Alan J. Pitts
Re: 8th cavalry
Thu Jul 5 11:42:57 2001


I hope you're able to find some useful items. I wrote a brief history of Co. "D" which was included in a book on Leeds AL a number of years ago. This was based on the Moor Family letters, which I came across in the Georgia State Archives in Atlanta. Captain John G. Moor of Co. "D" was killed at Ten Islands, not far from his home. Moor's wife and father drove a wagon to that point on the Coosa River to recover his body. She was expecting a child at that time.

For some time in the early months of 1864, this command was known as Chandler's Battalion. Companies "I" and "K" of Moses' Squadron remained on duty in west Alabama, never serving with the other companies under Col. Livingston.

If you expand your scope to include the 6th Alabama Cavalry, which also served with Livingston's men under Clanton's command, there are other sources. The Birmingham Public Library has typescript of the Hardman letters, written by Capt. Charles T. Hardman of Co. "B". These begin in 1863; the last was written near Benton AL in Lowndes County on April 10, 1865.

An excellent account of the fighting at Ten Islands appears in David Evans' recent book, "Sherman's Horsemen". A full chapter covers that segment of Rousseau's Raid in some detail.

I'd be pleased to learned of any other sources you uncover; these are fairly obscure commands.