18th Mississippi Cavalry Battalion

18th Mississippi Cavalry Battalion 1863–1865 Confederate States Mississippi 1861 Confederate StatesForrest's Cavalry Corps Cavalry Battalion Chalmers' Battalion American Civil War Grierson's Raid Second Battle of Collierville Battle of Fort Pillow Battle of Brice's Crossroads Battle of Tupelo Wilson's Raid Battles 19th century confederate cavalry battalion from Mississippi The 18th Mississippi Cavalry Battalion initially known as Chalmers' Battalion was a unit of the Confederate States Army in the American Civil War. As part of Forrest's Cavalry Corps, the 18th Battalion fought in numerous skirmishes and battles in Mississippi, Tennessee, and Alabama before surrendering in May, 1865. History Chalmers' Battalion was formed in 1863 to consolidate several existing independent partisan ranger companies operating in North Mississippi. The commanding officer was Major Alexander H. Chalmers, the brother of Confederate general James Ronald Chalmers.Bradley Michael R. 2012 They Rode With Forrest Gretna LA Pelican Publishing Company 71-72 The battalion fought against Grierson's Raiders and guarded supply depots. Initially known as "Chalmers' Battalion",United States War Department 1895 The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume 30, Serial 53 https://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/053/0542 Washington DC Government Printing Office 542 the designation was officially changed to the 18th Battalion Mississippi Partisan Rangers on September 10, 1863.United States War Department 1895 The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume 30, Serial 53 https://ehistory.osu.edu/books/official-records/053/0631 Washington DC Government Printing Office 631 The Confederate Congress had passed the Partisan Ranger Act in April, 1862 to authorize the formation of irregular guerilla units, with the intention of sparking resistance to Federal authority in Union-controlled regions. Partisan Ranger units were subject to the same regulations as regular Confederate Army troops, but in addition to their regular pay, they also received a bounty from the government for any captured Federal arms they turned over to army quartermasters. To prevent the flow of men eligible for conscription into partisan service, the army passed new regulations in the summer of 1862 prohibiting transfer from regular units to Partisan Ranger units, and required a minimum age of 35 to join partisan companies. Attitudes towards the partisan rangers were negative amongst the military leadership, and the Confederacy repealed the Partisan Ranger Act in February 1864, converting these units into regular cavalry regiments. The 18th Battalion fought against Federal cavalry raids in Mississippi during the fall of 1863, and joined Confederate troops under General James R. Chalmers at the Second Battle of Collierville in Tennessee. In January 1864 the battalion was assigned to Forrest's Cavalry Corps, as part of Colonel Robert McCullough's brigade in General Chalmers' division.Rowland Dunbar. 1908 The Official and Statistical Register of the State of Mississippi, Volume 2 https://books.google.com/books?id=BCYLAAAAMAAJ Mississippi Department of Archives and History 819–825 Led by General Chalmers, the battalion took part in the Battle of Fort Pillow in April, 1864, where Black Union troops were infamously executed by the Confederates after they had surrendered.Tapp Bruce "These devils are not fit to live on God's earth": War Crimes and the Committee on the Conduct of the War, 1864-1865 Civil War History June 1996 42 2 116-132 Under General Forrest, the battalion fought at the Battle of Brice's Cross Roads in June, 1864 and the Battle of Tupelo in July. The battalion joined Forrest's raid on Memphis, and then afterward was sent in September to Mobile remaining in Alabama for the remainder of the war. Company C was detached and served as General Chalmers' escort company during the Franklin-Nashville Campaign. In the final months of the war, the battalion was consolidated with part of the 5th Mississippi Cavalry Regiment and Captain B.F. Saunders' company of scouts to form the 18th Mississippi Cavalry Regiment. This combined unit surrendered with General Forrest's corps at Gainesville, Alabama in May, 1865. Commanders Commanders of the 18th Mississippi Cavalry Battalion: Col. Alexander H. Chalmers Lt. Col. J. Waverly Smith Maj. William R. Mitchell Organization Companies of the 18th Mississippi Cavalry Battalion: Company A Company B, Porter's Partisans Company C Company D, The Smith Rangers Company E Company F, Pettus Rangers of De Soto County. Company G Company H, Peach Creek Rangers of Senatobia Company I Company K, of De Soto County Yazoo County Company See also List of Mississippi Civil War Confederate units References American Civil War Mississippi Category:Military units and formations established in 1863 Category:1863 establishments in Mississippi Category:Units and formations of the Confederate States Army from Mississippi Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1865 Category:1865 disestablishments in the United States