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Blue Ridge Rifles

 

In June 1861, the city of Dahlonega sent their second group of volunteers to the Civil War front under the command of Joseph Hamilton. The unit was organized as Company E, Phillip’s Legion Infantry- The Blue Ridge Rifles. In 1864, the time for which the Rifles' enlistment expired, they did not disband, but re-enlisted for the remainder of the war. Following the war all units of the Confederacy were disbanded. The members of the Blue Ridge Rifles continued to meet on a social basis.

 

In 1950, a drill platoon was formed for use in Spring parades at North Georgia College. The team was named the Honor Platoon. The name was later changed to the Drill Platoon. In 1958, the Drill Platoon was renamed the Blue Ridge Rifles in honor of the Dahlonega volunteer unit.

Since its early beginnings, the Blue Ridge Rifles Drill Team has earned state and national recognition. The Rifles became recognized in 1971 with their winning First Place in the Eastern Tennessee State University (E.T.S.U.) Drill Meet in Tennessee, and have since won First Place honors at the nationally recognized Mardi Gras Invitational Drill Meet in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Blue Ridge Rifles are the 2001 and 2002 National Champion Precision Drill Team.

The Rifle motto is:

"Blue and Gray All The Way!"

BRR PAW 2011 BRR PAW-2
 
NGCSU Digest article by  Edie  Rogers  (April 6, 2010):

Blue Ridge Rifles Take First at Memphis Meet

The Blue Ridge Rifles continued their winning tradition recently, earning first place overall at the Memphis State Drill Competition.

The team is commanded by Cadet LT Richard Tabor and Drill Master, Cadet MASTER SGT, Joshua Owens. The Drill Team placed first in six of the seven scored events at the March 27 event, as well as placing teams first and third in both the Individual Exhibition and Two-Man Exhibition events.

The first-place win in Memphis follows a second-place showing in February in the annual Mardi Gras National Drill Meet on Feb. 12 in New Orleans by the Blue Ridge Rifles and two members of the Color Guard. The competition featured groups from around the country.

Both the university’s Color Guard and the Blue Ridge Rifles were the National Champion Precision Drill Team in 2001 and 2002.

Last month, the Blue Ridge Rifles also hosted their 45th annual Southeastern Invitational Drill Meet on March 6, welcoming drill teams from 15 high schools. More than 300 students from Georgia, South Carolina and Florida were on campus for the meet that was planned, coordinated and executed by cadets.

The Blue Ridge Rifles take their name from a group of Dahlonega volunteers sent to the Civil War front in June 1861, organized as Company E, Phillips Legion Infantry -- the Blue Ridge Rifles. In 1950, a drill platoon was formed for use in spring parades at North Georgia; in 1958 the Drill Platoon was renamed the Blue Ridge Rifles in honor of the Dahlonega volunteer unit.

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