9th Tennessee Cavalry

D Company

This page is dedicated to William Riley Drinnon who

served in the Civil War under this Cavalry.

On 19 January in 1845 William Riley Drinnon was born in

Hawkins County, Tennessee to Lawrence and Lucinda Amyx Drinnon.

Nothing is known about this mans childhood. However; his story

begins on 26 October 1863. At this time William traveled to Knoxville, Tennessee.

He was about to become part of American history. He joined the Federal side

of the Civil War. William was now part of the 9th Tennessee Cavalry

D company. William fought in many battles.

On 18 November 1863 it was reported that the Sevierville road was strongly guarded

by a detachment of the 9th Tennessee Cavalry about 3 1/2 miles from the bridge.

30 April 1864 was the next report regarding this regiment. At this time William was

guarding railroads in Middle Tennessee. General Gillem and the 9th and 13th

regiments started on a 128 mile march to Strawberry Plains. The march started on

4 August 1864 and they arrived on 18 August.Under Lieutenant Colonel Brownlow ,

the next destination for William and his regiment was the battle at Blue Springs on 23

August 1864. The Confederates were over taken. The next report was at

Bull’s Gap, Tennessee. 4 September they were at Greenville where Confederate

General John Morgan was surprised and killed. Their next destination was at Carters

Station on 27 September and a skirmish near Greenville on 12 October.

In this skirmish General Vaughn reported the capture of a flag

of the regiment. William and his regiment then went to Clinch Valley on 21

October then Cumberland Gap, Russellville and Morristown on 13 November.

General Gillem reported his forces suffered terribly. He reported that the 9th

Tennessee Cavalry held the enemy for over an hour until the ammunition

ran out. The regiment retreated to Strawberry Plains then to Knoxville. They camped

at Love’s Station on 16 November 1864. On 19 December they captured and

destroyed a Confederate salt works in Virginia and they

marched 461 miles back to Knoxville. 5 February 1865 was the next report where

they were in Dandridge, Tennessee. It is unclear where the 9th Cavalry

was during 21 March and the 25 April 1865. The 9th Tennessee Cavalry

was ordered to send detachments to Greenville on 19 April 1865. They were to find and

chastise the guerrilla forces operating in that area. On the 20th it was ordered

that one company was to go to Talbott Station and another to Rutledge,

Tennessee. It is unclear at this time which place William went. On 25 April the

9th Tennessee Cavalry was ordered to Rogersville Junction. General Stoneman advised

that they would be needed in the matter of clearing out the country between

the Holston River and Cumberland Mountains. Their instructions were

in somewhat as follows: “In the performance of this duty you are authorized and

instructed to use the most vigorous and severe measures. The persons with whom you

have to deal are outlaws so long as they are at liberty and should be treated as prisoners,

and are entitled to trial, which takes time and entails trouble and expense.

Give them to understand that no false mercy will be shown them and no prisoners taken,

and that every man found in arms under whatever pretense , and acting without

authority from Federal officers or the legally constituted authorities of the State

of Tennessee, will be treated as a public enemy and an outlaw and killed like a mad dog

by anyone who meets him. See that your command does not interfere in any way,

wither in their persons or their property, with the peaceably disposed, and with those

who stay at home and mind their own business.” On 20 July 1865 the regiment was

placed under Brevet Major General Emory Upton’s Cavalry Brigade and mustered

out of service on 11 September 1865.