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Confederate States Of America by Dr. Bill Dickens The Tenth Tennessee Cavalry began its service as a partisan ranger unit under the command of Nicholas Cox. From October 1862 to December 1862, they patrolled the eastern bank of the Tennessee River. In December 1862, they were officially mustered into service as Cox's Battalion, which was part of Nathan Bedford Forrest's cavalry. They participated in Forrest's West Tennessee raid, which went as far north as Moscow, Kentucky. This raid forced Grant to abandon his attempt to capture Vicksburg and saved the river city for another six months. At the Battle of Parker's Crossroads on December 31, 1862, Major Cox was captured along with many of his battalion. In the same action Colonel Napier, commander of a battalion which had taken his name, was killed. On February 25, 1863, the remnants of Cox's Battalion and Napier's Battalion were consolidated and the Tenth Tennessee Cavalry was created. In the Spring of 1863, the Tenth Tennessee fought in the battles of Thompson's Station and Brentwood. During that summer, the Tenth toured middle Tennessee participating on many raids on Union strongholds. By September 1863, the Tenth was with Forrest under General Bragg in northern Georgia. On September 18, Forrest was ordered, with his troopers, to cross the Chickamauga Creek. They were the first Confederate troops to engage Union troops in what would be the second bloodiest battle of the Civil War, Chickamauga. They fought most of this battle dismounted (this was a favorite tactic of Forrest). Forrest encouraged Bragg to make the Confederate victory complete by going on and capturing Chattanooga. Instead, Bragg decided to invest the city in hopes of reducing the Union army by starvation. Forrest and his troopers were sent north toward Knoxville to deal with a perceived threat from Burnside's troops. Shortly after the Chickamauga victory, Forrest was sent on short furlough to see his wife. The Tenth along with the rest of Forrest's command was given to Major General Wheeler, a seemingly permanent transfer. Under Wheeler, also an able leader, the Tenth continued to experience the success they had under Forrest. The Tenth fought valiantly under Wheeler in support of Longstreet's campaign on Knoxville and the Confederate retreat toward Atlanta. The Tenth took part in Wheeler's simultaneous victories over Stoneman and McCook. The Tenth was spared the fall of Atlanta. Having seen the success Wheeler had over Stoneman and McCook, Hood sent Wheeler on a raid into northern Georgia in hopes that a Confederate force so deep within the Union lines would cause Sherman to withdraw from Atlanta. While Wheeler and his minions were successful, the desired effect was not obtained, Sherman captured Atlanta. After the fall of Atlanta, the Tenth was once again placed under the command of Forrest, were they remained until the end of the war. Following Hood's defeat at Nashville, Forrest and his troopers fought a rearguard action that saved what was left of the once mighty Army of Tennessee. The remnants of the army were sent to the Carolinas to try and stop or at least slow Sherman's advance north. Forrest was left in Alabama to cause mischief for the Union army in Tennessee. In early 1865, the Tenth Tennessee Cavalry and the Eleventh Tennessee Cavalry were consolidated into one unit. They rode with Forrest on his ill-fated attempt to stop the larger, better equipped Union force of General Wilson, during his raid into Alabama. This is considered to be Forrest's only real defeat. Forrest and his men finally surrendered and were paroled on May 8, 1865. The men of the Tenth Tennessee Cavalry served under two of the ablest cavalry leaders in the Civil War: Lieutenant General Nathan Bedford Forrest and Major General Joseph Wheeler. Shelby Foote, noted Civil War historian, stated that the Civil War produced two geniuses, one was Abraham Lincoln, the other was Nathan Bedford Forrest. Probably, with the exception of Robert E. Lee, no other Confederate general was feared by the Federal army like Forrest. The Tenth Tennessee Cavalry participated in ten major campaigns and battles: Forrest's West Tennessee raid, the battle of Parker's Crossroads, Chickamauga, the campaign against Knoxville, the Atlanta campaign, Wheeler's northern Georgia raid, the battles of Spring Hill, Franklin and Nashville, and Wilson's Alabama raid. Aside from these major engagements, there were numerous other smaller raids and skirmishes. Forrest's men were known as thin, hard-riding and hard-fighting men. Who, if they gave up ground, gave it up begrudgingly. It was a badge to be worn with pride to be known as one of Forrest's troopers. It also meant that you lived the war in your saddle. Tenth Tennessee Cavalry Commanders Company Commanders This article, its photos and all the Home / History Contents Section One / History Contents Section Two / Contact the Editor Designed by Dixie Myst Designs copyright ©2001 |