51st Regiment, Tennessee Infantry

Brief History
The 51st Regiment, Tennessee Infantry was organized at Henderson Station, Tennessee, in January, 1862. Very few were included in the surrender on April 26, 1865.

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 - Captains Edward O. Shelton, William Campbell - Men from Mount Zion, Tipton County.
 * Company B - Captains Jr. Hodges, A.D. Thomas - Men from Gallaway Station, Fayette County.
 * Company C - Captains O.D. Weaver, F.M. Spivey - Men from Shelby Station, Shelby County.
 * Company D - Captains M. Murchison, J.B. Tate - Men from Jackson, Madison County.
 * Company E -Captains Benjamin F. Elder, Richard T. McKnight - Men from Jackson, Madison County.
 * Company F - Captains J.c. Hudson, M.W. Russell - Men from Henderson Station, then Madison, now Chester County.
 * Company G - Captains B. M. Browder, John G. Hall, A.B. Hill - Men from Tipton County.
 * Company H - Captains Samuel D. Barnett, Robert D. McCallum - Men from Henderson Station, then Madison, now Chester County.
 * Company I - Captain D.O. March - Men from Jackson, Madison County.
 * Company K - Captains S.E. Sherrill, George C. Howell, J.S. Hall - Men from Tipton County.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 1,206 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 Ancestry ($); Internet Archive.  Memorial rolls of the 51st Tennessee Infantry begin on page 566. A brief history begins on page 906.


 * Tennesseans in the Civil War, 51st Tennessee Infantry Regiment, (accessed 22 Oct 2011).


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


 * The 51st Tennessee Infantry Regiment, (accessed 30 Dec 2011). A reenactment group, history, and other links available.