Here is what I have on the 24th Miss. Cav. Posting this because of your interest in mounted units

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24th Battalion Mississippi Cavalry

(Moorman’s)

(from Dunbar Rowland’s "Military History of Mississippi, 1803-1898"; company listing courtesy of H. Grady Howell’s "For Dixie Land, I’ll Take My Stand’)

Company A -- Capt. James P. Beesley’s Company (raised in Copiah & Franklin Counties, MS), and Capt. E.A. Miller’s Company [also called Co. E] (raised in Clarke & Wayne Counties, MS)

Company B -- Capt. Banister Hudnall’s Independent Company (raised in Lawrence County, MS), and Capt. Thomas J. Hargrove’s/Hargrave’s Company [also called Co. D] (raised in Claiborne & Copiah Counties, MS)

Company C -- Capt. John Wilkinson’s Company (county of origin not specified)

Company D -- Capt. Joseph W. Davenport’s/Devenport’s Cavalry Company [also called Co. F] (raised in Claiborne County, MS)

Company E -- Capt. James P. Beesley’s Company (raised in Copiah & Franklin Counties, MS)

Company F -- Capt. Joseph W. Davenport’s/Devenport’s Company of Cavalry (raised Claiborne & Copiah Counties, MS)

Lieutenant-Colonel -- George Moorman. Major -- Calvitt Robins.

Order of War Department, January 24, 1865, the following companies, now forming what is known as Moorman's Battalion, will constitute the Twenty-fourth Mississippi Battalion Cavalry: Company A -- Captain E. A. Miller. Company B -- Captain B. Hudnall. Company C -- Captain John Wilkinson. Company D -- Captain Thomas J. Hargrave. Company E -- James P. Beesley. Company F -- Joseph W. Devenport.

This battalion was formed by Major Moorman, formerly Adjutant-General on the staff of Gen. W. H. Jackson, when the latter was in command of cavalry in Mississippi. The official reports mention the battalion, Maj. Calvitt Roberts commanding, in Gen. Wirt Adams' Brigade, 1864 [sic], spring of 1864. Return of June 10, Moorman's Battalion, Lieutenant-Colonel George Moorman, in Mabry's Brigade, Wirt Adams' Cavalry. June 30, Mississippi Battalion, Lieut.-Col. George Moorman brigaded with Wirt Adams' Regiment, under Colonel Wood.

The battalion was with Colonel Wood in the engagement at Coleman's crossroads in Jefferson County, July 4, 1864. A newspaper account mentions the companies of Captain Wilkinson, Hargrave and Devenport as actively engaged in the defeat of Ellet's expedition, and adds: "Moorman's Cavalry Battalion, of Wood's Brigade, is still increasing in numbers and efficiency. Whittaker's Scouts, a fine company and heretofore independent, reported to Colonel Moorman last week."

Inspection report August 1 -- "The battalion commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Moorman is composed of four companies only. He was appointed by Department Commander." Wood's Brigade was increased from the reserves in the fall of 1864. Major Roberts reported in command in September. General Gardner reported in October that he had assigned Miller's, Hudnall's and Whittaker's companies, the latter of Gillum's proposed regiment, to Moorman's Battalion, they being old and good companies, and he proposed to do the same with Moore's company. November 20 return brigaded with the reserves under Colonel Denis. Part of Moorman's Battalion took part in the battle of Concord Church, near Yazoo City [MS], December 1, 1864, after being in the field during Osband's raid from Vicksburg to Canton. On December 30, during Grierson's raid from Memphis, Moorman's Battalion returned to Livingston from North Mississippi, but did not reach the field in time to take part in the battle of Franklin, January 2, 1865. The battalion was part of Wirt Adams' command at the close of the war.

Email from Hayes Lowe:

Moorman's 24th Mississippi Cavalry Battalion was in Gen. Wirt Adams' Brigade
of Chalmer's Division of Forrest's Corps during 1865, formerly having been
in Mabry's Brigade of Wirt Adams' Cavalry. Mabry's Brigade had been ordered
by Forrest to be "broken up" on March 3, 1865. Moorman's Battalion had
consisted of just 180 men as of 7/25/1864.

Now here is what is not covered by Dunbar:

Moorman's 24th participated in what is thought to be the last engagement between two cavalry forces during the Civil War. It is also claimed by some to be the last Confederate victory (but I have found evidence that there was one more, in Texas). This was the engagement that occurred in Pickens County, Ala. (in a part that is now Greene County) along the Vienna to Tuscaloosa Road. There has been very little written about this engagement, and most sources ignore it altogether. However it was a rather large engagement, involving approximately 3,000 cavalrymen (counting both Union and Confederate). This is a large scale cavalry engagement, with important cavalry against cavalry engagements usually involving hundreds (not thousands) of men.

Wirt Adams' moved from Columbus, Miss. with his brigade (and possibly a second brigade) with 1,500 men to intercept Gen. Croxton's invading Union force, also of 1,500 men. Croxton had burned Tuscaloosa and was moving to cut the railroads in Mississippi. Forrest had charged Adams' with preventing this. And, he was successful in doing so. He routed Croxton's force for approximately 15 miles, before night fell. Croxton's threat to Mississippi failed.

I doubt that the 24th was physically located at Gainesville when it surrendered, but I have not looked at the microfilm to see. More likely, it was surrendered there, but was physically located at Columbus, Miss. Even if they were surrendered at Gainesville, evidence indicates that most of Forrest' men were actually at Ramsey Station, Sumter County, Ala., instead of Gainesville in that same county.

Hope this helps a little,

Hayes