I'm sure we discussed this command at some earlier date. I've seen the name "Bell" used instead of "Beall", but never "Ball". From my notes:

Writing from Lafayette, Alabama, on January 13, 1862, Thaddeus S. Beall reported that three hundred "Cavalry Rangers" had enlisted in his command. The battalion formed on February 15, 1862, at Montgomery, Alabama, possibly with some intent to join Hilliard's Alabama Legion. Three companies served as the 1st Battalion, Alabama Mounted Men, a designation assigned by the Adjutant and Inspector General's Department on May 10, 1862. A fourth -- Captain Slaughter's company -- transferred on March 13, 1862, before the battalion left Montgomery. Officers and men enlisted for twelve months in Confederate service.

This information come directly from the NARA microfilm on the 8th Confederate Cavalry.

With regard to Brewer's Mississippi-Alabama Battalion:

Baskerville’s 4th Mississippi Cavalry Battalion and two remaining companies from Brewer’s Confederate Cavalry Battalion merged at Purdy, Tennessee, March 28, 1862. The latter organized with five companies on December 15, 1861, at Camp Beauregard, Mayfield, Kentucky. Colonel Brewer lost Charles C. Clay’s and H. C. McCutcheon’s Tennessee companies to the 7th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment, while Captain J. Warren Cole’s “Louisiana Mounted Rangers” was disbanded. He requested the return of Captain Roddey’s Company “D”, 4th Mississippi Cavalry Battalion, but it continued to serve independently. With the exception of Falkner’s Company “F”, officers and men had enlisted for twelve months in Confederate service.

Brewer's and Beall's Battalions combined to form a regiment near Pocahontas TN about May 17, 1862. It continued to be called the 2nd Mississippi-Alabama Cavalry Regiment as late as September of 1862.

I've seen a website that includes several of Captain George Miller Knox's letters but don't have that URL at the moment...

Anyone familiar with the company name for Captain Thompson's Company "H"?