This man is wearing the uniform of the Alabama Volunteer Corps, organized by the state legislature after John Brown's raid on Harper Ferry. Three companies were raised in Blount County during May 1861. These were the Avalanche Company, the Blount Continentals and the Blount Pioneers. I can name captains if you wish. All three soon reorganized for Confederate service.

You will note that the uniform appears to be that of a soldier in regular U S service. That was the intention of the Alabama legislature, to defend the state against terrorist attacks like the one on Harpers Ferry. The state issued modern arms and equipment to each company. Standard buttons and belt buckles bore the letters, AVC.

For a published account describing these uniforms, copy and paste the link below in your address bar:
http://books.google.com/books?id=dyfBbtWileYC&pg=PA45&lpg=PA45&dq=AVC+uniform&source=bl&ots=OwfYYLPrn3&sig=shRMfLANgSauGsLO8e7_WYs23LQ&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Qbw7UbynFqfB2QWA3IDIDg&sqi=2&ved=0CEYQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=AVC%20uniform&f=false

Last December someone else asked about a Blount County soldier in AVC uniform. Here's my reponse --
http://history-sites.com/cgi-bin/bbs62x/alcwmb/webbbs_config.pl?md=read;id=37542