On paper, McRae's Battalion North Carolina Cavalry was formed in September 1863 by order of the Confederate Secretary of War. Most of the men assigned to this battalion were liable to conscription, and were between age 18 and 45. Several officers assigned to this battalion were serving as conscription officers in various locations in the state. Captain James C. McRae was assigned to command the battalion, and was promot- ed to Major. This was a rank commensurate with the number of soldiers assigned to the battalion.McRae took his assignment seriously, and proceeded to Camp Vance at Morganton, North Carolina. McRae's staff was limited, according to available records, to an Assistant Quartermaster. No other men were assigned to the field and staff section of the battalion. Other officers or men, however, were probably detailed to complete administrative duties. He soon began to get his limited service battalion in shape, and by November 1863, the unit was considered fully organized. McRae was able to raise four companies from conscripted men and was joined at some point by Captain McMillan's Independent Cavalry Company from Ashe County. Only two companies, C and E, have extant muster rolls. The data presented for other men serving under McRae has been gleaned from prisoner of war records, clothing receipts, and reenlistment bounty rolls. This information is further limited by the use of initials on these documents by many men. This makes further identification of them, prior and later service very diffi- cult.The subelements of McRae's Battalion North Carolina Cavalry were: Captain Andrew N. McMillan's Company. This unit was organized by Captain McMillan for local service before the organization of McRae's Battalion. It appears to have returned to that duty after the battalion was disbanded on June 1, 1864. It appears this company was functional as late as September 20, 1864 when Captain McMillan signed a bounty roll. It is the only company with a detailed roster extant, and for which a full slate of officers is known. McMillan previously served as Captain of Company A, 26th North Carolina Infantry where he served until severely wounded at New Bern in March 1862.