15th Regiment Alabama Infantry
Encyclopedia
The 15th Regiment of Alabama Infantry was a Confederate
volunteer infantry
unit from the state of Alabama
during the American Civil War
. Recruited from six counties in the southeastern part of the state, it fought mostly with Robert E. Lee
's Army of Northern Virginia
, though it also saw brief service with Braxton Bragg
and the Army of Tennessee
before returning to Virginia
for the duration of the war. Out of 1958 men listed on the regimental rolls throughout the conflict, 261 are known to have fallen in battle, with sources listing an additional 416 deaths due to disease
, 218 were captured (46 died), 66 deserted
and 61 were transferred or discharged. By the end of the war, only 170 men remained to be paroled.
The 15th Alabama is most famous for being the regiment that confronted the 20th Maine
on Little Round Top
during the Battle of Gettysburg
on July 2, 1863. Despite several ferocious assaults, the 15th Alabama was ultimately unable to dislodge the Union troops, and was eventually forced to retreat in the face of a desperate bayonet charge led by the 20th Maine's commander, Col. Joshua L. Chamberlain. This assault was vividly recreated in Ronald F. Maxwell
's 1993 film Gettysburg.
, a planter
originally from South Carolina
, who was residing in Russell County, Alabama
at the outset of the Civil War. "Cantey's Rifles" formed at Ft. Mitchell, on the Chattahoochee River
, in May 1861. Cantey's company was joined by ten other militia
companies, all of which were sworn into state service by governor Andrew B. Moore
on July 3, 1861, with Cantey as Regimental Commander.
One of these companies, from Henry County
, was formed by William C. Oates
, a lawyer and newspaperman from Abbeville
. Oates, who would later command the whole regiment at Little Round Top, put together a company composed mostly of Irishmen
recruited from the area, calling them "Henry Pioneers" or "Henry County Pioneers". Other observers, after seeing their colorful uniforms (bright red shirts, with Richmond grey frock coats and trousers), dubbed them "Oates' Zouave
s".
According to one source, the youngest private
in the 15th Alabama was only thirteen years old; the oldest, Edmond Shepherd, was seventy.
Following its formal swearing-in, the 15th Alabama was ordered to Pageland Field, Virginia
for training and drill. During their sojourn at Pageland, the regiment lost 150 men to measles
. In September 1861, the 15th was transferred to Camp Toombes, Virginia, in part to escape the measles outbreak.
, a .54 caliber percussion rifle
that had seen extensive service in the Mexican-American War and was highly regarded for its accuracy and ease of use. The other companies in the regiment were given older "George Law" smoothbore muskets, which had been converted from flintlock
s to percussion rifles. Later, the regiment received British Pattern 1853 Enfield
rifle-muskets and Springfield Model 1861
rifled muskets. Since the 15th had initially enlisted for three years, it received its arms from the Confederate government, which refused to provide weapons to any regiment enlisting for a lesser period.
While details of the specific uniforms worn by other companies of the 15th has not been preserved, Oates' Co. "G" is recorded to have sported, in addition to their red and gray clothing, a "colorful and diverse attire of headgear". Each cap bore an "HP" insignia
, which stood for "Henry Pioneers" (though some said it actually meant "Hell
's Pelters"). Each soldier also wore a "secession badge
", with the motto: "Liberty, Equality and Fraternity", which had been the motto of the French Revolution
.
Volunteer Infantry, the 21st North Carolina
Infantry and the 16th Mississippi
Infantry regiments in Trimble's
Brigade of Ewell's
Division, part of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia
. After that force moved over toward Yorktown
, the 15th was transferred to Maj. Gen. Stonewall Jackson
's division, where it participated in his Valley Campaign
. During this time, the 15th participated in the following engagements:
The 15th was mentioned in dispatches by its division commander, Maj. Gen. Ewell, who stated that during the Battle of Cross Keys, "the regiment made a gallant resistance, enabling me to take position at leisure". Its brigade commander, Brig. Gen. Trimble, also singled out the regiment for honors during this engagement: "to Colonel Cantey for his skillful retreat from picket, and prompt flank maneuver, I think special praise is due". During the Battle of Cross Keys, soldiers of the 15th Alabama had the unusual opportunity of participating in every major phase of a single battle, starting with the opening skirmish at Union Church on the forward left flank, followed by withdrawing underneath the artillery duel in the center, and then finally participating in Trimble's ambush of the 8th New York and the subsequent counterattack on the Confederate right flank which brought the battle to its conclusion.
's flank during the Seven Days Battles
. During this time, the 15th fought in the following sorties:
, where it participated in the following battles:
, where the 15th Alabama saw action at:
After Antietam, acting brigade commander Col. James A. Walker
cited Cpt. Isaac B. Feagin, acting regimental commander, for outstanding performance while extolling the regiment as a whole: "Captain Feagin, commanding the Fifteenth Alabama regiment, behaved with a gallantry consistent with his high reputation for courage and that of the regiment he commanded".
on December 15, 1862. Total casualties there were 1 killed and 34 wounded. The regiment was given detached duty at Suffolk, Virginia
during May 1863, where it lost 4 killed and 18 wounded.
Fight of 1863". Over 9000 Confederate soldiers engaged in a spontaneous, day-long free-for-all using snowballs and rock
s, in which only two soldiers were seriously injured (neither from the 15th).
's corps, with Col. Evander Law
as brigade commander. Appointed to command the regiment during this time was Lt. Col. William C. Oates, who had originally organized Co. "G" when the regiment first formed in 1861. In later years, Oates would serve as Governor of Alabama, and would also command three U.S. Brigades (none of which saw combat) during the Spanish-American War
. Oates had lived a drifter's existence in Texas during his early adulthood, participating in numerous street brawls and spending time as a gambler. However, by 1861 he had returned to Alabama, finished his schooling, studied law, and set up a successful practice in Henry County that also included ownership of a weekly newspaper
in his hometown.
Opposed to Abraham Lincoln
's election, Oates cautioned against precipitate secession
; however, once Alabama decided to leave the Union, he threw himself wholeheartedly into the Southern cause, raising a company of volunteers that became Co. "G" of the 15th Alabama when it was initially accepted for service under Col. Cantey. After Cantey's promotion and transfer to a new position, Oates assumed command of the 15th Alabama as a whole.
While some of his men thought Oates to be too aggressive for his own good and theirs, most admired his courage and affirmed that he was always to be found at the front of his men, in the thick of combat, and that he never asked them to go anywhere that he was not willing to go himself. A political rival, Alexander Lowther, caused Oates to be relieved of command in July 1864; Lowther assumed command of the regiment thereafter. It was Oates, however, who led the 15th Alabama into its most noted engagement of the war, at Little Round Top on July 2, 1863 during the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg.
, the 15th Alabama and the rest of Law's Brigade formed part of Maj. Gen. John B. Hood's division, which was a part of Lt. Gen. James Longstreet's corps. Arriving on the field late in the evening on July 1, the 15th played no appreciable role in the contest's first day. This changed on the 2nd, as Gen. Robert E. Lee
had ordered Longstreet to launch a surprise attack with two of his divisions against the Federal left flank and their positions atop Cemetery Hill
. During the course of this engagement, which was launched late in the afternoon of July 2, the 15th Alabama found itself advancing over rough terrain on the eastern side of the Emmitsburg Road, which combined with fire from the 2nd U.S. Sharpshooters
at nearby Slyder's Farm to compel Law's brigade (including the 15th Alabama) to detour around the Devil's Den
and over the Big Round Top
toward Little Round Top. During this time, the 15th was under constant fire from Federal sharpshooters, and the regiment became temporarily separated from the rest of the Alabama brigade as it made its way over Big Round Top.
Little Round Top, which dominated the Union position on Cemetery Ridge
, was initially unoccupied by Union troops. Union commander Maj. Gen. George Meade
's chief engineer, Brig. Gen Gouverneur K. Warren
, had climbed the hill on his superior's orders to assess the situation there; he noticed the glint of Confederate bayonets to the hill's southwest, and realized that a Southern attack was imminent. Warren's frantic cry for reinforcements to occupy the hill was answered by Col. Strong Vincent
, commanding the Third Brigade of the First Division of the Union V Corps. Vincent rapidly moved the four regiments of his brigade onto the hill, only ten minutes ahead of the approaching Confederates. Under heavy fire from Southern batteries
, Vincent arranged his four regiments atop the hill with the 16th Michigan to the northwest, then proceeding counterclockwise with the 44th New York, the 83rd Pennsylvania, and finally, at the end of the line on the southern slope, the 20th Maine. With only minutes to spare, Vincent told his regiments to take cover and await the inevitable Confederate assault; he specifically ordered Col. Joshua L. Chamberlain, commanding the 20th Maine (at the extreme end of the Union line), to hold his position to the last man, at all costs. Were Chamberlain's regiment to be forced to retreat, the other regiments on the hill would be compelled to follow suit, and the entire left flank of Meade's army would be in serious jeopardy, possibly leading them to retreat and giving the Confederates their desperately needed victory at Gettysburg.
, and also by the 4th and 5th Texas
Infantry regiments. All of these units were thoroughly exhausted at the time of the assault, having marched in the July heat for over 20 miles (37 kilometers) prior to the actual attack. Furthermore, the canteen
s of the Southerners were empty, and Law's command to advance did not give them time to refill them. Approaching the Union line on the crest of the hill, Law's men were thrown back by the first Union volley
and withdrew briefly to regroup. The 15th Alabama repositioned itself further to the right, attempting to find the Union left flank which, unbeknownst to it, was held by Chamberlain's 20th Maine.
Chamberlain, meanwhile, had detached Company "B" of his regiment and elements of the 2nd U.S. Sharpshooters, ordering them to take a concealed position behind a stone wall
150 yards to his east, hoping to guard against a Confederate envelopment
.
Seeing the 15th Alabama shifting around his flank, Chamberlain ordered the remainder of his 385 men to form a single-file line. The 15th Alabama charged the Maine troops, only to be repulsed by furious rifle fire. Chamberlain next ordered the southernmost half of his line to "refuse the line", meaning that they formed a new line at an angle
to the original force, to meet the 15th Alabama's flanking maneuver. Though it endured incredible losses, the 20th Maine managed to hold through five more charges by the 15th over a ninety-minute period.
Col. Oates, commanding the regiment, described the action in his memoir
s, forty years later:
s, he led what was left of his outfit in a pell-mell charge down the hill, executing a combined frontal assault
and flanking maneuver
that caught the 15th Alabama completely by surprise. Unbeknownst to Chamberlain, Oates had already decided to retreat, realizing that his ammunition was running low, and worried about a possible Union attack on his own flank or rear. His younger brother lay dying on the field, and the blood from his regiment's dead and wounded "was standing in puddle
s on some of the rock
s". Hardly had Oates ordered the withdrawal than Chamberlain began his charge, which combined with fire from "B" company and the hidden sharpshooters to cause the 15th to rush madly down the hill to escape. Oates later admitted that "we ran like a herd of wild cattle
" during the retreat, which took those surviving members of the 15th (including Oates) who weren't captured by Chamberlain's men up the slopes of Big Round Top and toward Confederate lines.
In later years, Oates would assert that the 15th Alabama's assault had failed because no other Confederate regiment appeared in support of his unit during the attack. He insisted that if but one other regiment had joined his attack on the far left of the Union army, they would have swept the 20th Maine from the hill and turned the Union flank, "which would have forced Meade's whole left wing to retire".
However, Oates also paid tribute to the courage
and tenacity of his enemy when he wrote: "There never were harder fighters than the Twentieth Maine men and their gallant Colonel. His skill and persistency and the great bravery of his men saved Little Round Top and the Army of the Potomac
from defeat." Chamberlain in turn extolled the bravery of his Alabama foes when he later wrote: "these [the 15th Alabama] were manly men, whom we could befriend and by no means kill, if they came our way in peace and good will".
The 15th Alabama spent the remainder of the Battle of Gettysburg on the Confederate right flank, helping to secure it against Union cavalry
and sharpshooters. It took no part in Pickett's Charge
on July 3.
Out of 644 men engaged from the 15th Alabama at the Battle of Gettysburg, the regiment lost 72 men killed, 190 wounded, and 81 missing.
under Braxton Bragg
, which was operating in eastern Tennessee
and northwestern Georgia
.
, the 15th Alabama participated in the following engagements:
The 15th Alabama was the principal Confederate regiment guarding the Lookout Valley during the Union attack there; due to miscommunication between himself and three reserve regiments assigned to augment his force, Col. Oates was unable to effectively counterattack the Union force advancing up the valley from Brown's Ferry
on the Tennessee River
. The resulting Federal victory allowed the opening of Ulysses S. Grant
's famous "Cracker Line", which contributed to the breaking of the Confederate Siege of Chattanooga
. Oates himself was wounded in this battle, but later recovered and continued to lead his regiment until replaced by Alexander A. Lowther in July 1864.
For its actions during the Battle of Chickamauga, the 15th was once again mentioned in dispatches, this time by Brig. Gen. Zachariah C. Deas
, who wrote that the "regiment behaved with great gallantry" during the battle.
The 15th Alabama continued to serve until the surrender of Lee's army at Appomatox Court House on April 9. It was parole
d together with the rest of the Army of Northern Virginia, and its surviving members made their way back to Alabama where they resumed their lives as civilians. At the time of its surrender, the 15th had been transferred to Perry's "Florida Brigade", under the command of Col. David Lang
.
The regimental commander at the time of surrender was Capt. Francis Key Schaff, formerly of Co. "A".
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The Confederacy awarded the Southern Cross of Honor
(the Confederate equivalent of the U.S. Medal of Honor
) to twenty-two members of the 15th Alabama during the Civil War:
on the Little Round Top to the 15th Alabama. While Chamberlain indicated that he had no quarrel whatsoever to the erection of a memorial to his old enemies, he strenuously objected to the precise spot proposed by Oates, which he insisted was farther up the hill than Oates' regiment had actually gotten during the battle. A somewhat-testy exchange of letters between the two men failed to resolve their differences, and no monument to the 15th Alabama was ever erected. Chamberlain had visited the battlefield several years after the war, and had personally directed the removal of a pile of stones placed atop Little Round Top by veterans of the 15th Alabama. At the time, as he did later in his conflict with Oates, Chamberlain stated that he had no objections to the erection of a monument to the 15th, but not atop the hill that so many of his men had died to hold. More recent efforts to create a pile of stones atop the Little Round Top have been foiled by Gettysburg park ranger
s.
. One such group (recreating Co. "G", 15th Alabama Infantry) is headquartered in Bellingham, Washington
, while another (recreating Co. "E", 15th Alabama Infantry) is located in Holly Hill, Florida
. Other units are found in Farmington, Maine (recreating Co. "G") and in Ocala, Florida
(recreating Co. "B").
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
volunteer infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
unit from the state of Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Recruited from six counties in the southeastern part of the state, it fought mostly with Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
's Army of Northern Virginia
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, as well as the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac...
, though it also saw brief service with Braxton Bragg
Braxton Bragg
Braxton Bragg was a career United States Army officer, and then a general in the Confederate States Army—a principal commander in the Western Theater of the American Civil War and later the military adviser to Confederate President Jefferson Davis.Bragg, a native of North Carolina, was...
and the Army of Tennessee
Army of Tennessee
The Army of Tennessee was the principal Confederate army operating between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River during the American Civil War. It was formed in late 1862 and fought until the end of the war in 1865, participating in most of the significant battles in the Western Theater...
before returning to Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
for the duration of the war. Out of 1958 men listed on the regimental rolls throughout the conflict, 261 are known to have fallen in battle, with sources listing an additional 416 deaths due to disease
Disease
A disease is an abnormal condition affecting the body of an organism. It is often construed to be a medical condition associated with specific symptoms and signs. It may be caused by external factors, such as infectious disease, or it may be caused by internal dysfunctions, such as autoimmune...
, 218 were captured (46 died), 66 deserted
Desertion
In military terminology, desertion is the abandonment of a "duty" or post without permission and is done with the intention of not returning...
and 61 were transferred or discharged. By the end of the war, only 170 men remained to be paroled.
The 15th Alabama is most famous for being the regiment that confronted the 20th Maine
20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment was a combat unit of the United States Army during the American Civil War, most famous for its defense of Little Round Top at the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1863.-Organization:...
on Little Round Top
Little Round Top
Little Round Top is the smaller of two rocky hills south of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It was the site of an unsuccessful assault by Confederate troops against the Union left flank on July 2, 1863, the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg....
during the Battle of Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
on July 2, 1863. Despite several ferocious assaults, the 15th Alabama was ultimately unable to dislodge the Union troops, and was eventually forced to retreat in the face of a desperate bayonet charge led by the 20th Maine's commander, Col. Joshua L. Chamberlain. This assault was vividly recreated in Ronald F. Maxwell
Ronald F. Maxwell
Ronald F. Maxwell is an independent film director and writer from Clifton, New Jersey. He is most famous for writing and directing the American Civil War epics Gettysburg, 1993 and Gods and Generals, 2003....
's 1993 film Gettysburg.
Recruitment
The 15th Alabama was organized by James CanteyJames Cantey
James Cantey , was a Confederate States Army brigadier general during the American Civil War. He was a lawyer, planter, state legislator in South Carolina and officer in the Mexican-American War before the war and a planter in Alabama both before and after the war.-Early life:James Cantey was born...
, a planter
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
originally from South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, who was residing in Russell County, Alabama
Russell County, Alabama
Russell County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Colonel Gilbert C. Russell, who fought in the wars against the Creek Indians. As of 2010, the population was 52,947...
at the outset of the Civil War. "Cantey's Rifles" formed at Ft. Mitchell, on the Chattahoochee River
Chattahoochee River
The Chattahoochee River flows through or along the borders of the U.S. states of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. It is a tributary of the Apalachicola River, a relatively short river formed by the confluence of the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers and emptying into Apalachicola Bay in the Gulf of...
, in May 1861. Cantey's company was joined by ten other militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
companies, all of which were sworn into state service by governor Andrew B. Moore
Andrew B. Moore
Andrew Barry Moore was the 16th Governor of the U.S. state of Alabama from 1857 to 1861, and served as Governor at the outbreak of the American Civil War....
on July 3, 1861, with Cantey as Regimental Commander.
One of these companies, from Henry County
Henry County, Alabama
Henry County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Patrick Henry, famous orator and Governor of Virginia. As of 2010, its population was 17,302...
, was formed by William C. Oates
William C. Oates
William Calvin Oates was a Confederate colonel during the American Civil War, the 29th Governor of Alabama from 1894 to 1896, and a brigadier general in the U.S. Army during the Spanish–American War....
, a lawyer and newspaperman from Abbeville
Abbeville, Alabama
Abbeville is a city in Henry County, Alabama, United States. It is part of the Dothan, Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2010 census, the population was 2,688. The city is the county seat of Henry County. It is the first city alphabetically, both by city and state, in the Rand McNally...
. Oates, who would later command the whole regiment at Little Round Top, put together a company composed mostly of Irishmen
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
recruited from the area, calling them "Henry Pioneers" or "Henry County Pioneers". Other observers, after seeing their colorful uniforms (bright red shirts, with Richmond grey frock coats and trousers), dubbed them "Oates' Zouave
Zouave
Zouave was the title given to certain light infantry regiments in the French Army, normally serving in French North Africa between 1831 and 1962. The name was also adopted during the 19th century by units in other armies, especially volunteer regiments raised for service in the American Civil War...
s".
According to one source, the youngest private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
in the 15th Alabama was only thirteen years old; the oldest, Edmond Shepherd, was seventy.
Organization
The 15th initially consisted of approximately 900 men; its companies, and their counties of origin, were:- Co. "A", known as "Cantey's Rifles", from Russell CountyRussell County, AlabamaRussell County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Colonel Gilbert C. Russell, who fought in the wars against the Creek Indians. As of 2010, the population was 52,947...
; - Co. "B", known as the "Midway Southern Guards", from Barbour CountyBarbour County, AlabamaBarbour County, Alabama is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of James Barbour, who served as Governor of Virginia. As of 2010 the population was 27,457. Its county seat is Clayton.-History:...
; - Co. "C", no nickname given, from Macon CountyMacon County, AlabamaMacon County is a county in the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Nathaniel Macon, a member of the United States Senate from North Carolina. Developed for cotton plantation agriculture in the nineteenth century, it is one of the counties in Alabama within the Black Belt of the South.As...
; - Co. "D", known as the "Fort Browder Roughs", from Barbour CountyBarbour County, AlabamaBarbour County, Alabama is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of James Barbour, who served as Governor of Virginia. As of 2010 the population was 27,457. Its county seat is Clayton.-History:...
; - Co. "E", known as the "Beauregards", from Dale CountyDale County, AlabamaDale County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of General Samuel Dale. As of the 2010 census the population was 50,251...
(which then included parts of present-day GenevaGeneva County, Alabama-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*86.3% White*9.5% Black*0.8% Native American*0.3% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*1.6% Two or more races*3.4% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
and HoustonHouston County, AlabamaHouston County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of 2010 the population was 101,547. Its county seat is Dothan.Houston County is part of the Dothan Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
counties); - Co. "F", known as the "Brundidge Guards", from Pike CountyPike County, AlabamaPike County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of General Zebulon Pike, of New Jersey, an explorer who led an expedition to southern Colorado and discovered Pikes Peak in 1806. As of 2010 the population was 32,899. Its county seat is Troy.- History :In 1819 the State...
; - Co. "G", known as the "Henry Pioneers", from Henry CountyHenry County, AlabamaHenry County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Patrick Henry, famous orator and Governor of Virginia. As of 2010, its population was 17,302...
(which then included nearly all of present-day Houston CountyHouston County, AlabamaHouston County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of 2010 the population was 101,547. Its county seat is Dothan.Houston County is part of the Dothan Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
); - Co. "H", known as the "Glenville Guards", from BarbourBarbour County, AlabamaBarbour County, Alabama is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of James Barbour, who served as Governor of Virginia. As of 2010 the population was 27,457. Its county seat is Clayton.-History:...
and DaleDale County, AlabamaDale County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of General Samuel Dale. As of the 2010 census the population was 50,251...
counties; - Co. "I", no nickname given, from Pike CountyPike County, AlabamaPike County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of General Zebulon Pike, of New Jersey, an explorer who led an expedition to southern Colorado and discovered Pikes Peak in 1806. As of 2010 the population was 32,899. Its county seat is Troy.- History :In 1819 the State...
; - Co. "K", known as the "Eufaula City Guard", from Barbour CountyBarbour County, AlabamaBarbour County, Alabama is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of James Barbour, who served as Governor of Virginia. As of 2010 the population was 27,457. Its county seat is Clayton.-History:...
; and - Co. "L", no nickname given, from Pike CountyPike County, AlabamaPike County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of General Zebulon Pike, of New Jersey, an explorer who led an expedition to southern Colorado and discovered Pikes Peak in 1806. As of 2010 the population was 32,899. Its county seat is Troy.- History :In 1819 the State...
.
Following its formal swearing-in, the 15th Alabama was ordered to Pageland Field, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
for training and drill. During their sojourn at Pageland, the regiment lost 150 men to measles
Measles
Measles, also known as rubeola or morbilli, is an infection of the respiratory system caused by a virus, specifically a paramyxovirus of the genus Morbillivirus. Morbilliviruses, like other paramyxoviruses, are enveloped, single-stranded, negative-sense RNA viruses...
. In September 1861, the 15th was transferred to Camp Toombes, Virginia, in part to escape the measles outbreak.
Equipment
Companies "A" and "B" of the 15th Alabama were equipped with the M1841 Mississippi RifleM1841 Mississippi Rifle
The M1841 Mississippi Rifle is a muzzle loading percussion rifle used in the Mexican–American War & the American Civil War.-History:When Eli Whitney Blake took over management of the Harpers Ferry Armory in 1842, he set about tooling up under his new contract from the U.S. government for making the...
, a .54 caliber percussion rifle
Percussion rifle
The percussion rifle is a rifle that uses a percussion cap instead of older flintlock or matchlock variants. Faster reloading and fewer moving parts made this rifle more versatile and rugged compared to other single-shot rifles. The U.S. adopted the percussion system in 1841 and produced an...
that had seen extensive service in the Mexican-American War and was highly regarded for its accuracy and ease of use. The other companies in the regiment were given older "George Law" smoothbore muskets, which had been converted from flintlock
Flintlock
Flintlock is the general term for any firearm based on the flintlock mechanism. The term may also apply to the mechanism itself. Introduced at the beginning of the 17th century, the flintlock rapidly replaced earlier firearm-ignition technologies, such as the doglock, matchlock and wheellock...
s to percussion rifles. Later, the regiment received British Pattern 1853 Enfield
Pattern 1853 Enfield
The Enfield Pattern 1853 Rifle-Musket was a .577 calibre Minié-type muzzle-loading rifle-musket, used by the British Empire from 1853 to 1867, after which many Enfield 1853 Rifle-Muskets were converted to the cartridge-loaded Snider-Enfield rifle.-History &...
rifle-muskets and Springfield Model 1861
Springfield Model 1861
The Springfield Model 1861 was a Minié-type rifled musket shoulder arm used by the United States Army and Marine Corps during the American Civil War. Commonly referred to as the "Springfield" , it was the most widely used U.S...
rifled muskets. Since the 15th had initially enlisted for three years, it received its arms from the Confederate government, which refused to provide weapons to any regiment enlisting for a lesser period.
While details of the specific uniforms worn by other companies of the 15th has not been preserved, Oates' Co. "G" is recorded to have sported, in addition to their red and gray clothing, a "colorful and diverse attire of headgear". Each cap bore an "HP" insignia
Insignia
Insignia or insigne pl -nia or -nias : a symbol or token of personal power, status or office, or of an official body of government or jurisdiction...
, which stood for "Henry Pioneers" (though some said it actually meant "Hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
's Pelters"). Each soldier also wore a "secession badge
Badge
A badge is a device or fashion accessory, often containing the insignia of an organization, which is presented or displayed to indicate some feat of service, a special accomplishment, a symbol of authority granted by taking an oath , a sign of legitimate employment or student status, or as a simple...
", with the motto: "Liberty, Equality and Fraternity", which had been the motto of the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
.
Valley Campaign
At Camp Toombs, the 15th Alabama was brigaded with the 21st GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
Volunteer Infantry, the 21st North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
Infantry and the 16th Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
Infantry regiments in Trimble's
Isaac R. Trimble
Isaac Ridgeway Trimble was a United States Army officer, a civil engineer, a prominent railroad construction superintendent and executive, and a Confederate general in the American Civil War, most famous for his leadership role in the assault known as Pickett's Charge at the Battle of...
Brigade of Ewell's
Richard S. Ewell
Richard Stoddert Ewell was a career United States Army officer and a Confederate general during the American Civil War. He achieved fame as a senior commander under Stonewall Jackson and Robert E...
Division, part of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, as well as the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac...
. After that force moved over toward Yorktown
Battle of Yorktown (1862)
The Battle of Yorktown or Siege of Yorktown was fought from April 5 to May 4, 1862, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. Marching from Fort Monroe, Union Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan's Army of the Potomac encountered Maj. Gen. John B. Magruder's small Confederate force...
, the 15th was transferred to Maj. Gen. Stonewall Jackson
Stonewall Jackson
ຄຽשת״ׇׂׂׂׂ֣|birth_place= Clarksburg, Virginia |death_place=Guinea Station, Virginia|placeofburial=Stonewall Jackson Memorial CemeteryLexington, Virginia|placeofburial_label= Place of burial|image=...
's division, where it participated in his Valley Campaign
Valley Campaign
Jackson's Valley Campaign was Confederate Maj. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's famous spring 1862 campaign through the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia during the American Civil War...
. During this time, the 15th participated in the following engagements:
- Battle of Front RoyalBattle of Front RoyalThe Battle of Front Royal, also known as Guard Hill or Cedarville, was fought May 23, 1862, in Warren County, Virginia, as part of Confederate Army Maj. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's Campaign through the Shenandoah Valley during the American Civil War...
on May 23, 1862; negligible losses. - First Battle of WinchesterFirst Battle of WinchesterThe First Battle of Winchester, fought on May 25, 1862, in and around Frederick County, Virginia, and Winchester, Virginia, was a major victory in Confederate Army Maj. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's Campaign through the Shenandoah Valley during the American Civil War. Jackson enveloped the...
on May 25, 1862; negligible losses. - Battle of Cross KeysBattle of Cross KeysThe Battle of Cross Keys was fought on June 8, 1862, in Rockingham County, Virginia, as part of Confederate Army Maj. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's campaign through the Shenandoah Valley during the American Civil War...
on June 8, 1862; 9 killed and 33 wounded, out of 426 engaged.
The 15th was mentioned in dispatches by its division commander, Maj. Gen. Ewell, who stated that during the Battle of Cross Keys, "the regiment made a gallant resistance, enabling me to take position at leisure". Its brigade commander, Brig. Gen. Trimble, also singled out the regiment for honors during this engagement: "to Colonel Cantey for his skillful retreat from picket, and prompt flank maneuver, I think special praise is due". During the Battle of Cross Keys, soldiers of the 15th Alabama had the unusual opportunity of participating in every major phase of a single battle, starting with the opening skirmish at Union Church on the forward left flank, followed by withdrawing underneath the artillery duel in the center, and then finally participating in Trimble's ambush of the 8th New York and the subsequent counterattack on the Confederate right flank which brought the battle to its conclusion.
Seven Days Battles
Following the victorious conclusion of Jackson's Valley Campaign, the 15th accompanied its commander in his attack on Maj. Gen. George B. McClellanGeorge B. McClellan
George Brinton McClellan was a major general during the American Civil War. He organized the famous Army of the Potomac and served briefly as the general-in-chief of the Union Army. Early in the war, McClellan played an important role in raising a well-trained and organized army for the Union...
's flank during the Seven Days Battles
Seven Days Battles
The Seven Days Battles was a series of six major battles over the seven days from June 25 to July 1, 1862, near Richmond, Virginia during the American Civil War. Confederate General Robert E. Lee drove the invading Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan, away from...
. During this time, the 15th fought in the following sorties:
- Battle of Gaines' MillBattle of Gaines' MillThe Battle of Gaines's Mill, sometimes known as the First Battle of Cold Harbor or the Battle of Chickahominy River, took place on June 27, 1862, in Hanover County, Virginia, as the third of the Seven Days Battles of the American Civil War...
on June 27–28, 1862; 34 killed and 110 wounded, out of 412 engaged. - Battle of Malvern HillBattle of Malvern HillThe Battle of Malvern Hill, also known as the Battle of Poindexter's Farm, took place on July 1, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, on the seventh and last day of the Seven Days Battles of the American Civil War. Gen. Robert E. Lee launched a series of disjointed assaults on the nearly impregnable...
on July 1, 1862; negligible losses.
Northern Virginia Campaign
Following McClellan's retreat from Richmond, the 15th was engaged in the Northern Virginia CampaignNorthern Virginia Campaign
The Northern Virginia Campaign, also known as the Second Bull Run Campaign or Second Manassas Campaign, was a series of battles fought in Virginia during August and September 1862 in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. Confederate General Robert E...
, where it participated in the following battles:
- Battle of Warrenton Springs Ford on August 12, 1862; losses not given.
- Battle of Hazel River, Virginia on August 22, 1862; losses not given.
- Battle of Kettle Run (called "Manassas Junction" in regimental records) on August 30, 1862; 6 killed and 22 wounded.
- Second Battle of ManassasSecond Battle of Bull RunThe Second Battle of Bull Run or Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of an offensive campaign waged by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia against Union Maj. Gen...
, on August 30, 1862; 21 killed and 91 wounded, out of 440 engaged. - Battle of ChantillyBattle of ChantillyThe Battle of Chantilly took place on September 1, 1862, in Fairfax County, Virginia, as the concluding battle of the Northern Virginia Campaign of the American Civil War. Thomas J...
, on September 1, 1862; 4 killed and 14 wounded.
Maryland Campaign
Next up was Lee's Maryland CampaignMaryland Campaign
The Maryland Campaign, or the Antietam Campaign is widely considered one of the major turning points of the American Civil War. Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's first invasion of the North was repulsed by Maj. Gen. George B...
, where the 15th Alabama saw action at:
- Battle of Harper's Ferry from September 12–15, 1862; negligible losses.
- Battle of AntietamBattle of AntietamThe Battle of Antietam , fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and Antietam Creek, as part of the Maryland Campaign, was the first major battle in the American Civil War to take place on Northern soil. It was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with about 23,000...
(called "Sharpsburg" in regimental records) on September 17, 1862; 9 killed and 75 wounded, out of 300 engaged. - Battle of ShepherdstownBattle of ShepherdstownThe Battle of Shepherdstown, also known as the Battle of Boteler's Ford, took place September 19–20, 1862, in Jefferson County, Virginia , at the end of the Maryland Campaign of the American Civil War.-Background:...
on September 19, 1862; losses not given.
After Antietam, acting brigade commander Col. James A. Walker
James A. Walker
James Alexander Walker was a Virginia lawyer, politician, and Confederate general during the American Civil War, later serving as a United States Congressman for two terms...
cited Cpt. Isaac B. Feagin, acting regimental commander, for outstanding performance while extolling the regiment as a whole: "Captain Feagin, commanding the Fifteenth Alabama regiment, behaved with a gallantry consistent with his high reputation for courage and that of the regiment he commanded".
Fredericksburg and Suffolk
Following the Confederate defeat at Antietam, the 15th Alabama participated with Jackson's corps at the Battle of FredericksburgBattle of Fredericksburg
The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, between General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside...
on December 15, 1862. Total casualties there were 1 killed and 34 wounded. The regiment was given detached duty at Suffolk, Virginia
Siege of Suffolk
The Siege of Suffolk was fought around Suffolk, Virginia, from April 11 to May 4, 1863, during the American Civil War.-Background:In 1863 Lt. Gen. James Longstreet was placed in command of the Confederate Department of Virginia and North Carolina. Longstreet was given four objectives: 1) to...
during May 1863, where it lost 4 killed and 18 wounded.
The Great Snowball Fight
On January 29, 1863, the 15th Alabama participated with several other regiments of the Army of Northern Virginia in what became known as "The Great SnowballSnowball
A snowball is a spherical object made from snow, usually created by scooping snow with the hands, and compacting it into a roughly fist-sized ball. The snowball is often used to engage in games, such as snowball fights. Snowball fights are usually light-hearted and involve throwing snowballs at...
Fight of 1863". Over 9000 Confederate soldiers engaged in a spontaneous, day-long free-for-all using snowballs and rock
Rock (geology)
In geology, rock or stone is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids.The Earth's outer solid layer, the lithosphere, is made of rock. In general rocks are of three types, namely, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic...
s, in which only two soldiers were seriously injured (neither from the 15th).
Oates takes command
Following the Battle of Fredericksburg, the 15th Alabama was transferred from Jackson's corps to the newly formed "Alabama Brigade" in Maj. Gen. James LongstreetJames Longstreet
James Longstreet was one of the foremost Confederate generals of the American Civil War and the principal subordinate to General Robert E. Lee, who called him his "Old War Horse." He served under Lee as a corps commander for many of the famous battles fought by the Army of Northern Virginia in the...
's corps, with Col. Evander Law
Evander M. Law
Evander McIver Law was an author, teacher, and a Confederate general in the American Civil War.-Early life:...
as brigade commander. Appointed to command the regiment during this time was Lt. Col. William C. Oates, who had originally organized Co. "G" when the regiment first formed in 1861. In later years, Oates would serve as Governor of Alabama, and would also command three U.S. Brigades (none of which saw combat) during the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
. Oates had lived a drifter's existence in Texas during his early adulthood, participating in numerous street brawls and spending time as a gambler. However, by 1861 he had returned to Alabama, finished his schooling, studied law, and set up a successful practice in Henry County that also included ownership of a weekly newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
in his hometown.
Opposed to Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
's election, Oates cautioned against precipitate secession
Secession
Secession is the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity. Threats of secession also can be a strategy for achieving more limited goals.-Secession theory:...
; however, once Alabama decided to leave the Union, he threw himself wholeheartedly into the Southern cause, raising a company of volunteers that became Co. "G" of the 15th Alabama when it was initially accepted for service under Col. Cantey. After Cantey's promotion and transfer to a new position, Oates assumed command of the 15th Alabama as a whole.
While some of his men thought Oates to be too aggressive for his own good and theirs, most admired his courage and affirmed that he was always to be found at the front of his men, in the thick of combat, and that he never asked them to go anywhere that he was not willing to go himself. A political rival, Alexander Lowther, caused Oates to be relieved of command in July 1864; Lowther assumed command of the regiment thereafter. It was Oates, however, who led the 15th Alabama into its most noted engagement of the war, at Little Round Top on July 2, 1863 during the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg.
Little Round Top
During the Battle of GettysburgBattle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
, the 15th Alabama and the rest of Law's Brigade formed part of Maj. Gen. John B. Hood's division, which was a part of Lt. Gen. James Longstreet's corps. Arriving on the field late in the evening on July 1, the 15th played no appreciable role in the contest's first day. This changed on the 2nd, as Gen. Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
had ordered Longstreet to launch a surprise attack with two of his divisions against the Federal left flank and their positions atop Cemetery Hill
Cemetery Hill
Cemetery Hill is a Gettysburg Battlefield landform which had 1863 military engagements each day of the July 1–3 Battle of Gettysburg. The northernmost part of the Army of the Potomac defensive "fish-hook" line, the hill is gently sloped and provided a site for American Civil War artillery...
. During the course of this engagement, which was launched late in the afternoon of July 2, the 15th Alabama found itself advancing over rough terrain on the eastern side of the Emmitsburg Road, which combined with fire from the 2nd U.S. Sharpshooters
2nd United States Volunteer Sharpshooter Regiment
The 2nd United States Volunteer Sharpshooter Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. From 1861 to January 1863 they were members of the "First Iron Brigade" also known as the "Iron Brigade of the East"....
at nearby Slyder's Farm to compel Law's brigade (including the 15th Alabama) to detour around the Devil's Den
Devil's Den
Devils Den is a boulder-strewn Gettysburg Battlefield hill used by artillery and infantry during the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg, Second Day...
and over the Big Round Top
Big Round Top
Big Round Top is a boulder-strewn hill notable as the topographic high point of the Gettysburg Battlefield and for 1863 American Civil War engagements for which Medals of Honor were awarded...
toward Little Round Top. During this time, the 15th was under constant fire from Federal sharpshooters, and the regiment became temporarily separated from the rest of the Alabama brigade as it made its way over Big Round Top.
Little Round Top, which dominated the Union position on Cemetery Ridge
Cemetery Ridge
Cemetery Ridge is a geographic feature in Gettysburg National Military Park south of the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, that figured prominently in the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1 to July 3, 1863. It formed a primary defensive position for the Union Army during the battle, roughly the center of...
, was initially unoccupied by Union troops. Union commander Maj. Gen. George Meade
George Meade
George Gordon Meade was a career United States Army officer and civil engineer involved in coastal construction, including several lighthouses. He fought with distinction in the Second Seminole War and Mexican-American War. During the American Civil War he served as a Union general, rising from...
's chief engineer, Brig. Gen Gouverneur K. Warren
Gouverneur K. Warren
Gouverneur Kemble Warren was a civil engineer and prominent general in the Union Army during the American Civil War...
, had climbed the hill on his superior's orders to assess the situation there; he noticed the glint of Confederate bayonets to the hill's southwest, and realized that a Southern attack was imminent. Warren's frantic cry for reinforcements to occupy the hill was answered by Col. Strong Vincent
Strong Vincent
Strong Vincent was a lawyer who became famous as a U.S. Army officer during the fighting on Little Round Top at the American Civil War Battle of Gettysburg, where he was mortally wounded.-Early life:...
, commanding the Third Brigade of the First Division of the Union V Corps. Vincent rapidly moved the four regiments of his brigade onto the hill, only ten minutes ahead of the approaching Confederates. Under heavy fire from Southern batteries
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
, Vincent arranged his four regiments atop the hill with the 16th Michigan to the northwest, then proceeding counterclockwise with the 44th New York, the 83rd Pennsylvania, and finally, at the end of the line on the southern slope, the 20th Maine. With only minutes to spare, Vincent told his regiments to take cover and await the inevitable Confederate assault; he specifically ordered Col. Joshua L. Chamberlain, commanding the 20th Maine (at the extreme end of the Union line), to hold his position to the last man, at all costs. Were Chamberlain's regiment to be forced to retreat, the other regiments on the hill would be compelled to follow suit, and the entire left flank of Meade's army would be in serious jeopardy, possibly leading them to retreat and giving the Confederates their desperately needed victory at Gettysburg.
The 15th Alabama attacks
In their attack on Little Round Top, the 15th Alabama would be joined by the 4th and 47th Alabama InfantryInfantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
, and also by the 4th and 5th Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
Infantry regiments. All of these units were thoroughly exhausted at the time of the assault, having marched in the July heat for over 20 miles (37 kilometers) prior to the actual attack. Furthermore, the canteen
Canteen (bottle)
A canteen is a drinking water bottle designed to be used by hikers, campers, soldiers and workers in the field. It is usually fitted with a shoulder strap or means for fastening it to a belt, and may be covered with a cloth bag and padding to protect the bottle and insulate the contents...
s of the Southerners were empty, and Law's command to advance did not give them time to refill them. Approaching the Union line on the crest of the hill, Law's men were thrown back by the first Union volley
Volley gun
A volley gun is a gun with several barrels for firing a number of shots, either simultaneously or in sequence. They differ from modern machine guns in that they lack automatic loading and automatic fire and are limited by the number of barrels bundled together.In practice the large ones were not...
and withdrew briefly to regroup. The 15th Alabama repositioned itself further to the right, attempting to find the Union left flank which, unbeknownst to it, was held by Chamberlain's 20th Maine.
Chamberlain, meanwhile, had detached Company "B" of his regiment and elements of the 2nd U.S. Sharpshooters, ordering them to take a concealed position behind a stone wall
Wall
A wall is a usually solid structure that defines and sometimes protects an area. Most commonly, a wall delineates a building and supports its superstructure, separates space in buildings into rooms, or protects or delineates a space in the open air...
150 yards to his east, hoping to guard against a Confederate envelopment
Envelopment
Envelopment is the military tactic of surrounding an enemy in the field so that they are isolated in a pocket. The friendly forces can choose to attack the pocket or invest it and wait for a beleaguered enemy to surrender.To achieve an envelopment several different tactics can be employed:* A...
.
Seeing the 15th Alabama shifting around his flank, Chamberlain ordered the remainder of his 385 men to form a single-file line. The 15th Alabama charged the Maine troops, only to be repulsed by furious rifle fire. Chamberlain next ordered the southernmost half of his line to "refuse the line", meaning that they formed a new line at an angle
Angle
In geometry, an angle is the figure formed by two rays sharing a common endpoint, called the vertex of the angle.Angles are usually presumed to be in a Euclidean plane with the circle taken for standard with regard to direction. In fact, an angle is frequently viewed as a measure of an circular arc...
to the original force, to meet the 15th Alabama's flanking maneuver. Though it endured incredible losses, the 20th Maine managed to hold through five more charges by the 15th over a ninety-minute period.
Col. Oates, commanding the regiment, described the action in his memoir
Memoir
A memoir , is a literary genre, forming a subclass of autobiography – although the terms 'memoir' and 'autobiography' are almost interchangeable. Memoir is autobiographical writing, but not all autobiographical writing follows the criteria for memoir set out below...
s, forty years later:
Chamberlain's desperate charge
Out of ammunition, and facing what he was sure would be yet another determined assault by the Alabamians, Col. Chamberlain decided upon a most unorthodox response: ordering his men to fix bayonetBayonet
A bayonet is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit in, on, over or underneath the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar weapon, effectively turning the gun into a spear...
s, he led what was left of his outfit in a pell-mell charge down the hill, executing a combined frontal assault
Frontal assault
The military tactic of frontal assault is a direct, hostile movement of forces toward the front of an enemy force . By targeting the enemy's front, the attackers are subjecting themselves to the maximum defensive power of the enemy...
and flanking maneuver
Flanking maneuver
In military tactics, a flanking maneuver, also called a flank attack, is an attack on the sides of an opposing force. If a flanking maneuver succeeds, the opposing force would be surrounded from two or more directions, which significantly reduces the maneuverability of the outflanked force and its...
that caught the 15th Alabama completely by surprise. Unbeknownst to Chamberlain, Oates had already decided to retreat, realizing that his ammunition was running low, and worried about a possible Union attack on his own flank or rear. His younger brother lay dying on the field, and the blood from his regiment's dead and wounded "was standing in puddle
Puddle
A puddle is a small accumulation of liquid, usually water, on a surface. It can form either by pooling in a depression on the surface, or by surface tension upon a flat surface...
s on some of the rock
Rock (geology)
In geology, rock or stone is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids.The Earth's outer solid layer, the lithosphere, is made of rock. In general rocks are of three types, namely, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic...
s". Hardly had Oates ordered the withdrawal than Chamberlain began his charge, which combined with fire from "B" company and the hidden sharpshooters to cause the 15th to rush madly down the hill to escape. Oates later admitted that "we ran like a herd of wild cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
" during the retreat, which took those surviving members of the 15th (including Oates) who weren't captured by Chamberlain's men up the slopes of Big Round Top and toward Confederate lines.
In later years, Oates would assert that the 15th Alabama's assault had failed because no other Confederate regiment appeared in support of his unit during the attack. He insisted that if but one other regiment had joined his attack on the far left of the Union army, they would have swept the 20th Maine from the hill and turned the Union flank, "which would have forced Meade's whole left wing to retire".
However, Oates also paid tribute to the courage
Courage
Courage is the ability to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation...
and tenacity of his enemy when he wrote: "There never were harder fighters than the Twentieth Maine men and their gallant Colonel. His skill and persistency and the great bravery of his men saved Little Round Top and the Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
from defeat." Chamberlain in turn extolled the bravery of his Alabama foes when he later wrote: "these [the 15th Alabama] were manly men, whom we could befriend and by no means kill, if they came our way in peace and good will".
The 15th Alabama spent the remainder of the Battle of Gettysburg on the Confederate right flank, helping to secure it against Union cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
and sharpshooters. It took no part in Pickett's Charge
Pickett's Charge
Pickett's Charge was an infantry assault ordered by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee against Maj. Gen. George G. Meade's Union positions on Cemetery Ridge on July 3, 1863, the last day of the Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War. Its futility was predicted by the charge's commander,...
on July 3.
Out of 644 men engaged from the 15th Alabama at the Battle of Gettysburg, the regiment lost 72 men killed, 190 wounded, and 81 missing.
Immediate aftermath
Following the action at Gettysburg, the 15th Alabama was briefly engaged at Battle Mountain, Virginia on July 17, reporting negligible losses. It then spent time recuperating and refitting in Virginia with the rest of Longstreet's corps, until being ordered west to bolster the Confederate Army of TennesseeArmy of Tennessee
The Army of Tennessee was the principal Confederate army operating between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River during the American Civil War. It was formed in late 1862 and fought until the end of the war in 1865, participating in most of the significant battles in the Western Theater...
under Braxton Bragg
Braxton Bragg
Braxton Bragg was a career United States Army officer, and then a general in the Confederate States Army—a principal commander in the Western Theater of the American Civil War and later the military adviser to Confederate President Jefferson Davis.Bragg, a native of North Carolina, was...
, which was operating in eastern Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
and northwestern Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
.
In Tennessee
During its time with Longstreet in the Army of TennesseeArmy of Tennessee
The Army of Tennessee was the principal Confederate army operating between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River during the American Civil War. It was formed in late 1862 and fought until the end of the war in 1865, participating in most of the significant battles in the Western Theater...
, the 15th Alabama participated in the following engagements:
- Battle of ChickamaugaBattle of ChickamaugaThe Battle of Chickamauga, fought September 19–20, 1863, marked the end of a Union offensive in southeastern Tennessee and northwestern Georgia called the Chickamauga Campaign...
on September 19–20, 1863; 19 killed and 123 wounded, out of 425 engaged. - Battle of Moccasin Point, Tennessee on September 30, 1863; no losses given.
- Battles of Browns FerryBattle of Brown's FerryThe Battle of Brown's Ferry was an engagement of the American Civil War which took place on October 27, 1863 in Hamilton County, Tennessee. During the battle, two Union brigades drove Confederate sharpshooters from the Tennessee River, which allowed supplies to start arriving to the Union army at...
and Lookout ValleyBattle of Wauhatchie-References:* Boatner, Mark Mayo, III. The Civil War Dictionary. New York: McKay, 1988. ISBN 0-8129-1726-X. First published 1959 by McKay.* Cozzens, Peter. The Shipwreck of Their Hopes: The Battles for Chattanooga. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1994. ISBN 0-252-01922-9.* Korn, Jerry, and...
on October 28–29, 1863; 15 killed and 40 wounded. - Battle of Campbell's StationBattle of Campbell's StationThe Battle of Campbell's Station was a battle of the Knoxville Campaign of the American Civil War, occurring on November 16, 1863, at Campbell's Station, , Knox County, Tennessee....
on November 25, 1863; no losses given. - Knoxville CampaignKnoxville CampaignThe Knoxville Campaign was a series of American Civil War battles and maneuvers in East Tennessee during the fall of 1863. Union forces under Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside occupied Knoxville, Tennessee, and Confederate forces under Lt. Gen. James Longstreet were detached from Gen...
from November 17 to December 4, 1863; 6 killed and 21 wounded. - Battle of Bean's Station on December 14, 1863; negligible losses.
- Battle of Danridge on January 24, 1864; no losses given.
The 15th Alabama was the principal Confederate regiment guarding the Lookout Valley during the Union attack there; due to miscommunication between himself and three reserve regiments assigned to augment his force, Col. Oates was unable to effectively counterattack the Union force advancing up the valley from Brown's Ferry
Brown's Ferry, Tennessee
Brown's Ferry, Tennessee is an historical crossing point over the Tennessee River between Lookout Valley and Moccasin Bend in the city of Chattanooga, Tennessee. It was the site of the Battle of Brown's Ferry during the American Civil War...
on the Tennessee River
Tennessee River
The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately 652 miles long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other names...
. The resulting Federal victory allowed the opening of Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
's famous "Cracker Line", which contributed to the breaking of the Confederate Siege of Chattanooga
Chattanooga Campaign
The Chattanooga Campaign was a series of maneuvers and battles in October and November 1863, during the American Civil War. Following the defeat of Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans's Union Army of the Cumberland at the Battle of Chickamauga in September, the Confederate Army of Tennessee under Gen...
. Oates himself was wounded in this battle, but later recovered and continued to lead his regiment until replaced by Alexander A. Lowther in July 1864.
For its actions during the Battle of Chickamauga, the 15th was once again mentioned in dispatches, this time by Brig. Gen. Zachariah C. Deas
Zachariah C. Deas
Zachariah Cantey Deas was a prominent Southern United States cotton broker and soldier. He served as a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.-Biography:...
, who wrote that the "regiment behaved with great gallantry" during the battle.
Return to Virginia
Having quarrelled with Bragg during his time in Tennessee, Longstreet decided to return to Virginia with his corps (including the 15th Alabama) in the spring of 1864. Here, the 15th participated in the following engagements:- Battle of the WildernessBattle of the WildernessThe Battle of the Wilderness, fought May 5–7, 1864, was the first battle of Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Virginia Overland Campaign against Gen. Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. Both armies suffered heavy casualties, a harbinger of a bloody war of attrition by...
from May 5 to 7, 1864; 4 killed and 27 wounded, with 11 captured. - Battle of Spotsylvania Court HouseBattle of Spotsylvania Court HouseThe Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, sometimes simply referred to as the Battle of Spotsylvania , was the second major battle in Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Overland Campaign of the American Civil War. Following the bloody but inconclusive Battle of the Wilderness, Grant's army disengaged...
from May 8 to 21, 1864; 18 killed and 48 wounded, with 2 captured. - Battle of North AnnaBattle of North AnnaThe Battle of North Anna was fought May 23–26, 1864, as part of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign against Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. It consisted of a series of small actions near the North Anna River in central Virginia, rather than a...
on May 24, 1864; 1 wounded. - Battle of Ashland on May 31, 1864; 1 killed.
- Battle of Cold HarborBattle of Cold HarborThe Battle of Cold Harbor was fought from May 31 to June 12, 1864 . It was one of the final battles of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign during the American Civil War, and is remembered as one of American history's bloodiest, most lopsided battles...
on July 1, 1864; 5 killed and 12 wounded. - Battle of Chester Station on July 17, 1864; no losses given.
- Siege of PetersburgSiege of PetersburgThe Richmond–Petersburg Campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War...
from June 18–26 of 1864, July 19 to 25, 1864, and April 2, 1865; total losses 3 killed and 2 wounded. - Battle of New Market Heights (not to be confused with the Battle of New MarketBattle of New MarketThe Battle of New Market was a battle fought on May 15, 1864, in Virginia during Valley Campaigns of 1864 in the American Civil War. Cadets from the Virginia Military Institute fought alongside the Confederate Army and forced Union General Franz Sigel and his army out of the Shenandoah...
) on August 14 and 15, 1864; no losses given. - Battle of Fussell's Mill on August 14, 1864; 13 killed and 90 wounded.
- Battle of Ft. Gilmer on September 29, 1864; 1 wounded.
- Battle of Ft. Harrison on September 30, 1864; 6 killed and 6 wounded.
- Battle of Darbytown RoadBattle of Darbytown Road|The Battle of Darbytown Road was fought on October 13, 1864, between Union and Confederate forces. The Confederates were attempting to retake ground they had lost to Federal forces during battles near Richmond, Virginia. Their efforts failed....
on October 7 and 13, 1864; 2 killed and 36 wounded. - Battle of Williamsburg Road on October 27, 1864; no losses given.
- Appomattox CampaignAppomattox CampaignThe Appomattox Campaign was a series of battles fought March 29 – April 9, 1865, in Virginia that culminated in the surrender of Confederate General Robert E...
from March 29 to April 9, 1865; no losses given.
The 15th Alabama continued to serve until the surrender of Lee's army at Appomatox Court House on April 9. It was parole
Parole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
d together with the rest of the Army of Northern Virginia, and its surviving members made their way back to Alabama where they resumed their lives as civilians. At the time of its surrender, the 15th had been transferred to Perry's "Florida Brigade", under the command of Col. David Lang
David Lang (colonel)
David Lang was a land surveyor, Confederate States Army officer during the American Civil War, civil engineer, and Florida politician.-Early life:...
.
The regimental commander at the time of surrender was Capt. Francis Key Schaff, formerly of Co. "A".
Southern Cross of Honor
Southern Cross of Honor
The Southern Cross of Honor is the name of two separate and distinct military honors presented to Confederate military personnel and veterans. The original wartime medal, aka Confederate Medal of Honor, was a military decoration meant to honor officers, noncommissioned officers, and privates for...
(the Confederate equivalent of the U.S. Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
) to twenty-two members of the 15th Alabama during the Civil War:
- Charles E. Averett, Company "A";
- Brantley G. Barnett (SGT), Company "I";
- J. F. Bean, Company "L";
- David C. Cannon, Company "G";
- T. R. Collins, Company "L";
- William H. Cooper, Company "C";
- James R. Edwards (SGT, later 2LT), Company "E";
- Clark J. Fauk, Company "K";
- H. V. Glenn, Company "F";
- Evan Grice, Company "K";
- M. L. Harper (killed), Company "B";
- Woodruff F. Hill (CPL), Company "K";
- A. Jackson, Company "F";
- John Jackson, Company "F";
- William W. Johnson (SGT), Company "D";
- R. Sam Jones (CPL), Company "D";
- Lee Lloyd, Company "L".
- B. J. Martin, Company "E";
- Abraham Powell, Company "E";
- W. H. Quattlebaum, Company "D";
- Joseph T. Rushing, Company "I";
- Herrin F. Satcher (CPL), Company "G".
One last battle
In 1904 and 1905, an aged William Oates and Joshua Chamberlain waged what one writer described as "one last battle" over the proposed construction of a monumentMonument
A monument is a type of structure either explicitly created to commemorate a person or important event or which has become important to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, or simply as an example of historic architecture...
on the Little Round Top to the 15th Alabama. While Chamberlain indicated that he had no quarrel whatsoever to the erection of a memorial to his old enemies, he strenuously objected to the precise spot proposed by Oates, which he insisted was farther up the hill than Oates' regiment had actually gotten during the battle. A somewhat-testy exchange of letters between the two men failed to resolve their differences, and no monument to the 15th Alabama was ever erected. Chamberlain had visited the battlefield several years after the war, and had personally directed the removal of a pile of stones placed atop Little Round Top by veterans of the 15th Alabama. At the time, as he did later in his conflict with Oates, Chamberlain stated that he had no objections to the erection of a monument to the 15th, but not atop the hill that so many of his men had died to hold. More recent efforts to create a pile of stones atop the Little Round Top have been foiled by Gettysburg park ranger
Park ranger
A park ranger or forest ranger is a person entrusted with protecting and preserving parklands – national, state, provincial, or local parks. Different countries use different names for the position. Ranger is the favored term in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Within the United...
s.
Modern re-enactment groups
The 15th Alabama has proven popular with modern historical reenactorsHistorical reenactment
Historical reenactment is an educational activity in which participants attempt torecreate some aspects of a historical event or period. This may be as narrow as a specific moment from a battle, such as the reenactment of Pickett's Charge at the Great Reunion of 1913, or as broad as an entire...
. One such group (recreating Co. "G", 15th Alabama Infantry) is headquartered in Bellingham, Washington
Bellingham, Washington
Bellingham is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington. It is the twelfth-largest city in the state. Situated on Bellingham Bay, Bellingham is protected by Lummi Island, Portage Island, and the Lummi Peninsula, and opens onto the Strait of Georgia...
, while another (recreating Co. "E", 15th Alabama Infantry) is located in Holly Hill, Florida
Holly Hill, Florida
Holly Hill is a city in Volusia County, Florida, United States. The population was 12,119 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 12,586...
. Other units are found in Farmington, Maine (recreating Co. "G") and in Ocala, Florida
Ocala, Florida
Ocala is a city in Marion County, Florida. As of 2007, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 53,491. It is the county seat of Marion County, and the principal city of the Ocala, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated 2007 population of 324,857.-History:Ocala...
(recreating Co. "B").
Works cited
- Cozzens, Peter, The Shipwreck of Their Hopes: The Battles for Chattanooga, Chicago: University of Illinois PressUniversity of Illinois PressThe University of Illinois Press , is a major American university press and part of the University of Illinois system. Founded in 1918, the press publishes some 120 new books each year, plus 33 scholarly journals, and several electronic projects...
, 1994, ISBN 0-252-01922-9. - Desjardin, Thomas A.: Stand Firm Ye Boys from Maine: The 20th Maine and the Gettysburg Campaign, Thomas Publications, 1995, ISBN 1-57747-034-6.
- Eicher, David J.David J. EicherDavid John Eicher is an American editor, writer, and popularizer of astronomy and space. He has been editor-in-chief of Astronomy magazine since 2002...
, The Longest Night: A Military History of the Civil War, Simon & Schuster, 2001, ISBN 0-684-84944-5. - Harman, Troy D., Lee's Real Plan at Gettysburg, Stackpole Books, 2003, ISBN 0-8117-0054-2.
- Pfanz, Harry W., Gettysburg: The Second Day, University of North Carolina PressUniversity of North Carolina PressThe University of North Carolina Press , founded in 1922, is a university press that is part of the University of North Carolina....
, 1987, ISBN 0-8078-1749-X.
External links
- 15th Alabama Infantry Muster Rolls. Complete muster rolls for the regiment, company by company.
- 15th Alabama Original Flag. Contains photo of original regimental flag for the 15th Alabama.
- 15th Alabama Official Gettysburg Report. Official report from Col. Oates of his action at Little Round Top.
- Captain Oates and His Red-Shirted Boys, by Glenn W. LaFantasie. Published in Alabama Heritage, No. 23, Winter 2007, pp. 8–15.
Reenactment group websites
- 15th Alabama Co. B. 15th Alabama historical reenactment group based in Ocala, Florida.
- 15th Alabama Company G. 15th Alabama historical reenactment group based in Bellingham, Washington.
- Alabama Volunteer Brigade. 15th Alabama historical reenactment group based in Holly Hill, Florida.
- Maine Rebels. 15th Alabama historical reenactment group based in Farmington, Maine.