20th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry

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Brief History

The 20th Tennessee Regiment, CSA  led by Joel A. Battle, of Davidson County, was also known as "Battle's Regiment". 

This regiment was organized during May and June, 1861, at Camp Trousdale, Tennessee. Only a handful surrendered on April 26, 1865.

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties of Origin

Men often enlisted in a company recruited in the counties where they lived though not always. After many battles, companies might be combined because so many men were killed or wounded. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first.

• Company A - men from Nashville, Davidson County
• Company B - men from Nolensville, Williamson County
• Company C - men from Nashville and vicinity, Davidson County
• Company D - men from Triune and College Grove, Williamson County
• Company E - men from Rutherford County
• Company F - men from Sumner County
• Company G - men from Perry County
• Company H - men from Franklin County and Williamson Counties
• Company I - "Hermitage Guards" - men from Hermitage
• Company K - men from Hartsville, Smith County

Twentieth Regiment

Was organized at Camp Trousdale early June 1861.

Company B (Captain Joel  A. Battle)(Captain W. M. Clark) - many men from Nolensville, Williamson County

Company D (Captain William P. Rucker)(Captain Fred Clayborrk) - many men from Triune and College Grove. Williamson County

Company E (Captain John S. Gooch later William Ridley) - many men from Rutherford County

Company H (Captain M. B. Carter)(Captain F. DeGraffenried) - many men from Franklin County, Williamson County

The information above is from The Goodspeed Histories, vol 8

Company G (Perry Guards) Captain Robert Anderson, later Captain George Pettigrew

  The information above is from  The Goodspeed Histories, Vol 9.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 2,075 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Other Sources

• Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier or sailor. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in 'Tennessee in the Civil War' and 'United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865' (see below).

• National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, is searchable by soldier's name and state. It contains basic facts about soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, a list of regiments, descriptions of significant battles, sources of the information, and suggestions for where to find additional information.

• Tennessee in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for Tennessee, and how to find them.. These include compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.

• United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865 describes and explains United States and Confederate States records, rather than state records, and how to find them. These include veterans’ censuses, compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.

• Lindsley, John B. The Military Annals of Tennessee: Confederate, First Series; Embracing a Review of Military Operations, with Regimental Histories and Memorial Rolls, Compiled from Original and Official Sources. 1886. Reprint. Spartanburg, South Carolina: Reprint Co., 1974. (Family History Library book 976.8 M2L.) Digital versions at Ancestry ($); Internet Archive.  A brief history and memorial rolls of the 20th Tennessee Infantry begin on page 382.

• McMurray, William Josiah, History of the Twentieth Tennessee Regiment Volunteer Infantry, C.S.A, Nashville, Tenn., The Publication Committee, consisting of W.J. McMurray, D.J. Roberts, and R.J. Neal, 1904.  Online book at Internet Archive or Google Books.

• Tennesseans in the Civil War, 20th Tennessee Infantry Regiment, (accessed 29 Dec 2011).

• E.J. Keen, 20th Tennessee Infantry Regiment, 1997 (accessed 29 Dec 2011).  Muster roll for Company F.

• 20th Tennessee Infatnry Regiment, Joel A. Battle, (accessed 29 Dec 2011).

• The Twentieth Tennessee (Confederate) Regiment, a brief history, (accessed 29 Dec 2011).

• Confederate Military Rosters Online, 20th Tennessee Infantry, (accessed 26 Feb 2012).  Transcribed by Sue Bowers, extracted from "HISTORY of the Twentieth Tennessee Regiment CSA" published in 1904.