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10th Alabama Infantry

Editor’s Note: Do you have information on this regiment’s role at the Siege of Petersburg?  Please contact us using the Contact button in the menu at the top of the screen.  We are happy to exchange information with other researchers.

Muster In: June 4, 18611
Muster Out: April 9, 18652

Commander(s):
Colonel William H. Forney
Commander Image

Lieutenant Colonel James E. Shelley
Commander Image

Lieutenant Colonel William T. Smith
Commander Image

Captain Wilson L. Brewster
Commander Image

Captain Caleb W. Brewton
Commander Image

Commander 6
Commander Image

First Offensive Order of BattleSanders’ Brigade | Anderson’s Division | Third Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army3

  • Commander: Lt. Col. James E. Shelley4,5
  • Unit Strength: Unknown
  • Weapons: Unknown

Second Offensive Order of Battle: Sanders’ Brigade | Anderson’s Division | Third Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army6

  • Commander: Lt. Col. James E. Shelley(at least June 22, 1864)(killed June 22, 1864)7,8
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Third Offensive Order of Battle: Sanders’ Brigade | Anderson’s Division | Third Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army9

  • Commander: Captain Wilson L. Brewster (at least July 29-30, 1864)10,11
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Fourth Offensive Order of Battle: Sanders’ Brigade | Mahone’s Division | Third Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army12

  • Commander: Colonel William H. Forney13
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Fifth Offensive Order of Battle: Sanders’ Brigade | Mahone’s Division | Third Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army14,15

  • Commander:
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Sixth Offensive Order of Battle: Sanders’ Brigade | Mahone’s Division | Third Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army16

  • Commander: Captain Wilson L. Brewster17
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Seventh Offensive Order of Battle: Sanders’ Brigade | Mahone’s Division | Third Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army18,19

  • Commander:
    • Captain Caleb W. Brewton (November 1864)20
    • Lieutenant Colonel (Captain?) William T. Smith (December 1864)21
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Eighth Offensive Order of Battle: Forney’s Brigade | Mahone’s Division | Third Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army22,23,24,25

  • Commander:
    • Lieutenant Colonel (Captain?) William T. Smith (definitely January 18, 1865)(January 1865)26,27
    • Lieutenant Colonel William T. Smith (February 1865)28
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Ninth Offensive Order of Battle: Forney’s Brigade | Mahone’s Division | Third Corps | Army of Northern Virginia | Confederate Army29,30

  • Commander: None listed. (March & April 1-2, 1865)31,32
  • Unit Strength:
  • Weapons:

Sifakis’ Compendium Info:
Petersburg Campaign Battles33:

  • None.

Bibliography:

Petersburg Campaign Documents Which Mention This Unit:

Sources:

  1. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Alabama by Stewart Sifakis, pages 69-70
  2. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Alabama by Stewart Sifakis, pages 69-70
  3. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 111
  4. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 111
  5. Lee’s Colonels (4th ed.) by Robert K. Krick, page 341
  6. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 111
  7. The Fighting Around Petersburg.” Richmond Examiner. June 25, 1864, p. 2 col. 4-5: “Colonel Shelly (sic), of the Tenth Alabama, was killed.
  8. Lee’s Colonels (4th ed.) by Robert K. Krick, page 341
  9. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 121
  10. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 121
  11.  “Graphic Account Battle of Crater.” Richmond Times-Dispatch. October 22, 1905 p. 16, col. 1-6: “This brigade was composed of the Eighth Alabama, Captain W. W. Mordecai, commanding; Ninth Alabama, Colonel J. H. King, commanding; Tenth Alabama, Captain W. L. Brewster, commanding; Eleventh Alabama, Lieutenant-Colonel George E. Tayloe, commanding; Fourteenth Alabama, Captain Elias Folk, commanding.”
  12. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 130
  13. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 130
  14. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 139
  15. Sommers, Richard J. “Grant’s Fifth Offensive at Petersburg: A Study in Strategy, Tactics, and Generalship.  The Battle of Poplar Spring Church, the First Battle of the Darbytown Road, the Second Battle of the Squirrel Level Road, the Second Battle of the Darbytown Road (Ulysses S. Grant, Virginia).” Doctoral Thesis. Rice University, 1970. Print. p. 1312.
  16. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 149
  17. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 149
  18. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 157
  19. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 166
  20. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 157
  21. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 166: Sibley lists Smith as a Lieutenant Colonel during this offensive.  However, Smith himself signed a letter indicating he was still a Captain on January 18, 1865.  See David White’s note in the Eight Offensive. I would tend to side with the man signing his own name as far as what rank he held.
  22. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 175
  23. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 1174: “Organization of the Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by General R. E. Lee, January 31, 1865”; This list contains many commanders who were not there.  They were the “official” commanders but may have been gone on leave.  I have used none of the leaders from this list as a result.
  24. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 185
  25. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume XLVI, Part 2 (Serial Number 96), page 1272: “Organization of the Infantry and Cavalry of the Army of Northern Virginia, General R. E. Lee, C. S. Army, commanding, February 28, 1865”; This order of battle was based off of inspection reports from February 28, 1865.  However, leaders listed are from January.  I’ve chosen to ignore the leaders and just use this source for the organization of the order of battle.
  26. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 175: Sibley lists no commander for January 1865, but see the note from David White.
  27. Per brigade historian David White, Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Alabama, National Archives, Roll 762 (William H. Forney, 10th Alabama, Fold3.com Page 99): “Letter recommending Colonel Forney for promotion to Brigadier General.” Multiple officers signed this letter, including Smith, and he indicated he was commanding the regiment on January 18, 1865. Smith also mentioned his rank was Captain, so it seems Sibley may have made an error when he listed Smith as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Seventh Offensive and Eighth Offensive. I would tend to side with the man signing his own name as far as what rank he held.
  28. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 185
  29. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 194
  30. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 203
  31. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 194
  32. The Confederate Order of Battle, Volume 1: The Army of Northern Virginia by F. Ray Sibley, Jr., page 203
  33. Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Alabama by Stewart Sifakis, pages 69-70
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