This is the "Ball's Battalion" that I mentioned. In various records and accounts it is given as "Ball's", "Beall's", and "Bell's". This is the first that I have heard of the designation "1st Alabama Battalion of Mounted Men". As it was consolidated in May to form the 2nd Mississippi and Alabama , it would have only existed as a unit for approximately three months.

I too made an error that I would like to correct for the record. I wrote: "Known as the 2nd Mississippi and Alabama until April, 1862." That should have said *after* April.

The unit had already been consolidated before Ball's/Beall's/Bell's Battalion [and maybe others] was added in May. In records of the Battle of Shiloh it is called "Alabama and Mississippi Battalion Confederate Cavalry".

Previous to that it was called "Pope Walker Battalion Mississippi Cavalry", and even then contained at least one Alabama company...that of the McCaa Rangers from Pickens County.