12th Alabama Infantry Regiment – Official Records

  THE TWELFTH ALABAMA INFANTRY.

The Twelfth Alabama infantry was organized at Richmond, July, 1861, formed a part of General Ewell’s brigade, and was afterward under General Rodes. It fought at ‘Yorktown, April 5 to May 3, 1862; Williamsburg, May 5th; Seven Pines, May 31st to June 1st, where it made a gallant assault upon the strong position held by Casey’s division; was engaged in the fights before Richmond, June 26th to July 1st; was distinguished at Boonsboro, September 15th, and Sharpsburg, September 17th; fought gallantly at Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862; Chancellorsville, May 1st to 4th; Brandy Station, June 9th; and Gettysburg, July 1st to 3d, and formed  part of the rear guard in retiring from that bloody field. It was also in the engagements at the Wilderness, May 5 to 7, 1864; Spottsylvania, May 8th to 18th; Winchester, July 24th, and in the various battles around Petersburg from June, 1864, to April, 1865.

Among the distinguished officers killed were: Col. Robert T. Jones, Capts. R. H. Keeling and C. A. Darwin at Seven Pines; Col. Bristow B. Gayle at Boonsboro; Capts. E. Tucker and D. H. Garrison at Sharpsburg; Henry W. Cox at Chancellorsville; Davis at Gettysburg; J. McCassells at the Wilderness; John Rogers at Spottsylvania, and A. Majors at Snicker’s Gap, August 19, 1864. Among the other field officers of this regiment were: Col. Samuel B. Pickens, Lieut.-Col. Theodore O’Hara, John C. Goodgame, and Edward D. Tracy, afterward killed when brigadier-general; also Majs. Adolph Proskaner and John C. Brown.

EXTRACTS FROM OFFICIAL WAR RECORDS.

• Vol. II–(1000) Assigned to Second brigade, Gen. R. S. Ewell, First corps, army of Potomac, special order 169, Manassas Junction, July 25, 1861.
• Vol. V–(1029) In Rodes’ brigade, Van Dorn’s division, Potomac district, General Beauregard commanding, January, 1862.
• Vol. XI–(971-976) General Rodes’ report of battle of Seven Pines, May 31st to June 1st, speaks of Col. R. T. Jones of the Twelfth Alabama, killed, as the most accomplished officer in the brigade. For gallantry he notes Capt. E. Tucker, and gives casualties, 59 killed, 149 wounded. (979) Mentioned in report of Col. J. B. Gordon, Seven Pines. (981, 982) Col. B. B. Gayle, lieuten-ant-colonel commanding at Seven Pines, says that the Twelfth regiment, while advancing, charged directly through the camp of the enemy. The number of men carried into the fight, as near as can be ascertained, 408; number killed, 69; number wounded, 156. Thus, more than half carried into battle were killed or wounded.
• Vol. XI, Part 2–(484) Rodes’ brigade, Hill’s division, Jackson’s corps, Seven Days’ battles. (505, 975) Medical <cmh7a_95>director reports 1 killed, 11 wounded at Gaines’ Mill. (555, 570, 621, 625) Mentioned in reports of Stonewall Jackson, Gen. C. Winder, Gen. Bradley Johnson, Gen. D. H. Hill, Seven Days’ battles. (630-633) Mentioned in report of Gen. R. E. Rodes. (634, 638, 639) Mentioned in reports of Col. J. B. Gordon and Col. B B. Gayle.
• Vol. XI, Part 3–(482, 532, 601, 650) 550 strong, Peninsula campaign. Col. B. B. Gayle commanding regiment, July 23, 1862.
• Vol. XIX, Part I–(261, 302) Mentioned in Federal reports of battles of South Mountain and Antietam. (808) Same assignment, Maryland campaign. Col. B. B. Gayle and Lieut.-Col. S. B. Pickens with regiment. (1021-1030) Gen. D. H. Hill, in report of operations July 23 to September 17, 1862, calls Colonel Gayle a most gallant and accomplished officer. (1034-1038) Report of General Rodes, battles of Boonsboro and Sharpsburg. The Twelfth lost heavily. Lieut.-Col. B. B. Gayle was seen to fall, and Lieut.-Col. Samuel B. Pickens was shot through the lungs; the former was left on the field supposed to be dead; Pickens was brought off.
• Vol. XXI–(541, 1073) Rodes’ brigade, Second corps, army of Northern Virginia, battle of Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862. Lieut.-Col. S. B. Pickens in command of regiment.
• No. 39–(792, 807) Assignment as above, Chancellorsville campaign. Medical director reports 14 killed and 77 wounded. (944-946) General Rodes calls attention to gallant and meritorious conduct of Colonel Pickens at Chancellorsville. (948, 951, 954, 955, 959, 960) Mentioned in reports of Col. E. A. O’Neal, Col. J. M. Hall and Col. J. N. Lightfoot. (960-964) Report of Colonel Pickens gives 6 killed and 32 wounded, May 2d, and 7 killed and 55 wounded, May 3d. Total loss at Chancellorsville, 14 killed and 87 wounded. (986) Gen. Alfred Iverson in report of Chancellorsville says: “I then communicated with Col. S. B. Pickens, commanding Twelfth Alabama, whose gallantry on this occasion I cannot too highly commend, so completely and courageously did he lend himself to aid me preparing the line to resist an attack.” (1053) Roll of honor, Chancellorsville: Capt. H. W. Cox, Company B, killed in action; Sergt. William Lawless, Company C; Privates Louis Dondero, Company A; R. W. May, Company B; J. E. Bailey, Company D; C. H. Hunter, <cmh7a_96>Company E; P. W. Chappell, Company E; R. B. Mitchell, Company G; W. S. Brown, Company H; H. N. Wooten, Company I; Thomas H. Eady, Company K.
• No. 44–(287) Assignment as above, Gettysburg. (332, 342) Reports of casualties. (545-553) Mentioned in report of General Rodes. (563) Officers in command at Gettysburg: CoL S. B. Pickens, Maj. A. Proskaner, Lieut.-Col. J. C. Goodgame in command of the Twenty-sixth Alabama. (592-3) Mentioned in report of E. A. O’Neal, colonel commanding brigade. (600, 601) Colonel Pickens reports 12 killed and 71 wounded, Gettysburg.
• No. 48–(399) Battle’s brigade, Second army corps, Colonel Pickens commanding regiment, September 30, 1863. (412, 617) Return of casualties, 2 killed, October 10th to 21st, October 20th to November 8th, 1 wounded. (818, 838) Assignment as above, and medical director’s report. (892) Report of Major Proskaner of operations on November 27th and 28th, 2 wounded. Mentioned in Lieutenant-Colonel Garvin’s report.
• No. 49–(683, 900) Assignment as above to December, 1863.
• No. 60–Joint resolution of thanks from Congress to Battle’s brigade, February 6, 1864. [See Extracts under Third regiment.]
• No. 67–(1024) Assignment as above, May, 1864. (1083) Mentioned in report of Gen. C. A. Battle, May 8, 1864.
• No. 68–(715) Mentioned by Gen. G. K. Warren (Union), May 13, 1864.
• No. 88–(1217) Assignment as above, August 31, 1864.
• No. 89–(1194) Battle’s brigade, Lee’s army, October 31, 1864, Lieut.-Col. John C. Goodgame in command of regiment. (1246, 1364) Assignment as above, Colonel Pickens.
• No. 90–(564) Battle’s brigade, with Gen. J. A. Early, Cedar Creek, October 19, 1864. Capt. P. D. Ross commanding regiment. (1002, 1013) Assignment as above.
• No. 95–(336) Mentioned in report of Capt. J. F. Carter (Third Maryland, U. S.) of operations, March 25, 1865. (1270) Battle’s brigade, in Lee’s army.
• No. 96–(1172, 1181, 1270) Assignment as above to February 28, 1865.
• No. 97–(263) Mentioned in report of Gen. J. G. Parke (U. S.), March 29, 1865