The 7th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment was a

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...

that served in the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. The regiment was also known as the 2nd West Tennessee Cavalry.

Service

The 7th Tennessee Cavalry was organized at

Jackson Jackson may refer to: People and fictional characters * Jackson (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname or given name Places Australia * Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region * Jackson North, Q ...

, Grand Junction, and

Trenton, Tennessee Trenton is the county seat and fourth largest city of Gibson County, Tennessee, Gibson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 4,264 at the 2010 census, down from 4,683 in 2000. History Trenton was established in 1824 as a county se ...

and mustered on August 28, 1862, for a three-year enlistment under the command of

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

Isaac Roberts Hawkins Isaac Roberts Hawkins (May 16, 1818 – August 12, 1880) was an American soldier, politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives for Tennessee's 7th congressional district. Biography Hawkins was born on May 16, 1818 near C ...

. The regiment was attached to District of Jackson,

Department of the Tennessee Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

, to November 1862. District of Jackson, XIII Corps, Department of the Tennessee, to December 1862. Cavalry Brigade, District of Jackson, XVI Corps, to April 1863. Unassigned, 1st Division, XVI Corps, to June 1863. 4th Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, XVI Corps, to August 1863. District of Columbus, 6th Division, XVI Corps, to October 1863. Detached Cavalry Brigade, XVI Corps, to December 1863. Waring's Cavalry Brigade, XVI Corps, to January 1864. District of Columbus, Kentucky, to August 1865. The 7th Tennessee Cavalry mustered out of service August 9, 1865, at

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...

Detailed service

Duty in District of Jackson, Tenn., until January 1863. Actions at Salem Cemetery, near Jackson. December 19, and near Jackson December 29, 1862. Near Middleburg December 24. At LaGrange, Moscow and Germantown until June 1863. Expedition to Clifton February 17–21, 1863 (detachment). Scout from LaGrange into northern Mississippi April 29-May 5. Operations in northwest Mississippi June 15–25. Jack's Creek, Tenn., June 20. At Grand Junction June 1863. Skirmishes at and near Union City, Tenn., September 2. At Union City and Colliersville, Tenn., until January 1864. Expedition to Toone Station September 11–16, 1863. Skirmish at Montezuma September 16. (Company A detached at Paducah, Ky.) Skirmish at Dukedom February 28, 1864 (detachment). Skirmish near Union City March 12. Operations against Forrest in western Tennessee March 16-April 14. Reynoldsburg March 21. Attack on Union City March 24 (most of the regiment captured). Scout from Columbus to Hickman, Ky., July 17–18 (detachment). Skirmish near Union City September 2. Duty at Paducah, Ky., until June 1865. Ordered to Rockville, on Tennessee River, June 27, and duty there until August. On March 24, 1864, at

Union City, Tennessee Union City is located in Obion County, Tennessee, United States. The 2020 census reported the population of the town as 11,170. It is the principal urban settlement of the surrounding micropolitan area, which includes Obion County and Fulton Count ...

, the regiment was attacked by the 7th Tennessee Cavalry, CSA, under Colonel William L. Duckworth. After repelling four assaults, with a loss of only one killed and two or three wounded, Lieutenant Colonel Hawkins was tricked into an unconditional surrender by Duckworth. Unknown to Hawkins, a federal force of some 2000 men six miles away were marching to his aid. The force surrendered was 16 officers and about 500 men. Captains John W. Beatty and T. P. Gray were among those surrendered, but escaped a few days later. Captain Beatty's report stated: "When we found that Colonel Hawkins had made an unconditional surrender, the officers and men cried like a whipped child. They also cursed Colonel Hawkins, and said he was a traitor, and that they would never serve under him again."

Commanders

* Lieutenant Colonel Isaac Roberts Hawkins - commissioned

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

September 12, 1862, but mustered as lieutenant colonel

Casualties

The regiment lost a total of 337 men during service; 8 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, 1 officer and 328 enlisted men died of disease.Fox, William F., Lt.-Col., 'Regimental Losses in the American Civil War, 1861-1865', Albany, N.Y., 1889, p. 520.

References

* Dyer, Frederick H. ''A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion'' (Des Moines, IA: Dyer Pub. Co.), 1908. ;Attribution *

External links