7th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment (Confederate)

The 7th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment recruited from the state of Tennessee and served in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. The regiment fought in both the Western theater of the American Civil War and the Trans-Mississippi theater of the American Civil War. While the majority of the regiment came from Tennessee a minority came from Alabama, Kentucky, Missouri, and Mississippi. Although a regiment, the unit frequently served as a detachment in various armies including the Army of Tennessee, the Army of the West, and the Army of the Trans-Mississippi among others.

History The 7th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment has its origins as the 6th Tennessee Cavalry Battalion, or Logwood's Cavalry Battalion and William Hicks "Red" Jackson's 1st Tennessee Cavalry Regiment. The 6th Tennessee Cavalry Battalion was organized in July, 1861 with six total companies. Many of the men were from Haywood, Fayette, Tipton, and Shelby counties. The 6th Tennessee Cavalry Battalion was organized as follows: +Organization of the 6th Tennessee Cavalry BattalionCompanyEarliest MonikerPrimary Place of RecruitmentEarliest CaptainAMemphis Light DragoonsMemphis and Shelby CountyThomas H. LogwoodBThe Hardeman AvengersBoliva and Hardeman CountyJames Jackson NeelyCHill's CavalryHaywood, Fayette, and Tipton CountyCharles H. Hill DThe Haywood RangersHaywood County, TennesseeJohn G. HaywoodEThe Tennessee Mounted RiflesShelby CountyJosiah "Joe" S. WhiteFThe Shelby Light DragoonsShelby CountyJohn Goff Ballentine The 6th Tennessee Cavalry Battalion served in the Western Department of the Confederate States Army, a detachment of the 6th Battalion fought at the Battle of Belmont and later the unit saw action in various battles in both Tennessee and Kentucky. In April, 1862 the 6th Tennessee Cavalry Battalion merged with William Hicks Jackson's 1st Tennessee Cavalry Regiment and was redesignated as the 7th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment.

Organization The 7th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment was assembled in April, 1862. Its companies were from the counties of Shelby, Henry, Haywood, Fayette,Tipton, Hardeman, and Weakley County, Tennessee. Many of the previous companies from the 6th Tennessee Cavalry Battalion kept their original monikers given to them in 1861. The companies were organized as follows: +Organization of the 7th Tennessee Cavalry RegimentCompanyEarliest MonikerPrimary Place of RecruitmentEarliest CaptainAMemphis Light DragoonsMemphis and Shelby County William F. TaylorBHill's CavalryHaywood, Fayette, and Tipton CountyJames P. RussellCMarion Foxes or Shelby Light DragoonsMemphis, Marion, and Shelby CountyS. P. BassettDThe Haywood RangersHaywood, Fayette, and Tipton CountyL. W. TaliaferroEHardeman AvengersBoliva and Hardeman CountyW. J. TateFForked Deer RangersCrockett County, TennesseeClement Claiborne ClayGThe Independent Rebel RangersHenry County, TennesseeJohn G. StocksHWeakley County, TennesseeH. C. McCuthcenITipton County, TennesseeJames R. AlexanderKShelby, Fayette, and Tipton CountySamuel T. TaylorLThe Western RangersHaywood County, TennesseeAlexander DuckworthMHaywood and Lauderdale CountyB. T. Davis

Service For much of the regiments early history it served under Major General Earl Van Dorn and Van Dorn's Army of the West. After 1862 the 7th Tennessee Cavalry served under Forrest's Cavalry Corps and other various brigades as a detachment including; Frank Crawford Armstrong, Robert A “Black Bob” McCulloch, James Ronald Chalmers, William F. Slemons, James Jackson Neely, and Edmund Rucker. The regiment confronted the Union Army in Mississippi, moved with Nathan Bedford Forrest to West Tennessee and Kentucky, then saw action in East Tennessee. Later the regiment participated in the Battle of Franklin and Battle of Nashville, and in 1865 skirmished in Alabama. Following Wilson's Raid the regiment surrendered in Gainesville, Alabama, in May, 1865. William Hicks Jackson was appointed as the Confederate commissioner to complete the paroling of General Forrest's command in Columbus, Mississippi.

Commanders

Colonels: William Lafayette Duckworth, William Hicks Jackson, and John G. Stocks Lieutenant Colonel: William Fletcher Taylor Major: Clement Claiborne Clay.

Strength The regiment contained 696 effective men in July, 1862, the regiment later had only 210 present for duty in October, 1863.

Notable people

Nathan Bedford Forrest – Originally served as a private in Josiah White's Company E "Tennessee Mounted Rifles" along with his brother Jesse A. Forrest and 15-year-old son. Jesse Anderson Forrest – The younger brother of Nathan Bedford Forrest served in Captain Whites Company E. Forrest later rose to the rank of Lieutenant colonel in the 21st Tennessee Cavalry Regiment. William "Bill" Montgomery Forrest – the son of Nathan Bedford Forrest joined at the age of 15 as a Private and later was promoted to the rank of Captain. William Hicks Jackson – Served as the second Colonel of the regiment. Jackson was originally the commander of the 1st Tennessee Cavalry Regiment or "Jackson's Regiment". Clement Claiborne Clay – The son of Clement Comer Clay. Clay served as the Major of the regiment, he was also elected as a Senator from Alabama to the Confederate States Congress. John Goff Ballentine – Served as the Captain of Company F. Ballentine was wounded at the Battle of Lockridge Mill in a duel with 5th Iowa Cavalry Regiment Major Carl Schaeffer Boernstein. Ballentine would later serve as colonel of the 2nd Mississippi Partisan Rangers and was elected as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Tennessee's 7th district.

7th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment (Confederate)

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