Originally 10th (also called 11th) Tennessee Cavalry Battalion
Organized as a battalion February 1862; increased to regiment April 1862; disbanded May, 1862.
FIELD OFFICERS
- Colonel-E. S. Smith
- Lieutenant Colonel-Zachariah Thomason
This regiment had a short life, and little is known of it. It appears to have been organized as a battalion at Camp Cheatham with eight companies which had been mustered into Confederate Service between November, 1861, and January, 1862. A ninth company was added March 13, 1862, and it was constituted as a regiment in April, 1862. The original companies were as follows:
CAPTAINS
- Peter T. Rankin. Mustered into Confederate Service at Camp Cheatham, January 1, 1862. From Marion County. Became Co. “H”, 4th (Starnes’s) Tennessee Cavalry Regiment.
- Samuel P. Thompson. Mustered into Confederate Service at Camp Cheatham January 3, 1862. From Wilson and Smith Counties. Muster roll bears note that this company was ordered away from Camp Weakley, Nashville, before enrollment was completed. Became Co. “G”, 4th (Starnes’) Tennessee Cavalry Regiment.
- Allen Lea. “The Lookout Rangers.” Mustered into Confederate Service at Nashville, November 1, 1861. Men from Marion County. Captain Lea and some of his men later served in the 2nd Alabama Cavalry Battalion, of which Lea was first captain and later major.
- John F. Thomason. Mustered into Confederate Service at Camp Trousdale, November 4, 1861. Men from Marion County. Roll bears a note “arrived at rendezvous October 25, 1861.” Most men re-enlisted in Co. “C”, 11th Alabama Cavalry Battalion.
- Robert C. Bass. Mustered into Confederate Service at Camp Cheatham December 13, 1861. Roll bears a note that the company was ordered away from Camp Weakley before enrollment was completed.
- Samuel Y. Barkley. Mustered into Confederate Service at Camp Cheatham January 2, 1862. Roll bears note that the company was ordered away from Camp Weakley before enrollment was completed.
- John D. Wheeler. Mustered into Confederate Service at Camp Cheatham December 23, 1861.
- Thomas P. Kinney. No Muster roll. Organized January 16, 1862. A letter was found requesting that the company be transferred to Colonel Bennett’s Battalion.
- ______________ Malone. No muster roll. Organized March 13, 1862. Possibly formed by division of Captain Lea’s Company, as there was a 1st Lieutenant Richard T. Malone in that Company.
The battalion was at Camp Cheatham on February 14, 1862, as evidenced by a requisition for sabres, belts, and shotguns, signed by Lieutenant Colonel E. S. Smith.
It was next reported as being near Chattanooga on March 14, 1862. A report from a Federal scout dated April 6, 1862, placed Rankin’s Company, 80 men, on the south side of the Tennessee River, opposite Bridgeport, Alabama.
The last record found was in instructions sent by Major General E. Kirby Smith to Brigadier General D. Leadbetter, commanding at Chattanooga, dated April 28, 1862: “Colonel Smith should be arrested on the first pretext, and his regiment placed under the command of an efficient officer. If this cannot be done, select the best companies and organize them into a battalion, and report the remaining ones that they may be dismounted or some other disposition made of them.”
The regiment was disbanded, two of the companies were transferred to the 4th (Starnes’) Tennessee Cavalry Regiment. A number of individuals from other companies later served in Alabama organizations.
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.