Forrest Forrest's Cavalry Corps 1864 - Organization & Equipment

This is a Feb issue to Forrest's Al Cav Regiment. I conclude the unit is equipped with Austrian rifles and Sharps. Note the issue of 149 French 12mm Lefaucheaux revolvers and French accouterments. In January of 1864, 30 cases of Lefaucheaux civilian double action revolvers with ammunition and accouterments made it through Mobile and were moved to Meridian to be distributed to S D Lee's command.

forrest reg't issue feb 64.jpg
 
In Aug of 1863, Co A of the 7th Tenn (Duckworth's) received this issue in Brandon, MS. Besides drawing Enfield Artillery carbines and
Kerr revolvers note the issue of saber belts. Also they drew ammunition for Mississippi rifles, but that could be a misnomer because the same round is also used for rifled Austrians.

Received Aug. 31st 1863 at Brandon MS
1000 Enfield Cartridges
1000 Mississippi Cartridges
20 Kerrs Pistols
14 Enfield Arty Carbines
3000 Sporting Caps
16 Cruppers
16 Cavalry Saddles
9 Cavalry Valises
7 Breast Straps
64 Bridles
30 Cartridge Boxes
40 Saber Belts
22 Cap Boxes
32 pr Spurs & Straps
20 Pistol Holsters
20 Powder Flasks
20 Cleaning Rods
20 Nipple Keys
20 Spare Cones
4 Trigger Springs
4 Bullet Moulds
2000 Kerr's Pistol Cartridges
 
From an address by General J. R. Chalmers in 1879: Lieutenant General Nathan Bedford Forrest And His Campaigns
Southern Historical Society Papers, Vol. VII. Richmond, Va., October, 1879. No. 10.

The Defeat Of General W. Sooy Smith.

On the 3d of February, 1864, General Sherman began his movement from Vicksburg to Meridian, Mississippi, and at the same time sent a force up by Yazoo City, to take Forrest in rear at Grenada, and ordered General W. Sooy Smith to "move from Collierville on Pontotoc and Okolona," &c., and to meet him at Meridian, Mississippi, as near the 10th of February as he could.

General Sherman says "General Polk seemed to have no suspicion of our intention to disturb him." If this were true, he certainly could not say the same thing of Forrest. He knew that Smith's cavalry was preparing to move some time before it did move. On the 8th two infantry columns moved - - one on Panola and the other on Wyatt -- and on the 9th, one day before the cavalry started, Forrest, then at Oxford, telegraphed Chalmers, at Panola, to skirmish with the infantry, but that this was a feint, and he must be ready to intercept the cavalry, which he predicted would strike for Columbus and the prairie country of east Mississippi, where we had government works and a large quantity of corn. McCulloch's and Richardson's brigades were then stretched out from Panola to Abbeville, watching the crossings of the Tallahatchie river, while Jeff Forrest's brigade was at Grenada watching the forces at Yazoo City, and Bell, at Oxford, organizing. On the 1Oth Smith started from Collierville. On the 11th McCulloch moved to Oxford on converging lines with him. By the 14th it was manifest that Smith was moving for the prairie, and Forrest ordered a concentration of his command near West Point to intercept him, and this was accomplished by the 18th.

Jeff Forrest reaching there on the 17th. His brigade was thrown forward towards Aberdeen, and continued skirmishing with the enemy until the 20th. On the 20th Bell's brigade was sent to keep on the flank of the enemy and cover Columbus, and McCulloch and Richardson moved up to support Jeff. Forrest, and all fell back, slowly skirmishing to West Point. A telegram received here announced that General S.D. Lee, with three brigades (Jackson, Ferguson and Adams), would be with us early on the 22d, and Forrest retired behind Suquatoncha creek, of steep banks and miry bottom, and over which there were but few bridges, easily defended. This was a perfectly safe position, where he could easily hold the enemy in check until Lee could arrive. Smith was in a complete cul- de- sac, formed by the Suquatoncha on his right, the Tibbee before him, and the Tombigbee on his left; and Lee and Forrest united could have crossed the Suquatoncha behind him and captured his command.

Early on the morning of the 21st, a heavy fire was opened on our pickets, composed of two regiments, dismounted and thrown out in front of the bridge, four miles west of West Point. Forrest soon came up to where I was standing on the causeway leading to the bridge, and as it was the first time I had been with him in a fight, I watched him closely. His manner was nervous, impatient and imperious. He asked me what the enemy were doing, and when I gave him the report just received from Colonel Duff, in command of the pickets, he said, sharply: "I will go and see myself," and started across the bridge, which was about thirty yards long, and then being raked by the enemy's fire. This struck me at the time as a needless and somewhat braggadocio exposure of himself, and I followed him to see what he would do. When we reached the other bank, the fire of the enemy was very heavy, and our men were falling back -- one running without hat or gun. In an instant Forrest seized and threw him on the ground, and while the bullets were whistling thick around him, administered a severe thrashing with a brush of wood.

A short time afterward I saw this scene illustrated in Harper's Weekly, as Forrest breaking in a conscript. He stood a few minutes, and when the fire slackened a little, ordered up his escort and McCulloch's brigade; and they soon came. Leaving McCulloch in position, he mounted with his escort, a splendid company of seventy five young men, who each seemed inspired with the reckless courage of their leader, and dashed off through the woods to the flank and rear of the enemy. He soon discovered that the attacking force was small; and at once suspecting it to be the attack of a rear guard to cover a retreat, he ordered the first division forward, and the enemy fell back rapidly before him until they reached a wood four miles north of West Point, where they made a stand in force. After a heavy fight, in which he lost eighty killed and wounded, and the enemy as many, and where he took seventy five prisoners, he drove them back again, and continued the pursuit until dark, when he bivouacked on ground prepared by the enemy, and where he found forage and camp fires all ready for his use.

Continuing the pursuit early on the morning of the 22d, he overtook the main body of the Federals drawn up in line of battle at Okolona, a town situated in an open prairie. Up to this time he had with him only his first division, not exceeding two thousand men. Before him, in an open prairie, where all the movements of each side could be seen, was Sooy Smith, with seven thousand picked Federal cavalry, selected especially, it is said, to crush the Confederate leader. If Sooy Smith had fallen back from his dangerous position at West Point to draw Forrest from a junction with Lee, he had acted with wisdom and skill; and now the long looked for opportunity seemed to have arrived, when, with a superior force of well drilled and splendidly armed cavalry, in an open prairie peculiarly fitted for cavalry operations, the cherished object of General Sherman could be accomplished. A less impetuous man than Forrest might have paused before such a situation; but he never hesitated a moment.

His two brigades of the first division had been ordered forward on two different roads, converging at Okolona, and on they came at a run; and at this moment Bell's brigade, which had been watching the flank of the enemy, came in from an opposite direction. Forrest, putting himself at the head of one regiment of this brigade, mounted, made his favorite flank attack, while his three brigades quickly dismounted, attacked in front; and, after a short fight, the enemy, as if paralyzed with fear, fled almost without a struggle, leaving a small battery of artillery and about thirty killed and wounded.

Sooy Smith, in his report, accounts for his defeat thus: "After the Fourth regulars had driven one entire Rebel brigade out of town three times, a portion of McCrillis' brigade, sent to the support of the Fourth, stampeded at the yells of our own men charging, and galloped back through and over everything, spreading confusion wherever they went and driving Perkins' battery of six small mountain howitzers off the road into a ditch." Forrest pursued with his accustomed vigor; and twice after this the enemy seemed to have regained their courage, and making bold stands, fought for a time with stubbornness and skill.

In their first stand Colonel Jeff. Forrest was killed, and in the last, which occurred about sundown, General Forrest and three hundred men, some distance in advance of his main body, was repulsed, and only escaped capture by taking shelter, dismounted, in a ravine, which he held by hard fighting, until rescued by gallant old Bob McCulloch, Colonel of the Second Missouri cavalry, who never failed to come when needed, but never received the promotion he deserved.

Although this does not give specifics on how they were equipped, it does allow us to see quite a few of the moves made leading up to Ellis` Bridge and the Battle of Okolona and it gives a really good perspective and first hand account by General Chalmers himself regarding all of those actions, be it some 15 years later.
 
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The 22nd Tenn Cav's 1st quarter ordnance report for 1864, likely drafted in February. I noted the regiment still had 20 sabers and there are only 77 revolvers (with no ammunition for the 3 French). A wide variety of arms are seen, but when we move to our next time period you will see orders to Forrest to better group weapon types by regiment.

Ordnance stores on hand 1st Qtr 1864

68 Rifles cal .58
104 Rifles cal .54
44 Rifle cal .52
11 Burnside Rifles
6 Smiths Rifles
4 Maynard Rifles
20 Pistols cal .44
54 Pistols cal . 32
3 French Pistols
20 Sabers
206 Cartridge Boxes
250 Cap Boxes
160 Gun Slings
56 Haversacks
97 Canteens and Straps
76 Shoulder Straps
196 Waist Belts
46 pr Spurs
8 Bullet Molds
8 Screw Drivers
215 Saddles
51 Saddle Blankets
200 Bridles
189 Halters
7 Breast Straps
76 Cruppers
48 Curry Combs
0 Gun Boots
5440 Cartridges cal .58
6350 Cartridges cal .54
885 Cartridges cal .52
385 Burnside Rifle Cartridges
170 Smith's Rifle Cartridges
620 Maynard Rifle Cartridges
0 Buck and Ball Cartridges
520 Pistol Cartridges cal .44
770 Pistol Cartridges cal .33
0 French Pistol Cartridges
 
Feb 7-11, 1864, Col Richardson received the following issue for his troops in Panola, MS.

445 Gun Slings
305 Gun Boots
106 Breast Straps
1080 Army Pistol Cartridges
6595 Austrian or Miss Rifle Cartridges
1000 Enfield Cartridges
350 Sharps Rifle Cartridges
170 Maynard Cartridges
660 Musket Caps
15 Austrian Rifles
1500 Navy Pistol Cartridges
1 Cav. Carbine
1 Enfield Rifles
40 Enfield Rifle Cartridges

140 French Pistols
100 Cap Pouches
140 Gun Slings
140 Pistol Scabbards
5650 French Pistol Cartridges
7000 Musket Caps

3500 Cartridges Cal .54
1000 Cartridges Cal .52
2870 Army Pistol Cartridges
160 Cartridge Boxes
100 Waist Belts
 
I realize these ordnance reports are dry, but they give us a better idea of how the soldier was equipped in an app. 6 month window compared to what the soldiers reminisced in the Confederate Veteran some 50 years later. Said to say, but I'm an old soldier and I know how some details can slip over time.

Anyway, this is a Sep 1863 issue to Jackson's Division. I'm including this because Chalmers and later Forrest were drawing from the same arsenals for arms that had been dedicated to the supply of the cavalry in this department. Once again, please not the artillery carbines and saber bayonets being issued to cavalry. Also, they provided bayonets for the Austrian rifles.


33000 Enfield Cartridges cal .57
16000 Austrian Rifle Cartridges cal .54
96 Austrian Rifles cal .54
96 Bayonets
420 Artillery Carbines cal .57
420 Saber Bayonets

200 Cartridge Boxes
200 Cap Pouches
200 Waist Belts
200 Shoulder Straps
 
Thanks for posting. I've been reading books on Forrest since high school. I've had ancestors who were attached to his command for certain periods, but none were permanent. Capt. Henry Pointer served with him the most. After his exchange from being captured at Fort Donelson, he served on Forrest's staff till the surrender.
Capt. Henry Pointer.jpg
 
I look at Forrest`s Battle of Okolona as one of the more important pieces in Sherman`s "Meridian Campaign", as getting rid of Forrest and his Cavalry Corps, once and for all, was one of the primary drivers which initiated the "Meridian Campaign" from the very beginning. That is why in most of my posts during this thread you see me mentioning the "Meridian Campaign". As numerous things that were happening in Mississippi at this point were forcing moves to be made by Forrest to contend with both the reality and speculation of things which may or may not occur.

According to my research, the "Meridian Campaign" was a 3-pronged attack on the Confederate forces in Mississippi. The first prong and main attack being waged against, Lt. General Leonidas Polk and the commands of Maj. General`s William W. Loring, Samuel G. French and Stephen D. Lee across central Mississippi from the Big Black River to Meridian (resulting in the occupations of Jackson, Brandon, Meridian and Canton). The second prong of the Campaign was attacking Forrest from beneath with Infantry through Yazoo and Grenada (Panola and Wyatt / Sooy Smith moved this Infantry by his orders) which was checked by Brig. General Lawrence Sullivan Ross and his Texas Cavalry Brigade (feints and demonstrations up the Yazoo River), as well as Chalmers and McCulloch (Grenada, Panola and Wyatt). The third prong of the campaign involved Brig. General William Sooy Smith with his 7,000 man Cavalry division attacking Forrest south from Collierville in the hopes of killing him once and for all. Then once Smith had dispatched of Forrest and arrived at Meridian on 10 Feb 1864, according to plans, he was to then join forces with Sherman and become the entire left flank of Sherman`s 23,000 man army and then together move on Selma and possibly move on Mobile afterwards if left unguarded and unprotected. Polk cut off a possible attack on Mobile by bringing Cantey`s Brigade up from Mobile, as far as Buccatuna and Winchester, Ms. along the M&O Railroad, to keep Gresham from moving on Mobile during his raids on Enterprise and Quitman during the "Meridian Campaign". During this same time frame Grant ordered Maj. General George H. Thomas to perform demonstrations against Johnston at Dalton, Ga. from 22-27 Feb 1864 in what became known as the First Battle of Dalton, to test Johnston`s strength and to keep his forces in place.

Below is what Sherman had to say about the "Meridian Campaign", and the reasons for it:

"The Rebels still maintained a considerable force of infantry and cavalry in the State of Mississippi, threatening the river, whose navigation had become to us so delicate and important a matter. Satisfied that I could check this by one or two quick moves inland and thereby set free a considerable body of men held as local garrisons, I went up to Nashville and represented the case to General Grant."

"A chief part of the enterprise was to destroy the Rebel cavalry commanded by General Forrest, who were a constant threat to our railway communications in Middle Tennessee, and I committed this task to Brigadier General W. Sooy Smith. General Hurlbut had in his command about seven thousand five hundred cavalry, scattered from Columbus, Kentucky, to Corinth, Mississippi, and we proposed to make up an aggregate cavalry force of about seven thousand 'effective,' out of these and the twenty five hundred which General Smith had brought with him from Middle Tennessee. With this force General Smith was ordered to move from Memphis, straight for Meridian, Mississippi, and to start by February 1st. I explained to him personally the nature of Forrest as a man and of his peculiar force; told him that in his route he was sure to encounter Forrest, who always attacked with a vehemence for which he must be prepared, and that after he had repelled the first attack, he must in turn assume the most determined offensive, overwhelm and utterly destroy his whole force. I knew that Forrest could not have more than four thousand cavalry, and my own movement would give employment to every other man of the Rebel army not immediately present with him, so that he (General Smith) might act on the hypothesis I have stated."

"The object of the Meridian expedition was to strike the roads inland, so to paralyze the Rebel forces that we could take from the defense of the Mississippi river the equivalent of a corps of twenty thousand men, to be used in the next Georgia campaign, and this was actually done. At the same time, I wanted to destroy General Forrest, who, with an irregular force of cavalry was constantly threatening Memphis and the river above, as well as our routes of supply in Middle Tennessee. In this we utterly failed, because General W. Sooy Smith did not fulfill his orders which were clear and specific, as contained in my letter of instruction to him of January 27th, at Memphis, and my personal explanations to him at the same time."

Below is that correspondence which Sherman sent to Sooy Smith on 27 Jan 1864 during the build up of the "Meridian Campaign":

"Brigadier General William Sooy Smith, Commanding Cavalry, &c.:

Dear General--By an order issued this day, I have placed all the cavalry of this department subject to your command. I estimate you can make a force of full seven thousand men, which I believe to be superior and better in all respects than the combined cavalry which the enemy has in all the State of Mississippi.

I will, in person, start for Vicksburg today, and with four divisions of infantry, artillery and cavalry, move out for Jackson, Brandon and Meridian, aiming to reach the latter place by February 10th. General Banks will feign on Pascagonia, and General Logan on Rome.
I want you, with your cavalry, to move from Collierville on Pontotoc and Okolona, thence sweeping down near the Mobile and Ohio railroad, disable that road as much as possible, consume or destroy the resources of the enemy along that road, break up the connection with Columbus, Mississippi, and finally reach me at or near Meridian, as near the date I have mentioned as possible.


This will call for great energy of action on your part; but I believe you are equal to it, and you have the best and most experienced troops in the service, and they will do anything that is possible. General Grierson is with you and is familiar with the whole country. I will send up from Haines Bluff an expedition of gunboats and transports combined to feel up the Yazoo, as the present stage of water will permit. This will disconcert the enemy. My movement on Jackson will also divide the enemy, so that by no combination can he reach you with but a part of his force. I wish you to attack any force of cavalry you meet, and follow them southward, but in no event be drawn into the forks of the streams that make up the Yazoo nor over into Alabama.

Don't let the enemy draw you into minor affairs, but look solely to the greater object to destroy his communication from Okolona to Meridian, and then eastward to Selma. From Okolona south you will find abundance of forage collected along the railroad, and the farms have standing corn in the fields. Take liberally of all these, as well as horses, mules, cattle, &c. As a rule respect dwellings and families as something too sacred to be disturbed by soldiers; but mills, barns, sheds, stables and such like things use for the benefit and convenience of your command.

If convenient, send into Columbus and destroy all the machinery there, and the bridge across Tombigbee, which enables the enemy to draw the resources of the east side of the Valley, but this is not of sufficient importance to delay your movement.

Try and communicate with me by scouts and spies from the time you reach Pontotoc, avoid any large force of infantry, leaving them to me. We have talked over this matter so much that the above covers all points not provided for in my published orders of today.

I am, yours, &c.,
W. T. Sherman,
Major General Commanding."


From his own words above, and others that he has spoken during the War and after, you see the respect that Sherman had for Forrest. He did things that no field officer who had graduated from West Point would do.. simply because he did not go to West Point, he was a citizen-general. One of the very few who joined the Confederate Army, or U. S. Army for the matter, as a private and rose to the rank of Lt. General. This is what Sherman later wrote regarding Forrest, giving him high praise indeed:

"After all, I think Nathan Bedford Forrest was the most remarkable man our Civil War produced on either side. He had never read a military book in his life, knew nothing about tactics, could not even drill a company, but had a genius of strategy which was original, and to me incomprehensible."

Sherman definitely underestimated Forrest during the "Meridian Campaign", specifically regarding the Battle of Okolona, and based on the results of that battle, it is more than clear that Sooy Smith also underestimated him. Smith can not say that he was not warned, maybe had he read the letter a few more times, written to him from Sherman warning him of how unorthodox, determined, unpredictable and crafty that Forrest was, he may have experienced a different outcome at West Point, Okolona and Prairie Mount.
 
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Is it only ME or does this happen to youse guiys?

I'm going through my stack of bills---paid and unpaid---and other documents on my desk that needs to be filed away and lo & behold I find a Field Report from Col. R. V. Richardson.

Tell me I'm normal.

Oh! Here is that photo I printed of the 2 July 1944 bombing mission by the 747th Bomb Squadron on the Shell Oil plant in Budapest.
 
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I realize these ordnance reports are dry, but they give us a better idea of how the soldier was equipped in an app. 6 month window compared to what the soldiers reminisced in the Confederate Veteran some 50 years later. Said to say, but I'm an old soldier and I know how some details can slip over time.

Anyway, this is a Sep 1863 issue to Jackson's Division. I'm including this because Chalmers and later Forrest were drawing from the same arsenals for arms that had been dedicated to the supply of the cavalry in this department. Once again, please not the artillery carbines and saber bayonets being issued to cavalry. Also, they provided bayonets for the Austrian rifles.

I agree---this provides good info on how they had to improvise with what they could get. I read in the GO's once where a brigade was ordered to start off on their raid with plans to rendezvous at a town to get their ammunition.

What Jackson's Division is this? It looks like weapons for an infantry unit.
 
I agree---this provides good info on how they had to improvise with what they could get. I read in the GO's once where a brigade was ordered to start off on their raid with plans to rendezvous at a town to get their ammunition.

What Jackson's Division is this? It looks like weapons for an infantry unit.

This is Brig Gen William H Jackson's Div under S D Lee. Here's the OB for Aug 1863

Jackson's Division  Aug 63.jpg
 
This is what Chalmer's 2 brigades had on hand in Aug of 1863 along with items awaiting issue. I think this gives us a good look at their equipment that they would have brought to Forrest's command. Of course, after they joined Forrest there were issues of weapons and equipment prior to Okolona. There is still a shortage of revolvers, but they do have a pending issue. Quite interesting they are about to receive another large issue of sabers at this point. Also, I'm attaching an OB so you can recognize the units referenced.



First Brigade

Muskets-Smoothbore: 103
Muskets-Rifled: 0
Rifle-Enfield: 71
Rifle-Maynard: 5
Rifle-Belgian: 6
Shot Guns: 111
Carbines-Halls: 11
Carbines-Sharps: 205
Carbines-Colts: 7
Pistols-Colts: 217
Pistols-U.S. Holster: 53
Sabers: 0
Mississippi Rifles: 47
Cartridge Boxes: 493
Cartridge Box Belts: 407
Waist Belts: 170
Cap Pouches: 600
Gun Slings-Cavalry: 27
Gun Slings-Infantry: 147
Gun Boots: 77
Saber Belts: 212
Cavalry Saddles: 646
Cavalry Bridles: 431
Canteens: 254
Haversack: 469

2nd Brigade

Muskets-Smoothbore: 226
Muskets-Rifled: 2
Rifles-Enfield: 32
Rifles-Maynard: 21
Rifles-Belgian: 3
Shot Guns: 21
Carbines-Hall's: 0
Carbines-Sharps: 128
Carbines-Colts: 10
Pistols-Colts: 112
Pistols-U.S. Holster: 4
Sabers: 21
Mississippi Rifles: 113
Cartridge Boxes: 502
Cartridge Box Belts: 484
Waist Belts: 470
Cap Pouches: 466
Gun Slings-Cavalry: 181
Gun Slings-Infantry: 0
Gun Boots: 106
Saber Belts: 18
Cavalry Saddle: 538
Cavalry Bridles: 506
Canteens: 58
Haversacks: 50

Awaiting Issue

35 Smoothbore Muskets
76 Sharps Carbines
480 Colts Pistols
208 Cavalry Sabers
7 Mississippi Rifles

Chalmer's Aug 63.jpg
 
This is Brig Gen William H Jackson's Div under S D Lee. Here's the OB for Aug 1863

jacksons-division-aug-63-jpg.jpg

Thanks. I'm not familiar with Gen. William H. Jackson. What became of him? Did he transfer to a different command? I seem to recall the Mississippi regiments listed under Jackson's Brigade as serving further East, maybe with Bragg.
Colonel Sul Ross is listed in this organization. He later became a brigade commander---I suppose his brigade consisted of all of Whitfield's brigade and maybe some of the other Texas regiments listed in the above table.
Col. Sul Ross was at the Battle of Moscow on 4 Dec 1863. I have a journal of a soldier in the 6th Texas Cavalry regiment. It documents his regiment's movement from the Jackson vicinity on 28 October all the way up to Moscow and then return to Jackson on 18 December.
 
Jackson and Wheeler served and fought together in the Regiment of Mounted Rifles (U. S. Army) before the Civil War and fought Indians on the frontier. Both resigned their commissions at the start of the ACW and entered service with the C.S.A. Jackson started out in the Artillery, then in 1862 he was promoted to Col. and given command of the 1st Tennessee Cavalry. He served as chief of cavalry under Pemberton and then given a division under Polk and S. D. Lee after Vicksburg, under whom he was still serving during Sherman`s "Meridian Campaign", as well as Atlanta along with Wheeler at times, among other places he fought under S. D. Lee at Ezra Church, on 28 Jul 1864 where his men were mauled. During Hood`s Tennessee Campaign Jackson joined forces with Forrest again and served with him from then until the end of the War, fighting against Wilson in Alabama.


Photo below: Brig. General William Hicks "Red Fox" Jackson.

William_Hicks_Jackson large.jpg
 
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This is the order of battle Dr Brandon Beck uses in his book "The Battle of Okolona: Defending the Mississippi Prairie". I see some errors in it, but I wished to share it since he is the recognized "authority" on the battle in this area. I do appreciate his use of the commanders' names. I too often neglect to include them.

Forrest’s Cavalry Command Jan 25, 1864



First Brigade Brig Gen R V Richardson

12th Tenn Cav Reg’t LT Col J U Green

14th Tenn Cav Reg’t COL J J NEELY

15th Tenn Cav Reg’t Col F M Stewart

16th Tenn Cav Reg’t Col T H Logwood

17th Tenn Cav Reg’t Maj Marshal

Street’s BN

Bennet’s BN

Total: 1,500 men



Second Brigade Col Robert McCulloch

2nd Mo Cav Reg’t Col Robert McCulloch

Willis’ Texas BN LT Col Lee Willis

Faulkner’s Ky Reg’t Col W W Faulkner

Keiser’s and Franklin’s TN BN LT Col Alexander

Miss Cav BN LT Col Alexander Chalmers

2nd Ark Cav (fragment) Capt F M Cochran

Total men: unknown



Third Brigade Col T H Bell

Col Russell’s Tenn Reg’t

Col Greer’s Tenn Reg’t

Col Newsom’s Tenn Reg’t

2nd Tenn Cav Reg’t Maj C R Barteau

Total: 2,000 men



Fourth Brigade Col Jeffrey Forrest

McDonald’s BN Maj Charles McDonald

7th Tenn Cav Reg’t LT Col Duckworth

McGuirk’s Regiment

3rd Miss State Troops

5th Miss Cav Reg’t LT Col Barksdale

Duff’s (19th) Miss BN

Total: unknown



Artillery Capt John Morton

Thrall’s Battery

Rice’s Battery

Hoole’s Battery



Forrest’s Escort Capt Thomas Tate
 
This is the organization I had put together as "my cheat sheet" while researching. I hope to correct it with your help and by comparing it with Dr Beck's, ucv's excerpt from Wyeth's, and the OR excerpts posted, we possibly come up with the first complete OB for Forrest's Command at Okolona/Ellis Bridge.

@TerryB and @ucvrelics thank you for your posts. Now I have to get back to posting these ordnance returns.

Forrest Cavalry Command

Forrest’s Escort Co aka“Captain J.C. Jackson’s Company, Tennessee Calvary"



1st Bde Col Richardson

12th Tenn

15th Tenn

14th Tenn

16th Tenn



2nd Bde Col McCulloch Chalmers Div

2nd Mo

Willis Texas BN of Waul’s Legion

12 th Kentucky Cav (Faulkner’s Kentucky)

18th MS BN (Chalmer’s BN)

2nd Ark (company+)



3rd Bde Col Bell

20th Tenn Cav (15thTenn) (Russell’s Regt)

18th Tenn Regt (Newsom’s)

22nd Tenn Cav (Barteau’s 2nd Regt)

21st Tenn Cav (16th Tenn Cav) Wilson’s Regt



4th Bde Col Forrest Chalmers Div

3rd Tenn Cav (Forrest’s Regt aka McDonald’s BN)

7th Tenn Cav (Duckworth’s Regt)

5th Miss Cav

3rd Miss State Cav (McGuirk’s BN)

19th Miss BN (Duff’s BN)

Artillery

Morton's Battery
Hudson's Battery (Hoole's) (Pettus Flying Art)
Thrall's (section only)
Rice's (section only)
 
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