John C Rigdon

Historical Sketch and Roster of The North Carolina 16th Cavalry Battalion John C Rigdon

The North Carolina 16th Cavalry Battalion [also called 75th Regiment-7th Cavalry] was formed in July, 1864, by consolidating the five North Carolina companies of the 7th Confederate Cavalry Regiment, the three North Carolina companies of the 62nd Georgia Cavalry Regiment, and Company C of the 12th North Carolina Cavalry Battalion. The 16th served along the Weldon railroad at the end of the war and was engaged in numerous skirmishes. It let the final Cavalry charge at Appomattox. Two firsthand accounts are included which provide details on these last few months of the war. Company A - Wayne and Johnston - Captain, W. A. Thompson. Company B - Mayne, Wake and Johnston - Originally commanded by Captain J. T. Kennedy, then divided into two companies. Captain John A. Richardson and Geo. T. Dees. (Company C - Forsyth and Guilford - Captain, T. R Duvall. These three companies had been assigned to Colonel Griffin's Sixty-second Georgia in August, 1862. The five companies transferred from Colonel Claiborne's, later Colonel James Dearing's Seventh Confederate Cavalry, became: Company D - Ca])tain J. J. Lawrence, later Captain L. G. Pitts, from Wilson and Johnston. Company E - Captain B. C. Clement, from Davie. Company F - Captain W. K. Lane, of Wayne. The company was from Halifax. Company G - Captain J. A. Clement, from Davie. Company II - Captain E. A. Martin was from Northampton and had been, till the above order, Captain Company C in the Twelfth (Wheeler's) Battalion. Company I - Captain F. G. Pitts, from Edgecombe, and after his promotion to Major, by Captain J. B. Edgerton. Company K - The fourth company transferred from Griffin's Sixty-second Georgia, and which had been created by dividing Kennedy's original company became Company K in the new regiment and was commanded by Captain George T. Dees.