Confederate Home Guard

The Home Guard of the several states of the Confederacy during the American Civil War included all able-bodied white males between the ages of 18 and 50 who were exempt from Confederate service, excepting only the governor and other officials.

The Home Guard replaced the militia whose members had volunteered or been conscripted into service in the Confederate Army.

Depending on the area, Home Guard units would be at times nothing more than a group of men identified as such, working as they pleased.

At other times, most usually in states located in what was known as the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, Home Guard units had base camps and headquarters, went on patrol, and scouted for possible deserters or Union stragglers.

Most of the time, Home Guard units were poorly equipped, due to shortages of goods, ammunition, and weapons to supply the Confederate Army.

They rarely dressed in anything that could be called a uniform, but did make efforts to wear the same color clothing as the Confederate soldiers.

By the middle of the war, many Home Guard units were composed of wounded soldiers that had returned to recover.