21st Regiment, Tennessee Infantry

Brief History
The 21st Regiment, Tennessee Infantry completed its organization at Union City, Tennessee, in July, 1861. During May, 1862, when the unit was reorganized, it was consolidated into six companies and united with the 5th (Smith's) Confederate Infantry Regiment

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties of Origin
Men often enlisted in a company recruited in the counties where they lived though not always. After many battles, companies might be combined because so many men were killed or wounded. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first.


 * Company A - Captain Edward Irby - Men from Memphis, Shelby County.
 * Company B - Captain Richard J. Person - Men from Memphis, Shelby County.
 * Company C - Captain J.P.S. Whitemore - Menfrom Pcoahontaas, Hardeman County.
 * Company D - Captain J.D. Layton - Men from Memphis, Shelby County.
 * Company E - Captains J.H. Healy, Thomas R. Dashiell - Men from Memphis, Shelby County.
 * Company F - Captains A.L. Whitley, William A. Brown - Men from Memphis, Shelby County.
 * Company G - Captains S.H. Shitsitts, N.D. Cullen - Men from Memphis, Shelby County.
 * Company H - Captain Nat C. Taylor - Men from Memphis, Shelby County.
 * Company I - Captains William Hutchinson, C.W. Razer - Men from Memphis, Shelby County.
 * Company K - Captain H.C. King - "The Pillow Guards"

Information for these companies comes from Tennesseans in the Civil War, (accessed 29 Dec 2011).

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 810 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Other Sources

 * Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier or sailor. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in 'Tennessee in the Civil War' and 'United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865' (see below).


 * National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, is searchable by soldier's name and state. It contains basic facts about soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, a list of regiments, descriptions of significant battles, sources of the information, and suggestions for where to find additional information.


 * Tennessee in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for Tennessee, and how to find them.. These include compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865 describes and explains United States and Confederate States records, rather than state records, and how to find them. These include veterans’ censuses, compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * Lindsley, John B. The Military Annals of Tennessee: Confederate, First Series; Embracing a Review of Military Operations, with Regimental Histories and Memorial Rolls, Compiled from Original and Official Sources. 1886. Reprint. Spartanburg, South Carolina: Reprint Co., 1974. (FS Library book 976.8 M2L.) Digital versions at FamilySearch; Internet Archive. A brief history of the 5th Confederate starts on page 146.


 * The Fifth Confederate (Tennessee) Regiment, a brief history, (accessed 28 Dec 2011).


 * The Twenty-first Tennessee (Confederate) Regiment, a brief history, (accessed 29 Dec 2011).


 * Tennesseans in the Civil War, 21st Tennessee Infantry Regiment, (accessed 29 Dec 2011).