HISTORICAL NOTES:

This regiment was the first to be organized under an act of the State legislature authorizing the enlistment of troops for 12 months. The companies rendezvoused at Pensacola in February and March 1861, and about the 1st of April organized and elected regimental officers. The men were recruited from Barbour, Lowndes, Macon, Pike, Talladega, Tallapoosa, and Wilcox counties.

Transferred to the army of the Confederate States soon after, it remained on duty at Pensacola for a year, occupied chiefly in manning the batteries and taking part in bombardments on 23 Nov 61 and 1 Jan 1862. A detachment was in the night fight on Santa Rosa Island. As the oldest regiment in Confederate service, it was the first called on to reenlist for the war, at the end of the first year, and seven of the companies did so.

Ordered to Tennessee, the regiment, 1000 strong, reached Island No. 10 on 12 March 1862, In the severe conflict there, all but a remnant of the regiment were captured. Those who escaped were organized into a battalion which was part of the garrison at Ft. Pillow, and afterwards fought at Corinth. Those captured were exchanged in September, and the regiment rendezvoused at Jackson, MS, having lost 150 by death in prison, and 150 casualties since and during the siege of Island No. 10.

At once ordered to Port Hudson, they participated in the privations of that siege. They were again captured on 9 July 63, about 500 men, after losing 150 k and w. The privates were paroled and the officers kept in prison until the peace. The men were exchanged in the fall, and they joined Gen'l Joseph E. Johnston in Mississippi, 610 strong.

The regiment was then at Mobile and Polland, and it joined Gen'l Johnston at Alatoona. In Gen'l James Cantey's Brigade, it fought at New Hope, and it was afterwards transferred to Gen'l William Quarles' Brigade, in which it served until the end. It participated at Kenesaw Mountain, lost considerably at Peach Tree Creek. In the assault on enemy lines at Atlanta, 28 July, the regiment won fresh reknown but lost half its strength. They moved with Gen'l John Bell Hood into Tennessee and lost heavily at Franklin and Nashville. Transferred to North Carolina, it took part at Averysboro and Bentonville, and about 100 men surrendered at Goldsboro.

Upwards of 3000 names were on the rolls at different times during the war, including those companies that did not re-enlist.

Cols. Henry D. Clayton (until reorganization); Isaiah G. W. Steedman (captured at Island No. 10 and Port Hudson); Lt. Cols. I. G. W. Steedman (promoted); Michael B. Locke (wounded, captured at Port Hudson); Majors Jere N. Williams (until reorganization), Samuel L. Knox (captured at Island No. 10 and Port Hudson, but escaped from the latter; wounded at Atlanta; KIA at Franklin while commanding regiment); and Adjutants S. H. Dent (resigned), Samuel D. Steedman (captured at Island No. 10 and Port Hudson).

ASSIGNMENTS:

Island No. 10
Port Hudson
The Atlanta Campaign
Franklin, TN

ROSTERS:

The following list is taken from McMorries' book concerning the first company organization. The company designations are my own. They are not in the original book.

The companies composing the regiment were:
Company A. - The Eufaula Pioneers, Capt. John Clark
Company B - The Eufaula Rifles, Capt. Alpheus Baker
Company C- Perote Guards, Capt. George W. Dawson
Company D - Wilcox True Blues, Capt. I. G. W. Steedman
Company E - The Alabama Rifles, Talladega Capt. J. H. Johnson
Company F - Clayton Guards, Capt. Jere N. Williams
Company G - Guards of the Sunny South, Capt. Y. D. Conyers
Company H - Tallapoosa Rifles, Capt. J. D. Meadows
Company I - Rough and Ready Pioneers, Capt. A. H. Owens
Company K - Red Eagles, Capt. Ben Lane Posey.

This list is taken from Brewer's book. I assume they are from later in the war - after the reorganization. There are a number of discrepancies between this list of companies and the one which follows.

Company A - Tallapoosa County
Company B - Pike - Augustus H. Owen; resigned. J.H. Wood.
Company C - Lowndes - Y.D. Conyers; resigned. John T. Stubbs; captured at Island Ten and Port Hudson.
Company D - Wilcox - D. Wardlaw of Ramsay; captured at Island Ten and Port Hudson.
Company E - Talladega - Joseph H. Johnson; resigned. R.H. Isbell; captured at Port Hudson.
Company F /C? [This company was the third listed in McMorries list above.] - Pike - George W. Dawson; till re-organized. M.B. Locke; captured at Island Ten; elected lieutenant colonel. R.H. Riley; captured at Port Hudson.
Company B? [This company was the second listed in McMorries list above] - Barbour - Alpheus Baker; resigned. (Company disbanded at the end of the first year.)
Company I- Barbour - John W. Clarke. (Company disbanded at the end of the first year.)
Company K- Mobile - Ben Lane Posey. (Company disbanded at the end of the first year.)


This list is taken from McMorries book concerning the companies at reorganization:

J. D. Meadows, Capt. Co. A (Tallapoosa Rifles)
D. W. Ramsey, Capt. Co. B (Wilcox True Blues) J. T. Stubbs, Capt. Co. C (Guards of the Sunny South)
R. H. Isbell, Capt. Co. D (Talladega Rifles)
John H. Wood, Capt. Co. E (Rough and Ready Pioneers)
Richard Williams, Capt. Co. F (Clayton Guards)
M. B. Locke, Capt. Co. G (Perote Guards)
——Knowles, Capt. Co. H
W. H. Pruitt, Capt. Co. I
John F. Whitfield, Capt. Co. K (John Gill Shorter, Artillery).

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

REFERENCES:

Brewer, Willis. Alabama: Her History, Resources, War Record and Public Men. 1872