Robert E. Sloan enlisted as a private in the Army of the Confederacy of Southern States on the 10th day of May, 1862 at Talledega, Alabama in Company B of the 31st Alabama Infantry and was honorably discharged from such service on the 1st day of May 1865. He fought in the battles at Cumberland Gap, Stone's River, Vicksburg, Port Hudson and others. His brother-in-law M.A. Hardin, was also in the 31st Alabama Infantry and they appeared to be together most of the time.
On May 13,1899 Robert E.Sloan made application to the state of Alabama for a pension, saying that he is now 66 years of age and has diabetes. At that time he listed his property as being:
>2 horses and mules_____$50.00
>3 cattle ______$45.00
>52 hogs,sheep&goats___$29.00
>furniture ______$25.00
>tools ______$10.00
>Total------------------->>$159.00
On May 31, 1900 Mahalia Ann made application for reclassification as a widow. They suffered many hardships as a result of the war.
During the time of his service in the War Between the States, Robert Sloan would go A.W.O.L. from the Army just long enough to come home and plow some land. He would stay perhaps 2 or 3 days, plowing only at night, hiding during the day. Mahalia Ann would walk beside the plow carrying a pine torch for him to see while he plowed a steer. These vegetables were all the food they could grow to eat. They had no salt, so the women would go to the meat houses, scrape up dirt, put the dirt in with water in a washpot, boil, drain off the water, boil again, etc. until only salt was left. Previously, meat was cured by salting, hanging up and smoking. Some of the salt always fell on the ground.
After the war, when times were so hard, Robert would make wooden shoes for his family, and they would wear them to church at Arrington Chapel. Robert E. Sloan was a good man.
31st Alabama Infantry Regiment
The 31st Alabama Infantry Regiment was organized at Talladega, 16 March 1862, with men from Calhoun, Cherokee, Montgomery, Randolph, Shelby, and Talladega counties. It reported to Gen'l Danville Leadbetter at Chattanooga shortly after. It then moved up to Knoxville, where it was brigaded under Gen'l Seth Barton, in Carter Stevenson's Division. The regiment was at the investment of Cumberland Gap, and it took part in the fight at Tazewell. With Gen'l E. K. Smith's column, it was in the Kentucky Campaign, without coming up with the enemy. When the forces came back, it was permanently brigaded with the 20th, 23rd, 30th, and 46th Alabama regiments, under Gen'l Edward D. Tracy of Madison, Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana. In December, the 31st accompanied Stevenson's Division to Vicksburg. In May 1863 it helped defend Port Gibson, Mississippi, where the regiment suffered severely. It fought at Baker's Creek, and the loss was heavy. As part of the Vicksburg garrison, the regiment suffered through the siege, and after losing a number killed and wounded, it was surrendered with the fortress. Placed in parole camp at Demopolis, the 31st was soon exchanged. With Gen'l Edmund Pettus in command of the brigade, the regiment joined the Army of Tennessee, and it was engaged with slight loss at Mission Ridge. It wintered at Dalton, and it participated in the campaign from Dalton to Atlanta. The regiment followed Gen'l John Bell Hood into Tennessee and sustained severe losses at Columbia and Nashville, and was the rear-guard of the retreating army. Transferred to North Carolina, the regiment was hotly engaged at Bentonville, and a fragment of the 1100 with which it entered the service surrendered at Greensboro, as part of Pettus' Brigade. There were 260 effectives in January, 1863, with 21 k and 37 w at Vicksburg. There were 23 casualties at Chattanooga, and in December, 1863, there were 452 present with 323 arms. Only 180 were fit for duty in January 1865, and less than 100 surrendered in April. Toward the close of the war, the 31st was consolidated with the 23rd and 46th Infantry and redesignated the 23rd Consolidated Infantry Regiment at Smithfield, 9 April 1865.
Field and staff officers: Col. Daniel Robinson Hundley (Madison; wounded, Port Gibson; captured, Port Gibson, Big Shanty, Georgia); Lt. Col. Thomas Mann Arrington (Montgomery); Major George W. Mattison (Talladega; transferred to line duty); John W. Shorter (Georgia; captured, Champion's Hill; resigned); and William M. Garrard (Georgia)
Captains, and counties from which the companies came:
Co. "A" (Cherokee County): Isaac P. Moragne (resigned, 13 Aug 62); Henry W. Pickens (resigned, 30 March 63); W. L. Hughes (wounded, Jonesboro)
Co. "B" (Talladega County): William S. Chapman (resigned, 26 Sept 62); Robert A. Hardie (resigned, 12 Dec 63); William H. Hancock (transferred); W. J. Rhodes (wounded, Kinston, Bentonville)
Co. "C" (Cherokee County): Marshal J.l Alexander (resigned, 28 Aug 62); Joseph J. Nix (wounded, Champion's Hill, Jonesboro; captured, Champion's Hill)
Co. "D" (Calhoun County): E. T. Thompson; (dropped from rolls, 2 June 64); John Rose
Co. "E" (Talladega County): Archibald Carter (resigned, 27 Aug 62); G. W. Watts (resigned, 19 Nov 63); Frank M. Shouse
Co. "F" (Talladega County): Robert M. McKibbin
Co. "G" (Shelby County): James Cobb (resigned, 2 Sept 62); William H. Shelby (resigned, 21 Nov 63); Robert B. Pruitt
Co. "H" (Randolph County): Augustus A. West (resigned, 27 Aug 62); Andrew J. Reeves (resigned); James L. Williams (captured, Missionary Ridge)
Co. "I" (Montgomery County): John M. Shields (resigned, 10 Sept 62); Thomas M. Arrington (promoted); L. W. Vick
Co. "K" (Shelby County): Norman P. Reeves (appointed surgeon); John W. Pitts (resigned, 10 Nov 62); Samuel W. Morgan (dropped from rolls, 17 June 64); J. T. McClanahan31st Alabama Infantry Regiment Literature
Hundley, Daniel Robinson. Prison Echoes of the Great Rebellion. (New york : S.W. Green, 1874) [Reprinted, Round Rock, TX : Patrex Press, 1992.]
Miller, Rex. Hundley's Ragged Volunteers : a Day-by-Day Account of the 31st Alabama Infantry Regiment, CSA (1861-1865) (Depew, NY : Patrex Press, 1991)
.
Listed as Malrinsa R. in 1860.Sources: 1. Census 1850-Cherokee Co. Al.
Fam715 pg113: 1860-Same Fam612
BIRTH: ABT. 1844, HALL Co. GA.
DEATH: AFT. 1861, CHEROKEE Co. AL.
EVENT: Military 10 AUG 1861, C.S.A. 19th. Inf. Co. I, Pvt.Captains, and counties from which the companies came
Co. "I", Cherokee Rangers (Cherokee): James H. Savage (promoted to Major)10 Aug 1861, Coloma, AL. C.S.A. 19th. Inf. Co. I, Pvt William W. Sloan
Sources:
1. Census 1850: Cherokee Co. Al. Fam715 pg113 [Warren, age 6, AL.
w/parents]
2. Census 1860: Cherokee Co. Al. Fam621 [William W. age ?, w/parents]
19th Alabama Infantry Regiment
The 19th Alabama Infantry Regiment was organized at Huntsville, 14 August 1861, with men recruited from Blount, Cherokee, Chilton, Coosa, Jefferson, and Pickens counties. It was ordered to Mobile immediately. It remained there about three months, then was at Pensacola for two weeks. Ordered to Corinth, the 19th was brigaded under Gen'l Gladden of Louisiana, with the 22nd, 25th, and 50th regiments, and after Shiloh, the 17th Battalion, Sharpshooters, and the 39th regiment. At Shiloh, the 19th lost 110 k and 240 w, of the 650 engaged. Gen'l Frank Gardner soon after succeeded to command the brigade, leading it into Kentucky where it did not find the enemy. The regiment retired with the army to fight at Murfreesboro, losing about 151 k and w, about 1/4 of its strength. Thereafter, Gen'l Deas of Mobile succeeded to the command of the brigade, leading it at Chickamauga where it lost heavily, 192 k and w. There were few casualties at Missionary Ridge, and the 19th wintered at Dalton. In the almost incessant fighting from there to Atlanta, the regiment lost heavily in casualties, particularly at new Hope and near Marietta. The brigade, under the command of Gen'l Johnston of Perry, the 19th was badly cut up in the battles at Atlanta on 22 and 28 July. Losses were slight at Jonesboro. At the Battle of Franklin, the 19th lost only a few to battle wounds, but many were captured. It went to North Carolina and was engaged at Kinston and Bentonville, losing heavily in the latter affair. Then consolidated with the 40th and 46th Alabama regiments at Salisbury (with M. L. Woods as colonel and Ezekiel Gully of Sumter as lt. colonel), the 19th surrendered at that place, 76 strong.Field and Staff Officers: Cols. Joseph Wheeler (Georgia; promoted); Samuel King McSpadden (Cherokee; captured, Resaca); Lt. Cols. Edward Dorr Tracy (Madison; promoted); George R. Kimbrough (Pickens); Nicholas Davis; Majors Samuel King McSpadden (promoted); George R. Kimbrough (promoted); Solomon Palmer (Blount); James H. Savage; and Adjutants William E. Ash (transferred to 17th AL Sharpshooters); Clifton Walker (Madison; wounded, Shiloh; transferred to Gen'l Tracy's staff); R. H. Hagood; Edwin D. Thomason; Charles G. Hale (wounded, Murfreesboro); William T. Bell
Captains, and counties from which the companies came:
Co. "A", Pickens Rough and Readys (Pickens): George R. Kimbrough (promoted to Lt. Col.); Robert J. Healy (KIA, Murfreesboro); Dyer C. Hods (wounded, Atlanta)
Co. "B", Blount Continentals (Blount): William R. D. McKenzie (KIA, Corinth); William R. Trice (resigned, 20 July 1863); Hugh L. Houston (KIA, Atlanta)
Co. "C", Jefferson Warriors (Jefferson): William F. Hanby (wounded, Shiloh)
Co. "D", Jake Curry Guards (Cherokee): William P. Hollingsworth (transferred to Gen'l Ed. D. Tracy's staff); Edward Thornton (KIA, Jonesboro); Benjamin L. Archer
Co. "E", Cherokee Guards (Cherokee): William E. Kirkpatrick (resigned, 17 Feb 62); Marvel M. Israel (wounded, Chickamauga; died, 8 April 64); Thomas J. Williamson (wounded, Atlanta)
Co. "F", Davis Guards (Cherokee): Rufus B. Rhea (resigned, 7 Sept 63); Smauel M. J. Howard
Co. "G", Cherokee Mountaineers (Cherokee): Jackson Millsaps (resigned, 31 July 62); John N. Barry (dismissed, 23 April 64); James H. Leath (wounded, Atlanta)
Co. "H", Cherokees (Cherokee): Joseph L. Cunningham (transferred to Gen'l Naglee's staff); Samuel B. Echols (resigned, 3 Sept 64; William B. Tripps; Samuel Marshall
Co. "I", Cherokee Rangers (Cherokee): James H. Savage (promoted to Major)
Co. "K", Blount Guards (Blount): James H. Skinner (retired, 1 July 62); Solomon Palmer (promoted to Major); Nathaniel J. Venable (KIA, Marietta); James K. Duffee19th Alabama Infantry Regiment
They bore every burden : history of the 19th Alabama Regiment, Army of Tennessee, C.S.A. 3rd ed. Madison, AL : R.W. Smart, 1998 [1st edition bore title: Richard W. Smart. History of the 19th Alabama Regiment, Army of Tennessee, C.S.A. Madison, AL, 1991.
Roll and history of Company C, Nineteenth Alabama Regiment.[No place, 1904] [(Report from annual unit reunion;) reprinted, microfiche]
Company roll and a brief history of the war record of Company I, 19th Regiment Alabama Volunteers, C.S.A. [N.p., 1905?]