1st Louisiana Native Guard (CSA)


The 1st Louisiana Native Guard was a Confederate Louisianan militia that consisted of free blacks. Formed in 1861 in New Orleans, Louisiana, it was disbanded on April 25, 1862. Some of the unit's members joined the Union Army's 1st Louisiana Native Guard, which later became the 73rd Regiment Infantry of the United States Colored Troops.

Confederate Louisiana militia

Shortly after Louisiana's secession, Governor Thomas Overton Moore issued pleas for troops on April 17 and April 21, 1861. In response to the governor's request, a committee of ten prominent New Orleans free blacks called a meeting at the Catholic Institute on April 22. About two thousand people attended the meeting where muster lists were opened, with about 1,500 free blacks signing up. Governor Moore accepted the services of these men as part of the state's militia.
The new militia regiment was formed during May 1861, consisting mostly of free persons of color, Creole Francophones. While some members of the new regiment came from wealthy prominent free-black families, a majority of the men were clerks, artisans, and skilled laborers. At that time, an estimated 25,000 African American residents of Louisiana and New Orleans had gained their freedom.
On May 29, 1861, Governor Moore appointed three white officers as commanders of the regiment, and company commanders were appointed from among the free blacks of the regiment. The militia unit was the first of any in North America to have African-American officers, preceding the United States Colored Troops. This regiment was called the Louisiana Native Guard. Though ten per cent of its members would later join the Union Army's 1st Louisiana Native Guard, the two were separate military units.

Activities

The Native Guards were volunteers, and as such supplied their own arms and uniforms. These were displayed in a grand review of troops in New Orleans on November 23, 1861, and again on January 8, 1862. They offered their services to escort Union prisoners through New Orleans. Confederate General David Twiggs declined the offer, but thanked them for the "promptness with which they answered the call." The Louisiana State Legislature passed a law in January 1862 that reorganized the militia into only “...free white males capable of bearing arms… ”.
The Native Guards regiment was affected by this law. It was forced to disband on February 15, 1862, when the new law took effect. "Their demise was only temporary, however, for Governor Moore reinstated the Native Guards on March 24 after the U.S. Navy under Admiral David G. Farragut entered the Mississippi River."
As the regular Confederate forces under Major General Mansfield Lovell abandoned New Orleans, the militia units were left to fend for themselves. The Native Guards were again, and in finality, ordered to disband by General John L. Lewis, of the Louisiana Militia, on April 25, 1862, as Federal ships arrived opposite the city. General Lewis cautioned them to hide their arms and uniforms before returning home. It was their organized meeting with Union General Benjamin Butler, to surrender their arms that led him to form the first three regiments of black soldiers in the Union Army; the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Native Guards regiments, with all their line officers being former members of the Confederate state militia regiment. This was done because he could not get reinforcements he needed to hold New Orleans, and he famously wrote to Lincoln, "If you will not provide me reinforcements, I shall call upon Africa to do so." These men became the first Black officers in the history of the United States Army, all of whom had previously served in the Confederate Louisiana militia. This was necessary because many of the men of color recruited into the regiments were of creole descent and only spoke French, thus, General Butler needed the militia officers because none of his New Englanders knew the language.

Notable members

Companies of the Confederate 1st Louisiana Native Guard prior to disbanding in 1862:
Company NameCommanderPeak StrengthNotes
Native GuardsCapt. St. Albin Sauvinet85 men
Savary Native GuardsCapt. Joseph Joly85 men
Beauregard Native GuardsCapt. Louis Golis52 men
Young Creole Native GuardsCapt. Ludger B. Boquille76 men
Labatut Native GuardsCapt. Edgar C. Davis110 men
Mississippi Native GuardsCapt. Marcelle Dupart64 men
Economy Native GuardsCapt. Henry Louis Rey100 men
Meschacebe Native GuardsCapt. Armand Lanusse90 men
Order Native GuardsCapt. Charles Sentmanat90 men
Crescent City Native GuardsCapt. Virgil Bonseigneur63 men
Perseverance Native GuardsCapt. Noel J. Bacchus60 men
Louisiana Native GuardsCapt. Louis Lainez75 men
Ogden Native GuardsCapt. Alcide Lewis85 mena.k.a. Turcos Native Guards
Plauche GuardsCapt. Jordan Noble100 men
Total1,135 men

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