First Alabama Cavalry, USA: : Homage to Patriotism

by Glenda Mcwhirter Todd

Microcopy Number 276 of the National Archives Microfilm Publications contains 10 rolls of microfilm which include the compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers belonging to the First Regiment of Alabama Cavalry. This regiment is the only organi

442 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2003

Reviews

[Steve B · Rating 3 out of 5]

The portrait on the cover is a man named George E Spencer who was a colonel in the First Alabama Cavalry USA. He is also the namesake of the town of Spencer, Iowa. I am in the process of researching the life of George Spencer for the Spencer, Iowa sesquicentennial . He is truly a fascinating figure in American history and McWhirter Todd's book gives a good account of the First Alabama and Spencer's exploits during the Civil War. But, unless you really want to read diary entries, officer reports and the like, I wouldn't necessarily recommend the book. However, if you are interested in reading about a very specific slice of the Civil War ... this may be for you😎

[Jerry Cagle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book consists, in large part, of the roster of soldiers of the cavalry given in the title, but there is also substantial ink devoted to personal letters and accounts. I expect this will appeal primarily to historians and people with personal ties to soldiers who served in this cavalry.

My interest in this book was originally sparked by a serendipitous discovery, made while perusing the "Find A Grave" website, of the role some of my ancestors on my paternal grandmother's side played in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

While reviewing the roster, I discovered that an ancestor of my adoptive father, who married my biological mother after my biological father was killed while she was pregnant with me, served in the same company (Company L) as my great-great-great-grandfather. No one from either my adoptive or biological families ever mentioned that their ancestors had fought to preserve the Union or that the families knew one another, although some of them almost certainly must have known. It's possible they were either unaware or reluctant to share this information due to the complex sentiments in the South following the Civil War. During Reconstruction, Union veterans in the South often faced hostility, leading some families to downplay or conceal their Union affiliations to avoid social or economic repercussions.

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