The Tennessee in the Civil War Message Board

Re: 9th Tennessee Cavalry Battalion, CSA

Warren,

Thanks so much for your service. All of the analysis I have seen of the poor performance of Gantt's Battalion comes from Gantt. As you said, the units are not bad (well - there have been some over history) but there are bad officers and if the unit does not have better officers then one cannot expect them to be good soldiers. But several reports slam Gantt for the Donelson debacle. They were supposed to be the read guard of the retreating Confederate forces of Adolphus Heiman from Fort Henry and, instead of fighting the pursuing Federal cavalry, they stampeded through the Confederate column getting away. Thus, the rear of the column was struck and several guns, wagons and more, were lost.

The 9th Tennessee Cavalry Battalion does not take part with Forrest in his attack of the 15th either - they remained behind disobeying the direct orders of their superior officer. Finally, they did not break out with Forrest on the morning of the 16th nor did the two KY companies that were under Forrest. Forrest reported, "Colonel Gantt was sent for and urged to get out his battalion as often as three times, but he and the two Kentucky companies refused to come. I cannot speak too highly of the gallant manner in which my officers and men conducted themselves on that occasion, as well as others that came under my observation, with the exception of Lieutenant Colonel Gantt, commanding a battalion of cavalry, who failed to fight on Saturday, and refused to bring his men out with my regiment on Sunday morning when ordered to do so." Forrest made no comment on Gantt's actions on the retreat from Fort Henry as he was not yet in the area of operations. But several other reports do make such mention of their failure as the rear guard.

As the book "Tennesseans In The Civil War" reported, "Whatever may have been the shortcomings of the battalion at Fort Donelson, it had a long and honorable record thereafter..."

And indeed they did. I think the problem was that Gantt was a horrible officer.

Greg Biggs

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