Hayes Lowe
City Guards
Mon Feb 5 13:47:54 2001


The men on the rolls for Selma City Guards corresponds with those of Talledega City Guards. Selma City Guards disappear from the records in 1863. They resume then in the records of the Talledega City Guards (Capt. Lockett's Company).

Wayne Dowdle has provided the following information to me from a Dowdle family history:

(summarized) A Mr. Youngblood [probably G.W. Youngblood] is noted in the Dowdle family's memoirs as having taken a wagonload of young men to Tuscaloosa from the Providence area of Pickens County to enlist. This occurred in 1863, and they are said to have joined the 41st Alabama Infantry and "Capt. Lockett's City Guards, Talledega, Ala."

I have the following Pickens County men listed on both rolls:

HENDERSON, Azer N., 4th Sgt. [Possibly Azar Neely Henderson, born 1/8/1824, died 1899 in Texas.] (Enlisted 4/15/62 or 11/15/1862. Listed in both Selma and Talledega rolls. See also the 25th Ala. Inf., Co. E.)

DRIVER, Elizabeth L. (Enlisted 10/1/1862 for the duration of the war. Listed in both Selma and Talledega rolls.) [Note that this is a male, not a female.]

HENDERSON, James R. (Enlisted 11/3/1862. Listed in both Selma and Talledega rolls. See also the 25th Ala. Inf., Co. E.)

HOPPER, James David (Obtained land grant in Pickens Co. in 1858. Enlisted 11/13/1862. Listed in both Selma and Talledega rolls. Alive in Pickens Co. in 1870.)

HOUSE, Thaddeus (Enlisted 9/12/1862. Listed in both Selma and Talledega rolls. See also the 5th Ala. Inf., Co. C.)

HUFF, John B. (Enlisted 11/13/1862. Listed in both Selma and Talledega rolls.)

SPARKS, James (Enlisted 11/13/1862. Listed in both Selma and Talledega rolls. See also the 41st Ala. Inf., Co. C.)

STOKES, Robert ( Enlisted 10/25/1862. Listed in both Selma and Talledega rolls. See also the 25th Ala. Inf., Co. E.)

Further notes: The Dowdles are found only on the Talledega City Guard rolls. It is noted in the records that this was a "non-conscript" company. Most of those from Pickens Co. were enlisted by R.J. Johnson. A couple are noted as having been enlisted by B. and J.A. Johnson.

The Selma City Guards definitely served as Provost Guard, but I don't know what function that they served in Talledega. It does not seem to be the same function as the Supporting Forces. I say that because the surrender documents of the Supporting Forces "always" state something to the effect "Supporting Force, 5th Congressional District. Also, the Selma City Guard (and the Talledega City Guards) had men from several counities. This is not true of the Supporting Forces. They are generally men from one county (not even the whole Congressional District).

Now, is there a practical difference in the Provost Guard and the Supporting Forces...not that I have seen. Looks like they had basically the same duties. However, I'm guessing that the Provost Guard had arrest powers beyond those of the Supporting Forces (which generally just served to protect the Conscript Officers). The Provost had arrest and prosecution authority over military personel.










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