James M. Myers was born in 1833, the second child of Benjamin Myers and Sarah Francis “Sally” Cox. Two of James’ sisters are great great great grandmothers of the author. His older sister, Minerva Jane Myers, married George Washington Walton and his youngest sister, Sarah Elizabeth Myers, married William A. Fortner. James’ brother-in-law, George Washington Walton also served in the 7th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment.
When James enlisted on 1 June 1862 in the 1st Regiment Tennessee Cavalry, a.k.a. Captain Hill’s Company Tennessee Cavalry, he thought he was volunteering for a two year term. He would remain in Company B, 7th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment until the surrender in May 1865. James was enrolled by Lieutenant Somervell in Trenton, Tennessee. Shortly after James’ enlistment, the 1st Tennessee was renamed the 7th Tennessee Cavalry.
On a 31 August 1863 company muster roll James Myers is listed as a 5th Sergeant in Company B. At the time of the surrender two years later James was listed as a 4th Sergeant in Company B.
The 7th Tennessee became one of Forrest’s most dependable and favored units, and it appears that James Myers was in the midst of the fiercest battles. He was reimbursed for killed horses at least four times over a one year period. He was reimbursed $24 in August 1862, $24 in October 1862, $72 in April 1863 and $48 in August 1863. If $24 was the standard rate for horses, then James had at least seven horses killed in the line of duty. It was common practice for cavalrymen to provide their own mounts and then be reimbursed by the Confederate government
The exploits of the 7th Tennessee Cavalry are too numerous to record here, especially since their history is so well documented by J.P.Young, Jordan and Pryor, Dr. Wyeth, and other of Bedford Forrest’s biographers. It is obvious from the available records that James Myers was an integral part of all of the 7th Tennessee Cavalry’s operations from 1862 to 1865.
4th Sergeant James M. Myers, Company B, 7th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment, Captain J.P.Russell commanding was surrendered by Confederate Lieutenant General R. Taylor to U.S. Major General G.R.S. Canby at Gainesville, Alabama on 4 May 1865. Sergeant Myers was paroled on 11 May 1865 and returned home to Tipton County, Tennessee.
The End