Alan J. Pitts
Re: Perote Guards
Thu Apr 26 11:42:41 2001


Finding most lists of battles and skirmishes to be incomplete and /or inaccurate, I've decided to write my own lists of those involving Alabama commands. Of course that little task may take a while. However, I'll post what I've found for the 1st Alabama if you wish.

Here are a few notes on the twelve-month 1st Alabama Regiment:

Company “C” of Pike County “Perote Guards”

Capt. George W. Dawson. Relieved on January 14, 1862. Later served as 2nd Lieutenant of Company “B”, 53rd Alabama Mounted Infantry Regiment.

Officers and men were accepted in state service at Girard, Alabama, February 13, 1861, and sworn into Confederate service April 7, 1861. They mustered out at Pensacola, Florida, January 14, 1862. Most later joined Company “G” of the 1st Alabama Artillery Regiment. Others enrolled in Company “B”, 51st Alabama Partisan Ranger Regiment, and Company “B”, 53rd Alabama Partisan Ranger Regiment.

McMorries says that before these men were sworn into Confederate service, they had been acting orders of the Governor of Alabama. They received pay for two months in state service at Pensacola (February-March 1861) and were paid eleven dollars per month: twenty dollars in gold coin and two dollars in silver coin. Wouldn't you like to have that today!

McMorries also includes a description of the uniform of the Perote Guards and tells a great story about the first time the men heard "The Bonnie Blue Flag" performed in a Pensacola theater. You would do well to purchase your own copy of this wonderful book.

FYI, In 1860 the "Perote Guards" marched in a 4th of July parade at Glennville, then Barbour County, along with seven other AVC companies. AVC stands for Alabama Volunteer Corps, created by the legislature on Feb. 23, 1860, in response to concerns raised by John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry VA the previous November.

Let us know if you have other questions.....