After the fall of Fort Sumter and President Lincoln's call for troops to suppress the rebellion, the Tennessee General Assembly met in extra session and authorized Governor Isham Harris to enter into a military league with the Confederate States.

[2][5] The General Assembly authorized the Governor of the State to organize and equip a provisional force of volunteers.

This force should contain 25,000 men for field service and 30,000 in the reserves, enlisted for a period of twelve months.

The staff should contain an Adjutant-General, an Inspector-General, a Paymaster-General, a Commissary-General and a Quartermaster-General (all with the rank of colonel of cavalry), and a Surgeon-General.

[8][9] Gideon Johnson Pillow and Samuel Read Anderson were appointed major-generals; William R. Caswell, Benjamin F. Cheatham, Robert G. Foster III, John L. T. Sneed, Felix Zollicoffer brigadier-generals; adjutant-general Daniel Smith Donelson; inspector-general William Henry Carroll; quartermaster-general Vernon K. Stevenson; commissary-general R.G.

[1][11] On April 25 the Governor ordered General Anderson to take command at Memphis and to organize the volunteer forces that were assembling there.

Placed under the command of Colonel George Earl Maney, it was the first regiment of the provisional army to be raised.

About the same time, another regiment was mustered into service at Winchester; it became the First Confederate Tennessee under Colonel Peter Turney.

Commanding the leading strategic points, the batteries were equipped with mortars, columbiads and 24- and 32-pound cannons, and manned by ten companies of artillery under Colonel John P. McCown.