alan pitts
Absolutely
Wed Jan 17 12:51:52 2001


Correct. Recruits were:
1) assigned at random to the field from pools of recruits collected at Talladega and Notasulga, from late 1862,
2) assigned at descretion of Lt.Col. Lockhart, Commandant of Conscripts at Montgomery, from mid 1864,
3) enlisted on the spot by officers representing units that happened to be in the neighborhood.

Those already enlisted could be transferred:
1) from mounted to foot units if unable to obtain a serviceable horse,
2) if commanding officer(s) accepted a transfer petition
3) if a military authority elected to dissolve a unit and assign its members to another. General Bragg broke up a number of units following Shiloh; Forrest did the same from late 1863 forward; the War Department authorized other break-ups, such as that of Co."D", 5th Ala. Inf. Battn. in May 1863. Some of Bragg's orders were reversed, so that the 9th Ala. Inf. Battn. and 12th Ala. Cav. Battn. were reconstituted. Bragg also made a number of transfers on an individual basis. Some of these men were later returned; others were not.
4) an original enlistment term expired or was abrogated by military authorities. Men enlisting in 1861 for twelve-month terms who opted to reenlist for the war transferred to new units constituted on a "war" basis.

There were a variety of ways in which men could move about from one unit to another. Looking for men based on home location should work about seven out of ten tries. However, men who enlisted after mid-1862 (conscripts) are more likely to appear in units at random.

• One more thing — George Purvis, Wed Jan 17 20:42