Captain Robert W. Ayres of Benton County, TN raised a company of infantry at Danville, TN, now in Huston County, TN, then in Stewart County, TN, on 6 December 1861. Captain Robert W. Aryes was discharged in November of 1862 and later enlisted in Forrest Cavalry, where he was captured and imprisoned at Ft. Delaware.
The men of this company were reported to be mainly from Benton County, TN with some from Henry County, TN. Company reports state the company was stationed at Danville by General Albert Sidney Johnston and moved to Hindman1s Station by orders of General Baxton Bragg on 9 June 1862. When Corinth, MS was evacuated by General Bragg, nobody remembered to issue orders covering the evacuation of this company and it had to be scattered for the men to escape. ~an>Y½9f them could not be found, some were either killed or captured; some found new companies and joined up with them, while bthers returned home.
Those of the company that could be found were gathered up and mounted on 20 August 1862. Afterwards they were known as Captain J. R. Williams' Tennessee Cavalry. They operated within the enemy lines until 15 November 1862. Then it was assigned by General Bragg for duty with the Provost Marshal, Army of Tennessee and was still doing duty in that capacity on 31 December 1862.
Subsequently they served with Brigadier General Philip D. Roddey in North Alabama and attached to Nixon's Consolidated Cavalry Regiment in 1865. They surrendered and were paroled as part of this regiment at Gainsville, AL on 9 May 1865.
The original muster consisted of 160 men, as follows:
Askew, T.D.
Baker, J.M.
Baker, Joseph
Ballard, I.N. died 1862
Baker, Needham, transferred to Company B, 20 TN Cavalry
Beatom, Daniel, last record 1862
Bell, Alex
Bell, J.A., last record 1862
Briggs, W. J., last record 1862
Blalock, Robert
Boggs, W.C., last record 1862
Bomar, R.J., last record 1862
Bomar, W.C., last record 1862
Boyd, T.P., last record 1861
Bradford, William C., last record 1862
Brandon, T.J.
Brandon, William, last record 1862
Broughton, Thomas
Brewer, L.W.
Brooks, Albert
Brooks, J.M.
Brown, James W., last record 1862
Brown, John W., died 1862
Brown, W.A., last record 1862
Brummager, J.W., last record 1862
Buchanon, B.W., last record 1862
Cagle, G.W., last record 1862
Caqle, J.A., last record 1862
Caqle, J.H., last record 1862
Caplinqer, G.W.
Caplinqer, John J.
Caplinqer, King Hiram
Clayton, S.C.
Clayton, W.B., last record 1862
Clement, J.M., last record 1863
Clement, N.C., last record 1862
Clement, S.N., last record 1862
Clendenen, J.B., last record 1862
Cole, F.S. last record 1862
Collier, J.H. last record 1862
Combs, W.A. last record 1862
Cooper, I.P. last record 1862
Co~per, W.t. last record 1862
Culpaper, E.T. last record 1862
Davidson, N.M. last record 1862
Davis, J.K. last record 1862
Diqqs, Henry C.
Dodson, J.W.
Dorch, Caroll last record 1862
Dorris, W.W.
Ellis, John last record 1862
Elmore, R.H.
Fitch, J.C. last record 1862
Fitch, W.H. last record 1862
Forrest, Hezekiah
Forrest, J.H.
French, D.A.
French, J.T.
French, L.N.
French, Samuel last record 1862
French, W.A. last record 1862
Gilbert, Samuel died 1862
Goodwin, Peter last record 1862
Graham, C.D. last record 1862
Greer, C.N.
Greer, W.C.
Gross, William last record 1862
Guinn, G.W. last record 1862
Handsel, J.W.
Haskins, W.A.
Hastinqs, S.M. last record 1862
Haynes, J.A. last record 1862
Haqqie, John T.
Hollinqsworth, H.G. last record 1862
Horseman, S.H. last record 1862
Hawley, Albert
Jackson, G.A.J.
Jetton, C.H.
Jetton, L.U.
Johnston, W.W. last record 1862
Jones, G.
Jones, Ed
Jordan, Archer
Hoiwick, W.S. last record 1862
Lasiter, D.
Lasiter, I.
Lee, Em last record 1862
Leqate, J.H. last record 1862
Lewis, J.L. last record 1862
Lindsey, J.H.
Lindsey, J.J. last record 1862
Loqan, T.W. last record 1862
Love, William
Lowery, J.P. last record 1862
Madden, S.H.
Manard, J.G. last record 1862
Manard, John H.
Manninq, J.L. last record 1862
Marcom, J.M. last record 1862
Marcom, S.W.
Matheny, I,B. last record 1862
Matheny, L.G. last record 1862
McFadden, J.H.
McGill, T.J.
Melton, Samuel
Moody, Lewis last record 1862
Moor, Georqe
Myrack, W.E. last record 1862
Odom, W.A. last record 1862
Pafford, E. last record 1862
Pafford, R.C.
Paf ford, John
Pafford, T. last
Parker, J.A.
Pierce, J.W.
Piles, John last record 1862
Provow, G.W. last record 1862
Redmon, R.W. last record 1862
Robins, T.H. last record 1862
Roqers, J.V. last record 1862
Rushing, S.T.
Russell, A.W.
Scott, J.T.
Sexton, W.W. last record 1862
Smith, L.B. last record 1862
Spence, G.W. last record 1862
Spence, W.P. last record 1862
Stockdale, W.R. last record 1862
Staqner, G.W. last record 1862
Staqner, W.O. last record 1862
Starnes, C.F.
Steel, G. last record 1862
Steel, W.A. found later in Co. L, 20th TN Cav.
Stroud, B.J.
Stroud, J.R.
Summers, William last record 1862
Surrett, J.R. last record 1862
Surrett, W.L. last record 1862
Walls, W.E. last record 1862
Walston, W.M.
Wars, T.H. last record 1862
Watson, D. last record 1862
Whitaker, F.W. last record 1862
Williams, C.B.
Williams, James R.
Wilson, B. last record 1862
Womack, T.J.
Womack, William
Wiseman, W.J.
Wright, W.H.
Wright, G.W. last record 1862
Young, W.H. last record 1862