Mr Cofer,

I, too, have an ancestor (Isaac Smith) who served in the 6th Cavalry. His wife cited his service in Company E on her Widow's Pension Application. Her claim was accompanied by a testimonial from her brother William Alonzo Sharp.

My search uncovered a Muster Roll on which he and several brothers were listed:

Muster Roll:

“Roster of Capt. James Harlow’s Co. a Company organized and recruited from Chattooga County, Georgia, 1862. which company was known as company E. No. of Regiment of Georgia 6th Geo Cavalry. Brigade Pegrams Army of Tennessee. . . .
Smith Isaac - May 1862 - Private;
Smith Joseph - May 1862 - Private . . .
Smith Bud "Alpine" - May 1862 - Private - Present at Surrender - Battles of Western Army;
Smith John A - Jan 1863 - Private - Present at Surrender - Battles of Western Army during 1863 (fall) 4-5- . . .

“This Company ,E, was principaly raised in Chattooga Co and first became a part of Cavalry Battalion of Smith’s Commissioned by Col J R Hart, but in 1863 (_) the Battalion was raised to a Regiment of (Cavalry) in the service under Col Hart was attached to Gen John Pegram’s Brigade was one of the first commands in the battle of Chickamauga, opened that great Battle at Jay’s Mill as the Tablet on that famous field show after the order of the Secretary was to unite the commands of the several states Brigades this Regt. became a part of what was then known as Crew’s Brigade and entered service with that Brigade at Knoxville Tenn during the Siege of that City- by Gen Longstreet, The Regt. then served under Gen Wheeler up to surrender the first service the Regt did was under Gen N B Forrest this Roster does not contain all the Names of men who belonged to it, only those from Chattooga Co.”
“No of Enlisted men 104
“Present at surrender 43

* Source : Georgia Secretary of State Karen C Handel. Available Online. [Accessed 11 Mar 2008].

This unit was supposedly "active at Chickamauga and Philadelphia, participated in the Knoxville and Atlanta Campaigns, then took part in the defense of Savannah and the campaign of the Carolinas."

* Source: Printed material handed to us by Park Ranger at Vicksburg Battlefield Park. (Ranger did not give me name of his source book.)

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I would be eager to learn more (hint hint)
- Viv Lehman