Stoddard County Companies:
Company B: (Bollinger, Stoddard) - Solomon G. Kitchen, resigned October 16, 1862. John S. Thompson, resigned June 25, 1864. Thomas A. Bottom.
Company C: (Bollinger, Stoddard, Wayne) - David Reed, deserted June 1, 1863. Richard F. Lanning (consolidated with company F).
Company F: (Bollinger, Madison, Stoddard, Wayne) - Jesse R. Henson, resigned January 2, 1863. Richard F. Lanning
Company B: (Bollinger, Stoddard) - Solomon G. Kitchen, resigned October 16, 1862. John S. Thompson, resigned June 25, 1864. Thomas A. Bottom.
Company C: (Bollinger, Stoddard, Wayne) - David Reed, deserted June 1, 1863. Richard F. Lanning (consolidated with company F).
Company F: (Bollinger, Madison, Stoddard, Wayne) - Jesse R. Henson, resigned January 2, 1863. Richard F. Lanning
Brig. Gen. Frank Crawford Armstrong (Springfield-Greene County Library).
The regiment was made up mostly of former Missouri State Guard soldiers from the 1st, 6th, and 8th divisions. The Stoddard County companies were organized in May 1862. The regiment did various attached duties as a battalion until full strength was reached in the summer. The 2nd Missouri Cavalry was the only Missouri cavalry unit east of the Mississippi River to serve mounted. They accompanied Brigadier General Frank C. Armstrong into Alabama in July 1862, and then fought at the battle of Britton's Lane (Tennessee) on September 1, 1862.
They skirmished with federal forces at the battle of Iuka, Mississippi and covered the retreat of General Sterling Price's forces south toward Corinth, Mississippi. They fought at the battle of Corinth, then covered the retreat at Davis Bridge. During November and early December the regiment fought with Gen. Earl Van Dorn, they attacked and successfully captured the Union garrison at Holly Springs, which was a major factor that led Grant to cancel his overland campaign to capture Vicksburg.
In February 1863, Lt. Col. Robert A. McCulloch assumed command of the brigade and his cousin with the same name except for his middle initial, "A," took command of the regiment. Spent the winter scouting and skirmishing north of Vicksburg, Mississippi. The regiment spent most of 1863 fighting in Tennessee and northern Mississippi.
They skirmished with federal forces at the battle of Iuka, Mississippi and covered the retreat of General Sterling Price's forces south toward Corinth, Mississippi. They fought at the battle of Corinth, then covered the retreat at Davis Bridge. During November and early December the regiment fought with Gen. Earl Van Dorn, they attacked and successfully captured the Union garrison at Holly Springs, which was a major factor that led Grant to cancel his overland campaign to capture Vicksburg.
In February 1863, Lt. Col. Robert A. McCulloch assumed command of the brigade and his cousin with the same name except for his middle initial, "A," took command of the regiment. Spent the winter scouting and skirmishing north of Vicksburg, Mississippi. The regiment spent most of 1863 fighting in Tennessee and northern Mississippi.
2nd Missouri Cavalry bugler, George W. Dillon.
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 Lt. Col. Robert McCulloch
In January 1864, the regiment began service under Nathan Bedford Forrest. The participated in the successful attack on Okolona, Mississippi, where they captured six artillery pieces and thirty-three flags. In February, the ladies of Columbus, Mississippi presented the regiment with a new battle flag. In April, the regiment was involved in the attack on Fort Pillow, Tennessee, where they were among the first to storm the fortifications. They lost three killed and thirteen wounded in the attack.
During the summer of 1864, the regiment fought at Tupelo and participated in the Memphis Raid. The 2nd Missouri Cavalry was transferred to service around Mobile in the fall of 1864, where it scouted and skirmished with Union forces around Mobile and western Florida. In February 1865 it rejoined Forrest's forces and remained with him until they surrendered May 5, 1865. They lost fifty-nine killed in battle and seventy-one killed by disease. Information was summarized by me from Jim McGhee's, Guide to Missouri Confederate Units. |