21st Regiment, Alabama Infantry

Brief History
21st Infantry Regiment was organized at Mobile, Alabama, in October, 1861. Its members were recruited in Mobile and the counties of Washington, Marengo, Baldwin, Montgomery, and Greene. The regiment surrendered on May 6, 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.

Companies by County:


 * Company A "Washington Light Infantry" - many men from Mobile County and Marengo County
 * Company B "Montgomery Guards" - many men from Montgomery County
 * Company C "Marengo Rifles" - many men from Marengo County
 * Company D "Mobile Battle Guards: - many men from Mobile County
 * Company E "Chamberlain Rifles or Woodruff Rifles" - many men from Mobile County and Marengo County
 * Company F "Baldwin Rifles" - many men from Baldwin County
 * Company G "The Swanson Guards or The Spanish Guards or The Southern Star Guards" - many men from Mobile County and Marengo County
 * Company H "Swanson Guards or French Guards" - many men from Mobile County
 * Company I "Independence Rifles or United Rangers" - many men from Mobile County
 * Company K "Mobile Cadets" - many men from Mobile County

The list of counties with regiments and companies is found on the researchonline.net website. Nicknames of companies but not counties found on the bitsofblueandgray.com website.

The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors database lists 2,539 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.formation.


 * Holman, T. W. The 21st Missouri Regiment Infantry Veteran Volunteers : historical memoranda. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1990),