Alan J. Pitts
Re: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Ala.
Tue Apr 24 23:12:40 2001


As far as information on the A.V.C. goes, it’s best to look in the Governor’s Papers at the ADAH. There’s not a file at the ADAH on the A.V.C. (yet), but things are always in a state of flux. I will probably content myself with finding commissions for A.V.C. company officers in the county files. There aren’t many commissions issued after Fort Sumter, but I’m not certain now when the A.V.C. became obsolete.

You’re right about local collection of companies. Eight companies, several of which later joined the First Alabama (3rd A.V.C.), marched at Glennville on July 4, 1860. These were the “Eufaula Rifles”, the “Pioneer Guards”, the “Louisville Blues”, the “Glennville Volunteers”, the “Midway Guards” (all from Barbour County), the “Perote Guards” from Pike County, the “Silver Run Guards” from Russell County, and the cadets of the Glennville military academy. Of course Glennville was one of two military schools established by the state, the other being LaGrange. LaGrange was burned by the Yankees and never rebuilt; Glennville moved after the war and became what we know today as Auburn University.

Back to the subject. For political reasons Governor Moore wanted companies from across the state involved in secession. He knew counties in the south half of the state were more likely to offer volunteers, and wanted the seizure of the bay forts and Mount Vernon arsenal to appear to be a movement supported by the entire state. The first companies called out formed the first A.V.C. regiment under Tennent Lomax. Of course little resistance was offered and these companies had little to do at Mobile, so they were sent home after short terms (thirty to sixty days). Companies forming the 2nd A.V.C. regiment took their place.

Clayton’s 3rd A.V.C. regiment was ordered to Pensacola, where a Federal force occupied Fort Pickens. These companies remained in service, expecting a fight with the Yankees on Santa Rosa Island at any moment. Clayton’s companies offered their services to the Confederate government and were accepted on March 27, 1861. Not only was this the first volunteer regiment to enter Confederate service in this state, it was the first from any of the existing Confederate states.

The companies of Tennent Lomax's regiment had to be called into service again and were then offered to the Confederate government. That's the way the first Confederate military laws expected things to happen. First come, first served.