Alan J. Pitts
Re: Pelham Cadets
Thu Apr 26 10:26:17 2001


At the bottom of this post is all I have on this organization. There's a related thread on the Mobile City Battalion. You might search on the term junior reserves, although the new search function has picked up everything that's been discussed recently.

Congress passed a law on Feb. 17, 1864 which placed seventeen-year olds in service. They were expected to take the place of older, able-bodied men in all rear-area functions except that of provost guards. Senior reserves were to carry out that duty.

Junior Reserves like the Pelham Cadets could be assigned to front-line duty in their home state. Two companies of Lockhart's Battalion were surrendered with the garrison of Fort Gaines on August 8, 1864, and most of the two Junior Reserve regiments whihc defended Blakely were overrun and captured during the assault of April 9, 1865.

At some time during the year when most of the seventeen-year olds reached their eighteenth birthday this unit should've 'graduated' or been 'promoted' to a front-line unit. However, I cannot recall seeing an assignment of this command to defenses of Blakely or Spanish Fort.

The ADAH in Montgomery has copies of the last orders issued to this command. These have to do with the order of march to the point where Confederate troops were expected to stack arms, be paroled and go home.

1st BATTALION ALABAMA CADETS

JUNIOR RESERVES
DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF

By August 24, 1863, nineteen companies had organized for local defense service at Mobile, Alabama. Two of these, the “Pelham Cadets” and the “Maury Rifles”, were composed of teenagers exempt from regular service because of their age. Enlisting for three years or the war, officers and men entered active service on November 22, 1863. These two companies joined the 1st Mobile Regiment as Companies “B” and “K” of that command. However, when the Confederate Congress passed a law calling on seventeen-year olds to enroll as Junior Reserves, the “Pelham Cadets” and “Maury Rifles” were detached to form the 1st Alabama Cadet Battalion on April 4, 1864.

Company “A” of Mobile County “Pelham Cadets”
Company “B” of Mobile County “Maury Rifles”

Members of this battalion usually served as provost guards. As such they patrolled public streets, guarded military depots and manned fortifications around Mobile until the city was evacuated by Confederate forces on April 11, 1865. Survivors were paroled at Gainesville, Ala., May 10, 1865.

Companies and their Captains

Company “A” of Mobile County “Pelham Cadets”

Price Williams, Jr. Formerly a member of the 18th Arkansas Infantry Regiment. Also served as Captain of Company “B”, 1st Mobile Regiment (Local Defense).

This command organized for local defense service July 23, 1863, at Mobile, Alabama. Members were assigned to duty as Company “B”, 1st Mobile Regiment (Local Defense). It was detached from this command and assigned to the 1st Alabama Cadet Battalion on April 4, 1864.

Company “K” of Mobile County “Maury Rifles”

Eugene Brooks. [Resigned December 1, 1863.]
H. H. Slatter. Promoted Captain December 1, 1863. Later served as Captain of Company “B”, 1st Alabama Cadet Battalion.

This company organized for local defense service on September 8, 1863, at Mobile, Alabama. Members were assigned to duty as Company “B”, 1st Mobile Regiment (Local Defense). It was detached from this regiment and assigned to the 1st Alabama Cadet Battalion on April 4, 1864.

Battles and Skirmishes

None.

Unit Bibliography

Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Alabama, Microcopy 311 (Washington: National Archives & Records Service, 1960), reels 95-97.