Alan J. Pitts
Lots of information, but you have to know where to look....
Tue Mar 13 23:28:16 2001


Birmingham has John Washington Inzer's book which is written about the trails and tribulations of your ancestor's command. It was Co. "A" of Blount's 5th Ala. Inf. Battn. I'm certain the Shelby County archives has the same book. It would appear that Thomas Freeman was from St. Clair County, because he joined Sheriff Brewster's company at Ashville AL on Christmas day of 1861. Here's the company information and its captains:

Company “A” of Saint Clair County, “Springville Volunteers”

Sheriff Brewster. Commission vacated April 28, 1862. Later served as 2nd Lieutenant of Company “K”, 18th Alabama Infantry Regiment.
George S. Markham. Elected Captain March 2, 1863; formerly 1st Sergeant of Company “L”, 18th Alabama Infantry Regiment. Later served as Captain of Company “A”, 58th Alabama Infantry Regiment.

On December 27, 1861, members enlisted for twelve months service at Ashville, Alabama. Serving as Company “A”, Blount’s 5th Alabama Infantry Battalion, the command was dissolved on April 28, 1862. Officers and men merged with others from Company “G” to form Company “L”, 18th Alabama Infantry Regiment. Reforming on March 2, 1863, they later served as Company “A”, 58th Alabama Infantry Regiment.

If I may attempt to explain what happened, Blount's men marched to Corinth MS but arrived too late to participate in the Battle of Shiloh. General Bragg made a number of unpopular changes in the Confederate army afterwards, including his order to disband Blount's Battalion. Officers signed a petition to the War Department protesting his decision, but he went ahead anyway. Two of the St. Clair companies ("A" and "G")were merged into one company and assigned to the 18th Ala. Inf. Regiment as Co. "L". The remainder of the men were distributed amoung various companies of the 17th and 18th Alabama, while most officers lost their commissions and were sent home.

Capt. Thomason of Co. "D" refused to give up and went to Richmond to seek support for the old battalion. Eventually he achieved his goal and the battalion was reconstituted on March 2, 1863. Thomason became ill and died, however, and John W. Inzer became captain of his company. Company "L' of the 18th Ala. was disbanded and the original companies recreated from officers and men still remaining. I didn't have time to look, but your ancestor should have records with Co. "A", 9th Ala. Inf. Battn. and the regiment it eventually became, the 58th Ala. Inf. Regt.

I'll follow up on this if you wish. It makes sense that the Freeman who may have died in the Vickburg campaign would be Samule H., who served in Co. "D", 30th Ala. Inf. Regt. The reel of microfilm with his service record had been misplaced when I asked for it this evening. The librarian said she'd search for it. From a brief look at the regiment's history, it appears that the 30th Ala. took heavy losses on Champion's Hill, May 16, 1863, which a Union general described as a "hill of death". I'll check again if you'd like.

• 18th Alabama 30th Alabama — Steve Killingsworth, Wed Mar 14 09:11
• Not at all, thank you! — Alan J. Pitts, Fri Mar 16 23:06