Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 33.djvu/217

 The Twelfth Alabama Infantry. 213

Company K.

Privates: Chester W. Abercrombie, Ernest Buhler, detailed shoemaker, Thomas Craddock, Robert Marion, Jas. E. Morrison, Albert W. Seay, Daniel S. Patterson.

THE YORKTOWN ELECTION AND REORGANIZATION.

April 28th, 1862, orders were received from the War Depart- ment, at Richmond, permitting" and directing the re-organization of all the twelve-months companies which had enlisted for the war. This order created a great deal of excitement and intense interest among the soldiers, particularly the Twelfth Alabama, nearly every company in which had enlisted for only twelve months.

Colonel Robert T. Jones, of Marion, Ala., a native of Richmond, Va., a graduate of West Point, and a very accomplished soldier, who had been a captain in the United States army, was a candidate for re-election, and opposed by Captain A. Stikes of Company C, from Mobile.

Captain R. H. Keeling, of Company F, was a candidate for lieu- tenant-colonel, and opposed by Captain L. D. Patterson of Com- pany E. Captain Keeling was a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute and had as his schoolmates General R. E. Rodes, General R. E. Colston and other distinguished officers.

Captain B. B. Gayle, of Company H, who had had military training at Portsmouth, Va., and had been teaching in Morgan county, Ala. , was a candidate for major.

The result of the election was the choice of R. T. Jones for colo- nel, L. D. Patterson for lieutenant-colonel, and B. B. Gayle for major.

The defeat of Captain Keeling for lieutenant-colonel by Captain Patterson, who was an excellent soldier, having been promoted from private in his company to captain, and who was a teacher of good repute in North Alabama, greatly surprised the officers and many of the men in the regiment, as there was no doubt of the superior qualifications of Captain Keeling for the position. Colonel Jones was so disturbed and indignant that he refused to recommend Captain Patterson for the position of lieutenant-colonel, and the consequence was that Captain Patterson declined to contest for the place and resigned from his company and regiment. This caused another election and B. B. Gayle was elected lieutenant-colonel, and Adjutant S. B. Pickens was elected major.