Alan Pitts
Williams Battalion
Thu Dec 14 15:13:59 2000


After looking at the records, I see that only one company came from Julian's Battalion, Capt. Thomas E. Barner's Co. "D" from Lauderdale County. Co. "A" had been Capt. P. D. Roddey's "Tishimingo Rangers" in 1861 and served with Roddey's 4th Alabama Cavalry as Co. "I". Capt. John F. Doan's Co. "B" had also served in that regiment as 2nd Co. "D". Co. "C" under Capt. John R. McDonald had been acting under orders of the Conscript Bureau in the Decatur area. Capt. P. N. G. Rand's "Leighton Rangers", once a local defense command, formed Co. "E". Capt. Van Flake, formerly 1st Sergeant of Co. "A", led a new company composed of transfers and new recruits on May 1, 1864.
The battalion led by Major James T. Williams existed only from March until September of 1864. About the first of September 1864 it merged with Warren's Battalion to form the 11th Alabama Cavalry. Major Williams was killed at Courtland, Ala., May 27, 1864.