HOLMAN’S TENNESSEE PARTISAN RANGER BATTALION
Organized October 13, 1862; consolidated February 25, 1863 with Douglass’s Battalion and three other companies to form the 11th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment.
FIELD OFFICER
- Major-Daniel W. Holman
Holman’s Battalion had an organized life of only a little over four months. It was composed of four companies:
CAPTAINS
- M. M. Swaim, Co. “A”. Organized September 8, 1862 at Chapel Hill, Marshall County. Became Company “B”, 11th Regiment.
- Jacob T. Martin, Co. “B”. Organized August 16, 1862 at Thompson Station, Williamson County. Became Company G”, 11th Regiment.
- Andrew R. Gordon, Co. “C”. Organized September 10, 1862. Men from Cornersville, then Giles, now Marshall County, and Lewisburg, Marshall County. Became Company “E”, 11th Regiment.
- James W. Rivers, Co. “D”. Organized October 13, 1862 at Pulaski, Giles County.
- Major Holman had previously served as major of the 1st (Turney’s) Tennessee Infantry Regiment, Provisional Army, Confederate States.
About the 1st of December, the battalion reported for duty to Brigadier General Joseph Wheeler, who was encamped near LaVergne, Tennessee. Major Holman reported on December 4, that the previous night, starting from their camp on Stone’s River, near La Vergne, a detachment from his battalion surprised and put to flight a Federal force at Stewart’s Ferry, on Stewart’s Creek.
The battalion took part in the fighting prior to, and in the Battle of Murfreesboro, December 31, 1862, as part of Brigadier General Wheeler’s Brigade. General Wheeler reported that on December 26, his force was encamped on Stewart’s Creek, was engaged on that day, and also on the 28th and 29th. On the 30th, it made a sweep entirely around the rear of the Federal Army, completing the circuit in time to take part in the battle on the 31st.
After the battle, the battalion, in Wheeler’s command, was engaged in scouting and skirmishing along the Cumberland River below Nashville, culminating April 8 in an attack on Dover, Tennessee, by the combined forces of General Wheeler and General Forrest. Here Major Holman was severely wounded, and the battalion lost 25 men in killed and wounded.
A few weeks later, by order of General Forrest, Holman’s Battalion, Douglass’ Battalion and three other companies were consolidated to form the 11th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment. Both battalions protested against the merger, but to no avail. General Forrest appointed J. H. Edmondson as colonel of the new regiment, but Major Holman, on recovering from his wounds rejoined the regiment, first as lieutenant colonel, later as colonel, and commanded it for the remainder of the war.
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.