17th Battalion, Tennessee Cavalry (Sanders')

Brief History
This regiment was formed in September, 1862. During December, 1864, it merged into the 9th Mississippi Cavalry 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.

"This battalion was composed of only three companies, one of which, Company "A", was composed principally of Tennesseans. The other two were Mississippi companies."


 * Company A - Captain Edward I. Sanders - "Confederate Rangers"
 * Company B - Captains L.E. Hill, T.C. Brown - "The Chickasaw Mounted Guards"
 * Company C - Captains P.A. Mann, James C. Brock

"Companies "B" and "C" were illegally mustered into the 12th Mississippi Cavalry Battalion in August 1863, but were ordered returned to Major Sanders by Major General Stephen D. Lee. When they returned to the battalion, their Company letters were reversed."

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

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 467 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.


 * Tennesseans in the Civil War, 17th (Sanders') Tennessee Cavalry Battalion, (accessed 29 Dec 2011).