Alan Pitts
Co. A 8th Cav Regt.
Mon Dec 25 11:41:20 2000


Captain Thomas L. Faulkner recruited the company you referenced, Co A, Livingston's 8th Ala. Cav. Regt. Its members came from Autuaga and Bibb Counties, and were enrolled at Pollard on June 30, 1863. From that date until February of 1864 it operated with the 6th Alabama Cavalry in the area just north of Pensacola. In the early months of 1864 it served as part of Chandler's Cavalry Battalion (four companies) before joining another four companies to form Livingston's command.

Captain Faulkner had recruited another command in 1861 which I believe was known as the Autauga Guards. It served as Co. "G", Blythe's Mississippi Infantry Battalion. That unit may have enlisted at Autaugaville; could you tell me where you came across the reference to Company "A" being from that community?

Looking over my notes on this regiment, the name 'Long' doesn't appear. However, these were based on National Archives microfilm and do not reflect all enlistments. I've never asked what information was used to compose the cards you mentioned; someone else can tell us that. If your ancestor was alive and living in Alabama in 1907, his name may appear on the state census of Confederate veterans completed that year. Also, if you check the regimental files at the Archives, there may be a post-war roll of Company "A" drawn up by a veteran. Please note: it may be with either the muster rolls, the historical file or the correspondence file for your unit. Anyone visiting the Archives should request all three files and review them carefully.

Just for grins, I'd also ask for the muster roll of the Autauga Guards. There's some possibility that your ancestor belonged to both of Captain Faulkner's companies. Being able to to claim an ancestor who served in Blythe's Battalion would be great -- it fought Grant at Belmont KY and opened the battle of Shiloh. Livingston's cavalry had a somewhat less that stellar history, but that's another story. I wish you success in your search and hope you'll report what you find.