Mississippi. Militia. Cavalry Battalion, Ham's

Ham’s Battalion, Mississippi State Cavalry (also known as the 1st and 16th Battalion, Mississippi State Cavalry), was organized on May 18, 1863 at Guntown, Pontotoc County (in present-day Lee County) Mississippi under the command of Maj. Thomas W. Ham and served in the Western Theater. On May 3, 1864 it was increased to a regiment and accepted into Confederate service and became known as Ham’s Regiment, Mississippi Cavalry. It was entitled as the 7th Regiment, Mississippi Cavalry in the State Record of Commissions, but not within the Confederate organization. On March 30, 1865, it was merged into the 11th Regiment, Mississippi Consolidated Cavalry. It was surrendered in May 1865. (Rowland, Official and Statistical Register of Mississippi, 919–921; Howell, Jr., Military History of Mississippi, 36, 47, 52–53)