Organized February 25, 1863 by consolidation of Cox’s and Napier’s Battalions (q.v.); consolidated with 11th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment February, 1865; paroled as part of the loth/lith Consolidated Tennessee Cavalry Regiment at Gainesville, Alabama, May 1865.
FIELD OFFICERS
- Colonels-Nicholas N. Cox, William E. DeMoss
- Lieutenant Colonels-Edward B. Trezevant, William E. DeMoss
- Majors-William E. DeMoss, John Minor
CAPTAINS-W. H. Bass, 1st Co. “A”. Formerly “A”, Cox’s Battalion. Men from Perry and Humphreys Counties. Consolidated with 1st Co. “K” to form 2nd Co. “A”.
William H. Lewis, Co. “B”. Formerly “B”, Cox’s Battalion. Men from Perry County.
Willis H. Whitwell, Co. “C”. Formerly “C”, Cox’s Battalion. Men from Decatur and Hickman Counties.
William I. Robinson, Co. “D”. Formerly Co. “A”, Napier’s Battalion. Men from Davidson County.
John Minor, Charles W. Tyler, Harmon F. Johnson, Co. “E”. Formerly Co. “B”, Napier’s Battalion. From Montgomery County. Some men from this company were paroled at Fort Donelson May 13, 1865; some at Gainesville, Alabama.
W. W. Hobbs, Co. “F”. Formerly Co. “C”, Napier’s Battalion. Men from Humphreys County.
Thomas S. Easley, W. G. McAuley, Co. “G”. Formerly Co. “D”, Napier’s Battalion. Men from Hickman County.
B. G. Rickman, Co. “H”. Formerly Co. “D”, Cox’s Battalion. Men from Perry County.
D. F. Alexander, Thomas L. Fletcher, 1st Co. “I”. Formerly “E”, Napier’s Battalion. Many men from Henry County. Consolidated with “L” to form 2nd Co. I.
S. D. H. Whitfield, 1st Co. “K”. Formerly Co. “E”, Cox’s Battalion. Men from Humphreys and Perry Counties. Consolidated with 1st Co. “A” to form 2nd Co. “A”.
J. B. Algre, T. M. Hutchison (or Hutchinson) (Hutcherson) 2nd Co. “K”. Organized September, 1862; joined regiment April 9, 1863. Men from Humphreys County. Some men from Henry County.
John Huggans, Co. “L”. No muster roll. Enlistments at Palestine, Alabama. Consolidated with 1st Co. “I” to form 2nd Co. “I”.
S.D. H. Whitfield, W. I. Halt 2nd Co. “A”. Formed June 15, 1863 by consolidation of 1st “A” and 1st “K”.
Thomas L. Fletcher, Clinton Aden, 2nd Co. “I”. A consolidation of 1st Co. “I” and Co.
No muster rolls as of the regimental organization were found for 1st Co. “A”, 1st Co. “K”, 1st Co. “I”, nor Co. “L”. The information given is from muster rolls of the consolidated companies.
Of the original field officers, Colonel Cox resigned December 23, 1863; Lieutenant Colonel Trezevant was killed March 5, 1863; and Major DeMoss became first lieutenant colonel, and finally colonel. Captain John Minor succeeded him as major. Colonel Cox had originally been major of the 2nd (Billie’s) Cavalry Battalion, then major of Cox’s Battalion. He had been captured at Parker’s Crossroads December 31, 1862, and was still a prisoner at the time the regiment was organized, but assumed command upon being exchanged.
The regiment was placed in Forrest’s Brigade, of Major General Earl Van Dorn’s Division. Other members of the brigade were Edmondson’s 11th, Stames’ 4th, and Billie’s 9th Regiments. Under Lieutenant Colonel Trezevant, the regiment took part in the attack on Thompson Station on March 5, 1863, and here Trezevant was mortally wounded. Under Major DeMoss the regiment was temporarily attached to Brigadier General F. C. Armstrong’s Brigade and as part of this brigade took part in General Forrest’s capture of Brentwood on March 25, suffering 23 casualties. A Federal report dated April 13 told of the capture of 17 men, including Captain Lealer (?),of the 10th Regiment near Fort Donelson. There was no Captain Lealer in the regiment, but this could have been Tyler, and these may have been the men paroled at Fort Donelson in 1865. On June 10, a Federal report placed the regiment at Okolona, Mississippi and another Federal report spoke of an engagement on July 13 near Denmark, Tennessee, in which the regiment was engaged.
On July 31, 1863, Colonel Cox was in command of a brigade in Forrest’s Division, composed of 4th (McLemore’s), 8th or 13th (Dibrells), 9th or 10th (Biffle’s) the l0th and 11th Tennessee Cavalry Regiments. He and Colonel George G. Dibrell alternated as brigade commander during August. At Chickamauga, September 19-20, Colonel Dibrell was in command of the brigade which had been increased by the addition of Shaw’s Battalion, Allison’s Cavalry Squadron, and Huggins’ Battery. At this time the brigade was in Brigadier General F. C. Armstrong’s Division, of Forrest’s Corps.
Following this battle, a brigade composed of Baxter Smith’s, McKenzie’s, Dibrell’s, Biffle’s and Cox’s Regiments was placed in Armstrong’s Division, and moved with Lieutenant General James Longstreet into East Tennessee, and remained there until the last of March, 1864. On December 10, the brigade was commanded by Brigadier General W. Y. C. flumes, and McLemore’s 4th had replaced Baxter Smith’s Regiment. On December 31, Colonel I. B. Billie was reported in command of the brigade, to which the 11th (Holman’s) had been added.
On April 30, the brigade, with the same members, was reported as commanded by Colonel George G. Dibrell, in Brigadier General John H. Kelly’s Division, of General wheeler’s Corps, with the Army of Tennessee near Dalton, Georgia. As part of Dibrell’s Brigade the regiment participated in the campaign from Dalton to Atlanta, Georgia in the spring and early summer of 1864. Lieutenant Colonel DeMoss was captured during this campaign. Engagements mentioned were at Resaca, New Hope Church, Chattahoochee River, and Peach Tree Creek.
Late in August, the regiment took part in the great raid made by General Wheeler’s Cavalry Corps into Tennessee to disrupt General Sherman’s railroad communications, going first into East Tennessee, then across the Cumberland Mountains into Middle Tennessee, and recrossing the Tennessee River into Alabama.
Near the close of this raid, Billie’s and Cox’s Regiments, with the latter now commanded by Major John Minor, were furloughed to return to their homes to recruit, with orders to report to Major General Forrest in North Mississippi. The two regiments, under Colonel Billie, were reported in Brigadier General I. R. Chalmers’ Division at Florence, Alabama on November 17th, and took part in General Forrest’s operations in connection with General Hood’s invasion of Tennessee in November and December 1864, culminating in the Battles of Franklin and Nashville.
On January 4, 1865, General Forrest directed General Chalmers to return to their regiments all detachments whose regiments were then in Georgia, but to retain Billie’s and Cox’s regiments in his command. On January 19, Forrest ordered Biffle’s and Cox’s regiments consolidated under the senior officer; and the 4th (McLemore’s) and the 11th Tennessee consolidated under the command of Colonel Holman. However, on the next day, the orders were changed, and Chalmers was instructed: “You will retain Holman’s, DeMoss’s, Biffie’s and Russell’s Regiments, and send Wheeler’s, McLemore’s and all other parts of regiments and detachments whose commands may be in Georgia.”
On February 13, 1865, Brigadier General W. H. Jackson was instructed to consolidate all the Tennessee troops into six regiments, to form two brigades. As a result of this order the 10th (DeMoss’s) and 11th (Holman’s) were consolidated under the command of Colonel Holman. On May 3, 1865, Brigadier General Tyree H. Bell’s brigade of Jackson’s Division was reported as composed of Biffie’s 9th (19th), 10/11th Consolidated, Newman’s and RusselUs Consolidated, Bartean’s and Wilson’s Consolidated. The l0th and 11th Consolidated reported 30 officers, 280 men present for duty, aggregate present 355, aggregate present and absent 592, and was paroled at Gainesville, Alabama.
This unit history was extracted from Tennesseans in the Civil War, Vol 1. Copyrighted 1964 by the Civil War Centennial Commission of Tennessee and is published here with their permission. This history may not be republished for any reason without the written permission of the copyright owner.