Alan J. Pitts
Pickens A.V.C. companies
Mon Feb 26 11:31:18 2001


They really aren't interchangable, but I've been using them that way. All members of the AVC were volunteers militia, but volunteer militia units existed before the AVC, and later in the war as well. Home guard units were volunteer militia, but most weren't specifically commissioned by the governor as members of the AVC. The Conscript Act of 1862 put most volunteer militia units out of business.

My sadly incomplete list of AVC companies doesn't include a single representive from Pickens County. I'd be pleased to receive any entries, particularly if you have the first captain's name and the date of the governor's commission. Lacking that, if you know the date and place the company organized, that would be helpful.

I'm assuming the "Calhoun Guards" and "Carrollton Guards" merged to form the "Pickens County Guards". My notes show that the Carrollton company dates from December 1857. Mergers like this were common when units volunteered "for the war". Where is Brooksville? Co. "H" of the 11th Alabama left that place on June 9, 1861, but I haven't found it yet.

My list came from commissions on file with Governor Moore's papers at the ADAH, written on blue ruled paper with 'John Hancock' signatures. Acts of Alabama for 1859-1861 and governor's correspondence, such as requests for arms &c., include the names of many other companies.

• Brooksville — Ron Griffin, Tue Feb 27 09:34
• Thanks! n/m — Alan J. Pitts, Tue Feb 27 09:38
• Brooksville — Hayes Lowe, Mon Feb 26 12:15