40th Alabama Infantry

Make sure ya tell us how the book was. I've added it to my wish list, sounds like a good read.
Not sure I'm gonna post a book review so here goes.

I liked it. By my account,this is the 4th soldier's memoir that I have read and is more of a regimental history than the other 3. The soldier's accounts were written in 1899. It was edited to correct some factual errors, add a preface and footnotes, copyrighted and published in 1999. It covers the formation of the Regiment through the surrender in NC in 1865. I most definitely learned some new stuff about the regiment and about some battles/campaigns. I already posted about Stone's Battalion upthread. It covers the regiment's actions in the Atlanta Campaign and at Bentonville,both of which I have read little about. I've only been doing this about 3 years now. The author also wrote about the regiment's feelings and attitudes about Braxton Bragg,Joseph Johnston,John Bell Hood and Jefferson Davis,to a lesser extent. Good stuff. Took some notes as I read it that will hopefully help me in planning future road trips and research on my ancestor.
 
One more thing. As I read the section about Chickamauga,I realized that I probably walked on or near some of the ground my ancestor in the 40th Alabama Infantry walked on when I visited there last year. Gotta reread the Order Of Battle for Chickamauga and look at my trip itinerary and pictures again.
 
Not sure I'm gonna post a book review so here goes.

I liked it. By my account,this is the 4th soldier's memoir that I have read and is more of a regimental history than the other 3. The soldier's accounts were written in 1899. It was edited to correct some factual errors, add a preface and footnotes, copyrighted and published in 1999. It covers the formation of the Regiment through the surrender in NC in 1865. I most definitely learned some new stuff about the regiment and about some battles/campaigns. I already posted about Stone's Battalion upthread. It covers the regiment's actions in the Atlanta Campaign and at Bentonville,both of which I have read little about. I've only been doing this about 3 years now. The author also wrote about the regiment's feelings and attitudes about Braxton Bragg,Joseph Johnston,John Bell Hood and Jefferson Davis,to a lesser extent. Good stuff. Took some notes as I read it that will hopefully help me in planning future road trips and research on my ancestor.
Thanks. When I get through my current to-read stack I will definitely consider checking it out.

One more thing. As I read the section about Chickamauga,I realized that I probably walked on or near some of the ground my ancestor in the 40th Alabama Infantry walked on when I visited there last year. Gotta reread the Order Of Battle for Chickamauga and look at my trip itinerary and pictures again.
Stone's Battalion in Ector's Texas Brigade, they saw most of their action on the morning of the first day of the battle, at Jay's Mill on the far Confederate right flank. The brigade was lightly engaged in the action at the Kelly Field on the second day. I guess the author of the book probably talked about their experience there since he was in Company A?
 
Stone's Battalion in Ector's Texas Brigade, they saw most of their action on the morning of the first day of the battle, at Jay's Mill on the far Confederate right flank. The brigade was lightly engaged in the action at the Kelly Field on the second day. I guess the author of the book probably talked about their experience there since he was in Company A?
Yes he did.
 
Re: Cush: A Civil War Memoir by Samuel H. Sprott

Don't wanna give away too many details because others might wanna read it but I did wanna share a coupla tidbits:

1. The 40th AL Infantry arrived in Vicksburg on 12/30/1862 and was marched to what the author called the "rear of the Chickasaw Bayou battlefield" where it stayed until 1/5/1863 on which it was moved to Camp Timmons closer to the bayou until 2/17/1863. The author states on pages 23 and 24:"I will state in this connection that while we were camped near Vicksburg we had the poorest rations we had during the war and this too in a section of country filled with the finest,fattest cattle and untold quantities of corn..." This was from a member of 1 of 3 Companies of the 40th Alabama that was cut off from the rest of the regiment after Vicksburg was encircled. We already know how bad the food situation got for the troops in Vicksburg. Apparently it was already bad for the 40th AL before some of it got trapped in Vicksburg.
 
Cont'd:

2. The book has about a 3 full page description of the 40th AL's experience at Lookout Mountain. On page 69,the author states : "This affair did not rise to the dignity of a battle,in fact it could scarcely be call a first class skirmish. I don't think the 40th Ala. lost a man killed,and but a few wounded and a few captured on the picket line."

I find that hard to square with this display at the MOC in Richmond I saw in January 2016. It's one page of a 4 page Casualty Report of the 40th AL Inf at Lookout Mountain. The regiments higher up the mountain didn't see much action. The 40th AL was at the base of the mountain.


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Which companies of the 40th remained in garrison at Vicksburg?
The research results from this thread show that all Companies except A,D and I were garrisoned and surrendered at Vicksburg.
 
My wife's GG Grandfather (Thomas J. Lee) was 1st Sgt of Co. E and actually was elected Lt. towards the end of the war. He was one of the companies garrisoned at Vicksburg as you indicate above. I have copies of his Parole records as well. There are several memoir type books about the 40th, Cush is definitely on my list to read. Has anyone read This War So Horrible or History of Company B (Originally Pickens Planters)?
 
Flags of this pattern were manufactured by James A. Cameron and Jackson Ogden Belknap.

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Last week I ordered an 8.5" x 11" photo print of it from the Alabama State Archives for $20 + $1.84 mailing. Got it in the mail today and it is really nice. Gonna get it custom framed.
 
http://www.archives.state.al.us/referenc/FLAGS/064065.html

Flags of this pattern were manufactured in Mobile, Alabama and issued to units within the Department of Alabama, Mississippi and East Louisiana.1 This flag was apparently issued to the 40th Alabama Infantry at Dalton, Georgia in May, 1864.

In his account of the flag's history former Lt. Colonel Ezekiel S. Gulley stated that it was carried from the time it was issued until the end of the war. At the Battle of Bentonville, North Carolina, March 22-23, 1865 three flag bearers were shot down carrying the flag. Following the battle, a small group of men became separated from the rest of the regiment for several days narrowly avoiding capture on a number of occasions. To avoid losing the colors, flag bearer Hilliard O'Neal removed the flag from its staff and wrapped it around his body, wearing it underneath his clothing. In his diary, Sgt. John H. Curry of Co. B, provided additional details concerning the incident, “our flag with 40 men were cut off from our Reg. And got behind Fed. Lines and had to make their way Raleigh and return by rail. The flag-bearer tore it from the staff, took down his pants, tied it around his leg, and brought it out all ok except the staff. Several days after the battle they came into camp with it flying on a staff cut for the occasion, men shouted – cried, kissed it, hugged it – &c. such a sensation was never produced in our command before.”

Following the Battle of Bentonville, the 40th was consolidated with the 19th Alabama Infantry. The new regiment was designated as the 19th Alabama Infantry and placed in General Edmund Pettus' Brigade. Gulley asked Pettus what was to be done with the flag, to which Pettus replied that Gulley could keep the flag if he wanted to. Gulley retained the flag after the war with the intention of passing it on to his children.

From 1903-1907, Director Thomas Owen corresponded with Woodson and Bettie Gulley trying to persuade them to loan or donate the flag to the Alabama Department of Archives and History. The flag was loaned briefly in order for it to be photographed and was then returned to Woodson Gulley. On January 2, 1940, the flag was offered to the Department by Robert S. Campbell, the grandson of E. S. Gulley. The gift was acknowledged on January 9, 1940.

Sources:
Curator's Object Files, Civil War Flags, Alabama Department of Archives and History.
Curator's Files, Flag of the 37th Alabama Infantry, Auburn University, Alabama Department of Archives and History.
Curry, J. H., "A History of Company B, 40th Alabama Infantry, C.S.A." Alabama Historical Quarterly, Vol. 17, No. 3, Fall 1955.
Madaus, Howard Michael. The Battle Flags of the Confederate Army of Tennessee. Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1976.

Flags of this pattern were manufactured by James A. Cameron and Jackson Ogden Belknap.

View attachment 127811
 
Custom framed and matted with museum glass and hanging in my bedroom close to my Battle Above The Clouds print by Mort Kunstler. Honoring my ancestor every day.

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There are several memoir type books about the 40th, Cush is definitely on my list to read. Has anyone read This War So Horrible or History of Company B (Originally Pickens Planters)?
Sorry I didn't respond to this sooner. I have not read either of those books but just ordered This War So Horrible on Abebooks for $3.95,free shipping. Might be awhile before I get to it. I ordered 3 books from Abebooks this week and the day isn't over. :D
 
I struggled with where to post these pics. My ancestor in the 40th Alabama Infantry is buried at Carolina Baptist Church Cemetery in Carolina,AL. Visited his gravesite with my mother on 4/12/2018. It was the first time I had been there. It had been a very long time since my mother had been there. He was her great grandfather. Put a flag at the gravesite and penny on the gravestone. Quite a day for me.

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