Historical Notes:
The Tennessee 15th Infantry Regiment was organized at Jackson, Tennessee, in June, 1861 and in July totalled 744 men. Its members were from Memphis and the counties of Weakley, Lake, Madison, and Shelby. Company G contained men from Kentucky and Southern Illinois. After fighting at Belmont , Shiloh , and Perryville , the unit was assigned to Bate's, Tyler's, and Palmer's Brigade, Army of Tennessee. During June, 1863, it was consolidated with the 37th Regiment. It was active at Hoover's Gap, then participated in the campaigns of the army from Chickamauga to Atlanta , returned to Tennessee with Hood, and saw action in North Carolina. This regiment reported 200 casualties at Shiloh and had 34 disabled at Perryville. The 15th/37th lost fifty-eight percent of the 202 engaged at Chickamauga and in December, 1863, totalled 234 men and 148 arms. Only a handful surrendered on April 26, 1865.
Officers:
Colonels:
• Charles M. Carroll
• R. C. Tyler
Lieutenant Colonels:
• James H. Taylor
• R. C. Tyler
• Thorndike Brooks
Majors:
• John W. Hambleton
• John F. Hearn
• John M. Wall Assignments:
Brigadier General Benjamin F. Cheatham's Brigade
Brigadier General Gideon J. Pillow's Division, Colonel J. Knox Walker's Brigade
Colonel Preston Smith's Brigade
Cheatham's Division, Brigadier General Bushrod R. Johnson's Brigade
Brigadier General William B. Bate's Brigade
37th Tennessee Infantry Regiment
Organized October, 1861
Carroll's Brigade, Crittenden's Division
Reorganized May, 1862
Major General Simon B. Buckner's Division, Brigadier General Bushrod R. Johnson's Brigade.
Major General William J. Hardee's Corps, Brigadier General J. S Marmaduke's Brigade
Field consolidation with 15th Tennessee June, 1863.
Following Consolidation Of The 15th & 37th
Major General Alexander P. Stewart's Division, Brigadier General William B. Bate's Brigade
Merged into 4th Consolidated Tennessee Infantry Regiment April 9, 1865; paroled at Greensboro, North Carolina May 1, 1865.
Battles:
15th Tennessee Infantry Regiment
Belmont - November 7, 1861
Shiloh
Perryville - October 8, 1862
Hoover's Gap - June 24-26, 1863
Following Consolidation Of The 15th & 37th
Chickamauga
Missionary Ridge
New Hope Church
Peach Tree Creek
Atlanta
Ezra Church
Jonesboro
Franklin
Nashville
Bentonville
High Point, North Carolina Surrender
Rosters:
The roster of this unit contains the names of 1572 men.
B. G. Ezzell, Co. "A". Men from McKenzie, Weakley County. This company disbanded May 1, 1862, and men transferred to Companies "E" and "G".
A. C. Ketchum, Jones Genette, Co. "B". Men from Memphis.
Frank Rice, J. W. Rogan, Henry Rice, Co. C". "The Montgomery Guards." Men from Memphis.
C. A. Rose, John F. Hearn, Mathew Dwyer, Co. "D". Men from Madison County. Company D was composed of men from what originally was Obion County but later became Lake County. After consolidation with Company A at Corinth, R.B. Donaldson became captain; R.B. Lane, 1st Lt.; J.J. Thompson, 2nd Lt.; and W.W.Whitson, Orderly Sgt. Lt. Lane became captain when Donaldson was killed.
W. B. Isler, R. A. Lewis, R. B. Donaldson, Co. "E". "The Madrid Bend Guards." Men from Lake County. Formed June 8, 1861.
John F. Cameron, William F. Bourne, 1st Co. "F". "The Young Guard." Men from Memphis, detached June, 1861 and became Co. "B", 18th (Marmaduke's) Arkansas Infantry, subsequently 3rd Confederate Infantry Regiment.
E. McCleary (state service only), B. W. Marston, William H. Pipes, 2nd Co. "F". Men from Memphis, replaced 1st Co. "F" at Union City.
Thorndike Brooks, H. B. Cunningham, Co. "G". Men from Paducah, Kentucky, and Southern Illinois. Organized at Union City, Tennessee.
N. Carroll, John Bain, Co. "H", Men from Shelby County.
Nicholas Frech, William Woltering, Max J. Rickert, Co. "I". "The Washington Rifles." Men from Shelby County.
Joseph Kellar, Co. "K". "The Swiss Rifles." Consolidated with "I", December, 1862. Men from Memphis.
Bibliography for Research: