6th Regiment Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry
Encyclopedia
The 6th Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry
regiment
that served in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
. The regiment was also known as the 1st West Tennessee Cavalry.
, LaGrange, Bolivar
, and Trenton
, Tennessee and mustered in 11 August 1862 for a three year enlistment under the command of Colonel
Fielding Hurst. These last four companies of the regiment were mustered in October 1862, as the 1st West Tennessee Infantry and transferred to the 6th Tennessee Cavalry in July 1863, per orders dated 10 June 1863.
The regiment was attached to District of Jackson, Department of the Tennessee, to November 1862. District of Jackson, XIII Corps, Department of the Tennessee, to December 1862. Cavalry Brigade, District of Jackson, XVI Corps, to March 1863. Cavalry Brigade, 3rd Division, XVI Corps, to June 1863. 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, XVI Corps, to December 1863. 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, XVI Corps, to June 1864. Unassigned, District of West Tennessee, Department of the Tennessee, to November 1864. 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, Cavalry Corps, Military Division Mississippi, to December 1864. 2nd Brigade, 7th Division, Cavalry Corps, Military Division Mississippi, to February 1865. 1st Brigade, 6th Division, Cavalry Corps, Military Division Mississippi, and District of Middle Tennessee, to August 1865.
The 6th Tennessee Cavalry mustered out of service 26 July 1865.
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
that served in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. The regiment was also known as the 1st West Tennessee Cavalry.
Service
The 6th Tennessee Cavalry was organized at Bethel SpringsBethel Springs, Tennessee
Bethel Springs is a town in McNairy County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 763 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Bethel Springs is located at . Bethel Springs was named after a Presbyterian Church that was founded in the area. The name Bethel cam from Bethlehem, the birth place of Jesus...
, LaGrange, Bolivar
Bolivar, Tennessee
Bolivar is a city in Hardeman County, Tennessee, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 5,802. It is the county seat of Hardeman County. The town was named for South American revolutionary leader Simón Bolívar, but is pronounced to rhyme with the name Oliver. Bolivar...
, and Trenton
Trenton, Tennessee
Trenton is a city in Gibson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 4,264 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Gibson County, and its third largest city.-Geography:Trenton is located at ....
, Tennessee and mustered in 11 August 1862 for a three year enlistment under the command of Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
Fielding Hurst. These last four companies of the regiment were mustered in October 1862, as the 1st West Tennessee Infantry and transferred to the 6th Tennessee Cavalry in July 1863, per orders dated 10 June 1863.
The regiment was attached to District of Jackson, Department of the Tennessee, to November 1862. District of Jackson, XIII Corps, Department of the Tennessee, to December 1862. Cavalry Brigade, District of Jackson, XVI Corps, to March 1863. Cavalry Brigade, 3rd Division, XVI Corps, to June 1863. 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, XVI Corps, to December 1863. 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, XVI Corps, to June 1864. Unassigned, District of West Tennessee, Department of the Tennessee, to November 1864. 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, Cavalry Corps, Military Division Mississippi, to December 1864. 2nd Brigade, 7th Division, Cavalry Corps, Military Division Mississippi, to February 1865. 1st Brigade, 6th Division, Cavalry Corps, Military Division Mississippi, and District of Middle Tennessee, to August 1865.
The 6th Tennessee Cavalry mustered out of service 26 July 1865.
Detailed service
Pursuit to Ripley, Miss., 5–12 October 1862. Chewalla and Big Hill 5 October. Operations about Bolivar, Tenn., 3 November-31 December 1862. Expedition from Corinth, Miss., against Forrest 18 December 1862-3 January 1863. Action near Jackson 19 December 1862. Near Ripley, Miss., 23 December. Near. Middleburg 24–25 December. Bolivar 24 December. Near Clifton, Tenn., 1 January 1863. Scout between Bolivar, Tenn., and Ripley, Miss., 25–28 January. Pocahontas 24 March. Expedition to Hatchie River and skirmishes 1–16 April. Scout from LaGrange into northern Mississippi 29 April-5 May. Linden 12 May (detachment). Expedition from Jackson across Tennessee River 2–7 June. Operations in northwest Mississippi 15–25 June. Skirmishes at Forked Deer Creek and Jackson 13 July, and at Forked Deer Creek 15 July. Holly Springs 7 September. Expedition from LaGrange to Toone Station 11–16 September. Montezuma 16 September. Locke's Mills, near Moscow, 26 September. Operations in northern Mississippi and western Tennessee against Chalmers 4–17 October. Lockhart's Mills, Coldwater River, 6 October. Salem 8 October. Ingraham's Mills, near Byhalia, 12 October. Wyatt's 13 October. Operations on Memphis & Charleston Railroad 3–5 November. Holly Springs, Miss., 5 November. Operations on Memphis & Charleston Railroad against Lee's attack 28 November-10 December. Operations in northern Mississippi and western Tennessee 18–31 December. Ordered to Memphis, Tenn., 17 January 1864, and duty there until November. Scout in Hardin County 9 February. Seviersville and Miflin 18 February. Operations against Forrest in western Tennessee 16 March-14 April. Bolivar 29 March. Sturgis' Expedition to Ripley 30 April-9 May. Tracy City 4 August. Florence, Ala., 6–7 October. Ordered to Nashville, Tenn., 24 November. Battle of Nashville, Tenn., 15–16 December. Pursuit of Hood to the Tennessee River 17–28 December. Hollow Tree Gap and Franklin 17 December. Rutherford Creek 19 December. Lynnville 23 December. Pulaski 25-20 December. Hillsboro 29 December. Near Leighton 30 December. Narrows 2 January 1865. Thorn Hill 3 January. At Gravelly Springs, Ala., until February. At Edgefield and Pulaski and in District of Middle Tennessee until August, 1865.Commanders
- Colonel Fielding Hurst
- Colonel William Jay SmithWilliam Jay Smith (Tennessee politician)William Jay Smith, a Representative from Tennessee; born in Birmingham, England on 24 September 1823; immigrated to the United States and settled in Orange County ; attended the common schools; learned the printing trade; moved to Tennessee in 1846; during the Mexican-American War, in 1847, served...
Casualties
The regiment lost a total of 396 men during service; 2 officers and 33 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 9 officers and 352 enlisted men died of disease.See also
- List of Tennessee Civil War units
- Tennessee in the Civil WarTennessee in the Civil WarTo a large extent, the American Civil War was fought in cities and farms of Tennessee; only Virginia saw more battles. Tennessee was the last of the Southern states to declare secession from the Union, but saw more than its share of the devastation resulting from years of warring armies...