12th Alabama Infantry Regiment

12th Alabama Infantry Regiment Seven Pines, Malvern Hill, Boonsboro, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancorsville, Gettysburg, The Wilderness, Petersburg, Appomattox The Commanders

The 12th Alabama Regiment was organized at Richmond in July 1861, with members from Montgomery and Mobile, and Coffee, Coosa, De Kalb, Jackson, Macon, Morgan, and Pike counties. It was at once moved to the "Potomac front" and first brigaded under General Richard Ewell of Virginia, who was soon after succeeded by General Robert Rodes, of Tuscaloosa. The regiment was near Manassas during the fall and winter, and it moved to Yorktown in the spring, 1862. It was under fire there and suffered lightly at Williamsburg. At Seven Pines, the regiment was in the advance that opened the battle, and it stormed the redoubt held by General Silas Casey's division, carrying three lines of works by successive charges, and losing 70 killed and 141 wounded. It participated to some extent in the other battles before Richmond (1862), and mustered 120 men for duty after the battle of Malvern Hill. Still under Rodes, and in General Daniel H. Hill's Division, and brigaded with the 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 26th Alabama regiments (Rode's Brigade), the 12th was in the advance into Maryland (fall, 1862). It bore a conspicuous part at Boonsboro, and also at Sharpsburg (Antietam), losing in these battles 27 killed, 69 wounded, and 33 missing. Retiring into Virginia with the army, the regiment wintered (1862-1863) on the Rappahannock. It was under fire but not actively engaged at Fredericksburg, II Corps (LTG Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson), D. H. Hill's Division, 1st Brigade (BG Robert Rodes), 12th Alabama (COL Samuel Pickens); but it was in the resistless column of Rodes at Chancellorsville (spring, 1863), where Col. Edward O'Neal led the brigade, and where the 12th charged 3 lines of breastworks and was badly mutilated. It skirmished at Brandy Station, and again led the way over the Potomac. At Gettysburg, it was on the extreme left and pressed the enemy in confusion through the town, then supported General George Pickett's assault, and afterwards covered the rear II Army Corps (LTG Richard Ewell), Rode's Division (MG Robert Rodes), O'Neal's Brigade (COL Edward A. O'Neal), 12th Alabama (COL Samuel Pickens). After the army retired into Virginia, the 12th was engaged in several skirmishes — at Warrenton Springs, Turkey Run, etc. The winter (1864) was passed near Orange Court House, and the regiment, Gen. Cullen Battle now commanding the brigade, II Army Corps (LTG Richard S. Ewell), Rode's Division, Battle's Brigade (BG Cullen Battle), was hotly engaged at The Wilderness and Spotsylvania, and in the continuous skirmishing of Grant's advance movement to Cold Harbor. The 12th then again marched into Maryland when General Jubal Early threatened Washington. It participated at Winchester with very severe loss, and in the further operations of the corps in the Valley. On its return to Petersburg, it took part (now in General John Gordon's corps) in the struggles around that city, and surrendered at Appomattox in April, 1865. Of the original 1196, about 50 surrendered at Appomattox. And of the 321 recruits received, about 70 were there. Nearly 250 men died of wounds from battle; about 200 died of disease; and 202 were discharged. The battle-flag of the regiment was taken to Mobile after the war and is probably still there.

Field and staff officers: Cols. Robert T. Jones (Perry; KIA, Seven Pines); Bristor B. Gayle (Morgan; KIA, Boonsboro); Samuel B. Pickens (SC; wounded, Spotsylvania, Winchester); Lt. Cols. Theodore O'Hara (KY; transferred); B. B. Gayle (promoted); Samuel B. Pickens (wounded, Boonsboro; promoted); John C. Goodgame (Coosa); Majors E. D. Tracy (Madison; transferred); John C. Brown (Coffee; resigned); B. B. Gayle (promoted); Samuel B. Pickens (promoted); John C. Goodgame (promoted); Adolph Proskauer (Mobile; wounded, Chancellorsville, Spotsylvania); and Adjutants Samuel B. Pickens (promoted); Junius L. Walthall (Mobile; transferred); and L. Gayle (VA)

Captains, and counties from which the companies came:

• Mobile: George Heuilly (until reorganization); Jule L'Etondal (died in service); T. H. Rogers (wounded, Winchester)
• Coosa: Joseph H. Bradford (until reorganization); John C. Goodgame (promoted); Henry W. Cox (KIA, Chancellorsville); Patrick Thomas (KIA, Appomattox)
• Mobile: Augustus Stykes (resigned); A. Proskauer (promoted); F. C. Fischer; E. Karcher
• Coffee: John C. Brown (promoted); T. C. Horn (resigned); E. Tucker (KIA, Sharpsburg); Davis (KIA, Gettysburg); J. McCassells (KIA, The Wilderness)
• DeKalb: W. Higgins (resigned); R. F. Patterson (resigned); W. L. Maroney (resigned); John Rogers (KIA, Spotsylvania); A. Majors (KIA, Snicker's Gap)
• Macon: R. F. Ligon (until reorganization); Robert H. Keeling (KIA, Seven Pines); J. W. McNeeley (wounded, Chancellorsville; transferred); Robert E. Park (wounded, Gettysburg, Winchester, and captured)
• Jackson: A. S. Bibb (until reorganization); P. D. Ross (wounded, Gettysburg)
• Morgan: B. B. Gayle (promoted); C. A. Darwin (KIA, Seven Pines); A. E. Hewlett (wounded, Winchester, and captured)
• Mobile: W. T. Walthall (transferred); John J. Nicholson (wounded, Seven Pines, The Wilderness)
• Macon: W. H. C. Price (until reorganization); D. H. Garrison (KIA, Sharpsburg); Thomas Fitzgerald (KIA, Chancellorsville); E. H. Rowell

History: "Diary of Robert E. Park," in Southern Historical Society Papers, I (1876), pp.370-86, 430-437; II (1876), pp. 25-31, 78-85, 173-180, 232-239, 306-315; III (1877), pp. 43-46, 55-61, 127-127, 183-189, and 244-254. Robert Emory Park , "Rodes' Brigade at Seven Pines," in Land We Love (Charlotte, NC), vol. IV (1867/68), pp.389-391. Robert Emory Park / Sketch of the Twelfth Alabama Infantry of Battle's Brigade, Rodes' Division, Early's Corps, of the Army of Northern Virginia (Richmond: William Ellis Jones, printer, 1906). "War diary of Robert Emory Park, January 28th, 1863-January 27th, 1864," in Southern Historical Society Papers, vol. XXVI (1898), pp. 1-31.