The 1st Alabama Infantry Regiment completed its organization at Pensacola, Florida about the 1st of April 1, 1861 by the election of regimental officers. The soldiers were from the counties of Tallapoosa, Pike, Lowndes, Wilcox, Talladega, Barbour, and Macon. For a year it staffed the batteries at Pensacola, then with 1,000 soldiers moved to Missouri where all but a detachment were captured at Island No 10. The prisoners were exchanged during September, 1862, and it was soon ordered to Port Hudson. Here the unit endured many hardships, and on July 9, 1863 nearly 500 soldiers were captured.