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A Brief History of the 60th Alabama Infantry Regiment

Part 1

By Galen M. Wagner

            To fully study the 60th Alabama Infantry Regiment, from conception to parole at Appomattox Court House, it is important to follow the men that would become a regiment in Tennessee through their valiant service in the legion formed by Henry Washington Hilliard. Due to the large number of casualties suffered from enemy fire on the banks of the north Georgia creek that would come to be known as one of the bloodiest battlefields of the war, the men were formed into several regiments that would continue to serve until 1865.

         Hilliard’s Legion was formed in Montgomery, Alabama on or about June 25th , 1862 of men from Montgomery and neighboring counties. The Legion consisted of five battalions; three of which were Infantry, one of Cavalry, and one of Artillery and was three thousand men strong when it boarded rail cars for a long trip to Knoxville, Tennessee, by way of Chattanooga. Here these men would begin what would become a head on charge into glory, and a record of battlefield service that would receive praise from some of the highest commanders in the Army of Tennessee and the Army of Northern Virginia.

            The men of Hilliard’s Legion reached Knoxville on August 4th, 1862 and began their first march; some 41 miles to Tazewell, Tennessee on the 14th.  The Legion moved up and was assigned to Major General Stevenson's Brigade, Department of East Tennessee, who had  seiged Cumberland Gap. The Gap was evacuated on September 17th and was occupied by the Legion, where it remained until October 2nd.

            Braxton Bragg’s Kentucky Campaign found Hilliard’s Legion bringing up the rear of the invading army, and advancing into Kentucky as far as the Dick River, a distance of about 150 miles from where the march began at Cumberland Gap. In General Bragg’s somewhat hasty retreat from Kentucky, the men learned full well what it meant to provide rear guard for a retreating army. The Legion reentered Cumberland Gap having marched about 300 miles since it left there on the 2nd .

            After spending the remainder of October and the first week of November in the Gap, the Legion was ordered to march to Knoxville and on to Loudon, about 90 miles away. From Loudon the Legion was transported to Bridgeport, Alabama and after a brief stay , was moved back to Knoxville. This movement to and from Bridgeport occurred around the time of the Battle of Murfreesboro.

            The men of 1st Battalion spent the winter at Big Creek Gap, and here became part of the Brigade of Archibald Gracie. On the 10th of April 1863 the battalions were reunited at Lee’s Springs, and placed under Gracie's command. The troops composing the Legion ( with the exception of the Cavalry ) remained under Gracie’s command until the his demise in the trenches at Petersburg . Lee’s Springs was styled the birthplace of Gracies Brigade.

            From Lee’s Springs, the Brigade marched on the 15th of April back to Cumberland Gap, then to Bean’s Station; from Bean’s Station to Morristown, and arrived back at Cumberland Gap on June 4th. From then until the 9th of August the men remained on picket duty on the Kentucky side of the Gap.

            On the 9th of August General Buckner, who commanded the Department, commenced the evacuation of East Tennessee. The Legion marched from Cumberland Gap and moved by way of Strawberry Plains, Knoxville and Turkey Creek, to Loudon. At Loudon the Brigade under Gracie, rejoined by the remainder of Buckner’s Army, chased the enemy out of Mclemores Cove and moved steadily forward, frequently at night, until September the 18th, 1863.

            On the 19th of September the battle commenced in earnest and the Chickamauga became in fact a “ stream of death .”  This was a day of anticipation for the Legion, which was held in reserve.

            On the 20th the storm revived, and at about 3:30 PM the banner of the Legion was unfurled for the first time in battle, the command “ Forward – At the Double Quick! “   was given by Gracie and the men rushed impetuously in to battle. The first volley of the enemy, who lay behind log fortifications in an excellent position, bore down with fatal precision.  It tore holes in the line, and created huge gaps, but was responded to by an answering volley and a rousing cheer, which rose high above the thunder of combat. Snodgrass Hill lay thick with wounded, dying and dead! 1st Battalion carried two hundred and thirty men into battle, and sustained a loss of one hundred and sixty eight killed, wounded and missing. Among the fatally wounded was John H. Holt, the Battalion’s commander. The Second Battalion was similarly devastated.

            General William S. Preston in his official report of Chickamauga says:

 “ The Brigade of Gracie advanced with splendid courage, but was met with destructive fire of the enemy from the cover of their field works on the hill.  The battalions stormed the hill and entered the entrenchments. Here an obstinate and bloody combat ensued…. The First Battalion out of 239 men lost 169…  the Second Battalion’s colors were pierced in 83 places, and were afterwards presented to his excellency,  the President.” 

            General Gracie in his report says :

 “ The First Battalion , Alabama Legion, sustained the heaviest loss. Of 239 men carried into battle, 169 were killed or  wounded. It was the Second Battalion that first gained the hill and placed its colors on the enemy works. Its color’s bore over 80 bullets. It’s bearer, Robert Y. Hiett, though thrice wounded and the staff thrice shot away, carried his charge throughout the entire fight. He deserves not only mention, but promotion “.

             In earning an excellent reputation, the Legion lost some 45% of the 902 men engaged. Gracies Brigade is officially reported to be the first Confederate unit to place its colors in the Union works.

            After the battle Major Daniel S. Troy commanded the Legion, and Gracies Brigade remained on Missionary Ridge guarding the approaches to Chattanooga until on 25 November 1863 it was resolved. On this Date the men under Gracie were transported by rail to Charleston, Tennessee. It was here that the Legion was Broken up and men from  Co A., B., C., and D. of the 1st Battalion, and six companies of the 3rd Battalion would form the 60th Alabama Infantry Regiment. Command of the Regiment was given to Col. J. W. A. Sanford.