P. Sanderson, 1st Corporal
Caswell L. Fain, 2nd Corporal
Wm. A. Loudermilk, 3rd Corporal
Jno. B. Standridge, 4th Corporal
Buglers, Thos. J. Colvard and McAnelly Cooper

Privates:
John A. Ammons
Wm. Angel
David P. Arrowwood

Homer Barnard
John D. Berry
William P. Berry
Ezekiel Birchfield
W. Birchfield
Samuel B. Brady
Julius W. Brittain
F. S. Brockman
John O. Brown
John S. Brown
William H. Brown
Samuel Bryson
David A. Byers

Wm. H. Carver
William J. Clark
Miles Codey
Smith W. Coffey
A. N. Colvard
Payton S. Colvard
William P. Colvard
Green B. Cooper
John F. Crawford
William A. Curtis

Alberter D. Dale
Jacob Dale
John H. Dale
William D. Dale
Miles H. Davis

Allan T. Edwards
Abram A. Eller
Abram E. Evans

Samuel C. Ferguson
Thomas M. Ferguson
Francis M. Fisher

Waitsel A. Hagler
Solomon Haney
David C. Harvill
Fidelia Harwood
Joseph Hawkins
James H. Hicks
Joseph L. Hicks
John C. Huskins

Eli Ingram

Andrew J. Johnson
George W. Johnson

John Kelley
Elisha Kilpatrick
Mark C. King

Hembree C. Ledford
William H. Ledford

Thomas R. Manchester
Benjamin F. Martin
Wm. J. Martin
G. L. D. McClelland
William R. McCornell
Nicholas McGuire
Pinekney A. Moore

Terrell Newman

David Panther
Amaziah M. Price
Fielding Price
John T. Pullam

Bluford Rhea
John H. Rhea
P. M. G. Rhea
Eli Roberts
W. S. P. Roberts
George W. Rowan

John Sanders
John M. Sanders
George W. Sanderson
B. T. Sherrill
L. L. Sherrill
W. M. Sherrill
James M. Shields
Isaac J. Slaughter
Ross B. Smith
George W. Snider
John Swanger

Francis M. Taylor
Wm. B. Tidwell
Joseph Tucker

Jesse M. Walker
Jonathan Welch
William B. Wilson

McDowell York
William York

D. N. Zimmerman
H. Zimmerman

After the organization of the company on the 19th of June, the men were dismissed to find lodging for the night, in the vicinity of Valleytown among the kind citizens, and over a hundred were entertained in this manner, and furnished with the best the country afforded, not only for supper and breakfast, but next day two wagons were loaded with the very best provisions and dainties of all descriptions, which the country could afford, and the skill of the ladies could prepare, which were sent with the company on the march.



Source: The Living and Dead, Volume IV, Number 1, March 1876