Here is a story of the 41st by the g grandson of a person that was in that outfit when Lee's finest troops surrendered at Appamatox. You might find it interesting to read as one or more of your Fayette County, Al. ancesters might have been in same company. The previous listing showed the ones that were drafted, not the ones that returned. Anyone that wants to copy and use the story are welcome to do so. Moseason COMPANY I, 41st ALABAMA INFANTRY REGIMENT, C.S.A. I became interested in the history of this company because my great grandpa Moses Eason was a member thereof. According to my mother he was in the ambulance and first aid section that did what they could for the wounded and dying and picked up the dead. In WW2 language he was on the "meat wagon" team. On his enlistment record it said he was born Jan. 21, 1832, Newnan, Coweta County, Ga. and enlisted May 15, 1862, Fayette County, Al. and was mustered into Co. I, 41st Al. Inf. May 19, 1862. Knowing where your soldier was mustered in is the key to finding records of the Company at the Ala. Archives, Montgomery. All the 41st Inf. from Co. A thru Co. M. were mustered in at Tuscaloosa, Al. And the original handwritten rolls are in the Archives. The chief honcho of all the companies of the 41st Regiment was Col. H. Talbird and the regiment was called Talbirds Regiment. An original photocopy of the field and staff officers of this regiment is attached. Thomas W. Abernathy was Captain of Company I through most of the war, but J.M. Jeffries, Surgeon became commander of Co I, and at surrender he was commander of the whole 41st regiment. Surrender was at Appamatox. It was interesting to note that John C. Kirkland of Fayette Co. was captain of one of the companies. I have been living within 1/2 mile of some of his Kirkland descendants for the last several years. A post office named Machine was listed for his house in 1899. I didn't realize I was living at Machine, Al. Thought I was at 4146 County Road 51, Fayette, Al. I believe Kirkland at one time ran a gin and mill is probably the reason for the name Machine. Some people also got hung in this Machine neighborhood for not joining up. J.C. Kirkland's son Burie D. was chief landowner and honcho of this neighborhood when I was growing up. Kirkland Jr. Hi School of Fayette County was named for him. I read in another source that the total enrollment in the various Companies of the 41st Inf.Regiment, CSA exceeded 1400 soldiers at various times and that only 170 survived. My ancester Moses Eason was lucky to be in Co I with a Surgeon in command of the 41st at the end, and to have survived. From the Archive records in Montgomery there is not much info on who survived, just who got mustered in and went off to die for a lost cause. ? Places and actions of Co. I: At a place near Grahams (location not stated) 4/3/1862©6/30/1862. Prob training camp.At Murfeesboro, Tn. June 30 Jul 31, 1862. At least part of the 41st was enroute to Ky. Sept 1862. Nov. & Dec. 1862 at Tullahoma, Tn. Dec. 4,6 to Jan. 13, 6 at Tullahoma, Tn. Co I has been engaged in 2 actions since last muster, one at Hartselle, Tn. on the 8th of Dec. 1862, and the other at Murfeesboro on the 30th of Dec 1862 and lasting until the 4th of Jan 1863. During the time we have been at Murfeesboro, not including the engagement above we have been employing our time drilling. The Co. is very well drilled.The men stout and healthy and ready for action at any time. At Manchester, Tn. Jan. and Feb. 1863. The Co. was engaged in the fight at Murfeesboro, Tn. Jan. 2, 1863. Marched from Manchester to Alison distance of 36 miles from Alisonia to Tullahoma distance 6 miles, from Tullahoma to Manchester distance 11 miles, where we are now quartered. March and April 1863: The Co. moved 9 or 10 miles on the night of 21st of April 1863 in the direction of McMinville and returned next morning to Manchester. May and June 1863 place not mentioned. June to Oct. 31, 1863: On the 1st of July we left Jackson marched in the direction of Big Black. Went as far as Champion Hill. Fell back from that place on the 5th and arrived at Jackson on 7th. Ordered into line of battle on the 9th. Remained in that position 8 days. Nothing occurring of importance during that time except heavy skirmishing. Fell back from Jackson on the night of the 17th, marched to Brandon, batched?, remained one night and resumed our line of march next day, halted at Newtons? Miss. Took up camp and remained there until ordered to Tn. Left for Tn. on 27th Aug. and arrived at Tenner Station , Tn. 4th Sept. Marched in to Chattanooga on 7th Sept. and left there on the 8th, arrived at Lafayette, Ga. 11th, left there 19th, met the Federals on the 18th and after big fighting for 3 days repulsed and routed them. Persued thence to Chattanooga on 21st . Remained there until 23rd Oct. , and marched from there to this place. Next place: Morristown, Tn. Nov. & Dec. 1863. No action there. Nothing was recorded for 1864. Must have been in Northern, Va. January and February, 1865 they were at Petersburg, Va. This Company was last mustered in the trenches near Petersburg, Va. Where it has been ever since. They were about starved when Lee surrendered to Grant in May 1865. THE SURRENDER AT APPAMATOX. I have walked along the rail fence on the gravel road at Appomatox where Lee's armies surrendered. It took Grant 3 days before he had the Rebels stack arms. But it was done in style when it occurred. Grant put General Joshua L. Chamberlain in charge of accepting the surrender. He ordered the Federal troops to salute the Confeds as they passed by giving up their arms. Here's what Chamberlain said in his book "The Passing of the Armies". "I resolved to mark it by some token oof recognition which could be no other than a salute of arms. I was well aware of the criticism that would follow my main reason, however, was one for which I sought no authority nor asked forgiveness. Before us in proud humiliation stood the embodiment of manhood: ”men whom neither toils and sufferings, nor the fact of death, nor disaster, nor hopelessness could bend from their resolve; standing there before us now, thin, worn and famished, but erect, and with eyes looking level into ours, waking memories that bound us together as no other bond; was not such manhood to be welcomed back into a Union so tested and assured.•" In the next paragraph the yankee soldiers saluted the Rebels and the Rebels returned their military salutes as 28,331 of Lee's marched by to give up their arms and flags. They were allowed to keep their horses and personal belongings. "On our (Federal) part not a sound of trumpet more, nor roll of drum; not a cheer, nor word nor whisper of vain glorying, but an awed stillness rather, and breath holding, as if were the passing of the dead!" From early morning until early afternoon the saluting Southern soldiers marched past and the saluting Union soldiers, stacked their rifles and their tattered Confederate flags, and started for home. Home was anywhere from 100 to 1000 miles away. Counting the Union troops , about 100,000 men had been at Appamatox that day. Sevent two hours later all were gone home. There would have been no Fred McCaleb without Moses Eason.