Bed Quilt Regiment

Bed Quilt Regiment. A derisive reference to a Federal unit raised in northern Alabama. These volunteers had only lightweight clothing, and so during the colder months many wrapped themselves with everything they had, including bedding.

From: "Webb Garrison's Civil War Dictionary", by Webb Garrison Sr. page 37.

OK, what regiment was that?

The 26th Alabama was made up from poor farmers who had no uniforms. Each of its members carried patchwork blankets over their shoulders and were known as the "Bed Quilt Regiment".

Click to expand...

http://www.austinblaircamp7.com/courier0413.htm

So, was a derisive term applied because they were Federals from a southern state? I'd never heard of this regardless, must have been incredibly difficult for them not to mention any family they had back in Alabama, right?

I'd have to think not many people in normal walks of life in the south owned winter clothing- never really thought about it before but it's not like today when anyone can go out to the mall, or log-in to ebay, correct the situation. If someone was enlisting to go fight somewhere in colder climates, tougher to get yourself outfitted, right?

This was the Confederate 26th Alabama (militia), raised by Col. W.D. Chadwick:

In http://huntsvillehistorycollection...._William_Davidson_Chadick,_A_Vintage_Vignette , we read:
"After Shiloh, Colonel Chadick was made Chief of Staff to Governor Shorter of Alabama, and given command of the North Alabama's "home guard" forces. It is said that he raised for that duty the "bed-quilt regiment." As more men were needed, Colonel Chadick searched the North Alabama hills to raise them. He brought in the old and the young, mounted on old horses, colts, and mules. Due to the cold and scarcity of warm clothing, every recruit brought a bed-quilt wrap -- all of different colors, making this "bed-quilt regiment" brightly visible during the war."

There seems to be little written about this unit.

jno

So NOT Federals. Sounds correct, and I'm not being snotty- Confederate forces were having a terrible time with supplies, right? It makes sense they would have had to scrounge around for themselves, figure out their own cold weather gear. The Union Army I think was able to keep their men well supplied?

There just never stops being great subjects for someone to write about- one, more area of intrigue.

More on Colonel Chadick: http://www.cumberland.org/hfcpc/minister/ChadicWD.htm

"Next came the great war between the North and the South. Dr. Chadick was always a positive man. He loved his friends and his country, and he was not the man to be idle in a great conflict. He became chaplain of the fourth Alabama regiment and went to Virginia. Col. Egbert Jones was mortally wounded at Warrenton, Va., and Dr. Chadick fought with the regiment in the battle of Manassas. Afterwards he participated in the battle of Shiloh. He was then made chief of staff to Gov. Shorter, of Alabama, and was for some time in command of the North Alabama forces acting under the Governor. We have heard it amusingly told that he raised then the "bed-quilt regiment." When pressed by the Federal troops, more men were needed, and Col. Chadick as sent out into the hills of North Alabama to raise them. He brought them in, old and young, mounted on old horses, colts, and mules, and, as it was cold, and blankets scarce, every man of them brought a bed-quilt, and as all these quilts were of different colors, there was not a more grotesque picture then this "bed-quilt regiment" during the war."

It sounds a little sad, really, doesn't it? I'm truly not being dismissive of the Confederate troops raised, the regiment just must have been terribly ill-equipped in more ways than their coats, to face going to war against what would have been experienced Federal troops. It's tough to speak of without sounding as if I'm being a ' Yank '. I'm not, I'm comparing what it would have been like, if a regiment composed of these green troops had had to go up against say, a regiment which had been raised in 1861, in Massachusets or PA, kept well-equipped and well-fed through the years, and really knew their stuff by then.