The Third Alabama Infantry Regiment was organized at Montgomery in April, 1861. It was the first AL command that was sent to VA. Mustered into service at Lynchburg, 4 May, the regiment was ordered to Norfolk. There it was in a temporary brigade with the 1st and 12 VA, under Col. Jones M. Withers, who was soon after succeeded by Col. William Mahone. For 12 months, the 3rd remained at Norfolk and there reenlisted (but saw no active service). Norfolk was evacuated, 5 May 1862, and the regiment fell back with the army. At Seven Pines, it was held in reserve the first day and was badly cut up the second, losing 38 k and 122 w. Two weeks later it was attached to Gen'l Robert E. Rodes' Brigade, which now consisted of the 3rd, 5th, 6th, 12th and 26th AL regiments. The brigade, led by Col. John B. Gordon of the 6th, participated in the week of battle before Richmond, as part of Gen'l Daniel H. Hill's Division. The 3rd lost 207 out of 345 men and officers at the repulse at Malvern Hill and mustered with only 180 men shortly after that. They recruited quickly to rise to 300 men. Hill's Division was not engaged at Cedar Run or 2nd Manassas, but it moved with the army, and the 3rd AL was the first to plant the "stars and bars" in MD. At Boonsboro, the fighting was prolonged and desperate, as it was at Sharpsburg. The 3rd moved back into VA with the army, and it was in line of battle at Fredericksburg. At Chancellorsville, it was in Gen'l Stonewall Jackson's Corps in the assault on Hooker, and in the two days, lost 24 k and 125 w. In the second MD campaign, the 3rd moved with Gen'l Richard S. Ewell's Corps, to which it now belonged, as far as Chambersburg, PA. It lost heavily at Gettysburg, fighting both days with credit, and sharing in the privations of the retreat. After the return to VA, it skirmished at Mine Run and wintered at Orange Courthouse. Now under Brig. Gen'l Cullen A. Battle, the regiment bore a conspicuous part in the battles of The Wilderness and Spotsylvania, losing many. In the fighting at 2nd Cold Harbor, it charged the enemy and again lost heavily. It was with Gen'l Jubal Early in the Valley, and in MD, taking part in the demonstration against Washington, DC, and in the pursuit of Union Gen'l David Hunter. At Winchester, it's loss was heavy, and it suffered again at Cedar Hill, but it protected the rear of the retreating army. Placed in the trenches at Petersburg, the 3rd dwindled away by attrition until only about 40 men surrendered at Appomattox. Of 1651 names on the roll, about 260 were lost in battle, 119 died in the service, and 605 were discharged or transferred.

Additional information on this unit may be found on line at http://www.tarleton.edu/~kjones/rodes.html

FIELD OFFICERS:

ROSTERS:

Company I - Wetumpka Light Guard - Autauga County

REFERENCES:

REF: http://www.tarleton.edu/~kjones/confeds.html
http://www.archives.state.al.us/referenc/alamilor/mil_org.html

The Civil War in Alabama
Index