Lewis C. Pipes

Pvt.  Breckenridge Guards

Pvt. Mississippi Cavalry (Bucks Company)

2nd Lieutenant - Company "B" 20th Confederate Cavalry "Lays Regiment"

Lewis Pipes Jr. was the 7th son of Lewis C. Pipes Sr. and Nancy Holmes. Born in 1839 in Adams County, Mississippi, he was one of 14 children born to Lewis Sr. and Nancy Holmes. Lewis Sr. was a son of  John L. Pipes and Mary Taylor and a grandson of Windsor Pipes and Jane McAffee. Lewis Sr. was a plantation owner and held a large amount of property in Adams County near Natchez.

Lewis Jr. served in the war with two and possibly three of his brothers, (Charles and James and possibly Robert) , although Charles and James served in the Jeff Davis Legion and Robert may have served in the Mississippi Cavalry.

Please note that his name was spelled Louis and Lewis in various military records and census reports, although whenever he signed his name he spelled it Lewis.

There are records for Lewis in each of three different Mississippi Cavalry  Units during the war. I have cards from his service in the 20th Confederate Cavalry that show him in the unit in 1864 and  his election to be an officer on April 23, 1864 as well as Roster cards that show he was a Pvt.in Captain Foules Company before the election to be an officer. I am not certain if these were all the same unit with various names or if they are distinct units. They appear to be the same unit.

After the war ended, in May of 1865, he sent a letter to President Johnson requesting a pardon as had been offered in an amnesty proclamation  by the President that same month. He also signed an Amnesty Oath on the 1st of August, 1865. I have copies of the letter and the oath in my files.

Lewis Jr. was educated at Centenary College and the University of Virginia before the war. He is listed in the 1860 census of Adams County, Mississippi as a single head of household, age 21, a farmer, and the value of his holdings were $40,000.00. Lewis married Mary Eliza Swayze in March of 1869 and they had four children: Saphronia, Caleb, Frank and Rose, although the first two children died at a young age. Mary Eliza died in January of 1905 in Adams County and Lewis Jr. died there as well on November 5th of the same year.

The Breckenridge Guards were formed in Adams County, Mississippi and Mustered into service July 24th, 1862.

BATTLES

Murfreesboro, Tenn. Dec. 29th to 31st, 1862.

Chickarnauga, Tenn. Sept. 18th to 20th,1863.

Missionary Ridge, Tenn. Nov. 26th, 1863.

Dalton, Ga. May 6th to 12th, 1864.

Resacca, Ga. May 15th, 1864.

Dalton, Ga. May 28th, 1864.

Atlanta, Ga. July 20th, 1864.

Atlanta, Ga. on the right, July 22nd, 1864.

Jonesboro Aug. 31st to Sept. 1st, 1864.

Franklin, Tenn. Nov. 27th, 1864.

Murfreesboro, Tenn. Dec. 4th and 6th, 1864.

Nashville, Tenn. Dec. 15th and 16th, 1864.

Bentonville, N.C. Feb. 1866.

I do not have detailed information on action seen by the other two units.

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