2nd NC Mounted Infantry

[railman1959]

When this regiment was formed in 1863, where they issued Spencer carbines or rifles?

[Two Flints]

Information I found while searching the Internet:  Link visited:  http://www.nctroops.com/3usmnt.htm

On February 13, 1864, Maj. Gen. Schofield authorized Major George W. Kirk, Second North Carolina Mounted Infantry, to raise a regiment of troops in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina, to be known as the Third Regiment of North Carolina Mounted Infantry. Although the regiment was organized as infantry, Maj. Kirk was authorized to mount the regiment upon private or captured horses. The first company was actually organized on June 11, 1864.

By April of 1864, Kirk, now the colonel of the Third, was operating in the Shelton Laurel area of Madison County, NC. On June 13, 1864 began the Third's best known exploit, the raid on Morganton.

On June 13, 1864, Col. Kirk with about 130 men left Morristown, TN for a raid on Camp Vance, near Morganton, NC. The soldiers traveled on foot through Bull's Gap, Greeneville, and Crab Orchard, TN. They crossed into North Carolina and forded the Toe River about six miles south of the Cranberry Iron Works. The crossed the Linville River on the afternoon of June 26 and crossed Upper Creek at nightfall on June 27. They marched all night and reached Camp Vance at reveille on June 28. Camp Vance was a training camp for conscripts; the reluctant soldiers had not yet been issued rifles. The camp surrendered, and 40 of the conscripts promptly enlisted under Col. Kirk. All except the sick and the medical officers were carried off to Tennessee. The medical officers were paroled, but the sick (approximately 70 men) were set free because the Federal soldiers had no time to parole them. One Confederate report implies that the "sick" weren't really ill, but were put on the sick list and admitted into the hospital in a successful effort by the medical officers to prevent their capture.

According to one of the Confederate medical officers, "Col. Kirk claimed to be a regular U.S. Officer, carried a U.S. Flag, and his men were all in Federal uniforms." Another Confederate report of this incident says that most of Kirk's men were armed with Spencer repeating rifles. Despite several small skirmishes on the way, Kirk and his men and prisoners returned safely to Tennessee.

Spencer Rifles for the 2nd North Carolina Mounted Infantry

And this info also from the Internet:

Kirk had been given the rank of Colonel and officially given permission to raise a regiment from the unionist in Western North Carolina which became the 3rd Regiment North Carolina Mounted Infantry.  This regiment was made up primarily of deserters, renegade Cherokees, and "Home Yankees" that served only when needed.  With proceeds from their plunder Kirk purchased Spencer repeating rifles for his men, that gave them a big advantage over the Confederates, who were using single shot muskets, and he provided mounts for them with horses stolen from the area.  His first assignment, after raising only 2 companies was to operate in the rear of General James Longstreet's Confederate army in eastern Tennessee and destroy as much of his supplies  as possible along with destroying any means of transportation available to his army.

And from this link:  http://averyjournal.com/Centennial/story/Centennial-Spotlight-The-hard-cold-hand-of-war-id-008896, this section is reproduced:

In June 1864, Maj. Gen. John Schofield, commanding Union forces in and around Knoxville, Tenn., ordered Capt. George W. Kirk to select a group of men to raid Camp Vance. There was not any man in Western North Carolina despised more than Kirk, a homegrown Yankee from east Tennessee. He led countless raids into the area, and the regiments that he recruited, the 2nd and 3rd Regiments of North Carolina Mounted Infantry, are often referred to "A Notorious Band of Thieves and Scoundrels."

Kirk selected 130 men, mostly armed with Spencer repeating rifles, and set out on foot from Morristown, Tenn. on June 13. According to one officer, Kirk's men passed through "traveling in the night and avoiding all roads."

And this link: http://michaelchardy.blogspot.com/2011/07/avery-county_29.html This info is extracted - 

Within the confines of Avery County there was the Cranberry Iron Mines, which produced iron ore for the Confederacy, employing up to 40 men during the conflict. In June 1864, Capt. George W. Kirk of the 2nd/3rd North Carolina Mounted Infantry led a raid through the area and into Burke County. The Federals' goal was Camp Vance, which they successfully destroyed. They fought several skirmishes with local home guard contingents on their way back up the mountain. Kirk's Raiders were armed with seven-shot Spencer rifles, so the contest always tipped in favor of Kirk's men. Once back into present-day Avery County, the Raiders burned the home of Col. John B. Palmer and destroyed the iron works at Cranberry.

Two Flints

[Preston County Rider]

Regiments of North Carolina Mounted Infantry, are often referred to "A Notorious Band of Thieves and Scoundrels."

Sounds like a perfect match for the Spencer rifle and the SSS - Two Flints, you should sign these guys up!

PCR