The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-03-09
DEPARTMENT OF ARCHIVES =.
 ... AND HISTORY OF ALABAMA.
THOMAS Y. OWEN, Director. e<e<ENEk<<@SNsS<NsEx<ee,

. consequence of an order transferring the 1!th and ssth Alabama Regiments. from Ialiaferro's to Laws Alabama Brt9ade. Hoods Division of Longstreets corps. And just here, in justice to the 4.th Ala fact that it had been with the 18th from the time Of Its assignment to the Third Brigade. 10 the present time. And when the order came transferring these two Gen. W. R. TaIiaferro bid farewell in the following appropriate and laudatory address:
 Headquarters Third Brigade. Jaclsons s
 Division.
 January 13. 1863.
 -"The Brigadier General commandins, in taking leave of the 47th and 18th Ala bama Regiments. can not refrain from expressing his high admiration Of their soidierly bearing and conspicuously gal lant conduct in the battles of Cedar Run and Manassas. in which it was his pleas ant duty to command. And in thus talk. ing leave of such men he feels assured that in the new command to which you sion require you will gain fresh honors and never sully the good name you have already won by your heroic courage in battle. patient endurance of privat1ons, cipline. With regret at thus being com
 (Slened.j w. B. Taliaferro.
 Brig. Gen. Com. a Brig.
 Hence it will be seen that the 18th was transferred to Laws Alabama Brigade on the 18th of January. 1883. which brig. ade after this transfer was composed of:
 4th Alabama Regiment. Col. P. D. Howies.
 18th Alabama Regiment. Col. James
 isth Alabama Regiment. Col W. F. Perry.
 i7th Alabama Regiment. Col. James 18th Alabama Regiment. Col. James l..
 After the transfer we remained at Fred ericksburg until the 18th day of Feb, 1883. when we started in a snow storm which lasted the whole day: the snow falling te the depth of twelve inches, through which we marched in the direction of Richmond, reaching that place on the 20th in another snow storm. At this dme the field officers of the 18th were Col. J. L. Sheffield. Lieut.. Col. A. J. Aldrldge. J. Eubanks The Colonel returned to his post a few days before the order was received to march to Richmond. and be- ing the Senior Colonel. and Brig. Gen. assumed the command of the brigade: which he continued until the 14th Of March, when General Law returned and assumed command
 Just about this time. the weather hay ing been fine for several days. General Hooker began another move in front of fredericksburg with the hope of sue cess. General Lee having weakened his forces by sending Hoods and Pickett divisions of Longstreet's Corps to Rich march with all possible haste to his sup. port. Consequently we were at once put In motion. marched one day towards fredericksburg and halted for the night. o1 Dx@nx h fyl considerable rain had fallen. which rend- cred the roads almost impossible, for arr tillery2 which stuck in the mud Upon the receipt of this intelligence we were camp at Richmond. This was another snowy march.
 We then remained In camp until the fst day of April. when we Nstarted to Suf- folk, which was very long and fattgu-
 At the time of raising the siege of that place on the night of the Sd of May. we were marched with all possible haste to Richmond and from then to the Rap idan in Culpeoper County. Va. as the great battle of Charlottesville, In which Stonewall Jackson fell on the Sd of May. rendered necessary a concentration of troops to replenish the decirnated ranks of Lees army. During the time we lay Brigade were refurnished with arms. ac- coutrements and new clothing the latter of which were much needed. We struck our tents on the morning of the 4th of Ford and marched to Culpepper Court House, where we camped. spent several days in drill and inspection, and saw General Stuarts grand cavalry review. The next day We witnessed the "skedad- dle' of a part of his forces: our brigade was called out but did not participato in the action. A day or two after this our brigade was marched to the old bat tie field of Cedar Run, the scene of the first engagement In which the filth and 18th Alabama were engaged. The writer. together with most of those who remained of the two regiments, examined the old field and with feelings of sadness saw some of the bones of our dead comrades the rains. Colonel sheffield sent a detail to cover any exposed bones of our dead.
 On the morning of the 14th day of June, just as the sun rose above the, eastern hills. the order came for and We started upon what proved to be General L4es grand march into Maryland and PennEvf- vania. The weather was exceedingly warm and many poor fellow dropped down overcome by the heat, and were left to dL the best they could. and to overtake their commands as soon as able. We continued the march without Interruption or molestation until we ar rived at Ashby's Gap. when we halted with orders to hold it at all hazards.
  andoah. we were again put in motion and our faces turned toward PennsyIxa- mia. ~On the 18th of June we passed through Martinsburg and camped on the banks of the Potomac in front of Will Transport. and on the morning of the 26th just about sunrise Laws, Brigade crossed the river into Maryland at Will Transport. Here the whole command halted and received rations of whlskey. for the first time in many months. Some of the people here welcomed us with open arms, but by far the larger part looked rather blue, and would have preferred seeing the blue coats rather than the gray.
 At this. time the brigade was otficered as follows: Brig. Gen. F. NJ. Law. com manding brigade: Col. P. D. Bowles. 4th Alabama;; Col. Wm. c. Oates. 18th Ala hama; Col. w. F. Perry. 44th Alabama: Col. Jas. W. Jackson. fifth Alabama, and Col. J. L. Sheffield. 18th Alabama regl- mcnts.
 Laws Brigade at this time. according to the Ordinance Report numbered, 1865 muskets. divided among the several reg iments about as follows:
 4th Alabama Regiment. &6 18th Alabama Regiment. $50 s4th Alabama giment............... 4Ie 47th Alabama Regiment. ............. 32l 18th Alabama Regiment. ............ 3l2