Alabama Hilliard's Legion
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Brief History
Hilliard's Legion was organized at Montgomery, 25 June 1862, with one artillery, one cavalry, and three infantry battalions, consisting of about 3,000 men, all engaged in training and drill until the 8th of July. On that date, the Legion was transported through Atlanta to Chattanooga where it remained about 3 weeks. Then, Hilliard's Legion was armed and continued with training. [The 5th Cavalry Battalion was detached within months and transferred to the 10th Confederate Cavalry Regiment, 30 Dec 1862. The artillery arm, the Fourth Battalion, was also detached. Part of this battalion, Company "C", was redesignated as an independent artillery [Kolb's] battery.]
On 4 August 1862, the Legion was moved to Knoxville, and it began its first march, to Tazwell, 41 miles, on the 14th. The Legion then moved up and was assigned first to Brigadier Gen'l John Porter McCown's Brigade, Dept. of East Tennessee, in which it served at the siege of Cumberland Gap, then held by Union forces under Gen'l G. W. Morgan. The Gap was occupied on 17 September, and the Legion remained in place for two weeks. Then, on 2 October, it began what would extend through the fall and winter, CS Gen'l Braxton Bragg's Kentucky [and East Tennessee] Campaign. The Legion advanced about 150 miles, bringing up the rear of Bragg's forces. After the Battle of Perryville, the Legion was again in the rear, arriving again at Cumberland Gap in late October, 1862.
On the 4th of November, the command was moved through Knoxville to Loudon, then to Bridgport, AL, and back to Knoxville by the 25th. At this point, the several battalions of the Legion went into winter quarters, at different stations around Cumberland Gap.
During the winter months, Col. Hilliard resigned and was replaced in April, 1862, by Col. Jack Thorington (from the 1st Battalion). Command of the 1st Battalion was assumed by Lt. Col. John H. Holt. About the 10th of April, 1863, the four battalions [the cavalry battalion was detached earlier] came together at Lee's Springs and were placed in Brigadier Gen'l Archibald Gracie's Brigade.
With the exception of a brief movement to Bean's Station and Morristown (TN), the Legion remained stationary at Cumberland Gap until the 9th of August, generally acting as pickets on the Kentucky side. At that point, the Legion joined the concentration of forces near Chattanooga which ultimately fought at Chickamauga, where the Legion arrived on 18 September 1863.
At Chickamauga (19-20 September 1863), the Legion was held in reserve the first day. On the second day, they followed the advancing army until about 3:30 when Gen'l Gracie ordered them to move forward, "double-quick!" against a Union log fortification. In earning an excellent reputation in that battle, the Legion lost something like 45% of the 902 men engaged. The 1st Battalion carried 239 into combat and lost 169 killed or wounded, including Lt. Col. Holt whose wound was mortal. [Command of the 1st Battalion fell to Capt. George W. Huguley (Co. "C").] The 3rd Battalion lost 50 k and w out of 219. Lt. Col. Hall and Capt. Walden, successively in command of the 2nd Battalion, were both wounded.
Hilliard's Legion is claimed to have been the first among Gracie's Brigade to place its colors in the Union works, but the flag was shot through by 83 bullets, and the ensign, Robert Y. Hiett, was promoted to lieutenant for his gallantry. The 3rd Battalion was complimented on the field by Gen'l William Preston.
After Chickamauga, Major Daniel S. Troy commanded the Legion. It continued in Gracie's Brigade Missionary Ridge, guarding the approaches to Chattanooga, until on 25 November 1863, it was dissolved [see Document below].
On the 19th of November, Col. Thorington resigned his command and the Legion was transported by rail to Charleston, TN, arriving on 25 November. At that point, the Legion was broken up and divided into the 59th (2nd and 4th Battalions) and 60th (Cos. "A", "B", "C", and "D" of the 1st, and the six companies of the 3rd Battalions) Alabama Infantry Regiments, and the 23rd Sharpshooters Battalion (Cos. "E", "F", and "G" of the 1st Battalion). Command of the 59th Alabama was given to Col. Bolling Hall; the 60th was given to Col. J. W. A. Sanford; and Major Nicholas Stallworth commanded the 23rd Battalion.
- 1st Battalion
- 2nd Battalion
Field and Staff
- Colonel: Henry Washington Hilliard; Jack Thorington; [Alsey] H. Bradford [temporary]
- Lieutenant Colonel: Bolling Hall, jr.; John Hackett Holt; William N. Reeves; John William Augustine Sanford; Jack Thorington
- Major: Hatch Cook; John D. McLennan; William Thomas Stubblefield; Miles M. Slaughter; Daniel Shipman Troy
- Adjutant: James N. Gilmer; John Murray; A. S. James; and Charles S. Malloy
Battalions and the Counties from Which they Came
- ?
Battles, Skirmishes and Engagements
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