The 47th Alabama Infantry Regiment
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Brief History
was organized at Loachapoka, Alabama, on 22 May 1862 with men recruited from Chambers, Cherokee, Coosa, and Tallapoosa counties. It reached Virginia in late June and was assigned to Maj. Gen'l Thomas J. 'Stonewall' Jackson's Corps and brigaded with Brig. Gen'l William B. Taliaferro's Brigade, with the 48th Alabama and three Virginia regiments. A few weeks later, the regiment engaged in its first battle at Cedar Run (9 August) where it lost 12 killed and 76 wounded, or nearly one-half of its strength. At the 2nd Battle of Manassas (30 August), the 47th lost 7 killed and 25 wounded. It was present at Chantilly (1 September) and at the capture of Harper's Ferry (12-15 September). It engaged at Sharpsburg with 115 men and lost every commissioned officer present on the field, mustering 17 men the next morning under a sergeant.
The 47th Alabama spent the winter on the Rappahannock and witnessed the repulse of Burnside at Fredericksburg. Transferred in January, 1863, to the Alabama Brigade of Brig. Gen'l Evander McIver Law (4th, 15th, 44th, 47th and 48th Regiments) and Hood's Division, Longstreet's Corps, the 47th lost several men in the fighting at Suffolk.
After they rejoined the main Army of Northern Virginia, the 47th Alabama marched into Pennsylvania and Gettysburg (1-3 July) where they suffered 40 casualties. Two months later, Longstreet's Corps was transferred to north Georgia and the Army of Tennessee, and the 47th lost heavily at Chicamauga (20 September). It took part in the investment of Knoxville (17 November-4 December) with only light loss, and in the operations in East Tennessee.
Again rejoining the main Army of Northern Virginia in the spring of 1864, the 47th fought in The Wilderness (5-6 May) and lost 111 men. They participated in the charge on Union Gen'l. Gouverneur K. Warren's Corps at Spottsylvania where the Alabama Brigade opened the battle. In all the subsequent operations around Richmond, the regiment took part, and in the defence of Petersburg, it suffered 49 casualties. As part of Brig. Gen'l William F. Perry's Brigade, the 47th Alabama surrendered about 90 men at Appomattox Court House.
Field and Staff
- Colonels Jas M. Oliver of Tallapoosa; resigned. Jas W. Jackson of Tallapoosa; wounded at Sharpsburg; resigned. Michael J. Bulger of Tallapoosa.
- Lieut. Colonels James W. Jackson; resigned. M. J. Bulger wounded and captured at Gettysburg; promoted. L. B. Terrell; killed at Darbytown Road.
- Majors John Y. Johnston of Tallapoosa; resigned. J. M. Campbell of Cherokee; killed near Richmond.
- Adjutants Henry A. Garrett of Tallapoosa; wounded at second Manassas; resigned W. H. Keller, relieved R. E. Jordan
Companies and the Counties from Which they Came
- Co. "A" (Tallapoosa County) -- Michael Jefferson Bulger (wounded, Cedar Run; promoted); John H. Ham
- Co. "B", Tallapoosa Light Infantry (Tallapoosa County) -- Joseph Johnston, jr. (KIA, Gettysburg); T. J. McDonald
- Co. "C", Jeff Holly Guards (Tallapoosa County) -- Joseph T. Russell (resigned, 8 Jan 1864); William Ballard (wounded, The Wilderness, and captured)
- Co. "D" (Tallapoosa and Chambers counties) -- Albert C. Menefee (KIA, Cedar Run); Henry C. Lindsey (wounded, Sharpsburg)
- Co. "E" (Cherokee County) -- James McDonald Campbell (promoted); Robert R. Savage (resigned, 12 Nov 1862); F. T. J. Brandon (resigned, 30 July 1863; Joseph N. Hood (resigned, 8 March 1864); J. A. Gaskin (KIA, 30 Sept 1864); Lemuel Cobb
- Co. "F" (Tallapoosa County) -- Eli Daniel Clower
- Co. "G" (Tallapoosa County) -- John N. McKee (died in service, 11 June 1863); James L. Freeman (dropped, 16 March 1864); James Whitaker (retired, 1 Dec 1864); William W. Walls
- Co. "H" (Coosa County) -- John T. Fargason (resigned, 18 nov 1862); Joseph Q. Burton
- Co. "I", Chambers' Infantry (Chambers County) -- James W. Jackson (promoted); James W. Kellam (resigned, 1 nov 1862); Albert Towles (cashiered, 19 Feb 1863); S. B. Buckelew (dropped, 16 March 1864); J. H. Vincent
- Co. "K", Goldthwait Grays (Tallapoosa County) -- James McCarthy Oliver (promoted); James W. Herrer (resigned, 11 Aug 1862); Johnson C. Elliott (dropped, 16 March 1864); James A. Sanford (KIA, The Wilderness); James A. Todd
Battles, Skirmishes and Engagements
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