7th Battalion, Tennessee Cavalry (Bennett's)

Historical Notes:
The Tennessee 7th Cavalry Battalion was organized at Camp Jim Davis, Macon County, Tennessee, in November, 1861, with six companies. Its members were from Sumner and Smith counties. The unit served in the Department of East Tennessee and was later active at Shiloh. In June, 1862, it merged into Barteau's 2nd Tennessee Cavalry which later became 22nd (Barteau's) Tennessee Cavalry Regiment.

The Official Records seem to have confused this battalion with C. C. Spiller's Battalion, of which Major Baxter Smith was later major; and also with E. S. Smith's Battalion which became the 2nd (E. S. Smith's) Cavalry Regiment. In the index under the 7th Battalion, notes state that it was also called Smith's Battalion, and Spiller's Battalion. This is an error, for there was no connection with E. S. Smith's Battalion, and the only connection with Spiller's Battalion was that Baxter Smith served as major in that battalion after he failed of re-election when the 7th Battalion was reorganized in June, 1862. Officers:
Lieutenant Colonel-James D. Bennett
Major-Baxter Smith
Assignments:
Service in East Tennessee Battles:
Shiloh Rosters:
The roster of this unit contains the names of 543 men.

Company A - Captain Baxter Smith, Henry B. Boude - Men from Sumner or Trousdale County. Company B - Captain Christopher L. Bennett - Men from Sumner or Trousdale County. Company C - Captain Edward P. Tyree - Men from Castalian Springs, Sumner County. Company D - Captain Micajah Griffin - Men from Sumner County. Company E - Captain Adolphus B. Cates - Men from Smith County. Company F - Captain Joseph T.E. Odom - Men from Sumner or Trousdale County. Bibliography for Research:
Crute, Joseph Units of the Confederate States Army Midlothian, VA: Derwent Books, 1987. Concise summary of the units service.

Sifakis, Stewart. Compendium of the Confederate Armies...Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, The Confederate Units and the Indian Units. Westminster, MD: Willow Bend Books, 1995. (2 photocopied pages). E547S53.

Southern Historical Society The Southern Historical Society Papers. Cartersville, GA: Eastern Digital Resources, 1998.

U. S. Government Printing Office. Official Records of the American Civil War Davenport, IA. Eastern Digital Resources.

Rigdon, John C. - Editor Civil War Soldiers Service Records - Tennessee. 2012. Davenport, IA Eastern Digital Resources.