The 53rd Alabama Cavalry Regiment, also known as the 53rd Alabama Partisan Rangers, was a

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from ''cheval'' meaning "horse") are groups of soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Until the 20th century, cavalry were the most mob ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation. In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...

that served in the

Confederate Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fi ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. The regiment was instrumental in the raid to capture a train load of cattle destined for General Sherman during the Atlanta Campaign. The unit continued a guerrilla action as General Sherman marched to the sea in his

scorched earth A scorched-earth policy is a military strategy of destroying everything that allows an enemy military force to be able to fight a war, including the deprivation and destruction of water, food, humans, animals, plants and any kind of tools and i ...

campaign to Savannah. The 53rd served in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida and South Carolina.

Creation of Unit

On April 21, 1862, the

Confederate Congress The Confederate States Congress was both the provisional and permanent legislative assembly/legislature of the Confederate States of America that existed from February 1861 to April/June 1865, during the American Civil War. Its actions were, ...

passed the Partisan Ranger Act. The law was intended as a stimulus for recruitment of

irregulars Irregular military is any military component distinct from a country's regular armed forces, representing non-standard militant elements outside of conventional governmental backing. Irregular elements can consist of militias, private army, pr ...

for service into the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the Military forces of the Confederate States, military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) duri ...

during the

. On February 17, 1864 the Partisan Ranger Act was repealed after pressure from

Robert E. Lee Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was a general officers in the Confederate States Army, Confederate general during the American Civil War, who was appointed the General in Chief of the Armies of the Confederate ...

and other Confederate regulars persuaded Congress to repeal the act.

Service

The 53rd Alabama Cavalry Regiment was organized at Montgomery, Alabama, in November, 1862. Two of its companies had seen prior service with the 7th Alabama Infantry Regiment. Men of this command were from the counties of Autauga, Butler, Lauderdale, Macon, Pike, Coosa, Tallapoosa, Dallas, Perry, Monroe, Wilcox, Lowndes, Dale, Coffee, and Montgomery. It first served in the District of the Gulf and in December contained 517 effectives. The unit was later assigned to Roddey's and M.W. Hannon's Brigade, Wheeler's Corps. It saw action at Thompson's Station, Brentwood, and Town Creek, was involved at the Atlanta Campaign, then participated in the defense of

Savannah A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) biome and ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach th ...

and the campaign of the

Carolinas The Carolinas, also known simply as Carolina, are the U.S. states of North Carolina and South Carolina considered collectively. They are bordered by Virginia to the north, Tennessee to the west, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the southwes ...

. Hannon's Brigade was in Sumter County, South Carolina when they received word to cease fire on April 21, 1865. They laid down arms at Columbia, SC, and were paroled at Augusta, Georgia during the first week of May 1865. Colonel Moses W. Hannon, Lieutenant Colonel John F. Gaines, and Major Thomas F. Jenkins were in command.

Commanders

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

Moses W. Hannon * Lieutenant Colonel John F. Gaines * Major Thomas F. Jenkins

References

{{Authority control Units and formations of the Confederate States Army from Alabama 1862 establishments in Alabama Military units and formations established in 1862

Creation of Unit

Service

Commanders

See also

References