Charles Augustus Pipes

Pvt Jeff Davis Legion

Lieutenant, Sanders Battery, Mississippi Light Artillery

Updated August 6, 2000

Charles was the 4th child born to Lewis C. Pipes and Nancy Holmes. Charles was born about 1833 in Adams County Mississippi. His father was a plantation owner and sent most of his sons to college, Charles attending Oakland College and the University of Virginia before the War.

During the war he served  in The Jeff Davis Legion and later as a Lieutenant in the Mississippi Light Artillery in Sanders' Battery.

Charles married miss Eugenia Miller on July 28th , 1864 and they raised three children in Mississippi. He became a planter and was very successful in life, practicing as a lawyer in Vidalia, Louisiana, was the local sheriff for a time and served in the Mississippi Legislature before his death in Concordia Parish, Louisiana in 1882.

He enlisted with his brother James at the age of 26 on May 18, 1861 in Natchez, Mississippi. He brought his own horse and equipment as did all of the men in this unit. His horse was valued at 250.00 and his equipment at 40.00.  He served for about 10 months with this unit before deciding to furnish a substitute. This was common pracice for those who could afford it and the Pipes family from Adams County could well afford it. They were owners of very large farms and Charles was also a Lawyer before joining the Legion. We do not know who his substitute was but will continue to look for additional information. He joined the Mississippi Light Artillery after this time and was a junior grade officer.

For additional information on the Jeff Davis Legion,  I recommend two books on the unit written by Donald A. Hopkins entitled "Horsemen of the Jeff Davis Legion" and " The Little Jeff". The first volume looks at the rosters of the men who served in this unit and the second volume details the actions and movements of the unit during the war.

The Jeff Davis Legion

Jeff. Davis Cavalry Legion was organized in January, 1862, using the 2nd Mississippi Cavalry Battalion as its nucleus. At that time the unit contained two Alabama, one Georgia, and three Mississippi companies. On July 11, 1864, the 4th Alabama Cavalry and Company D of Mullen’s Georgia Cavalry were assigned to the legion. However, by the end of July, the 4th Alabama Battalion was transferred to the Phillips Georgia Cavalry Legion. The unit served under Generals Hampton, Butler, and P. M. B. Young. It participated in the campaigns of the Army of Northern Virginia from Williamsburg to Cold Harbor, then was active north and south of the James River. In April, 1862, it contained 171 effectives, lost 4 wounded at Brandy Station, and had 4 killed and 10 wounded of the 246 at Gettysburg. En route from Pennsylvania, it had 2 killed and 12 wounded, and 3 were wounded during the Bristoe Campaign. In 1865 the unit was assigned to General Logan’s Brigade and surrendered with the Army of Tennessee. Its field officers were Colonel William T. Martin, Lieutenant Colonels William G. Conner and Fred Waring, and Majors Ivey F. Lewis and W M. Stone.

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