John C Rigdon

Historical Sketch and Roster Of The Tennessee 3rd Cavalry Regiment John C Rigdon

The history of this unit is very complex because over seventy companies from Tennessee, Kentucky, Texas, Mississippi, and Louisiana were attached to it at one time or another. The 3rd Tennessee (Forrest's Old) Cavalry Regiment was organized at Memphis, Tennessee, in October, 1861, as an eight-company battalion. In January, 1862, it was increased to regimental size. When the mass Confederate breakout attempt at Fort Donelson failed, Forrest led most of his own men, and some other troops, through the besieging lines and then directed the rear guard during the retreat from Nashville. The regiment fought throughout the war in Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, and Kentucky. As first organized the regiment was composed of Capt. Overton's Company (A), Brandenburg, Ky., some ninety men; Capt. Logan's Company (G), Harrodsburg, Ky., forty-five men; Kelley Troopers (Company F), Madison county, Ala., ninety men; Capt. Trewhitt's Company (E), Gadsden, Ala., eighty men; Capt. Bawl's Company (B), South Alabama, eighty men; Capt. Miner's Company (PI), Marshall county, Ala., eighty-five men; Capt. Gould's Company (D), Texas, ninety men; and Capt. May's Company (C), Memphis, Tenn., ninety men. Later it became by degrees almost entirely a regiment of West Tennessee troops.