The 6th Alabama Infantry Regiment was organized at Montgomery, on 6 May 1861, with 12 companies and about 1400 men recruited from Autauga, Henry, Jackson, Lowndes, Macon, Montgomery, Russell, and Wilson counties. It was first ordered to Corinth, and from there it went to Virginia. Reaching Manassas Junction, it was brigaded under Gen'l Richard Ewell. It was on the field but was not actively engaged in 1st Manassas, and it passed the fall and winter in that vicinity. Gen'l Robert Rodes succeeded Ewell in command of the brigade. in the spring, it moved to Yorktown with the army and was there reorganized and reenlisted for the war. It was on the field at Williamsburg but not under fire. At Seven Pines, the regiment took a prominent part, losing 102 k and 282 w out of 632 engaged (59%; the brigade lost 1296 out of about 2500). It again took a conspicuous part at Mechanicsville, 1st Cold Harbor, and Malvern Hill, with casualties. It was in the advance movement across the Potomac and lost slightly at Boonsboro. At Sharpsburg, it lost 52k and 104 w. The regiment was present but did not take part at Fredericksburg. With its brigade companions (3rd, 5th, 12th, and 26th regiments, Col. O'Neal commanding), the regiment fought at Chancellorsville, again with casualties (156). It participated in the Pennsylvania campaign with the brigade under Gen'l Battle, but with severe losses (382 engaged; casualties of more than 50%). Having wintered near Orange Courthouse, the regiment was at The Wilderness, where it lost considerably; and it was badly cut up at Spotsylvania. It took part in the Valley campaign of Gen'l Jubal Early and suffered casualties at Winchester. At Cedar Creek, many of the regiment were captured. Moving back to Petersburg, it was placed in Fort Mahone and was almost continuously under fire until it surrendered at Appomattox with 4 officers and 80 men, commanded by Lt. Col. Culver. Of 2109 names on its rolls, nearly 400 were killed in battle, 243 died of disease in service, and another 675 were discharged or transferred.
OFFICERS:
Cols. John Jacob Seibels (Montgomery; until reorganization); John Brown Gordon (Jackson; wounded, Sharpsburg; promoted); James N. Lightfoot (Henry; wounded, Chancellorsville, Spotsylvania); Lt. Cols. Benjamin Hurt Baker (Russell; resigned); John Brown Gordon (promoted); James J. Willingham (Lowndes; KIA, Seven Pines); James Newell Lightfoot (wounded, Sharpsburg; promoted); Augustus Manly Gordon (Jackson; KIA, Chancellorsville); George W. Hooper (Russell; accidentally disabled; retired); Isaac F. Culver (Henry; wounded, Winchester); Majors John Brown Gordon (promoted); S. Perry Nesmith (Lowndes; KIA, Seven Pines); Augustus Manly Gordon (promoted); George W. Hooper (promoted); Isaac F. Culver (wounded, Sharpsburg; promoted); and Adjutants George Goldthwaite (Montgomery; resigned); Pace (Georgia; transferred); John Whit Thomas (Henry; KIA, Spotsylvania); Edgar Watson (Montgomery; KIA, Farmville).
ASSIGNMENTS:
Rodes', O'Neal's, and Battle's Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia
BATTLES:
Co. "A", Henry Grays (Henry): Alexander C. Gordon (resigned, 21 Nov 61); James Newell Lightfoot (promoted); Isaac F. Culver (wounded, Boonsboro; promoted); Ervin M. Price (resigned, 21 Oct 62); Thomas Reese Lightfoot (KIA, Winchester); Sidney A. Willcoxon; Reuben A. Atkinson
Co. "B" [subsequently, Co. "L"] (Macon): John M. Kennedy (until reorganization); William L. Rowe (wounded, Winchester)
Co. "C" [subsequently, Co. "I"] (Wilcox): George Lynch (until reorganization); Joshua A. Kimbrough (KIA, 19 Sept 62); John B. Deloach (resigned, 11 Jan 64); James L. Fisher (resigned, 16 March 63)
Co. "D" [subsequently, Co. "E"] (Montgomery): Gabriel B. DuVal (resigned, 16 Dec 61); Milton L. Kirkpatrick (until reorganization); James Mathew Fox (KIA, Seven Pines); Ephraim M. Gorse (died in service, 17 June 63); John W. Burton (wounded, Gettysburg, and captured); Watt A. Waller
Co. "E" - Lowndes County [subsequently, Co. "M"] (Lowndes): James J. Willingham (promoted); Milledge L. Bowie (wounded, Sharpsburg, Spotsylvania; retired); Daniel W. Johnson (transferred to Co. "K", 5th AL)
Co. "F" [subsequently, Co. "K"] (Jackson): William T. Gunter (until reorganization; promoted to Major, 1st AL Infantry Battalion); William B. Hunt (wounded, Seven Pines, Gettysburg; KIA, Cedar Creek, 19 Oct 64); Isaac Franklin Culver (promoted)
Co. "G" [subsequently, Co. "H"] (Montgomery): Samuel G. Hardaway (until reorganization); John B. McCarty (KIA, Seven Pines); John Lawler (resigned, 18 April 63); Thomas C. Slattery (retired, 24 April 64); James J. Kane
Co. "H" [subsequently, Co. "C"] (Russell): James Fleming Waddell (until reorganization); Augustus S. Flournoy (KIA, Seven Pines); Rinaldo M. Greene (wounded, The Wilderness, Winchester)
Co. "I", Raccoon Roughs [subsequently, Co. "D"] (Jackson): William L. Gordon (until reorganization); Augustus Manly Gordon (wounded, Seven Pines; promoted); Joseph H. Russell (retired, 24 Nov 63)
Co. "J", Russell Volunteers [subsequently, Co. "F"] (Russell): Walter H. Weems (until reorganization); Robert R. Barnett; George W. Hooper (promoted); Nathaniel S. Black (resigned, 16 March 65
Co. "K", Columbia Blues [subsequently, Co. "A"] (Henry): Thomas J. Smith (resigned, 13 Sept 61); Thomas H. Bell (KIA, Seven Pines); A. F. Powers (retired, 29 April 64)
Co. "L", Autauga Rifles [subsequently, Co. "A"] (Autauga): Thomas A. Davis (appointed surgeon); William F. Davis (resigned, 26 Feb 62); Green Hill Thompson
HISTORICAL NOTES:
