Alan J. Pitts
Pope Walker Legion
Mon Mar 19 12:28:45 2001


Obviously the 19th Alabama had to be part of the 3,000 troops said to be in the area. The only other Alabama command defintely there was Nick Davis' Battalion, which is referenced in the letter. That unit had five companies at Camp Jordan on Oct. 29, 1861, to which two others were quickly added. The two Limestone County companies mentioned previously probably elected to go elsewhere because they had been accepted for twelve month's service; the others listed above enlisted for three years. It was quite difficult to get volunteers for the longer term in 1861.

At some point in 1861 L. P. Walker commanded an Alabama brigade which included both commands mentioned above as weel as units raised in the Mobile area. This became Adley Gladden's brigade which fought at Shiloh.

Capt. James H. Clanton of the Montgomery Mounted Rifles has aspirations to raise a larger mounted command and returned from pensacola for that purpose about the time of the letter. He was later elected Colonel of the 1st Alabama Cavalry Regiment on Dec. 11, 1861, at Camp Stone near Montgomery.

I would not be surprised if the Clint Davis mentioned in the letter was D. C. Davis, captain of the "North Alabama Cavaliers". This company organized at Huntsville on Dec. 9, 1861, again for twelve months, and soon joined Col. Forrest's Regiment in Kentucky. Let me know if you have any more to offer on this officer and his command.