Forrest's Tennessee Cavalry

Brief History
"Also called 18th Battalion, 26th Battalion, Balch's Battalion and McDonald's Battalion - Organized as a battalion at Memphis, October, 1861; increased to regiment January, 1862; divided into two battalions April, 1862; four Alabama companies transferred to 4th (Russell's) Alabama Cavalry Regiment in November, 1862; 18th Battalion first known as Balch's Battalion; then as McDonald's Battalion; finally as 26th Battalion; reorganized as regiment latter part of 1864; consolidated with 12th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment in February 1865; surrendered and paroled at Gainesville, Alabama, May 1865."

"Units of the Confederate States Army" by Joseph H. Crute, Jr. contains no history for this unit.

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.

This regiment had a very complex history, some 20 to 25 companies being at one time or another attached to it, with numerous changes in company letters.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 1 men on its roster for this unit. Possibly this unit did not complete its organization, and the men went to other units. 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.


 * Morton, John Watson, The artillery of Nathan Bedford Forrest's cavalry, "the wizard of the saddle,"  Nashville, Tenn., Dallas, Tex., Publishing house of the M. E. Church, South, Smith &amp; Lamar, agents, 1909.  Online book at Internet Archive, (accessed 26 Feb 2012) and (Bethesda, Maryland: University Publications of America, c1990),  and (Paris, Tennessee : Guild Bindery Press, 1988),


 * Tennesseans in the Civil War, 3rd (Forrest's Old) Tennessee Cavalry Regiment, (accessed 31 Dec 2011).


 * Nathan Bedford Forrest, (accessed 31 Dec 2011). Biography.