The 3rd Cavalry Regiment, Mississippi Militia was organized on June 9, 1863 in Panola County, Mississippi under the command of Col. John McGuirk and served in the Western Theater. In October it contained about 450 effectives. It was reorganized in April 1864 and mustered into Confederate service as the 3rd Regiment, Mississippi Cavalry on May 3, 1864. The regiment was attached to Chalmers', Slemons, Gholson's, and W. Adams' Brigade. It was under the command of Col. William Ferguson Slemons of the 2nd Arkansas in the battles of Corinth, TN and Iuka, MS. They served under General George in the operations attending the raid of Colonel Mizner, June 15-25, 1863. They continued the war on the outskirts of the main army, engaging in many small skirmishes and battles in support of the Confederate forces. In January of 1864 the 38th was consolidated with the 14th Confederate Cavalry by order of Gen. Polk. At some point shortly thereafter the 3rd Mississippi Cavalry was also consolidated and the new "3rd Consolidated" was assigned to the Department of Alabama, Mississippi, and East Louisiana under the command of General Leonidas Polk. The General then ordered that the regiment be given horses and they remained a cavalry unit until the end of the war.