8th Confederate Cavalry
HISTORICAL NOTES:
This regiment was made up of men from Alabama and Mississippi. It was also known as the 2nd Regiment, Mississippi & Alabama Cavalry and Pope Walker Battalion Mississippi Cavalry. Formerly: Beall's Battalion, Alabama Cavalry, Brewer's Battalion Alabama Cavalry Mississippi 4th Cavalry Battalion (Baskerville's).
The 1st Alabama Cavalry (Beall's) Battalion was consolidated with the 2nd Mississippi and Alabama Cavalry (Brewer's) Battalion and Co. "K", 2nd Mississippi Infantry Battalion; redesignated 8th Confederate Cavalry (Wade's) Regiment, May 1862.
The "1st Alabama Battalion of Mounted Men" was commanded by Major Solon Beall, and consisted of three companies, which later became Co. H, I & K of the 8th Confederate Regiment of Cavalry. This was before they joined with the Mississippi companies. Co. H, drew recruits from northeast Tallapoosa County (specifically the Daviston area - the company was formed there January 30, 1862) as well as southeastern Randolph County. Co. I appears to have been recruited in west central Tallapoosa County around Youngsville (present day Alexander City).
Major T. S. Beall was born in Walton County, Georgia and died in Lafayette, Chambers County, Alabama on May 29, 1903.
In records of the Battle of Shiloh it is called "Alabama and Mississippi Battalion Confederate Cavalry". Previous to that it was called "Pope Walker Battalion Mississippi Cavalry", and even then contained at least one Alabama company...that of the McCaa Rangers from Pickens County.
Writing from Lafayette, Alabama, on January 13, 1862, Thaddeus S. Beall reported that three hundred "Cavalry Rangers" had enlisted in his command. The battalion formed on February 15, 1862, at Montgomery, Alabama, possibly with some intent to join Hilliard's Alabama Legion. Three companies served as the 1st Battalion, Alabama Mounted Men, a designation assigned by the Adjutant and Inspector General's Department on May 10, 1862. A fourth -- Captain Slaughter's company -- transferred on March 13, 1862, before the battalion left Montgomery. Officers and men enlisted for twelve months in Confederate service.
Baskervilles 4th Mississippi Cavalry Battalion and two remaining companies from Brewers Confederate Cavalry Battalion merged at Purdy, Tennessee, March 28, 1862. The latter organized with five companies on December 15, 1861, at Camp Beauregard, Mayfield, Kentucky. Colonel Brewer lost Charles C. Clays and H. C. McCutcheons Tennessee companies to the 7th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment, while Captain J. Warren Coles Louisiana Mounted Rangers was disbanded. He requested the return of Captain Roddeys Company D, 4th Mississippi Cavalry Battalion, but it continued to serve independently. With the exception of Falkners Company F, officers and men had enlisted for twelve months in Confederate service.
Brewer's and Beall's Battalions combined to form a regiment near Pocahontas TN about May 17, 1862. It continued to be called the 2nd Mississippi-Alabama Cavalry Regiment as late as September of 1862.
A separate roster containing 465 names of the MS 4th Cavalry Battalion is available.
A first hand account of this unit is available
ASSIGNMENTS:
OFFICERS:
Richard H. Brewer, Colonel
Charles Baskerville, Lieutenant Colonel
Solon Bell, Major
L. L. Goodrich, Adjutant.
SERVICE:
Shiloh, Blackland, Murfreesboro, Shelbyville, Chickamauga, protracted engagement near Dalton on May 1864, Dalton/Atlanta campaign, Jonesboro, Stoneman, Wheelers raid into Tennessee, Saltville, Montgomery during Wilsons Alabama Raid, and the pursuit of Sherman into the Carolinas [split of regiment in 1864 explains what appears to be a conflict in the last two of this list...all companies except F, G, and H are found on the list of parolees in N.C.]
ROSTERS:
Co. "A" (Talladega, AL) -- A. W. Bowie, Captain (resigned, 30 May 62)
Co. "B" (Chambers, AL) -- Rev. Jefferson Falkner, Captain.
Co. "C" (Lowndes County; MS) -- George Abert, Captain.
Co. "D" (Pickens, AL) -- B. B. McCaa, Captain.
Co. "E" (Lowndes County, MS) -- Thomas W. Golden, Captain.
Co. "F" (Chickasaw County, MS) -- I. W. Fields, Captain.
Co. "G" (Lowndes County, MS) -- Felix W. Flood, Captain.
Co. "H" (Randolph, AL) -- John Thompson, Captain.
Co. "I" (Tallapoosa, AL) -- John T. Wright, Captain.
Co. "K" (Chambers, AL) -- Francis Pickard, Captain.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
REFERENCES:
http://www.history-sites.com/cgi-bin/bbs62x/alcwmb/arch_config.pl?md=read;id=1440
Wikipedia
The 1st Alabama Cavalry (Beall's) Battalion was consolidated with the 2nd Mississippi and Alabama Cavalry (Brewer's) Battalion and Co. "K", 2nd Mississippi Infantry Battalion; redesignated 8th Confederate Cavalry (Wade's) Regiment, May 1862.
The "1st Alabama Battalion of Mounted Men" was commanded by Major Solon Beall, and consisted of three companies, which later became Co. H, I & K of the 8th Confederate Regiment of Cavalry. This was before they joined with the Mississippi companies. Co. H, drew recruits from northeast Tallapoosa County (specifically the Daviston area - the company was formed there January 30, 1862) as well as southeastern Randolph County. Co. I appears to have been recruited in west central Tallapoosa County around Youngsville (present day Alexander City).
Major T. S. Beall was born in Walton County, Georgia and died in Lafayette, Chambers County, Alabama on May 29, 1903.
In records of the Battle of Shiloh it is called "Alabama and Mississippi Battalion Confederate Cavalry". Previous to that it was called "Pope Walker Battalion Mississippi Cavalry", and even then contained at least one Alabama company...that of the McCaa Rangers from Pickens County.
Writing from Lafayette, Alabama, on January 13, 1862, Thaddeus S. Beall reported that three hundred "Cavalry Rangers" had enlisted in his command. The battalion formed on February 15, 1862, at Montgomery, Alabama, possibly with some intent to join Hilliard's Alabama Legion. Three companies served as the 1st Battalion, Alabama Mounted Men, a designation assigned by the Adjutant and Inspector General's Department on May 10, 1862. A fourth -- Captain Slaughter's company -- transferred on March 13, 1862, before the battalion left Montgomery. Officers and men enlisted for twelve months in Confederate service.
Baskervilles 4th Mississippi Cavalry Battalion and two remaining companies from Brewers Confederate Cavalry Battalion merged at Purdy, Tennessee, March 28, 1862. The latter organized with five companies on December 15, 1861, at Camp Beauregard, Mayfield, Kentucky. Colonel Brewer lost Charles C. Clays and H. C. McCutcheons Tennessee companies to the 7th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment, while Captain J. Warren Coles Louisiana Mounted Rangers was disbanded. He requested the return of Captain Roddeys Company D, 4th Mississippi Cavalry Battalion, but it continued to serve independently. With the exception of Falkners Company F, officers and men had enlisted for twelve months in Confederate service.
Brewer's and Beall's Battalions combined to form a regiment near Pocahontas TN about May 17, 1862. It continued to be called the 2nd Mississippi-Alabama Cavalry Regiment as late as September of 1862.
A separate roster containing 465 names of the MS 4th Cavalry Battalion is available.
A first hand account of this unit is available
Charles Baskerville, Lieutenant Colonel
Solon Bell, Major
L. L. Goodrich, Adjutant.
Co. "B" (Chambers, AL) -- Rev. Jefferson Falkner, Captain.
Co. "C" (Lowndes County; MS) -- George Abert, Captain.
Co. "D" (Pickens, AL) -- B. B. McCaa, Captain.
Co. "E" (Lowndes County, MS) -- Thomas W. Golden, Captain.
Co. "F" (Chickasaw County, MS) -- I. W. Fields, Captain.
Co. "G" (Lowndes County, MS) -- Felix W. Flood, Captain.
Co. "H" (Randolph, AL) -- John Thompson, Captain.
Co. "I" (Tallapoosa, AL) -- John T. Wright, Captain.
Co. "K" (Chambers, AL) -- Francis Pickard, Captain.