Alabama Civil War Roots  Website Hosted by Carolyn Golowka

Newman's Alabama Cavalry 

Information on this unit is scant to say the least. Brewer's History of Alabama Regiments does not mention this unit. There are only 3 soldiers Listed in Broadfoot's Roster of Confederate soldiers and they are W. L. CAIN, 2nd Lieutenant William T. CHUMLEY, and Burrell PACE (Bio). From the fact that Chumley and Pace are known to be from De Kalb County Alabama it is surmised that the unit is the Cavalry company mentioned in the below report of a skirmish that occurred in De Kalb County.

O.R.--SERIES I--VOLUME XLIX/1 [S# 103]
JANUARY 27, 1865.--Skirmish at Elrod's Tan-yard, De Kalb County, Ala.
Report of Col. Felix Prince Salm, Sixty-eighth New York Infantry.

                                                            HEADQUARTERS U.S. FORCES,
                                                            Bridgeport, Ala., January 31, 1865.

MAJOR: I have the honor to submit the following report of an expedition fitted out at this post by permission of the major-general commanding:

        The command left Bridgeport, Ala., on the 26th instant, at 3 p.m., on board the U.S. transport Bridgeport, and landed at Roman's Landing at 7.30 p.m. the same day. The march was resumed immediately after coming ashore and continued until 3 a.m. 27th instant, when I camped near the school-house, Mound Mary, Marshall County, Ala. On this march a well-known guerrilla and bushwhacker named Williams, and belonging to Butler's company, was captured, and all the houses on the road were thoroughly searched, but without any result worth mentioning. At daybreak 27th instant the march was resumed. I passed through Sand Mountain narrows and reached at 1 p.m. Timms' farm, De Kalb County, Ala.; from thence we crossed Black Oak Creek and waded through Town Creek, De Kalb County, until at 7 p.m. we came in sight of the enemy. A part of Sparks' company was encamped near Elrod's farm and tan-yard, near Town Creek, De Kalb County, Ala. I approached with the utmost circumspection and silence and had a fair view of them moving around their fires, quite unconscious of our approach. I divided my command in order to surround and capture them all; but the darkness and the great quantity of timber strewn on the ground impeded the movement, so that one part of my command came to fire and charge before the junction of all the detachments was completed, giving the greater part of the outlaws a chance to effect their escape. In this charge First Lieut. Leander Martin, Eighteenth Regiment U.S. Colored, was instantly killed. The loss of the enemy was 1 killed, 8 wounded, and 3 captured. They were completely routed, and left a number of arms and equipments on the field. They were commanded by a Lieutenant Smith, and their strength is supposed to have been from thirty-six to forty in all. I camped that night on the place of the action, and resumed the march back to the river early on the 28th. The enemy followed me in the rear and on the flanks without any demonstration until 5 p.m., when a party of about 100, under a Captain Butler, attacked me in the rear, but were fairly repulsed with a loss of 5 men disabled. My men poured two well-directed volleys into them and they skedaddled as quick as they came. In this second engagement I had no loss to sustain. The forces I was engaged with are said to belong to a new regimental organization of guerrillas, called home guards, raised in De Kalb, Marshall, and Blount Counties, Ala., by a so-called Colonel Lowe, and are composed of the following full companies: Sparks' company, encamped near Duck Springs, De Kalb County, Ala.; Witherspoon's company, encamped three miles below Lebanon; Butler's company, encamped near Wakefield, Marshall County, Ala; Newman's company, encamped near Portersville, De Kalb County, Ala.; Hamack's company, encamped near Valley Head, De Kalb County, Ala. They are assigned to General Clanton's brigade, and composed chiefly of deserters and absentees from the rebel army, mostly inhabitants of the aforesaid counties, who are enlisted in these organizations under promise of pardon of their offenses. The so-called Colonel Lowe, as well as the so-called captains, are said to have no authority from the rebel War Department. I inclose copy of the muster roll of Sparks' company, found in possession of First Sergeant Williams, one of the prisoners, and a croquis of the place of the first engagement.
        The command was composed of detachments of the Sixty-eighth Regiment New York Veteran Volunteers, Eighteenth Regiment U.S. Colored infantry, and Ninth and First Ohio Volunteer Artillery Veterans. The officers and men behaved themselves well and gallantly.
        Most respectfully,

                                                            FELIX PR. SALM,
                                                                    Colonel, Commanding Post.

                                                            Maj. S. B. MOE,
                                                                    Asst. Adjt. Gen., Dist. of the Etowah, Chattanooga, Tenn.

The Alabama Civil War Roots webmaster, James D. Allen, passed away February 5, 2003.  His tireless dedication to making available information on all our Civil War ancestors will always be our inspiration.  We dedicate the continuation of this site to him.  Jimmy, we miss you.

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