The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-07-22
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Forty years and more have passed down It's it's arms at Appcmatox: and it did not even then turn over It's nag to the enemy. as required by the terms Of were @ taa those sallant m veterans veterans who who from from Yorktown to Appomatox had never lost flag. that they tore their shot, of them who was Fortunate enough to get piece preserved 1t as a n1emento Of the many fields on which they and their comrades had carried t to vic- tory. Singular if is that nofwithstand- ing the spirit of devotion thus typi- fled. not a member of the regiment during all the years since Appomatox has undertaken the task of writing it's history Indeed. during the civil war there were very few letters written from the regiment to the press. at home .-not one that the writer can now lay hands upon. to help him in his task. The general era 1 historian records that the have written little for the press--far too little.
 When recently t was published that at the request of pr. Thomas M. Owen, Direct Director r,o of t,,a the Dspartmsnt of Ar, had undertaken this history. a letter came from Captain W. L. Pagan of Company k. now living. near Havana. diary he had Kept. making frequent entries in 1t during the whole war, even down to Apponatox, where he was present. The regiment contained no more reliable officer than gallant Captain Pagan, and I have. therefore, made use of his memoranda. There is before me slso "A Short History of the sth Alabama Regiment' written by Va. in the winter of issS- 1. in response to a request. or order. from Colonel Fowler. the Adjutant-General of Gov ernor Watts, requiring such a report from officers at the head of the sew erai Alabama commands. From this little sketch the following is quo- Tn the accounts of each battle I have consulted with those officers who were most cognizant of the facts, and specton of ali the 0eeR ecerp 9pen f t9 s sns ment Their comments have been invi- ted and I have in several instances ayailed myself of their suggestions. The writer has been obliged to mention his own name oftener than he would have desired in writing of his own. This has been unavoidable from the nature of the report called for, and the relation the writer has sustained to the regiment"
 A like apology Is perhaps now again necessary. as I undertake the task assigned me, of writing more fully and pitempting to give life color to the
 It is scarcely fair. however. to nny.l self. to speak of this little work as
 taSk imposed upon me ana exe- cuted under orders. It has been en- tered upon with a1acrity, and with a spirit of thankfulness that I have at last been able to devote portion of my time to the performance of this which has now come to be duty to my comrades, dead and living.
 oMst assuredly the fullness of time has come when something more ought to be written, not only Of the history of the sth Alabsma. but aise Of " VII. part This has been to me painfully manifest as I have proceeded with my investigations. for I have found no extended notice anywhere either. of the Brigade, or of the sth, 9th, 10th, 1ith pr I4th Alsblma which coEnRosed ,iitt;.s, itt; Church, where on May 8, 1883, Will cox's brigade was the chief factor in one of the most glorious victories of stating that the battle was won by General Early, when Early had noth- ing to do with it. he and his command being some five miles away.
 Again I have discovered that % re- hone's old brigade were making the claim that they were entitled to the chief credit of the great Confeder- ate triumph at the Crater. July 30. discussing the project of setting up a memorial tablet to their command on the Crater proper, when the fact Is that Wilcox's brigade captured the tured the works to the left of 1t.
 To say. however, that it was Will cox's brigade that captured the Crater is not historically correct, except in and 14th Alabama first came tcgeth- CT Wilcox was their commander. Un- der him they first won reputation, and therefore its soldiers generally. dur