3rd Regiment, Alabama Cavalry

Brief History
3rd Cavalry Regiment was formed at Tupelo, Mississippi, in June, 1862. It was made up of independent companies which had seen prior service. These companies were from Monroe, Choctaw, Wilcox, Mobile, Perry, Dallas, Calhoun, and Autauga counties. Only a few men were present when the Army of Tennessee surrendered in April, 1865.

Companies in this Regiment with the Counties of Origin
Men often enlisted in a company recruited in the counties where they lived though not always. After many battles, companies might be combined because so many men were killed or wounded. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first.


 * Company A, Ruffin Dragoons - many men from Choctaw County.
 * Company B [formerly, Co. "M", Wirt Adams' Cavalry] - many men from Monroe County
 * Company C [formerly Robbins' Independent Co.] - many men from Wilcox County
 * Company D [formerly Jackson County Mounted Rifles] - many men from Wilcox County and Dallas County
 * Company E, Mobile Humphries Dragoons [formerly Co. "D", Wirt Adams' Cavalry] - many men from Mobile County
 * Company F[formerly Murphy's Independent Co.] - many men from Perry County and Dallas County
 * Company G, Floyd Bush Rangers - many men from Calhoun County
 * Company H [formerly Independent Co.] - many men from Autauga County
 * Company I [formerly Lenoir County Cavalry] - many men from Dallas County and Wilcox County
 * Company K - many men from Dallas County and Wilcox County

The list of companies with their counties is found on history-sites.comweb site.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 1,710 men on its roster for this unit. Roster.

Other Sources

 * Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier or sailor. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in 'Alabama in the Civil War' and 'United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865' (see below).


 * National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, is searchable by soldier's name and state. It contains basic facts about soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, a list of regiments, descriptions of significant battles, sources of the information, and suggestions for where to find additional information.


 * Alabama in the Civil War describes many Confederate and Union sources, specifically for Alabama, and how to find them.. These include compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865 describes and explains United States and Confederate States records, rather than state records, and how to find them. These include veterans’ censuses, compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.


 * Mims, Wilbur F. (Wilbur Fisk). War history of the Prattville Dragoons. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1990),