Alan J. Pitts
Not much else....
Tue Feb 27 10:29:46 2001


It appears he was drafted rather than volunteered, and assigned to this unit after it organized. A record under the name 'E. J. Abstein' appears in the Camp of Instruction records for Talladega showing him there on Sept. 13, 1862. The POW records are as you describe: sent by rail from Chattanooga to Nashville, arriving in Louisville KY on May 21, 1864. Released for exchange on February 26, 1865, and sent to City Point VA (on the James River just outside Richmond). No later record.

The microfilm shows him as a member of Co. "B", not Co. "I". The latter company was from Clarke County; "B" was from Wilcox, but that may not be important since your ancestor was assigned at a later date and not a volunteer.

A clothing receipt for him dated Atlanta January 12, 1864, says he was absolutely destitute of clothing. The QM issued a hat, two shirts, a pair of pants, two pair of drawers, a jacket and a blanket. Evidently socks and shoes were okay.

Don't know that we're likely to find more on this man, unless there's a pension somewhere.