Henry Seale
19TH,40TH, and 46TH Consolidation
Fri Jan 12 19:40:39 2001


Hayes, This makes sense about the consolidations. I was certain that there was another regiment consolidated into the 19TH along with the 40TH, but I did not have any evidence as to which it was. I had suspected that it probably was the 46TH as I had information that Col. Mike Woods of the 46TH became the Col. of the 19TH at the reorganization on 09 April 1865. I had reasoned that if he was already a colonel of a regiment, he would not be assigned to command another regiment and leave his command. This way he brought his command with him. I do not know what the field officer situation of the 19TH was prior to the consolidation, but I do know that from the 40TH there was Col. Higley that was on an extended furlough since January, Lt.Col. Gulley who had commanded the regiment since January who became the Lt.Col. of the 19TH, and Maj. Willett who became the 19THs Major. I assume therefore that since all field officers of the reorganized 19TH Alabama Infantry Regt. came from the 46TH and 40TH, that all of the original 19TH field officers were not available for duty or were junior in seniority to these officers. This would also have to be the case with the other field officers of the 46TH. Since there is no record of the 46TH being paroled as a separate regiment just as there is no separate record of the 40TH being paroled as it officially did not exist at that time, all the men now belonging to the 19TH, I'll bet that the large number of additional men listed with the 19TH that have nothing in their Compiled Service Records other than being present at the surrender that did not come from the 40TH came from the 46TH. To confirm this I need to compile a roster of the 46TH and see if they can also be found in the 19TH. It will take a bit of time, but I believe that I can do this. Then this should end all this speculation about the consolidation into the 19TH finally.

Thanks very much for posting this information about the 37TH and 46TH. This helps me a lot to clear up this murkiness.

Henry