Any members here have a relative in the Union Army's 3rd Tennessee Cavalry? My GGGrandfather John W. Miller was a private in Company E and was captured in Athens, AL on September 24, 1864 and sent to Cahaba Prison where he remained until the end of the war.
None I'm aware of in the Third Cavalry. I had relatives in the 1st & eighth Cavalry. 3rd, 6th, & 7th mounted Infantry.
http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/face/Article.jsp?id=h-2420
Sulphur Branch Trestle, Ala.,
Sept. 25, 1864.
Detachments of 111th U. S. Colored Infantry, 9th Indiana and
3d Tennessee Cavalry.
During Forrest's raid into Alabama and Tennessee he approached
the bridge over Sulphur branch on the morning of the 25th. The
garrison there had been reinforced, and on the appearance of
the enemy it was all called into the blockhouse. After
several hours of desperate resistance the Federals were
overpowered and compelled to surrender to a greatly superior
number.
While the casualties for the whole Union command were not
definitely reported they amounted in the detachments of the
111th U. S. Colored infantry and 9th Ind. cavalry to 47 killed,
6 wounded and 379 captured.
No Confederate losses were reported.
Source: The Union Army, Vol. 6, p. 860
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Third Cavalry
TENNESSEE
(3-YEARS)
Third Cavalry. -- Col., William C. Pickens; Lieut.-Cols., Duff
G. Thornburgh, John B. Minnis; Majs., Albert C. Catlett,
Benjamin Cunningham, Samuel W. Pickens.
The organization of this regiment was. commenced at Cumberland
gap, by Maj. William C. Pickens of Sevier County, acting under
authority from Gov. Johnson. The first recruits were received
Aug. 10, 1862, and at the evacuation of that post by Gen.
Morgan, only one company had been completed.
This company shared in the retreat to Ohio and thence went to
Louisville, where it was joined by the recruits of Cos. B, C,
D and E. These companies were ordered to Nashville as guards
for government stores and arrived Dec. 24, 1862, when they
were temporarily attached to Gen. Spear's brigade.
They were then ordered to the front and participated in the
battle of Stone's River. On Jan. 27, 1863, the five companies
were mustered into service at Murfreesboro, and the remainder
of that year was spent in scouting and skirmishing with the
enemy through various parts of Middle Tennessee. During that
time four more companies were recruited and mustered into
service.
About Dec. 25, 1863, the regiment under the command of Lieut.-
Col. Thornburgh was attached to a brigade of cavalry under
Col. Ray of the 2nd Tenn. cavalry and marched upon the
expedition into Mississippi, participating in all the
engagements of that campaign.
While at Collierville, Tenn., in Feb., 1864, Lieut.-Col.
Thornburgh turned over the command of the regiment to Maj.
Minnis, and soon afterward tendered his resignation, which was
reluctantly accepted. The regiment returned to Nashville in
March and remained there until April 10.
From; that time until September, as a whole or in detachments,
it was engaged in scouting or skirmishing. On Sept. 25, 1864,
the entire regiment with the exception of 15 officers and some
200 men, was captured at Athens and Sulphur branch trestle, by
the Confederates under Gen. Forrest. The captured officers
were exchanged Dec. 15 and the privates were exchanged at
Jackson, Miss.
On April 27, 1865, the steamer Sultana, having them; with a
large number of other troops on board, blew up near Memphis,
killing instantly 174 members of the regiment and mortally
wounding a number of others. The remainder of the regiment
was mustered out
Source: The Union Army, vol. 4, p. 383
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Report of Maj. John B. Minnis, Third Tennessee
Cavalry, of operations February 10-26.
HDQRS. THIRD TENNESSEE CAVALRY,
Germantown, Tenn., February 27, 1864.
SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken
by the Third Tennessee Cavalry in the recent expedition under Gen.
W. Sooy Smith into Mississippi:
Leaving Collierville, Tenn., on the 10th instant with the brigade, this
regiment accompanied it during the entire march, performing its part of
the picket duty, scouting, &c., until proceeding as far as West Point,
and returning to within 3 miles of Okolona, where the brigade encamped
on the night of the 21st instant.
On the morning of the 22d, I was ordered to follow the Fourth
Tennessee Cavalry, the Second Tennessee Cavalry bringing up the rear
of the brigade. For 3 miles before reaching Okolona, the Second
Tennessee Cavalry skirmished with the enemy. At Okolona you offered
battle.
In accordance with your orders, this regiment was formed on the left
flank. The enemy were maneuvering in front of us, and the men coolly
awaited their advance. Immediately I received orders from you to
withdraw my men in column of fours, move forward, and keep well
closed up. In obeying this order, and while moving rapidly to close up,
for the advance regiments were moving very fast, the rear of my
regiment was fired into by the enemy, and heavy firing was heard to the
left of my rear, and simultaneously the enemy passed each flank and
commenced firing into the advance regiments. At the same time the
Second Tennessee and Fourth U. S. Cavalry, with much confusion,
pressed upon my rear, and many passed through my column.
Receiving orders from you a second time to move forward, I was
assigned by you to position on the right of the road, which was held
until I received orders from you to fall back in column, as a heavy force
of the enemy was moving to cut me off from the main column.
In withdrawing my men this time, by force of circumstances they
became more of less mixed with those from other regiments. I however
continued to keep a goodly number of them together, and alternately
fought and fell back until I received orders from you to
pass through the Second Brigade and rally my men, which being
accomplished I was placed, by order of Gen. Smith, on the right
flank, and repulsed the advancing enemy on said flank just previous to
the repulse of the enemy in the [front] and on the left flank. No
engagement took place after this in which this regiment was engaged
worthy of notice.
The loss sustained by this regiment in killed, wounded, and missing was
5, viz, 2 wounded and 3 missing.
I trust you will consider the inexperience of the major commanding and
the men under him in the field, and give justice to all.
I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JOHN B. MINNIS,
Maj., Cmdg.
Lieut. R. W. PIKE,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-Gen.
Source: Official Records
PAGE 313-57 KY., SW. VA., TENN., MISS., ALA., AND N. GA. [CHAP. XLIV.
[Series I. Vol. 32. Part I, Reports. Serial No. 57.]
Bringing the