Alabama Brigade (American Civil War)

The 4th Alabama Infantry Regiment was organized at Dalton, Georgia, on 2 May 1861. The original commander was Col. Barnard E. Bee who commanded the (3rd) brigade at First Manassas, where Bee and the new regimental commander, Egbert I. Jones, were killed in action. Lt.Col. Evander McIvor Law was then promoted and became Colonel of the regiment. They fought in the Seven Pines battle and in the battles of Second Manassas, Sharpsburg, and Fredericksburg. Law was promoted to Brigadier General on October 3,1862.[2] The command was given to Col. Pinckney Downie Bowles. The regiment later fought passionately in all battles of the brigade.[4]

The 15th Alabama Infantry Regiment was organized in the summer of 1861 at Fort Mitchell, Alabama. After being sent immediately to Virginia, it was placed in a brigade under General George B. Crittenden and fought in many battles including the First Battle of Cold Harbor, Front Royal, the Second Manassas, and Harper’s Ferry. When it was put into the Alabama Brigade on 19 January 1863, it was under the command of William C. Oates, who after the war became the Governor of Alabama. Alexander Lowther later replaced Oates as commander in 1864.[5]

The 44th Alabama Infantry Regiment was created in Selma, Alabama, under Colonel James Kent in 1862. Kent resigned 1 September 1862, leaving the regiment under William Perry’s command. The 44th fought in battles such as the Second Manassas, Harper’s Ferry, and Sharpsburg. This regiment was severely decimated at Sharpsburg on 17 September 1862, where almost 47% of the regiment sustained casualties.[6] It was added to the Alabama brigade, which then comprised the 4th Alabama infantry regiment, two months later in November 1862. Over the course of the war, 1094 men had been in this regiment at some point but only 209 survived to surrender at Appomattox.[7]

The 47th Alabama Infantry regiment was assembled at Loachapoka, Alabama, on 22 May 1862 under Colonel James McCarthy Oliver. When it travelled to Virginia it was placed into General Taliaferro’s brigade. This regiment lost many men in numerous battles such as Cedar Run, the Second Manassas, and Harper’s Ferry. Oliver resigned 11 August 1862 and was replaced by James W. Jackson, who was promoted to Colonel. After being decimated at Sharpsburg on 17 September 1862 and again at Fredericksburg on 13 December 1862, it was transferred into the Alabama Brigade in January 1863.[8]

The 48th Alabama Infantry Regiment was started in Auburn, Alabama, and put under General William B. Taliaferro’s brigade along with the 47th regiment. The first commander of the regiment was Col. James Lawrence Sheffield, who resigned in the fall of 1864. Captain John W. Wiggington, who had been promoted to the rank of Major in the fall of 1864, was the commander of the 48th at their surrender at Appomattox.[9] During the war, it fought at battles such as Cedar Run, the Second Manassas, and Sharpsburg. It was decimated at Fredericksburg, which was fought 11–15 December 1862. Along with the 47th Alabama Infantry Regiment, it was placed into the Alabama Brigade in January 1863.[10]