61st Regiment, Tennessee Infantry (Pitts')

Historical Notes:
The Tennessee 61st Infantry Regiment [also called 81st Regiment] was organized at Henderson Mills, Tennessee, during October, 1862. The men were from Greene, Sullivan, Jefferson, Grainger, and Claiborne. It was soon assigned to General Vaughn's Brigade and remained there throughout the war. Serving in the Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana, the unit moved to Jackson, fought at Chickasaw Bayou, then had 400 men captured at Big Black River Bridge. The rest of the regiment (112 men) marched to Vicksburg and were captured on July 4, 1863. Exchanged and reorganized as mounted infantry, it fought in the Knoxville operations and in the Valley of Virginia. Later it moved to North Carolina, then Georgia where the unit disbanded during the spring of 1865. Officers:
Colonels Fountain E. Pitts and James G. Rose, Lieutenant Colonel James P. Snapp, and Major I. Nathan Dodd. Assignments:
General Vaughn's Brigade Battles:

Engagement, Big Black River Bridge, MS (May 17, 1863)

Siege, Vicksburg, MS (May 18 - July 4, 1863)

Assault, Vicksburg, MS (May 19, 1863)

Assault, Vicksburg, MS (May 22, 1863)

Surrender, Vicksburg, MS (July 4, 1863)

Operations around Dandridge, TN (January 16-17, 1864)

Operations around Dandridge, TN (January 26-28, 1864)

Engagement near Fair Garden, TN (January 27, 1864)

Operations against Hunter's Expedition to Lynchburg, VA (detachment) (May 26 - July 1, 1864)

Engagement, Piedmont, Mount Crawford, VA (detachment) (June 5, 1864)

Engagement, Lynchburg, VA (detachment) (June 17-18, 1864)

Battle, Monocacy, MD (detachment) (July 9, 1864)

Engagement, Snicker's Ferry (Parker's Ford), Shenandoah River, VA (detachment) (July 17-18, 1864)

Engagement, Kernstown (Winchester), VA (detachment) (July 24, 1864)

Sheridan's Campaign in the Shenandoah Valley, VA (detachment) (August 7- November 28, 1864)

Engagement, Berryville, VA (detachment) (September 4, 1864)

Battle, Opequan and Winchester, VA (detachment) (September 19, 1864)

Battle, Fisher's Hill, VA (detachment) (September 22, 1864)

Battles, Cedar Creek, Middletown, Belle Grove, VA (detachment) (October 19, 1864)

Action, Morristown, TN (October 28, 1864)

Action, Bulls Gap, TN (November 11-13, 1864)

Action, Russellville, TN (November 14, 1864)

Operations against Stoneman's Raid from East Tennessee into Southwestern Virginia and Western North Carolina (March 21- April 25, 1865)

Rosters:
The roster of this unit contains the names of 1909 men.

Company A - Captain I. Nathan Dodd (to major) - Enrolled Rheatown, Greene County.

Company B - Captain William Francis Sturm - Enrolled Rogersville, Hawkins County.

Company C - Captains James W. Jackson, William J. Johnson, Elijah Scott - Enrolled Greene County.

Company D - Captain J.C. Gallaher - Enrolled Henderson's Mills, Greene County.

Company E - Captains James P. Snapp (to major), L.H. Denny - Enrolled Blountville, Sullivan County.

Company F - Captain Jacob M. Alexander - Enrolled Jossy Creek, Jefferson County.

Company G - Captain Frank M. Jackson - Enrolled Moristown, Grainger County, now Hamblen County.

Company H - Captain S.E. Mitchell - Enrolled Claiborne County.

Company I - Captain William N. Bewley - Enrolled Varrensburg, Greene County.

Company K - Captain Samuel H. Kelton - Enrolled Zollioffer (now Bluff City), Sullivan County.

2nd Company H - Captain Jesse B. Bundren - Enrolled Zollioffer (now Bluff City), Sullivan County.
Bibliography for Research: