Alan Pitts
Williams Battalion
Mon Dec 11 16:37:11 2000


I am familiar with it. Both Williams' and Warren's Battalions were composed of companies mostly raised in the spring of 1863. At the time they could be located in Baxter's Battalion (CS) and Jullian's (AL) Battalion. These organizations were broken up in the summer of 1863 and many placed in Jeffrey Forrest's Regiment. This unit was broken up after Colonel Forrest's death in battle at Okolona in February of 1864. The Tennessee companies were transferred to a new Tennessee cavalry regiment. Williams' Battalion served along with Warren's at Brice's Creek as part of Johnson's Brigade, Roddey's command. After Forrest's raid on Athens and Pulaski, these two battalions were merged to form the 11th Alabama Cavalry. I've seen a letter from an Alabama congressman who believed this was an organization in name only; the companies seemed to operate independently of one another.
Major Williams was killed at Mounton about May 7, 1864; I'm writing from memory so I hesitate to be precise. Let me know if you need information about specifc companies.