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31st Cavalry Regiment (United States)
Encyclopedia
The 31st Cavalry is a historical organization within the United States Army
and the Alabama Army National Guard
that began as a Troop
of Cavalry
under "The Alabama Militia Law of 1820". The unit was constituted on 24 July 1821 in the Alabama Militia as the 1st Regiment Cavalry Troop at Jackson, Alabama
The 31st Infantry Division was originally created in 1917, and after service in World War I, World War II, and the Korean War
, it was later deactivated in 1968 as a part of a Department of Defense
budget restructuring in order to make funds available to modernize several other National Guard Divisions. From 1968 until 1974 the Alabama units that had formerly been assigned to the 31st Infantry Division were transferred to the 30th Armor Division. In 1974 the 31st Separate Armor Brigade was formed, and in consequence, they became the inheritors of the 31st Division lineage. Upon the creation of the new 31st Brigade, they drew their manpower from the Alabama units that had previously been a part of the 31st Infantry Division. "E" Troop is specifically named in the Order of Battle for the 31st Armor Brigade, dating from 2005, back to the Brigades inception in 1974. The "official" lineage of E Troop / 31st Cavalry states that it was constituted on 1 November 1973, however, its lineage traces much further back into history. Prior to the 1973-4 creation of the 31st Cavalry, and its parent organization the 31st Armored Brigade, the 31st Infantry Division "Order of Battle" doesn't list a specific "31st Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop" until prior to 1960. During the period, from 1960, until the disbandment of the Division in 1968: the Reconnaissance Mission for the 31st Infantry Division was first assigned to the 2nd Reconnaissance Squadron, 198th Armor (MSARNG); and in 1965 to that unit's later incarnation as the 1st Squadron, 98th Cavalry
(MSARNG) and in 1973 to the still later incarnation as A Troop / 98th Cavalry (MSARNG) now located in Louisville, Mississippi
. While A Troop / 98th Cavalry, of the 155th Armor Brigade
does claim the lineage of having once been the reconnaissance asset of the former 31st Infantry Division from 1960 to '68, ... their own unit history ends further historical lineage by tying their history to the 750th Tank Battalion (with Headquarters in Greenville) as created in 1959. Alabama‘s "E Troop" is in no way lineal descended from Mississippi's 98th Cavalry, but is more akin to a prodigal brother, who after an absence of about 14 years had returned to claim their right as inheritor of the 31st Reconnaissance Mission after the 1968 demise of the 31st Infantry Division, and the 1974 creation of the 31st Brigade.
According to the 31st Division Order of Battle, there was a "31st Reconnaissance Company" from 1954 to 1960. Prior to that, there was a "31st Reconnaissance Troop" from 1945 to 1954. Prior to that, there was a "31st Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop" from 1942 to 1945. According to the 1951 "Dixie Division" Year Book, the "31st Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop" was reorganized and redesignated as the "31st Reconnaissance Company" on 23 January 1948. It additionally states that prior to that, the Alabama-Mississippi National Guard was reorganized in 1946, and the Jackson, Mississippi
based "31st Cavalry Recon Troop" was activated as a part of the "Dixie Division" on 26 February 1947. According to the 31st Division in World War II Year Book, the 31st Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop was formed on 26 February 1942 from the officers of Headquarters Company of the 61st Infantry Brigade, and from men from across the 31st Division's various Regiments (including the Alabama 167th Infantry and 117th Field Artillery) who had been training in Reconnaissance as a "special duty" assignment since early in 1941. Prior to the 1942 revision of the Division Level T/O & E (Table of Organization and Equipment,) the 31st Division was not authorized its own direct reconnaissance asset. These are the same unit, with era modified designations, and are the direct lineal forbears of the modern "E-Troop / 31st Cavalry."
Information available about National Guard units during the time period between the two World Wars is very sketchy, requiring a step all the way back to when the division was organized at Camp Wheeler, Georgia. (near Macon, Georgia
,) on 1 October 1917. The 31st Division was composed of National Guard Troops from Georgia
, Alabama
and Florida
, and included as its reconnaissance asset the 1st Regiment of Alabama Cavalry
. Shortly after the division was formed, the T/O & E for infantry divisions deleted a reconnaissance asset at that level, relinquishing that mission to the Corps Level only.
The men, horses and equipment of the 1st Alabama Cavalry Regiment was divided into the 117th Field Artillery, the 106th Trench Mortar Battery, and the 118th Machine Gun
Battalion.
In a 1949 publication of the 31st Division World War II history, the 117th Field Artillery claims to have begun its existence as the 1st Alabama Cavalry that was organized in 1916. Apparently the majority of former 1st Alabama Cavalry personnel gravitated to the horses of the then still "horse-drawn" Artillery
.
The 106th Trench Mortar Battery was organized in September 1917 at Camp Wheeler, Georgia as component of 31st Division (56th Field Artillery Brigade) (formed from troops, 1st Cavalry, AL NG). Moved overseas in October 1918. Returned to the US January 1919 and demobilized at Camp Gordon, Georgia.
The 118th Machine Gun Battalion was organized October 1917 at Camp Wheeler, GA as component of 31st Division (62nd Infantry Brigade) (formed from the Machine Gun Troop., 1st Cavalry, AL NG, two companies, 1st Infantry, GA NG, and personnel from 1st Infantry, Florida NG). Moved overseas October 1918. Skeletonized November 1918. Returned to the US December 1918 and demobilized January 1919 at Camp Gordon, GA.
As a Division, the 31st remained in training at Camp Wheeler until September 1918. The first units sailed for overseas on 16 September 1918, and the last units arrived in France on 9 Nov. 1918. Upon arrival in France the division was designated as a replacement division and ordered to the Le Mans
area. The personnel of most of the units were withdrawn from the division and sent to other divisions as replacements, causing the 31st to exist only as a skeletonized division. After returning to the United States, the Division was demobilized in 1919. ... In 1923, the division was reorganized as a National Guard Division drawing its personnel from Louisiana
, Mississippi
, Alabama
, and Florida
. As an "Infantry" Division, the 31st was still not authorized its own Reconnaissance Asset under the then current T/O & E. The division also did not reorganize the 106th Trench Mortar Battery, or any of its Machine Gun Battalions. Personnel from those units who desired to continue National Guard Service were reassigned to other units.
The 117th Field Artillery had been reorganized in 1921 as the 141st Field Artillery under Colonel Allison Owen, and was Federally recognized on 26 March 1925. In 1926, another Battalion and a Squadron of Cavalry were transferred into the 141st, completing the regiment. On 17 January 1927 the 141st F.A. was redesignated as the 117th Field Artillery, and on 1 August 1933, the regiment officially exchanged its horses for motorized transport.
With but a couple of exceptions, the writer has not been able to identify any "Cavalry" units within the State of Alabama from the prohibitive 1865 to 1877 "Reconstruction" Period, until the formation of the 1st Alabama Cavalry in 1916, and its subsequent absorption into the 31st Division immediately prior to World War I. ... The 1874 Adjutant Generals Report lists the following units as accepted into the AL Militia, (1) the Canebrake Guards as Cavalry and armed with Spencer Carbines, (2) the Wilcox
Rangers as Cavalry and armed "privately", and (3) the Eutaw
Guards as Cavalry armed with Spencer Carbines. And later, in 1898 the "Montgomery
Mounted Rifles" were described as an independent Company of the Alabama Militia who had formed for the war with Spain in 1898, but were not called into Active Federal Service, and did not deploy outside of its home state of Alabama. Prior to this incarnation, the Montgomery Mounted Rifles had once been a part of the First Alabama Cavalry during the American Civil War
in the 1860s. Unanswered at this time is whether any of the other former companies of the First Alabama Cavalry, ... or any other Cavalry Company from Alabama made an attempt to reform. It is known that in 1898, that the former Confederate Fourth Alabama Infantry had reformed and joined into a Brigade with other Alabama units, and were sent to Mobile, Alabama
, but did not deploy into combat in either Cuba
, Puerto Rico
, or the Philippines
.
With World War I looming overseas, the "First Alabama Cavalry" had been formed as a result of the "National Defense Act of 1916
", and its Troops were spread throughout the state. Their first Lieutenant Colonel was David Bibb Graves, who would later become Alabama's fortieth and forty-second Governor. Immediately after its formation, the Regiment was assigned to the Alabama Brigade, and sent westward to New Mexico
to participate in the Mexican Punitive Expedition against Poncho Villa. With valuable combat experience under their belt, they returned to Alabama in 1917 just in time to be assigned to the 31st Division as described earlier.
Going back to the period of the American Civil War
, the lineage of the 31st Cavalry divides through the two different 1st Alabama Cavalry Regiments. There were in fact two different 1st Alabama Cavalry Regiments: one US; and one CS. Each was, Cavalry, and each were from Alabama, each can claim common lineage, but one unit served the Confederacy, while the other (obviously) served the Union. Ironically, they fought against each other in several campaigns and battles throughout that terrible struggle.
Of the several Companies of the First Alabama Cavalry, the "Montgomery
Mounted Rifles" were the only Company who had acquired recent actual combat experience. While they were still an independent Company, and were training with other southern troops at General Braxton Bragg
s "Camp of Instruction" in Pensacola
, Florida
, the "Montgomery Mounted Rifles", landed on Santa Rosa Island
, Florida on 19 July 1861. They attacked a small boat from the Union ship - Mohawk, that was attempting to resupply the Union held Fort Pickens
there on that island. The Federal crew suffered a number of wounded, and the officer in charge of the landing party was killed.
Prior to the Civil War period, the Cavalry was formed as Independent Company's, that referred to themselves as "Alabama Mounted Volunteers." To differentiate between the different Company's, they referred to themselves either by the name of their Commander, or by a name given to themselves, (much like modern sports team names.) It is as these loosely knit independent Company's that the lineage of the Cavalry in Alabama traces back through the Mexican-American War, the Creek War
and the Seminole Wars
, and back to the Alabama Militia Law of 1820.
According to the Alabama Militia Law of December 1820, the Militia
of Alabama included every able bodied male between the age of 18 and 45. The State was divided into Four Divisions, which was sub-divided into Nine Brigades, and sub-divided into Thirty-Two Regiments, and each of those divided into between two to five Companies each. Section 42. of the Law stated that there may be one Troop of Cavalry, and one Company of Artillery in each regiment, organized in the same manner and liable to perform the same duties as volunteer companies. In Section 3, The County of Jackson, Alabama
was designated as the First Regiment of the Alabama Militia, and thus was the origin of the 1st Regiment Cavalry Troop, the earliest documentable unit in the lineage of the modern E Troop / 31st Cavalry. Each Company consisted of not less than forty Privates and was commanded by a Captain, followed by a Lieutenant and an Ensign, four Sergeants, four Corporals and two Musicians. According to the Alabama Military Register, The first Commander of the 1st Regiment of Alabama Militia was Colonel Louis Kirby, who received his commission on 28 March 1821, and the 1st Regiments Cavalry Troop Commander was Captain John Hampton, who received his commission on 24 July 1821.
Prior to Alabama becoming a US Territory, US Dragoons and Tennessee Mounted Militia rode through what is now Alabama during the War of 1812
. The US campaign was in retaliation for the 1813 "Red Stick" Creek Indian attack that killed over 400 settlers at Fort Mims just north of Mobile, Alabama
. The "Red Sticks" got their name because of the US war with Great Britain, a schism had developed between two factions of the Creek Confederacy during the War of 1812 . During a ceremony, the two factions chose their allegiance by drawing either a "red stick" for war with the Americans (and an alliance with the British with the hope of reclaiming lost lands), while the others chose a "white stick" for peace with the Americans. In the resulting Creek War, General Andrew Jackson
commanded combined forces of Tennessee Militia, U.S. Regulars, and Cherokee
and Southern "White Stick" Creek Indians. Jackson defeated the Red Stick Creeks at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend in 1814, and afterwards initiated construction of a Fort atop the site of the old French Fort Toulouse near present day Wetumpka, Alabama
. Jackson briefly traveled to Washington and in his absence the Fort was named "Jackson" in his honor. After Jackson's return, he imposed the Treaty of Fort Jackson
upon the entire Creek Nation, regardless that the Southern half of the Creek Confederacy had been his "White Stick" Ally. The defeat of the Creeks allowed Jackson to take his troops on to New Orleans where he defeated a numerically superior English force in January 1815. It was many of those Tennessee Militiamen who later migrated into the Alabama Territory that filled the ranks of the first Alabama Militia.
1833- Reorganized for service against the Creek and Seminole Indians as several independent Companies of Cavalry, including (but not limited to): the "Autauga
Light Horse" on 10 January 1833; the "Maplesville
Light Horse" in 1833; the "Centerville
Light Horse Company" on 18 January 1834; the "Canebreak Legion of Calvery" (s.i.c.) on 9 January 1835; Fry's Company of Alabama Mounted Volunteers on 5 September 1836; the "Coosa
Calvery" (s.i.c.) on 23 December 1836; Bryson's Company of the North Alabama Mounted Volunteers on 26 October 1837; the "Greensborough
Cavalry Company" in 1839; the "Dallas
Mounted Guards" in 1845; the "Eutaw
and Clinton Dragoons" in 1845.
1846-48 - Reorganized as a Regiment of Independent Company's of Alabama Mounted Volunteers for service in the War with Mexico, including: the "Bouge Chitto Dragoons" on 1 March 1848; the "Catoma Light Horse of Montgomery Co.
" on 4 March 1848 ; the "Lowndesboro
Cavalry" in 1848; the "Montgomery
Dragoons" in 1848. During the Mexican-American War, the Alabama Mounted Volunteers served first on the Rio Grande
, and subsequently with General Winfield Scott
's forces at Veracruz
, Alvarado
, Tampico
, and Jalapa.
1855-58 - Reorganized for the 3rd Seminole War of 1855–1858 as Independent Company's, including: the "Dale
Dragoons" in 1850; the "Marshall
Cavaliers" in 1850; and the "Alabama Dragoons" of Montgomery
on 18 February 1854.
1860-61 - Reorganized as Independent Company's to be a part of the "Alabama Volunteer Corps" in anticipation of disunion and imminent Civil War, including: the "Coffee
Mounted Guards" on 21 February 1860; the "McKinley Cavalry" in 1860; the "Montgomery
Mounted Rifles" in 1860; the "Pleasant Hill Cavalry" in 1860; the "Prattville Dragoons
" in December 1860; the "Sumter
Mounted Guards" in 1860; the "Wilcox
Dragoons", in 1860; the "Pearson Dragoons" of Tallapoosa Co.
in 1861; and the "Powell's Dragoons" of Calhoun Co.
, also in 1861.
1861-65 - Reorganized as 1st Alabama Cavalry Regiment, (CSA) formed at Montgomery on 12 November 1861, including the "Montgomery Mounted Rangers" as Company "A;" the "Pearson Dragoons" as Company "D;" "Powell's Dragoons" as Company "E;" and the "Montgomery Mounted Rifles" as Company "K." It surrendered on 26 April 1865 as part of Hagan's Brigade, Allen's Division, at Salisbury, North Carolina
, about 150 strong. This regiment participated in more engagements of one kind or another than any other unit in either army.
1862-65 - Concurrently also Reorganized 1st Alabama Cavalry (USV) formed in 1862 in Huntsville, AL - While the vast majority of personnel came from Winston County
, the 1st Ala Cav. USV drew troops from 38 different Alabama Counties. By the time Gen. William Sherman's forces entered Atlanta in late 1864, the "1st Ala. Cav.'s" reputation was secure. One general called the Alabama troops "invaluable." And Major General John A. Logan
, commanding the 15th Army Corps in Sherman's forces, praised the troopers as "the best scouts I ever saw." General Sherman, chose them as his escort on the march from Atlanta to the sea. On 20 October 1865 the Regiment mustered out in Huntsville, AL.
1865-74 - Disbanded during the Post Civil War Reconstruction era.
1874 - The 1874 Adjutant Generals Report lists the following units as accepted into the AL Militia, (1) the Canebrake Guards as Cavalry and armed with Spencer Carbines, (2) the Wilcox Rangers as Cavalry and armed "privately", and (3) the Eutaw Guards as Cavalry armed with Spencer Carbines.
1898 (+/-) - Reconstituted as Montgomery Mounted Rifles, Alabama Militia for service in the Spanish-American War
, but was never activated for Federal Service.
June 1916 - Reconstituted as 1st Regiment Alabama Cavalry, National Guard
25 Aug 1917 - Reassigned as 1st Regiment Alabama Cavalry, 31st Division, National Guard
Sep 1917 - Reorganized as 106th Trench Mortar Battery, 31st Division, National Guard. Organized at Camp Wheeler, GA as component of 31st Division (56th FA Brigade) (formed from troop, 1st Cavalry, AL NG). Moved overseas Oct 1918. Returned to the US Jan 1919 and demobilized at Camp Gordon, GA.
1 Oct 1917 - Also Reorganized as 118th Machine Gun Bn, 31st Division, National Guard at Camp Wheeler, GA as component of 31st Division (62nd Infantry Brigade) (formed from MG Trp, 1st Cavalry, AL NG, two companies, 1st Infantry, GA NG, and personnel from 1st Infantry, FL NG). Moved overseas Oct 1918. Skeletonized Nov 1918. Returned to the US Dec 1918 and demobilized Jan 1919 at Camp Gordon, GA.
Reorganized in 1921 as the 141st Field Artillery from the former 117th Field Artillery, 106th Trench Mortar Battery, and personnel of the former 31st Division Machine Gun Battalions, the 141st F.A. was Federally recognized on 26 March 1925. In 1926, another Battalion and a Squadron of Cavalry were transferred into the 141st, completing the regiment. On 17 January 1927 the 141st F.A. was redesignated as the 117th Field Artillery, and on 1 August 1933, the regiment officially exchanged its horses for motorized transport.
25 November 1940 - The Division was activated, and initially stationed at Camp Blanding
, Florida
without an integral Reconnaissance asset..
26 February 1942 - While at Camp Bowie
, Texas
- Reorganized as 31st Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop. It was formed out equal numbers of men from the Divisions four Infantry
Regiments and Engineers, ... the 31st Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop was reincarnated under its current name.
1944-45 - The 31st Infantry Division was ordered to the Southwest Pacific, and arrived in Oro Bay
, New Guinea
, 24 April 1944. Overseas, the Troop seldom worked as a unit, but attached elements to the Regimental Combat Teams for all operations in which the Division participated. For amphibious warfare
, the Troop was provided with "tank landing craft" which it habitually employed as the first wave on landings as the Cavalrymen would clear the way across the beaches for the incoming Infantry. Alerted on 25 June 1944 for movement to Aitape
, the 124th Regt. Combat Team (with a Platoon of the 31st Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop) left Oro Bay
and landed at Aitape
, New Guinea
, 3–6 July 1944. The combat team moved up to advanced positions and took part in the general offensive launched 13 July, running into bloody fighting along the Drinumor River. Meanwhile, the remainder of the Division relieved the 6th Infantry Division (United States) in the Sarmi-Wakde Island area, 18 July 1944, and engaged small units of the enemy, trying not to provoke a large scale counterattack. Over 1,000 Japanese were destroyed in these actions. In mid-August the Division began to stage for the Morotai
operation, leaving Aitape
and Maffin Bay, 11 September 1944. The Division made an assault landing on Morotai
, 15 September 1944. During the occupation of Morotai, elements of the Division seized Mapia, 15–17 September, and waded ashore on the Asia Islands
, 19–20 September. Other elements reverted to Sansapor, where they maintained and operated the base. On 22 April 1945, the Division landed on Mindanao
to take part in the liberation of the Philippines
. Moving up the Sayre Highway and driving down the trail, the 31st forced the enemy to withdraw into the interior and blocked off other Japanese in the Davao Region
. With the surrender of General Tomoyuki Yamashita
‘s Japanese forces on the Philippine Island of Mindanao
, and the end of hostilities on 15 August 1945, the 31st Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop continued long range reconnaissance patrols into the hills of the Philippine's to contact and accept the surrender of various scattered detachments of the Imperial Japanese Army
. In December, 1945, the Dixie Division returned home and was deactivated on 21 December 1945 at Camp Stoneman, California and returned to National Guard duty.
In 1946, the Alabama and Mississippi National Guards were reorganized, and the Jackson, Mississippi based "31st Cavalry Recon Troop" was assigned as a part of the 31st "Dixie Division."
26 February 1947 - Redesignated as 31st Reconnaissance Troop, 31st Infantry Division (United States).
23 January 1948 - Reorganized and redesignated as the "31st Reconnaissance Company," 31st Infantry Division (United States).
16 January 1951 - Activated for Korean War
service, and deployed to Camp Attebury, Indiana, as "Training Troops. The Division "was later ordered for deployment to Korea as "Combat Troops," but did not deploy as the "cease-fire" was called prior to their departure. Later transferred to Ft. Carson Co. in February 1954, prior to deactivation and return to National Guard Service.
1960-68 - The reconnaissance mission of 31st Infantry Division was assigned to 98th Cavalry (MSARNG).
1 Nov 1973 - Reorganized E Troop, 31st Cavalry, (Superquick Cav), 31st Armored Brigade
3 Sept 2002 - Activated "Operation Noble Eagle
" and deployed to Ft. Stewart, GA
In October 2002, E Troop, 31st Cavalry was reassigned as the Brigade Reconnaissance Team (BRT) to the 149th Armored Brigade, 35th Infantry Division, while its former parent organization, the 31st Armor Brigade was reclassified as the 31st Chemical Brigade.
16 May 2004 - The 149th Armored Brigade was reassigned from the 35th Infantry Division to the 38th Infantry Division. E Troop, 31st Cavalry maintained its assignment as the BRT (Brigade Reconnaissance Team) to the 149th Armored Brigade.
2005 - Deactivated and personnel and equipment reassigned to D Company, 1st Battalion 167th Infantry.
Decorations
Coat of Arms
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and the Alabama Army National Guard
Alabama Army National Guard
The Alabama Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization...
that began as a Troop
Troop
A troop is a military unit, originally a small force of cavalry, subordinate to a squadron and headed by the troop leader. In many armies a troop is the equivalent unit to the infantry section or platoon...
of Cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
under "The Alabama Militia Law of 1820". The unit was constituted on 24 July 1821 in the Alabama Militia as the 1st Regiment Cavalry Troop at Jackson, Alabama
Jackson, Alabama
Jackson is a city in Clarke County, Alabama, United States. The population was 5,228 at the 2010 census. It is one of three wet settlements in an otherwise-dry county.-Geography:Jackson is located at coordinates . According to the U.S...
History
The last unit to fly a guidon with a 31st Cavalry designation was Troop E, 31st Cavalry, of the Alabama Army National Guard in Sylacauga, Alabama from 1973 to 2005. Troop E was formed in 1973 without an official history. It was created as a new unit to be the Reconnaissance for the recently formed 31st Armored Brigade. When E-Troop of the 31st Cavalry was created, no one bothered to document the correct history of the unit. There was an unofficial and incorrect history done that attempted to trace the history of Troop E, 31st Cavalry, but that version would more correctly be titled a history of units that Occupied the Armory in Sylacauga, Alabama, - and not a history of the 31st Cavalry and its lineage. Because the 31st Armored Brigade traced its history and lineage from the former 31st Infantry Division, that history makes the 31st Cavalry a direct lineal descendent of the earlier 31st Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop of the 31st Infantry Division.The 31st Infantry Division was originally created in 1917, and after service in World War I, World War II, and the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, it was later deactivated in 1968 as a part of a Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
budget restructuring in order to make funds available to modernize several other National Guard Divisions. From 1968 until 1974 the Alabama units that had formerly been assigned to the 31st Infantry Division were transferred to the 30th Armor Division. In 1974 the 31st Separate Armor Brigade was formed, and in consequence, they became the inheritors of the 31st Division lineage. Upon the creation of the new 31st Brigade, they drew their manpower from the Alabama units that had previously been a part of the 31st Infantry Division. "E" Troop is specifically named in the Order of Battle for the 31st Armor Brigade, dating from 2005, back to the Brigades inception in 1974. The "official" lineage of E Troop / 31st Cavalry states that it was constituted on 1 November 1973, however, its lineage traces much further back into history. Prior to the 1973-4 creation of the 31st Cavalry, and its parent organization the 31st Armored Brigade, the 31st Infantry Division "Order of Battle" doesn't list a specific "31st Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop" until prior to 1960. During the period, from 1960, until the disbandment of the Division in 1968: the Reconnaissance Mission for the 31st Infantry Division was first assigned to the 2nd Reconnaissance Squadron, 198th Armor (MSARNG); and in 1965 to that unit's later incarnation as the 1st Squadron, 98th Cavalry
98th Cavalry Regiment (United States)
The 98th Cavalry Regiment is a Regiment of the United States Army first established in 2006.-History:The 1st Squadron 98th Cavalry of the Mississippi National Guard follows the lineage of the 1st Battalion 198th Armor Regiment and A Troop, 98th Cavalry....
(MSARNG) and in 1973 to the still later incarnation as A Troop / 98th Cavalry (MSARNG) now located in Louisville, Mississippi
Louisville, Mississippi
Louisville is a city in Winston County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,006 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Winston County.-Geography:Louisville is located at ....
. While A Troop / 98th Cavalry, of the 155th Armor Brigade
155th Brigade Combat Team (United States)
The 155th Heavy Brigade Combat Team is a Brigade Combat Team of the Mississippi Army National Guard.-History:The 155th Heavy Brigade Combat Team takes its name from the 155th Infantry Regiment which dates back to 1798....
does claim the lineage of having once been the reconnaissance asset of the former 31st Infantry Division from 1960 to '68, ... their own unit history ends further historical lineage by tying their history to the 750th Tank Battalion (with Headquarters in Greenville) as created in 1959. Alabama‘s "E Troop" is in no way lineal descended from Mississippi's 98th Cavalry, but is more akin to a prodigal brother, who after an absence of about 14 years had returned to claim their right as inheritor of the 31st Reconnaissance Mission after the 1968 demise of the 31st Infantry Division, and the 1974 creation of the 31st Brigade.
According to the 31st Division Order of Battle, there was a "31st Reconnaissance Company" from 1954 to 1960. Prior to that, there was a "31st Reconnaissance Troop" from 1945 to 1954. Prior to that, there was a "31st Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop" from 1942 to 1945. According to the 1951 "Dixie Division" Year Book, the "31st Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop" was reorganized and redesignated as the "31st Reconnaissance Company" on 23 January 1948. It additionally states that prior to that, the Alabama-Mississippi National Guard was reorganized in 1946, and the Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
based "31st Cavalry Recon Troop" was activated as a part of the "Dixie Division" on 26 February 1947. According to the 31st Division in World War II Year Book, the 31st Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop was formed on 26 February 1942 from the officers of Headquarters Company of the 61st Infantry Brigade, and from men from across the 31st Division's various Regiments (including the Alabama 167th Infantry and 117th Field Artillery) who had been training in Reconnaissance as a "special duty" assignment since early in 1941. Prior to the 1942 revision of the Division Level T/O & E (Table of Organization and Equipment,) the 31st Division was not authorized its own direct reconnaissance asset. These are the same unit, with era modified designations, and are the direct lineal forbears of the modern "E-Troop / 31st Cavalry."
Information available about National Guard units during the time period between the two World Wars is very sketchy, requiring a step all the way back to when the division was organized at Camp Wheeler, Georgia. (near Macon, Georgia
Macon, Georgia
Macon is a city located in central Georgia, US. Founded at the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is part of the Macon metropolitan area, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. Macon is the biggest city in central Georgia...
,) on 1 October 1917. The 31st Division was composed of National Guard Troops from Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
and Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, and included as its reconnaissance asset the 1st Regiment of Alabama Cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
. Shortly after the division was formed, the T/O & E for infantry divisions deleted a reconnaissance asset at that level, relinquishing that mission to the Corps Level only.
The men, horses and equipment of the 1st Alabama Cavalry Regiment was divided into the 117th Field Artillery, the 106th Trench Mortar Battery, and the 118th Machine Gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
Battalion.
In a 1949 publication of the 31st Division World War II history, the 117th Field Artillery claims to have begun its existence as the 1st Alabama Cavalry that was organized in 1916. Apparently the majority of former 1st Alabama Cavalry personnel gravitated to the horses of the then still "horse-drawn" Artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
.
The 106th Trench Mortar Battery was organized in September 1917 at Camp Wheeler, Georgia as component of 31st Division (56th Field Artillery Brigade) (formed from troops, 1st Cavalry, AL NG). Moved overseas in October 1918. Returned to the US January 1919 and demobilized at Camp Gordon, Georgia.
The 118th Machine Gun Battalion was organized October 1917 at Camp Wheeler, GA as component of 31st Division (62nd Infantry Brigade) (formed from the Machine Gun Troop., 1st Cavalry, AL NG, two companies, 1st Infantry, GA NG, and personnel from 1st Infantry, Florida NG). Moved overseas October 1918. Skeletonized November 1918. Returned to the US December 1918 and demobilized January 1919 at Camp Gordon, GA.
As a Division, the 31st remained in training at Camp Wheeler until September 1918. The first units sailed for overseas on 16 September 1918, and the last units arrived in France on 9 Nov. 1918. Upon arrival in France the division was designated as a replacement division and ordered to the Le Mans
Le Mans
Le Mans is a city in France, located on the Sarthe River. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Mans. Le Mans is a part of the Pays de la Loire region.Its inhabitants are called Manceaux...
area. The personnel of most of the units were withdrawn from the division and sent to other divisions as replacements, causing the 31st to exist only as a skeletonized division. After returning to the United States, the Division was demobilized in 1919. ... In 1923, the division was reorganized as a National Guard Division drawing its personnel from Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, and Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. As an "Infantry" Division, the 31st was still not authorized its own Reconnaissance Asset under the then current T/O & E. The division also did not reorganize the 106th Trench Mortar Battery, or any of its Machine Gun Battalions. Personnel from those units who desired to continue National Guard Service were reassigned to other units.
The 117th Field Artillery had been reorganized in 1921 as the 141st Field Artillery under Colonel Allison Owen, and was Federally recognized on 26 March 1925. In 1926, another Battalion and a Squadron of Cavalry were transferred into the 141st, completing the regiment. On 17 January 1927 the 141st F.A. was redesignated as the 117th Field Artillery, and on 1 August 1933, the regiment officially exchanged its horses for motorized transport.
With but a couple of exceptions, the writer has not been able to identify any "Cavalry" units within the State of Alabama from the prohibitive 1865 to 1877 "Reconstruction" Period, until the formation of the 1st Alabama Cavalry in 1916, and its subsequent absorption into the 31st Division immediately prior to World War I. ... The 1874 Adjutant Generals Report lists the following units as accepted into the AL Militia, (1) the Canebrake Guards as Cavalry and armed with Spencer Carbines, (2) the Wilcox
Wilcox County, Alabama
Wilcox County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Lieutenant J. M. Wilcox, who fought in the wars against the Creek tribe. As of 2010, the population was 11,670...
Rangers as Cavalry and armed "privately", and (3) the Eutaw
Eutaw, Alabama
Eutaw is a city in Greene County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 1,878. The city is the county seat of Greene County and was named in honor of the Battle of Eutaw Springs, the last engagement of the American Revolutionary War in the Carolinas...
Guards as Cavalry armed with Spencer Carbines. And later, in 1898 the "Montgomery
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
Mounted Rifles" were described as an independent Company of the Alabama Militia who had formed for the war with Spain in 1898, but were not called into Active Federal Service, and did not deploy outside of its home state of Alabama. Prior to this incarnation, the Montgomery Mounted Rifles had once been a part of the First Alabama Cavalry during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
in the 1860s. Unanswered at this time is whether any of the other former companies of the First Alabama Cavalry, ... or any other Cavalry Company from Alabama made an attempt to reform. It is known that in 1898, that the former Confederate Fourth Alabama Infantry had reformed and joined into a Brigade with other Alabama units, and were sent to Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
, but did not deploy into combat in either Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, or the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
With World War I looming overseas, the "First Alabama Cavalry" had been formed as a result of the "National Defense Act of 1916
National Defense Act of 1916
The National Defense Act of 1916, , provided for an expanded army during peace and wartime, fourfold expansion of the National Guard, the creation of an Officers' and an Enlisted Reserve Corps, plus the creation of a Reserve Officers' Training Corps in colleges and universities...
", and its Troops were spread throughout the state. Their first Lieutenant Colonel was David Bibb Graves, who would later become Alabama's fortieth and forty-second Governor. Immediately after its formation, the Regiment was assigned to the Alabama Brigade, and sent westward to New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
to participate in the Mexican Punitive Expedition against Poncho Villa. With valuable combat experience under their belt, they returned to Alabama in 1917 just in time to be assigned to the 31st Division as described earlier.
Going back to the period of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, the lineage of the 31st Cavalry divides through the two different 1st Alabama Cavalry Regiments. There were in fact two different 1st Alabama Cavalry Regiments: one US; and one CS. Each was, Cavalry, and each were from Alabama, each can claim common lineage, but one unit served the Confederacy, while the other (obviously) served the Union. Ironically, they fought against each other in several campaigns and battles throughout that terrible struggle.
Of the several Companies of the First Alabama Cavalry, the "Montgomery
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
Mounted Rifles" were the only Company who had acquired recent actual combat experience. While they were still an independent Company, and were training with other southern troops at General Braxton Bragg
Braxton Bragg
Braxton Bragg was a career United States Army officer, and then a general in the Confederate States Army—a principal commander in the Western Theater of the American Civil War and later the military adviser to Confederate President Jefferson Davis.Bragg, a native of North Carolina, was...
s "Camp of Instruction" in Pensacola
Pensacola
Pensacola is a city in the western part of the U.S. state of Florida.Pensacola may also refer to:* Pensacola people, a group of Native Americans* A number of places in the Florida:** Pensacola Bay** Pensacola Regional Airport...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, the "Montgomery Mounted Rifles", landed on Santa Rosa Island
Santa Rosa Island, Florida
Santa Rosa Island[p] is a 40-mile barrier island located in the U.S. state of Florida, thirty miles east of the Alabama state border...
, Florida on 19 July 1861. They attacked a small boat from the Union ship - Mohawk, that was attempting to resupply the Union held Fort Pickens
Fort Pickens
Fort Pickens is a pentagonal historic United States military fort on Santa Rosa Island in the Pensacola, Florida, area. It is named after American Revolutionary War hero Andrew Pickens. The fort was completed in 1834 and remained in use until 1947...
there on that island. The Federal crew suffered a number of wounded, and the officer in charge of the landing party was killed.
Prior to the Civil War period, the Cavalry was formed as Independent Company's, that referred to themselves as "Alabama Mounted Volunteers." To differentiate between the different Company's, they referred to themselves either by the name of their Commander, or by a name given to themselves, (much like modern sports team names.) It is as these loosely knit independent Company's that the lineage of the Cavalry in Alabama traces back through the Mexican-American War, the Creek War
Creek War
The Creek War , also known as the Red Stick War and the Creek Civil War, began as a civil war within the Creek nation...
and the Seminole Wars
Seminole Wars
The Seminole Wars, also known as the Florida Wars, were three conflicts in Florida between the Seminole — the collective name given to the amalgamation of various groups of native Americans and Black people who settled in Florida in the early 18th century — and the United States Army...
, and back to the Alabama Militia Law of 1820.
According to the Alabama Militia Law of December 1820, the Militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
of Alabama included every able bodied male between the age of 18 and 45. The State was divided into Four Divisions, which was sub-divided into Nine Brigades, and sub-divided into Thirty-Two Regiments, and each of those divided into between two to five Companies each. Section 42. of the Law stated that there may be one Troop of Cavalry, and one Company of Artillery in each regiment, organized in the same manner and liable to perform the same duties as volunteer companies. In Section 3, The County of Jackson, Alabama
Jackson, Alabama
Jackson is a city in Clarke County, Alabama, United States. The population was 5,228 at the 2010 census. It is one of three wet settlements in an otherwise-dry county.-Geography:Jackson is located at coordinates . According to the U.S...
was designated as the First Regiment of the Alabama Militia, and thus was the origin of the 1st Regiment Cavalry Troop, the earliest documentable unit in the lineage of the modern E Troop / 31st Cavalry. Each Company consisted of not less than forty Privates and was commanded by a Captain, followed by a Lieutenant and an Ensign, four Sergeants, four Corporals and two Musicians. According to the Alabama Military Register, The first Commander of the 1st Regiment of Alabama Militia was Colonel Louis Kirby, who received his commission on 28 March 1821, and the 1st Regiments Cavalry Troop Commander was Captain John Hampton, who received his commission on 24 July 1821.
Prior to Alabama becoming a US Territory, US Dragoons and Tennessee Mounted Militia rode through what is now Alabama during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. The US campaign was in retaliation for the 1813 "Red Stick" Creek Indian attack that killed over 400 settlers at Fort Mims just north of Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
. The "Red Sticks" got their name because of the US war with Great Britain, a schism had developed between two factions of the Creek Confederacy during the War of 1812 . During a ceremony, the two factions chose their allegiance by drawing either a "red stick" for war with the Americans (and an alliance with the British with the hope of reclaiming lost lands), while the others chose a "white stick" for peace with the Americans. In the resulting Creek War, General Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
commanded combined forces of Tennessee Militia, U.S. Regulars, and Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
and Southern "White Stick" Creek Indians. Jackson defeated the Red Stick Creeks at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend in 1814, and afterwards initiated construction of a Fort atop the site of the old French Fort Toulouse near present day Wetumpka, Alabama
Wetumpka, Alabama
Wetumpka is a city in Elmore County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 5,726.The city is the county seat of Elmore County, one of the fastest growing counties in the state....
. Jackson briefly traveled to Washington and in his absence the Fort was named "Jackson" in his honor. After Jackson's return, he imposed the Treaty of Fort Jackson
Treaty of Fort Jackson
The Treaty of Fort Jackson was signed on August 9, 1814 at Fort Jackson near Wetumpka, Alabama following the defeat of the Red Stick resistance by United States allied forces at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. It occurred on the banks of the Tallapoosa River near the present city of Alexander City,...
upon the entire Creek Nation, regardless that the Southern half of the Creek Confederacy had been his "White Stick" Ally. The defeat of the Creeks allowed Jackson to take his troops on to New Orleans where he defeated a numerically superior English force in January 1815. It was many of those Tennessee Militiamen who later migrated into the Alabama Territory that filled the ranks of the first Alabama Militia.
Chronological History
1820 - Authorized by Article #34 - Sections 3 and 42 "The Alabama Militia Law of 1820" and mustered for service in Jackson County as the Cavalry Troop of the 1st Regiment of the Alabama State Militia.1833- Reorganized for service against the Creek and Seminole Indians as several independent Companies of Cavalry, including (but not limited to): the "Autauga
Autauga County, Alabama
Autauga County is a county in the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2010 census the population was 54,571. Its county seat is Prattville.Autauga County is part of the Montgomery Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
Light Horse" on 10 January 1833; the "Maplesville
Maplesville, Alabama
Maplesville is a town in Chilton County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 672.-Geography:Maplesville is located at 32°46'54.800" North, 86°52'31.861" West .According to the U.S...
Light Horse" in 1833; the "Centerville
Centerville, Alabama
Centerville is an unincorporated community in Conecuh County, Alabama, in the United States. It is near the communities of Battleground, Westpoint, and Longview....
Light Horse Company" on 18 January 1834; the "Canebreak Legion of Calvery" (s.i.c.) on 9 January 1835; Fry's Company of Alabama Mounted Volunteers on 5 September 1836; the "Coosa
Coosa County, Alabama
Coosa County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name derives from a town of the Creek tribe. As of 2010 the population was 11,539, but since that time it has lost the most population by percentage of any Alabama county...
Calvery" (s.i.c.) on 23 December 1836; Bryson's Company of the North Alabama Mounted Volunteers on 26 October 1837; the "Greensborough
Greensboro, Alabama
Greensboro is a city in Hale County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 2,731. The city is the county seat of Hale County. It is part of the Tuscaloosa, Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
Cavalry Company" in 1839; the "Dallas
Dallas County, Alabama
Dallas County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of United States Secretary of the Treasury Alexander J. Dallas. The county seat is Selma.- History :...
Mounted Guards" in 1845; the "Eutaw
Eutaw, Alabama
Eutaw is a city in Greene County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 1,878. The city is the county seat of Greene County and was named in honor of the Battle of Eutaw Springs, the last engagement of the American Revolutionary War in the Carolinas...
and Clinton Dragoons" in 1845.
1846-48 - Reorganized as a Regiment of Independent Company's of Alabama Mounted Volunteers for service in the War with Mexico, including: the "Bouge Chitto Dragoons" on 1 March 1848; the "Catoma Light Horse of Montgomery Co.
Montgomery County, Alabama
Montgomery County is a county in the U.S. state of Alabama. It is the most populous county in the Montgomery Metropolitan Statistical Area; its population in 2010 was 229,363 .- History :...
" on 4 March 1848 ; the "Lowndesboro
Lowndesboro, Alabama
Lowndesboro is a town in Lowndes County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 140. It is part of the Montgomery Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
Cavalry" in 1848; the "Montgomery
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
Dragoons" in 1848. During the Mexican-American War, the Alabama Mounted Volunteers served first on the Rio Grande
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
, and subsequently with General Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott
Winfield Scott was a United States Army general, and unsuccessful presidential candidate of the Whig Party in 1852....
's forces at Veracruz
Veracruz
Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave , is one of the 31 states that, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided in 212 municipalities and its capital city is...
, Alvarado
Alvarado, Veracruz
Alvarado is a city in the Mexican state of Veracruz. The city also serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of the same name. It is located 64 km from the city of Veracruz, Veracruz, on Federal Highways 180 and 125...
, Tampico
Tampico
Tampico is a city and port in the state of Tamaulipas, in the country of Mexico. It is located in the southeastern part of the state, directly north across the border from Veracruz. Tampico is the third largest city in Tamaulipas, and counts with a population of 309,003. The Metropolitan area of...
, and Jalapa.
1855-58 - Reorganized for the 3rd Seminole War of 1855–1858 as Independent Company's, including: the "Dale
Dale County, Alabama
Dale County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of General Samuel Dale. As of the 2010 census the population was 50,251...
Dragoons" in 1850; the "Marshall
Marshall County, Alabama
Marshall County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. Its name is in honor of John Marshall, famous Chief Justice of the United States. As of 2010 the population was 93,019...
Cavaliers" in 1850; and the "Alabama Dragoons" of Montgomery
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
on 18 February 1854.
1860-61 - Reorganized as Independent Company's to be a part of the "Alabama Volunteer Corps" in anticipation of disunion and imminent Civil War, including: the "Coffee
Coffee County, Alabama
Coffee County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of General John Coffee. As of 2010 the population was 49,948. Its county seats are Elba and Enterprise....
Mounted Guards" on 21 February 1860; the "McKinley Cavalry" in 1860; the "Montgomery
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
Mounted Rifles" in 1860; the "Pleasant Hill Cavalry" in 1860; the "Prattville Dragoons
Prattville Dragoons
The Prattville Dragoons were the first Company of men from the city of Prattville, and Autauga County, Alabama to form for service in the impending American Civil War of 1861-1865. The idea for forming a Company was originally suggested by Samuel D. Oliver, from nearby Robinson Springs, Alabama. ...
" in December 1860; the "Sumter
Sumter County, Alabama
Sumter County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama.Its name is in honor of General Thomas Sumter of South Carolina. As of 2010, the population was 13,763. Its county seat is Livingston.-History:...
Mounted Guards" in 1860; the "Wilcox
Wilcox County, Alabama
Wilcox County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Lieutenant J. M. Wilcox, who fought in the wars against the Creek tribe. As of 2010, the population was 11,670...
Dragoons", in 1860; the "Pearson Dragoons" of Tallapoosa Co.
Tallapoosa County, Alabama
Tallapoosa County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. The name Tallapoosa is of Creek origin, and many Indian villages were along the banks of the lower river before the 19th century. As of 2010, the population was 41,616...
in 1861; and the "Powell's Dragoons" of Calhoun Co.
Calhoun County, Alabama
Calhoun County is a county in the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of John C. Calhoun, famous member of the United States Senate from South Carolina. As of 2010 the population was 118,572. It is included in the Anniston-Oxford Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, also in 1861.
1861-65 - Reorganized as 1st Alabama Cavalry Regiment, (CSA) formed at Montgomery on 12 November 1861, including the "Montgomery Mounted Rangers" as Company "A;" the "Pearson Dragoons" as Company "D;" "Powell's Dragoons" as Company "E;" and the "Montgomery Mounted Rifles" as Company "K." It surrendered on 26 April 1865 as part of Hagan's Brigade, Allen's Division, at Salisbury, North Carolina
Salisbury, North Carolina
Salisbury is a city in Rowan County in North Carolina, a state of the United States of America. The population was 33,663 in the 2010 Census . It is the county seat of Rowan County...
, about 150 strong. This regiment participated in more engagements of one kind or another than any other unit in either army.
1862-65 - Concurrently also Reorganized 1st Alabama Cavalry (USV) formed in 1862 in Huntsville, AL - While the vast majority of personnel came from Winston County
Winston County, Alabama
Winston County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama, formerly known as Hancock County before 1858.Its name is in honor of John A. Winston, the 15th Governor of Alabama. As of 2010, the population was 24,484. Its county seat is Double Springs....
, the 1st Ala Cav. USV drew troops from 38 different Alabama Counties. By the time Gen. William Sherman's forces entered Atlanta in late 1864, the "1st Ala. Cav.'s" reputation was secure. One general called the Alabama troops "invaluable." And Major General John A. Logan
John A. Logan
John Alexander Logan was an American soldier and political leader. He served in the Mexican-American War and was a general in the Union Army in the American Civil War. He served the state of Illinois as a state senator, congressman and senator and was an unsuccessful candidate for Vice President...
, commanding the 15th Army Corps in Sherman's forces, praised the troopers as "the best scouts I ever saw." General Sherman, chose them as his escort on the march from Atlanta to the sea. On 20 October 1865 the Regiment mustered out in Huntsville, AL.
1865-74 - Disbanded during the Post Civil War Reconstruction era.
1874 - The 1874 Adjutant Generals Report lists the following units as accepted into the AL Militia, (1) the Canebrake Guards as Cavalry and armed with Spencer Carbines, (2) the Wilcox Rangers as Cavalry and armed "privately", and (3) the Eutaw Guards as Cavalry armed with Spencer Carbines.
1898 (+/-) - Reconstituted as Montgomery Mounted Rifles, Alabama Militia for service in the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
, but was never activated for Federal Service.
June 1916 - Reconstituted as 1st Regiment Alabama Cavalry, National Guard
25 Aug 1917 - Reassigned as 1st Regiment Alabama Cavalry, 31st Division, National Guard
Sep 1917 - Reorganized as 106th Trench Mortar Battery, 31st Division, National Guard. Organized at Camp Wheeler, GA as component of 31st Division (56th FA Brigade) (formed from troop, 1st Cavalry, AL NG). Moved overseas Oct 1918. Returned to the US Jan 1919 and demobilized at Camp Gordon, GA.
1 Oct 1917 - Also Reorganized as 118th Machine Gun Bn, 31st Division, National Guard at Camp Wheeler, GA as component of 31st Division (62nd Infantry Brigade) (formed from MG Trp, 1st Cavalry, AL NG, two companies, 1st Infantry, GA NG, and personnel from 1st Infantry, FL NG). Moved overseas Oct 1918. Skeletonized Nov 1918. Returned to the US Dec 1918 and demobilized Jan 1919 at Camp Gordon, GA.
Reorganized in 1921 as the 141st Field Artillery from the former 117th Field Artillery, 106th Trench Mortar Battery, and personnel of the former 31st Division Machine Gun Battalions, the 141st F.A. was Federally recognized on 26 March 1925. In 1926, another Battalion and a Squadron of Cavalry were transferred into the 141st, completing the regiment. On 17 January 1927 the 141st F.A. was redesignated as the 117th Field Artillery, and on 1 August 1933, the regiment officially exchanged its horses for motorized transport.
25 November 1940 - The Division was activated, and initially stationed at Camp Blanding
Camp Blanding
Camp Blanding Joint Training Center is the primary military reservation and training base for the Florida National Guard, both the Florida Army National Guard and certain non-flying activities of the Florida Air National Guard. The installation is located in Clay County, Florida near the city of...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
without an integral Reconnaissance asset..
26 February 1942 - While at Camp Bowie
Camp Bowie
Camp Bowie is a United States National Guard training center located in west central Texas near the cities of Brownwood and Early.-History:Camp Bowie, in honor of the Texas patriot James Bowie, was a military training facility during World War II, and was the third camp in Texas to be so named...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
- Reorganized as 31st Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop. It was formed out equal numbers of men from the Divisions four Infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
Regiments and Engineers, ... the 31st Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop was reincarnated under its current name.
1944-45 - The 31st Infantry Division was ordered to the Southwest Pacific, and arrived in Oro Bay
Oro Bay
Oro Bay is a bay in Oro Province, Papua New Guinea, located southeast of Buna. The bay is located within the larger Dyke Ackland Bay. A port is operated by PNG Ports Corporation Limited with limited wharf facilities.-History:...
, New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, 24 April 1944. Overseas, the Troop seldom worked as a unit, but attached elements to the Regimental Combat Teams for all operations in which the Division participated. For amphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare is the use of naval firepower, logistics and strategy to project military power ashore. In previous eras it stood as the primary method of delivering troops to non-contiguous enemy-held terrain...
, the Troop was provided with "tank landing craft" which it habitually employed as the first wave on landings as the Cavalrymen would clear the way across the beaches for the incoming Infantry. Alerted on 25 June 1944 for movement to Aitape
Aitape
Aitape is a small town of about 8,000 people on the north coast of Papua New Guinea in the Sandaun Province. It is a coastal settlement that is almost equidistant from the provincial capitals of Wewak and Vanimo, and marks the midpoint of the highway between these two capitals...
, the 124th Regt. Combat Team (with a Platoon of the 31st Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop) left Oro Bay
Oro Bay
Oro Bay is a bay in Oro Province, Papua New Guinea, located southeast of Buna. The bay is located within the larger Dyke Ackland Bay. A port is operated by PNG Ports Corporation Limited with limited wharf facilities.-History:...
and landed at Aitape
Aitape
Aitape is a small town of about 8,000 people on the north coast of Papua New Guinea in the Sandaun Province. It is a coastal settlement that is almost equidistant from the provincial capitals of Wewak and Vanimo, and marks the midpoint of the highway between these two capitals...
, New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, 3–6 July 1944. The combat team moved up to advanced positions and took part in the general offensive launched 13 July, running into bloody fighting along the Drinumor River. Meanwhile, the remainder of the Division relieved the 6th Infantry Division (United States) in the Sarmi-Wakde Island area, 18 July 1944, and engaged small units of the enemy, trying not to provoke a large scale counterattack. Over 1,000 Japanese were destroyed in these actions. In mid-August the Division began to stage for the Morotai
Morotai
Morotai Island Regency is a regency of North Maluku province, Indonesia, located on Morotai Island. The population was 54,876 in 2007.-History:...
operation, leaving Aitape
Aitape
Aitape is a small town of about 8,000 people on the north coast of Papua New Guinea in the Sandaun Province. It is a coastal settlement that is almost equidistant from the provincial capitals of Wewak and Vanimo, and marks the midpoint of the highway between these two capitals...
and Maffin Bay, 11 September 1944. The Division made an assault landing on Morotai
Morotai
Morotai Island Regency is a regency of North Maluku province, Indonesia, located on Morotai Island. The population was 54,876 in 2007.-History:...
, 15 September 1944. During the occupation of Morotai, elements of the Division seized Mapia, 15–17 September, and waded ashore on the Asia Islands
Asia Islands
The Asia Islands are a group of three small islands between Ayu Islands and Palau. They are located 117 km north of Waigeo.The individual islands are known as Fani, Igin and Miarin....
, 19–20 September. Other elements reverted to Sansapor, where they maintained and operated the base. On 22 April 1945, the Division landed on Mindanao
Mindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
to take part in the liberation of the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. Moving up the Sayre Highway and driving down the trail, the 31st forced the enemy to withdraw into the interior and blocked off other Japanese in the Davao Region
Davao Region
Davao Region / Southern Mindanao, designated as Region XI, is one of the regions of the Philippines, located on the southeastern portion of Mindanao. Davao Region consists of four provinces, namely: Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, and Davao del Sur. The region encloses the Davao...
. With the surrender of General Tomoyuki Yamashita
Tomoyuki Yamashita
General was a general of the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II. He was most famous for conquering the British colonies of Malaya and Singapore, earning the nickname "The Tiger of Malaya".- Biography :...
‘s Japanese forces on the Philippine Island of Mindanao
Mindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
, and the end of hostilities on 15 August 1945, the 31st Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop continued long range reconnaissance patrols into the hills of the Philippine's to contact and accept the surrender of various scattered detachments of the Imperial Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
. In December, 1945, the Dixie Division returned home and was deactivated on 21 December 1945 at Camp Stoneman, California and returned to National Guard duty.
In 1946, the Alabama and Mississippi National Guards were reorganized, and the Jackson, Mississippi based "31st Cavalry Recon Troop" was assigned as a part of the 31st "Dixie Division."
26 February 1947 - Redesignated as 31st Reconnaissance Troop, 31st Infantry Division (United States).
23 January 1948 - Reorganized and redesignated as the "31st Reconnaissance Company," 31st Infantry Division (United States).
16 January 1951 - Activated for Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
service, and deployed to Camp Attebury, Indiana, as "Training Troops. The Division "was later ordered for deployment to Korea as "Combat Troops," but did not deploy as the "cease-fire" was called prior to their departure. Later transferred to Ft. Carson Co. in February 1954, prior to deactivation and return to National Guard Service.
1960-68 - The reconnaissance mission of 31st Infantry Division was assigned to 98th Cavalry (MSARNG).
1 Nov 1973 - Reorganized E Troop, 31st Cavalry, (Superquick Cav), 31st Armored Brigade
3 Sept 2002 - Activated "Operation Noble Eagle
Operation Noble Eagle
Operation Noble Eagle is the name given to military operations related to homelandsecurity and support to federal, state, and local agencies...
" and deployed to Ft. Stewart, GA
In October 2002, E Troop, 31st Cavalry was reassigned as the Brigade Reconnaissance Team (BRT) to the 149th Armored Brigade, 35th Infantry Division, while its former parent organization, the 31st Armor Brigade was reclassified as the 31st Chemical Brigade.
16 May 2004 - The 149th Armored Brigade was reassigned from the 35th Infantry Division to the 38th Infantry Division. E Troop, 31st Cavalry maintained its assignment as the BRT (Brigade Reconnaissance Team) to the 149th Armored Brigade.
2005 - Deactivated and personnel and equipment reassigned to D Company, 1st Battalion 167th Infantry.
Campaigns
Campaign Participation Credit- 1st Alabama Cavalry Troop
- Indian Wars: Creeks, February 1836-July 1837; Seminoles, 28 Dec. 1835-14 Aug. 1842; 15 Dec. 1855-May 1858
- Mexican War: Vera Cruz, 9–29 March 1847
- 1st Alabama Cavalry Regiment (CSA)
- Civil War (Confederate service): Shiloh, 6–7 April 1862; Murfreesboro, 26 December 1862-4 January 1863; Chickamauga, 16 August-22 September 1863; Chattanooga, 23–27 November 1863; Atlanta, 7 May-2 September 1864
- 1st Alabama Cavalry Regiment (USV)
- Civil War (Union service): Murfreesboro, 26 December 1862-4 January 1863; Atlanta, 7 May-2 September 1864
- Mexican Expedition: Mexico 1916-1917, 14 March 1916-7 February 1917
- World War I: Streamer without inscription
- 31st Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop
- World War II: New Guinea, 24 January 1943-31 December 1944 (with arrowhead); Western Pacific, 15 June 1944-2 September 1945 (with arrowhead); Southern Philippines, 27 February-4 July 1945
- 31st Reconnaissance Troop
- Korea: Streamer without inscription
- E Troop, 31st Cavalry Regiment
- War on Terrorism Service: Operation Noble Eagle I; Operation Noble Eagle II; Operation Noble Eagle III
Decorations
- 31st Cavalry Regiment
- none
Heraldry
Distinctive Unit Insignia- Description: A Silver color metal and enamel device 1 1/8 inches (2.86 cm) in height overall consisting of a shield blazoned: Per bend sinister Gules and Argent, a crouching panther, tail elevated, Sable; to sinister a shrub Vert. Attached below a green motto scroll with the ends forming cat paws armed Sable, inscribed "CELER ET NON VISI" in Silver letters.
- Symbolism: Scarlet and white (silver) represent the Cavalry branch. The panther embodies the qualities emphasized by the motto, "Swift and Unseen." Black denotes strength and solidarity. The paws and claws terminating the motto scroll symbolize tenacity and a readiness to fight. The green of the scroll and shrub on the shield signify growth and the land which is a traditional cavalry environment. Scarlet also denotes courage and sacrifice.
- Background: The distinctive unit insignia was approved on 30 December 2003.
Coat of Arms
- Blazon:
- Shield: Per bend sinister Gules and Argent, a crouching panther, tail elevated, Sable; to sinister base a stand of grasses Vert.
- Crest: That for the regiments and separate battalions of the Alabama Army National Guard: From a wreath Argent and Gules, a slip of cotton plant with full bursting boll Proper.
- Motto: CELER ET NON VISI (Swift and Unseen).
- Symbolism:
- Shield: Scarlet and white represent Cavalry. The panther embodies the characteristics and abilities noted by the motto's meaning, "Swift and Unseen." Black denotes strength and solidarity. The grasses signify growth and the land, the traditional home of cavalry.
- Crest: The crest is that of the Alabama Army National Guard.
- Background: The coat of arms was approved on 30 December 2003.
- Note: The present DUI as adopted by vote of members of the Troop while deployed for post September 11, 2001 Homeland Defense at Fort StewartFort StewartFort Stewart is a census-designated place and U.S. Army post primarily in Liberty County and Bryan County, but also extending into smaller portions of Evans, Long, and Tattnall Counties in Georgia, USA. The population was 11,205 at the 2000 census...
, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
as a part of Operation Noble EagleOperation Noble EagleOperation Noble Eagle is the name given to military operations related to homelandsecurity and support to federal, state, and local agencies...
. Historical research was conducted by then ranked SGT Rodger Williamson. The panther design was a homage to the World War II era unofficial DUI adopted by almost all Reconnaissance Cavalry Troops. That design was a yellow (for Cavalry) triangle (for Armor) with a leaping black panther (for the stealth and striking power of a Reconnaissance Unit.) Because E Troop, 31st Cavalry was in transition away from heavy Armored Cavalry into a light Brigade Reconnaissance Team, the yellow triangle was replaced with a red & white shield to indicate the colors of a Cavalry Guidon. The motto was suggested by then ranked CPT Stephen Messer who was the Troop Commander, and by Unit vote the motto was then translated into Latin. Artwork for the Coat of Arms and DUI was done by then ranked SSG Chris Smith.
- Note: The present DUI as adopted by vote of members of the Troop while deployed for post September 11, 2001 Homeland Defense at Fort Stewart