1st Battalion, Tennessee Cavalry (McNairy's) - Confederate

Brief History
The 1st Battalion, Tennessee Cavalry (McNairy's) was organized and mustered in to Confederate service in September, 1861. Later it was active in Mississippi, then was reduced to three companies and in June, 1862, merged into Barteau's 22nd Tennessee 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.

The members of the Tennessee 1st Cavalry Battalion were raised in Davidson County, Williamson County, Cannon County, Wilson County, DeKab County, and Rutherford couny.


 * Company A - "The Tennessee Rangers" - Men from Davidson County.
 * Company B - "The Shelby Dragoons" - Men from Davidson County.
 * Company C - "The Light Dragoons, Williamson County Cavalry" - Men from Williamson County.
 * Company D - "The Marion Dragoons" - Men from Davidson County.
 * Company E - "The Sang Diggers", "The Sangs" - Men from Cannon County, Wilson County, DeKalb County and Rutherford County.

The information about the counties is from Tennesseans in the Civil War.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 478 men on its roster for this unit. Search at NPS Search for Soldiers.

Other Sources

 * Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier. 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.


 * Hancock, Richard Ramsey. Hancock's diary, or, A history of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry : with sketches of First and Seventh battalions also, portraits and biographical sketches. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1990),


 * 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.) Online at Internet Archive, Ancestry ($).


 * Tennesseans in the Civil War: A Military History of Confederate and Union Units with Available Rosters of Personnel. Nashville, Tennessee: Civil War Centennial Commission, 1964. Volume 1 contains brief unit histories. Volume 2 is an alphabetical list of Confederate and Union troops.


 * Rigdon, John C., Hancock's diary: or, A history of the Second Tennessee Confederate cavalry, (Nashville, Tennessee; Brandon printing co., 1887). Online at Internet Archive, Ancestry ($).  Biographical sketches and reminiscences of the war.


 * Rigdon, John C., Historical Sketch and Roster of the Tennessee 1st Cavalry Battalion (McNairy's). This book is available to purchase through The War for Southern Independence.


 * Tennessee 1st Cavalry Battalion (McNairy's).


 * Hancock, Richard Ramsey, Hancock's Diary, (Nashville, Tenn: Brandon printing co., 1887). Online at Internet Archive.


 * Davidson County, Tennessee Archives Military Records - Capt. F. N. McNairy's Cavalry Co. - Civil War Roster


 * Confederate Military Rosters Online, 1ST (MCNAIRY'S) BATTALION, (accessed 26 Feb 2012). Transcribed by Linda Rives, Extracted from Hancock's Diary or A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, published in 1887. Links to military history and each company.