Alan J. Pitts
Re: Company I
Mon Jul 16 18:17:31 2001


Hopefully it's not too confusing. As Mr. Lowe pointed out in his post, a cursive "L" could easily look like a "I". I would have to see the service record, but I've seen enough 18th Alabama service records to know what to expect. The service records do not explain how these men happened to join the regiment, but you should notice that there are no records for them before the end of April 1862, when Blount's Battalion was broken up and they were assigned to the 18th Alabama.

Here's the information on Company "I", 18th Alabama:

Company “I” of Shelby County “Curry Guards”

Peter Forney Hunley. Wounded at Shiloh, Tennessee, April 6, 1862. Appointed Major on July 1, 1862, to rank May 10, 1862.
John M. Mickle. Promoted Captain [July 18, 1862,] to rank May 25, 1862. Appointed acting Assistant Adjutant General (A.A.A.G.) of Cumming’s Brigade, October 1862. Wounded at Chickamauga, Georgia, on September 19, 1863. Apparently died [March 15,] 1864.
Daniel M. Martin. Promoted Captain [June 15,] 1864. Surrendered at Meridian, Mississippi, May 10, 1865.

Commanded by Captain Thomas H. Brasher, this company was received in state service as the “Shelby Invincibles” on April 25, 1861. Accepted in Confederate service at Harpersville, Alabama, August 19, 1861, members mustered at Camp Johnston, Alabama, on August 26, 1861.

As you can see, this company was from Shelby County, not Saint Clair. Here's the information on Company "L" and its captains:

Company “L” of St. Clair County

Levi Lloyd. Formerly Captain of Company “G”, Blount’s 5th Alabama Infantry Battalion. Resigned due to disability on May 25, 1862.
Bush Jones. Elected Captain July 21, 1862. Elected Lieutenant Colonel, 9th Alabama Infantry Battalion, March 2, 1863, appointment dated May 30, 1863, to rank April 16, 1863. [DAB3:925; UA/57]

On April 19, 1862, Companies “A” and “G” of Blount’s 5th Alabama Infantry Battalion were consolidated and assigned to this regiment as Company “K”. Both had organized at Ashville, Alabama, for twelve months service some time earlier. Officers and men reenlisted for three years or the war on July 21, 1862, the company designation changing to “L” about the same time. On March 2, 1863, this company was dissolved and the men reassembled into Companies “A” and “G” of the 9th Alabama Infantry Battalion.

As you can see, this was a Saint Clair company, and Sherrif Brewster served as 2nd Lieutenant. It's also notable that your ancestor and/or family members remembered Brewster's name despite all the changes.

Here's the information on the original company:

Company “A” of Saint Clair County “Springville Volunteers”

Sheriff Brewster. Commission vacated April 28, 1862. Later served as 2nd Lieutenant of Company “K”, 18th Alabama Infantry Regiment.
George S. Markham. Elected Captain March 2, 1863; formerly 1st Sergeant of Company “L”, 18th Alabama Infantry Regiment. Later served as Captain of Company “A”, 58th Alabama Infantry Regiment.

On December 27, 1861, members enlisted for twelve months service at Ashville, Alabama. Serving as Company “A”, Blount’s 5th Alabama Infantry Battalion, the command was dissolved on April 28, 1862. Officers and men merged with others from Company “G” to form Company “L”, 18th Alabama Infantry Regiment. Reforming on March 2, 1863, they later served as Company “A”, 58th Alabama Infantry Regiment.

I hope that helps.