(Russell's) 4th Alabama Cavalry Operations January-June 1863

NickajackRanger

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Aug 23, 2015
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North Alabama
I've read several different entries in books about this unit and I only see that "they were transferred from Nathan Bedford Forrest to under the command of Joe Wheeler in early 1863." then suddenly they're at Shelbyville, Tennessee (where my ancestor was captured) in June, 1863. I can't find anywhere of what they were doing in the months prior.

I'm curious as to what the regiment did after their part in the famous 1862 West Tennessee Expedition with Nathan Bedford Forrest. Can anyone fill the gap of their actions and operations between January 1863-June 1863? Surely one of y'all has a better source or book that could help. All help is appreciated. Thank you.
 
I've read several different entries in books about this unit and I only see that "they were transferred from Nathan Bedford Forrest to under the command of Joe Wheeler in early 1863." then suddenly they're at Shelbyville, Tennessee (where my ancestor was captured) in June, 1863. I can't find anywhere of what they were doing in the months prior.

I'm curious as to what the regiment did after their part in the famous 1862 West Tennessee Expedition with Nathan Bedford Forrest. Can anyone fill the gap of their actions and operations between January 1863-June 1863? Surely one of y'all has a better source or book that could help. All help is appreciated. Thank you.

You probably have this history of the regiment ? The only itinerary I could find doesn't begin till July, 1863. Would they have spent the previous winter in winter quarters ?


RUSSELL'S FOURTH ALABAMA CAVALRY.


Russell's Fourth Alabama cavalry was organized at
Murfreesboro, Tenn., in December, 1862, by the union of
General Forrest's original battalion with six companies of the
Fourth Alabama battalion and the Russell Rangers, or Fifteenth
battalion Tennessee cavalry.

It was in the attack on Fort Donelson and was attached,
consecutively, to Russell's and Morgan's brigades, serving in
the cavalry of the army of Tennessee. It was warmly engaged
at Chickamauga, and bore a full share in the operations of
Longstreet's campaign in east Tennessee.

It took a brilliant part in the Sequatchie raid with four
other Alabama regiments of cavalry; was in the Dalton-Atlanta
campaign and assisted in the capture of Stoneman's column.

When Hood moved into Tennessee, the Fourth was employed for
some time in the Tennessee valley. After the battle of
Nashville it was assigned to Forrest's corps, and surrendered
with his troops at Gainesville.

Col. A A. Russell was twice wounded; he was early placed in
command of a brigade, and the regiment was for a long time
under command of Lieut.-Col. Jos. M. Hambrick, who was wounded
at Calhoun, GA; Capt. Thomas W. Hampton was killed at Mossy
Creek; Capt. Oliver B. Gaston was captured, and died in
prison; Capts. Henry F. Smith, W. C. Bacot, Flavius J. Graham
and David Davidson were wounded.

Source: Confederate Military History, vol. VIII, p. 261
 
I've read that same short "history" over and over and I can never find more. I've read in some places they got transferred in February. They skip from The Battle of Dover (Second Battle of Fort Donelson) to Chickamauga in all of the histories. That's a huge gap. My ancestor was captured at Shelbyville in June, 1863 so the unit's history after is of no particular interest to me.
 
The Confederate Military History; Alabama has a short bio and some extracts of OR's.
It says it was sent to North Alabama early in Spring of 1863. "It met Dodge's advance below Tuscumbia, and was engaged in pursuit of Streight. It was engaged most of the time in Roddey's brigade, repelling raids in North Alabama and making daring attacks."
In April 1863 it was commended by Bragg. It was then transferred to Dept. of AL, Miss & E. LA and had severe loss at Tishomingo in June 1864. It repelled Wilson raid---this being 1864.

OR's
No. 37 (674) Mentioned by Colonel Hatch(Union) in skirmishes on Forked Deer river, Tenn., July 13, 1863.
No. 38 - (192) Roddey's regiment, 800 strong with Gen. Roddey at Tuscumbia April 1863. (614) In Roddey's brigade, Martin's Division, Maj-Gen Van Dorn's corps, Feb 2d.
No 55 - (664) In Roddey's brigade, detached, Wheeler's corps, Bragg's army Nov 20, 1863.
 
I believe the above posted by DixieRifles is a different 4th Alabama Cavalry. The regiment in question is Russell's and that appears to be Roddy's. Russell's regiment was apparently in Tennessee under Wheeler in early to mid 1863.

When your ancestor was captured it was probably during the Tullahoma Campaign. I'm no expert when it comes to cavalry, but I'm sure someone here could elaborate on Joe Wheeler's actions at the time.
 
And so little records on them.

See my previous post after I edited it. Sometimes I read Moreland's Regiment as 4th Regiment. So I am never sure about these Alabama units. I have good sources for unit histories of Tennessee and Mississippi cavalry regiments.
 
I've read several different entries in books about this unit and I only see that "they were transferred from Nathan Bedford Forrest to under the command of Joe Wheeler in early 1863." then suddenly they're at Shelbyville, Tennessee (where my ancestor was captured) in June, 1863. I can't find anywhere of what they were doing in the months prior.

I'm curious as to what the regiment did after their part in the famous 1862 West Tennessee Expedition with Nathan Bedford Forrest. Can anyone fill the gap of their actions and operations between January 1863-June 1863? Surely one of y'all has a better source or book that could help. All help is appreciated. Thank you.

Found this on a site about Joe Wheeler :

Brigadier General Wheeler received orders to take charge of all cavalry under General Joseph E. Johnston including the forces of the famous Nathan Bedford Forrest and John Hunt Morgan (November 14, 1862). From December 1862 to January 1863, Wheeler's cavalry wreaked havoc with Union General Rosecrans' supply train in Tennessee, burning over 450 Union supply wagons and capturing over 2400 Union prisoners. This left Rosecrans' forces temporarily ineffective.

In February 1863 Wheeler's forces burned bridges and captured and destroyed a union gunboat and four transports on the Cumberland River in Tennessee, gaining the additional nickname, "the Horse Marines."

Wheeler earned his second star on May 1, 1863, promoted to the rank of Major General, CSA by the Confederate Congress on the recommendation of General Braxton Bragg.

In May 1863 Major General Wheeler published a manual entitled, Cavalry Tactics, which proved very valuable in systematizing Bragg's cavalry. It was also adopted by General Johnston's Army of Tennessee. The manual advocated mounted infantry over heavy cavalry.
 
I believe the above posted by DixieRifles is a different 4th Alabama Cavalry. The regiment in question is Russell's and that appears to be Roddy's. Russell's regiment was apparently in Tennessee under Wheeler in early to mid 1863.

When your ancestor was captured it was probably during the Tullahoma Campaign. I'm no expert when it comes to cavalry, but I'm sure someone here could elaborate on Joe Wheeler's actions at the time.
I agree. An ancestor of mine was in Moreland's 4th Ala Cav Bn, which was later upgraded to a regiment. They were usually with Roddy and are definitely not Russell's 4th Ala.
 
I believe the above posted by DixieRifles is a different 4th Alabama Cavalry. The regiment in question is Russell's and that appears to be Roddy's. Russell's regiment was apparently in Tennessee under Wheeler in early to mid 1863.

When your ancestor was captured it was probably during the Tullahoma Campaign. I'm no expert when it comes to cavalry, but I'm sure someone here could elaborate on Joe Wheeler's actions at the time.


I know about how he got captured and his unit's actions at Shelbyville in June, 1863 but I'm not sure about that gap between February-June. There's no real specifics. All that I know is that he and his unit the 4th AL Cav were with Forrest through his West Tennessee Raids December, 1862-January, 1863. From there aside from Second Battle of Fort Donelson I have no other earthly idea about where his unit was. I'm sure after the West Tennessee Raids he was thrown in with Wheeler but what I was looking for is any kind of legitimate reports on them or what engagements they were in in that several month gap.
 
Looking at the record cards of the 4th Ala (Russell's), they were near Sevierville (East) Tenn in 1862. The Bttn was acting as partisan rangers, by company. Some captains complained in Sept 1862 that they could not comply with the order to inspect their rosters b/c their records had been left in N. Ga when Wheeler took command of them. Sept. 1862 is when they were mustered into CS service for 3 years or the duration. I didn't look at individual records, other than the recruiting officer's, a man named Anderson Merchant. Merchant was actually an artillery officer, later captured at Port Hudson in the summer of 1863, spending the duration of the war as a POW. The battn was upgraded to a regiment during the time in East Tenn and assigned to General Wheeler, whose command was in Middle Tenn at least from late 1862 through the summer of 1863 until the retreat to East Tenn after Hoover's Gap. Wheeler had taken command of Chalmers' Cav Bde at Holly Springs, Miss., in July 1862, did some hard campaigning locally before going with Bragg into Kentucky, then covering his retreat. [His ability to work with Bragg during the Ky Campaign was what caused the general to promote Wheeler over Forrest's head.]
 
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Looking at the record cards of the 4th Ala (Russell's), they were near Sevierville (East) Tenn in 1862. The Bttn was acting as partisan rangers, by company. Some captains complained in Sept 1862 that they could not comply with the order to inspect their rosters b/c their records had been left in N. Ga when Wheeler took command of them. Sept. 1862 is when they were mustered into CS service for 3 years or the duration. I didn't look at individual records, other than the recruiting officer's, a man named Anderson Merchant. Merchant was actually an artillery officer, later captured at Port Hudson in the summer of 1863, spending the duration of the war as a POW. The battn was upgraded to a regiment during the time in East Tenn and assigned to General Wheeler, whose command was in Middle Tenn at least from late 1862 through the summer of 1863 until the retreat to East Tenn after Hoover's Gap. Wheeler had taken command of Chalmers' Cav Bde at Holly Springs, Miss., in July 1862, did some hard campaigning locally before going with Bragg into Kentucky, then covering his retreat. [His ability to work with Bragg during the Ky Campaign was what caused the general to promote Wheeler over Forrest's head.]

My ancestor signed up in September of 1862 and served from then until June 27th, 1863 when he was captured and went to 5 different POW camps. This is very interesting and insightful. As always I thank you.
 
And so little records on them.

See my previous post after I edited it. Sometimes I read Moreland's Regiment as 4th Regiment. So I am never sure about these Alabama units. I have good sources for unit histories of Tennessee and Mississippi cavalry regiments.


Some of my ancestors that ended up living in MS after the war were in the AL units before they moved and had to get proof of their service as well. If you were close to the state lines or had family in a bordering state a lot of the time you went over there to fight with cousins and such. Sometimes they did it because they couldn't wait for their own local units to form quickly enough. I know a lot of people from my county were recruited to go fight in Alabama companies in Tennessee units like (Nathan Bedford Forrest's) 3rd Tennessee Cavalry Battalion, the 4th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment, and the 4th Tennessee Infantry Regiment. Their recruiters from Tennessee actually came to our county in Alabama to get men to fight with them sometimes too. This was common with Tennessee, Alabama, Florida and Mississippi. Where my county is geographically it's blocked off from Georgia by mountains so it was harder to get over there so that's why you see less Alabama boys in Georgia units as compared to other surrounding states.
 
My ancestor signed up in September of 1862 and served from then until June 27th, 1863 when he was captured and went to 5 different POW camps. This is very interesting and insightful. As always I thank you.
If captured on June 27, 1863, he might have been one of the hundreds of prisoners taken during Wheeler's defense of the Duck River bridge at Shelbyville. It was one of Wheeler's finest moments, given the odds against him. He had no more than 1200 against literally ten times that number. My avatar ancestor, Wheeler and others, made a leap on horseback into the the fast-running river off a fifteen foot embankment. I believe Lt. Pointer was wounded in that leap but can't prove it.
 
If captured on June 27, 1863, he might have been one of the hundreds of prisoners taken during Wheeler's defense of the Duck River bridge at Shelbyville. It was one of Wheeler's finest moments, given the odds against him. He had no more than 1200 against literally ten times that number. My avatar ancestor, Wheeler and others, made a leap on horseback into the the fast-running river off a fifteen foot embankment. I believe Lt. Pointer was wounded in that leap but can't prove it.


I remember reading that somewhere but I also remember reading that the 4th AL was captured either just before or just after. Something about their powder in their guns getting wet and not being able to fire.
 
I remember reading that somewhere but I also remember reading that the 4th AL was captured either just before or just after. Something about their powder in their guns getting wet and not being able to fire.
The fight at the bridge was made with wet powder because of some heavy rains, so that could be it. The 1st Confederate also lost hundreds of prisoners that day. Wheeler did receive some reinforcements overnight and was attacking Union columns the next day as they came across the bridge.
 
The fight at the bridge was made with wet powder because of some heavy rains, so that could be it. The 1st Confederate also lost hundreds of prisoners that day. Wheeler did receive some reinforcements overnight and was attacking Union columns the next day as they came across the bridge.

I remember now it was a biography about the life of Nathan Bedford Forrest where I read it. It said Wheeler asked for volunteers and many men of (Russell's) 4th Alabama answered the call but then I read elsewhere that it was the 1st Confederate Cavalry and there was no mention of the 4th Alabama. Perhaps volunteers from both were involved?
 
I remember now it was a biography about the life of Nathan Bedford Forrest where I read it. It said Wheeler asked for volunteers and many men of (Russell's) 4th Alabama answered the call but then I read elsewhere that it was the 1st Confederate Cavalry and there was no mention of the 4th Alabama. Perhaps volunteers from both were involved?
Forrest had sent staff officers to ask Wheeler to hold the bridge until he could get his command across. Polk's wagon train had just crossed and Wheeler was ready to fire the bridge when he got the request to hold. So he asked for volunteers and about 60 made the last charge with him into the Federal column. He then called "every man for himself!" as the were being overwhelmed. That's when those who could made the leap into the river. This was a mixed group, but I think the 1st Confederate had been taken in earlier charges. When Forrest saw how bad it was for Wheeler, he just turned his column and found another place to get across the river.
 
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