Alan J. Pitts
Every little bit helps....
Thu Apr 19 11:35:30 2001


Thanks! I'll check these names. The Casey record says he served with Hatch's command and enlisted at Demopolis. Of course that's Lemuel Hatch's battalion of boys that eventually became Hatch's 8th Alabama Cavalry. 8's and 5's in script can look alike.

Thanks for citing Powell's and Woodward's companies: great examples of identity problems.

The main body of Capt. John R. Powell's Co. "A" were from Marion, not Fayette. Most members lived in the northeast corner of the county in 1860. A few enlistments can be attributed to Fayette and Winston. About sixteen original enlistments were from Franklin and Lawrence Counties; most were transferred to Compnay "F" when that command organized.
Powell's company transferred to the 10th Alabama Cavalry as Company "D" at the end of 1863.

Capt. J. F. Woodward of Co. "B" came from northern Tuscaloosa, but few of his company were recruited there, perhaps a half dozen or so. Most of this company came from Fayette County with a few recruits from Marion. In October of 1864 this company transferred to the 10th Alabama Cavalry as Company "A". Woodward was paroled at Marshall TX as Captain of Co. "A", 10th Ala. Cav.; somebody who signed as "J. J. Pleasants" was paroled at Selma as Captain of Co. "B", 5th Ala. Cav. Regt. I've no idea who he could be.

It gets worse. As you can see, 5th Ala. Cav. members surrendered as the 10th Ala. Cav.; 10th Ala. Cav. members surendered with the 5th Ala. Cav. The 5th Ala. Cav. file at the ADAH has letters from former members who mention differences of opinion about what their company letter or regimental designation was in the end.

I hope to discover a document that serves as a kind of Rosetta Stone for what disposition was made of these units, but haven't found it yet.