The 4th Alabama
Our History
May 1861, Georgia
Total mustered: 1,422.​
Casualties: 240, combat. 90-100, disease.
Command Surrendered: 21 officers, 202 men under Lt. Col. Scruggs​
Officers: Colonels P. D. Bowles Egbert J. Jones, and Evander M. Law; Lieutenant Colonels Thomas J. Goldsby, O. K. McLemore, and L. H. Scruggs; and Majors Ben Allston, T. K. Coleman, W. Mack Robbins, and Charles L. Scott.
Major Engagements:
First Battle of Manassas (Bull Run) – July 1861
Battle of Seven Pines – May 1862
Second Battle of Manassas (Bull Run) – August 1862
Battle of Sharpsburg (Antietam) – September 1862
Battle of Fredericksburg (December 1862)
Battle of Gettysburg (July 1863)
Battle of Chickamauga (September 1863)
Siege of Knoxville (Nov-Dec 1863)
Battle of the Wilderness (May 1864)
Appomattox Court House (April 1865)
The 4th Infantry Regiment completed its organization at Dalton, Georgia, in May 1861. The men were recruited in Dallas, Madison, Macon, Lauderdale, Jackson, Marengo, Perry, and Conecuh counties.
Ordered to Virginia, the unit fought in the Battle of First Manassas under General B. E. Bee. In this fight, it lost thirty-three percent of the 750 engaged, including all its field officers. Later, the 4th was assigned to General Law's and W. F. Perry's Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia. It was active in the army's campaigns from Seven Pines to Cold Harbor, except when it was detached with Longstreet at Suffolk, Chickamauga, and Knoxville. The regiment was placed in the trenches of Petersburg and ended the war at Appomattox.
It reported 130 men disabled at Gaines' Mill, 63 at Second Manassas, and 87 at Gettysburg. Other casualties sustained were thirty-three percent of the 300 at Chickamauga and thirty percent of the 250 at The Wilderness.
This unit surrendered with 21 officers and 202 men. The field officers were Colonels P. D. Bowles, Egbert J. Jones, and Evander M. Law; Lieutenant Colonels Thomas J. Goldsby, O. K. McLemore, and L. H. Scruggs; and Majors Ben Allston, T. K. Coleman, W. Mack Robbins, and Charles L. Scott.
Reenacting the 4th Alabama Co. B
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A Faithful Portrayal of the Soldiers & Families of Alabama during the War Between the States
For more than 25 years, we have gathered together as a welcoming, family-friendly group of living historians committed to honoring the men who served in the 4th Alabama Infantry Regiment. Organized in May 1861, the regiment was one of the very few Confederate units to serve in all three major theaters of the war. It saw action in the South at the beginning of the conflict, including the service of the Tuskegee Zouaves, the company we portray. It marched in the Eastern Theater under General Robert E. Lee as part of the Army of Northern Virginia, and later served in the Western Theater under General James Longstreet. From early coastal defenses to the great campaigns of Virginia and the hard fighting in the West, the 4th Alabama earned a reputation for discipline, endurance, and steadfast service across the breadth of the Confederacy.
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We are one of the largest active companies in New England, with members from Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Our ranks include infantry, sharpshooters, field musicians, and a chaplain. While the historical 4th Alabama was composed of enlisted men, our modern company welcomes those who wish to faithfully portray the period. Women in our ranks honor the documented stories of the more than 400 women who served in disguise during the war, as well as the wives, daughters, and sisters who sustained the army through sacrifice and service.
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Our officers and non commissioned officers are elected annually by the membership. This allows those who desire to serve the opportunity to experience military life from multiple perspectives, and to grow in leadership, responsibility, and fellowship.
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We maintain a strong civilian component with men, women, and children portraying camp followers and Southern families who followed the army. Family participation is central to who we are. At times, three generations have stood together in our ranks, both military and civilian, sharing in the experience of living history.
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Our members range in age from fourteen to seventy-four, and we enjoy an exceptionally high retention rate. We credit this to our culture of mutual support, our shared love of history, the music of our camp string band, and the talents of our campfire cooks. To be a member of the 4th Alabama portrayal is to be part of our extended family.
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As a galvanizing unit, we also portray the 15th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry to support balanced and accurate events. Whether we take the field as the 4th Alabama or the 15th Massachusetts, we do so with seriousness of purpose and a commitment to authenticity in drill, camp life, and historical interpretation.
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We invite you to explore this website and learn more about our reenactor company and the historical 4th Alabama Infantry. When you are ready, there is a uniform and a rifle waiting for you. Send us a telegram, and we will be sure to get back to you.
Today
The telegraph lines are down, and we are anxiously awaiting word from the front.
Please check back later.
-Thomas Wallace Knox, Correspondent for the New York Herald. Acquitted on spy charges for publishing important information pertaining to the Vicksburg Campaign
