South Carolina State Troops
Cunningham's Reserve Battalion
Fall 1864 - April 1864

Commanding Officer

Cunningham, John, Colonel

Note:
Raised in the 16 April 1864 with 10 companies (consistent with a regiment rather than a batallion) , it was part of McLaw's Division and surrendered at Durham Station, NC, on 26 April 1865. I have been unable to find any data on the unit at all.
A listing of troops in the Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, dated 31 Oct 1864, includes the "South Carolina Reserves (ten companies), Major John Cunningham," assigned to McLaw's Division. A similar listing for McLaw's Division, dated 20 Nov 1864, lists what is apparently the same organization as "Symons' Reserves (10 companies), Major John Cunningham," Lastly, McLaw's Division, dated 31 Jan 1865 lists in Fiser's Brigade the 1st Georgia Reserves with no reference to Cunninham's Battalion
According to the COMPENDIUM OF THE CONFEDERATE ARMIES: SOUTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA, by Stewart Sifakis, the 1st (Symons') GA Reserves, commanded by Colonel Wm. R. Symons, had a Major John Cunningham. Francis Marion Lane, is the great, great grandfather of Casey Lane who was the son of William G. Lane and Lenora Ann Hunter, he was born 11 January 1847 (tombstone says 1848); and was married to Florence Barrs. Both F.M. Lane and Florence Barrs Lane are buried at Columbia Cemetery in Brooks Co. Francis Marion served as a private in Company B, 1st Battalion, Georgia Reserves under Captain John Cunningham from April 16 to June 30 of 1864, enlisted May 13 at Savannah. The second Muster Roll shows him absent with leave July and August of 1864. The third Muster Roll shows his return to Company B 1st Symons' Regiment, Georgia Reserves, September and October of 1864. Later he served as a private in Company K, 6th Regiment Infantry, Georgia Reserves; shown on the fourth image. Another record shows a transfer from Company K, 6th Regiment, Georgia Reserves to 1st Regiment Georgia Regulars; dated April 5, 1865 Dept. & Army of Tenn.-Johnston. The family story goes that Francis Marion ran off to join the war effort at an early age. He would have been about 16. Another family story says that F.M. reported his regiment as having rough times and scouraging stables for old corn and oats that horses had passed over.
Fred and I think someone made a clerical error on the 31 Oct 64 report and misidentified Symons' Regiment as a SC organization, perhaps confusing the commander with the John Cunningham who previously commanded the 17th SC Militia. This would explain the absence of any other documentation on "Cunningham's SC Reserves," since it never existed.
This appears that this was, in fact a Georgia unit of boys, rather than a South Carolina unit. Due to the confusion, I choose to leave this unit where it is.

Return to State Unit Page

If you have any information about these troops or this unit, please contact