| Unit Name: | 56th Alabama Cavalry, Partisan Rangers |
| Dates: | 1863-1865 |
| Type: | Cavalry Partisan Rangers |
| Size: | Regiment |
| Battles: | American Civil War |
| Battles Label: | Battles |
The 56th Alabama Cavalry was a Confederate Partisan Ranger cavalry regiment from Alabama. Initially organized as 2 separate Partisan Ranger battalions, the 56th Regiment was created in the summer of 1863 and took part in several campaigns of the Western Theater of the American Civil War before surrendering in the spring of 1865.
The 56th Alabama Cavalry was formed by combining two existing units on June 8, 1863: the 13th Alabama Battalion, Partisan Rangers, led by Major William A. Hewlett and the 15th Alabama Battalion, Partisan Rangers led by Major William Boyles.[1] Boyles was promoted to colonel and given command of the new regiment.
The Confederate Congress had passed the Partisan Ranger Act in April, 1862 to authorize the formation of irregular guerilla units, with the intention of sparking resistance to Federal authority in Union-controlled regions such as West Virginia. Partisan Ranger units were subject to the same regulations as regular Confederate Army troops, but in addition to their regular pay, they also received a bounty from the government for any captured Federal arms they turned over to army quartermasters. In contrast to resistance fighters in 20th century conflicts, Confederate Partisan Rangers wore military uniforms, were subject to the regular chain of command, and were enrolled as soldiers in the army. However, professional officers such as Robert E. Lee[2] believed that Partisan Ranger units wasted manpower that could be directed to the more effective regular army. To prevent the flow of men eligible for conscription into partisan service, the army passed new regulations in the summer of 1862 prohibiting transfer from regular units to Partisan Ranger units, and required a minimum age of 35 to join partisan companies.[3] Excessive violence by partisan leaders such as William Quantrill and "Bloody" Bill Anderson damaged the reputation of these units and led the Confederacy to repeal the Partisan Ranger Act in February 1864.
Prior to consolidation, these battalions had been assigned to guard and picket duty in Alabama and Mississippi.[4] The 13th Battalion was formed on August 28, 1862, and the 15th was organized on August 25.[5] Both battalions fought at the Battle of King's Creek near Tupelo, Mississippi on May 5, 1863, under the command of General Daniel Ruggles. The 56th was stationed in North Mississippi in the summer of 1863.[6] The regiment then took part in the Meridian campaign,[7] and the Atlanta Campaign, including the Battle of Peachtree Creek and Battle of Atlanta, and harassed Union General William T. Sherman's troops during his March to the Sea.[8]
The regiment was recruited from Autauga, Montgomery, Mobile, Butler, and Walker counties, and one company was recruited from Mississippi. In January, 1865, the Mississippi company was detached from the 56th Alabama and joined the 12th Battalion, Mississippi Cavalry to form the 10th Mississippi Cavalry.[9]
The 56th Alabama surrendered at Greensboro, North Carolina.
Commanders of the 56th Alabama Cavalry: