Alabama 30th Infantry Regiment


HISTORICAL NOTES:
The 30th Alabama Infantry Regiment was organized at Talladega, 16 April 1862, with men recruited from Calhoun, Clay, Coosa, Franklin, Jefferson, Randolph, St. Clair, Shelby, and Talladega counties. It reported for duty at once to Chattanooga. Sent further into East Tennessee, it was brigaded under Gen'l Alexander W. Reynolds of Tennessee, then under Gen'l Carter L. Stevenson. The regiment skirmished at Tazewell and Cumberland Gap, and moved into Kentucky, but it was not engaged there. On the return to Tennessee, the 30th was brigaded with the 20th, 23rd, 31st, and 46th Alabama regiments, under Gen'l Edward D. Tracy of Madison, and in December, it was sent to Vicksburg with the other portions of Stevenson's Division. In the spring, the regiment fought with few casualties at Port Gibson; but, it saw heavy losses at Champion's Hill where 229 men were put out of action - half the regimental strength. In addition, four ensigns were killed, and the colors were penetrated by 63 balls and 16 shell fragments. At Vicksburg, the 30th suffered severely in casualties during the siege and was captured with the fortress. Paroled, the regiment recruited at Demopolis and proceeded with other portions of the brigade, now under Gen'l Edmund W. Pettus of Dallas, to the main army near Chattanooga. The regiment was engaged without loss at Missionary Ridge, then wintered at Dalton. At Rocky Face Ridge, the 30th suffered severely, but lightly at Resaca. In the Atlanta Campaign, the regiment was engaged in several battles. It lost heavily at New Hope, Atlanta, and Jonesboro. It proceeded into Tennessee and was engaged at Nashville, losing heavily again, and was part of the rear guard on the movement to Duck River. Transferred to North Carolina, the regiment fought at Kinston and Bentonville, with high casualties. The 30th surrendered with the army at Greensboro, North Carolina, about 100 men present for duty. Toward the close of the war, the 30th was consolidated with the 20th Infantry and redesignated the 20th Consolidated Infantry Regiment, at Smithfield, 9 April 1865.
The flag of the 30th is in the Alabama State Archives.

FIELD OFFICERS:
Cols. Charles Miller Shelley (Talladega; promoted); James K. Elliott (Talladega; wounded, Bentonville); Lt. Cols. Taul Bradford (Talladega; resigned, 10 Nov 1862); John Bass Smith (Jefferson; KIA, Vicksburg); John C. Francis (Calhoun; KIA, Rocky Face Ridge); Thomas H. Patterson (Talladega; KIA, Atlanta); James K. Elliott; promoted); William H. Burr (St. Clair); Majors John Bass Smith (promoted); William C. Patterson (Talladega; wounded, Champion's Hill; resigned, 28 Jan 1864); John C. Francis (promoted); Thomas H. Patterson (promoted); James K. Elliott (promoted); William Hughson Burr (promoted); and Adjutants William W. Houston (Talladega; wounded, Champion's Hill); and James E. Shelly
ASSIGNMENTS:
Oct 61-Jan 62 - District of Alabama, Department of Alabama and West Florida
Jan-Feb 62 - Army of Mobile, Department of Alabama and West Florida
May-Jun 62 - Barton’s Brigade, Department of East Tennessee
Jun-Oct 62 - Reynold’s Brigade, Stevenson’s Division, Department of East Tennessee
Oct-Dec 62 - Tracy’s Brigade, McCown’s Division, Department of East Tennessee
Dec 62- Jan 63 - Tracy’s BDE, 2d Military District, Dept of Mississippi and East Louisiana
Jan-Jul 63 - Tracy’s BDE, Stevenson’s Division, Dept of Mississippi and East Louisiana
Nov 63 - Feb 64 - Pettus’ BDE, Stevenson’s Division, 1st Corps, Army of Tennessee
Feb 64- Apr 65 - Pettus’ BDE, Stevenson’s Division, 2d Corps, Army of Tennessee
BATTLES:
18 June 1862 - Cumberland Gap
27-29 December 1862 - Chickasaw Bayou
2-25 April 1863 - Greenville Expedition (detachment)
May-July 1863 - Vicksburg Campaign
1 May 1863 - Port Gibson
16 May 1863 - Champion Hill
May-July 1863 - Vicksburg Siege
September - November 1863 - Chattanooga Siege
23-25 November 1863 - Chattanooga
May - September 1864 - Atlanta Campaign
5-11 May 1864 - Rocky Face Ridge
25 May - 4 June 1864 - New Hope Church
27 June 1864 - Kennesaw mountain
22 July 1864 - Atlanta
July - September 1864 - Atlanta Siege
31 August - 1 September 1864 - Jonesboro
February - April 1865 - Carolinas Campaign
7-10 March 1865 - Kinston
19-21 March 1865 - Bentonville
ROSTERS:
The roster of this regiment contains the names of 2396 men.

Co. "A" (Talladega County): William C. Patterson (promoted); Henry P. Oden (KIA, Vicksburg); R. P. H. Heacock (KIA, Bentonville)
Co. "B" (Calhoun County; paroled as part of 20th AL Infantry, Consolidated): John C. Francis (promoted); Joseph H. McCain
Co. "C" (Talladega County): David M. Anderson (KIA, Champion's Hill); D. C. McCain
Co. "D" (Shelby County): Charles G. Samuel (resigned, 4 April 64); Benjamin F. Samuel (retired, 30 Dec 64)
Co. "E" (Calhoun County): Henry McBee (resigned, 2 Sept 62); Samuel Kelly
Co. "F" (Talladega County): John Sawyer (resigned, 11 June 62); James K. Elliot (wounded, Rocky Face Ridge; promoted); Wilson T. Webb
Co. "G" (Randolph County): W. T. Wood (resigned, 29 Jan 63); A. Jack Durrett (KIA, near Atlanta); Lt. Stephens
Co. "H" (St. Clair County): Edward P. Woodward (resigned, 12 Nov 62); William H. Burr (wounded; promoted)
Co. "I" (Talladega County): Thomas H. Patterson (wounded, Port Gibson; promoted); William S. McGhee (KIA, Atlanta)
Co. "K" (Shelby and Jefferson counties): J. B. Smith (promoted); John Marion De Shazo (wounded, Lovejoy's Station); R. M. Acton (resigned, 2 Sept 62)
SOURCE:
Brewer, William Brief Historical Sketches of Military Organizations Raised in Alabama During the Civil War
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
  • Rigdon, John C. A Guide to Alabama Civil War Research, Cartersville, GA: Eastern Digital Resources, 2011.





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