Pike County AlArchives News.....Re-Union of Company "B" 53rd Alabama Calvary June 4, 1912 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Ronald Bridges bridgesrd@knology.net July 16, 2005, 1:12 pm Troy Messenger. June 4, 1912 "Re-Union of Company 'B' 53rd Alabama Calvary On last Thursday, the 30th of May Mr. and Mrs. C. T. Spradley, arranged for a reunion of company "B" 53rd Regiment of Alabama Calvary, to be held at the home of the Spradleys on Montgomery Street this city. The cause of the reunion to be tendered by these good people is that Mrs. Spradley's father, Mr. J. E. H. Rushing was member of the above company. Written invitations were sent to every member of the Company that could be located, with the result that there were eleven of the company present at the reunion Thursday whose names, age and post office appears below. The following members of Company "B" 53rd, Ala. Regiment were present: M. W. Pennington, age 73 years, Troy Ala., Route 3; A. M. C. Tatom, age 70 years, Tennille, Ala., Rout 2; T. B. Miles, age 70, Union Springs, Ala.; James Bates, Sr., age 81, Inverness, Ala.; B. F. Hickman, age 70, Linwood, Ala., Route 2; T. A. Barr, age 67, Brundidge, Ala., Route 2; J. E. H. Rushing, age 77, Troy, Ala., Route 7; D. A. J. Blue, age 73, Perote, Ala.; I. F. Law, age 77, Goshen, Ala., Route 3; W. A. J. Mills, age 67 years, Goshen, Ala., Route No. 2; John R. Darby, age 75, Troy, Ala., the following were guests comrades, T. L. Murphree; J. T. Long, and T. J. Youngblood. There are about 20 surviving members of the company still living, you see that nine did not come, no reason given, the youngest present was 67 and the oldest is 81 years of age. It is one of the most enjoyable occasions pulled off since the war. In the forenoon, the time was passed by the veterans relating their experience during the struggle and telling jokes on each other. The decorations were Confederate flags. Some those present had not met since the war closed, and you can imagine what a pleasant time it was for these old men some of whom had not met in 47 years and this meeting was made possible by the patriotic thoughtfulness of Mr. and Mrs. Spradley. The exercises opened with prayer of Comrade T. B. Mills of Union Springs. By unanimous consent Comrade T. M. Murphree was made commander for the day, (he being an invited guest). In due course of time dinner was announced, and while the old fellows did not raise the rebel yell, and not withstanding most of them have lost their teeth, it was said by one of those who was there that most of them did full justice to the magnificent dinner that was spread for them by Mrs. Spradley. It was one of the most sumptuous dinners eve spread in Pike, and that is saying a great deal. After dinner the roll of the company was called, and in every instance where one failed answer, he was accounted for by one or the other of the comrades. The letter received by Maj. J. P. Wood from Comrade Cowan, of Franklin, Tenn., explaining how well the graves of the Confederate dead on that battlefield were cared for. It was most gratifying to those present to hear how nicely the graves of our dead were cared for, but somewhat mortifying to think that the great state of Alabama had done nothing in the way of caring for the graves of their dead; in other states it was urged that the legislature be asked in appropriate a sum sufficient to reimburse those good people for what they had spent in caring for and marking the graves of the Alabama soldier who were killed in the battle. (We published the letter from Mr. Cowan in full recently) which gave the full details of the cemetery arrangements. As the time drew near for the separation of these old comrades one could see that each of them was more or less effected, some of them to tears, for the thought came to each that we all perhaps will never meet again. Before final separation, they adopted strong resolutions thanking Mr. and Mrs. Spradley, who made it possible to have this unexpected pleasure. So ended one of the most pleasant days that they ever spent. The other veterans who were there by invitation were comrades, Murphree, Long, and Youngblood. There were several women there who as young women and girls remember the war, also one Confederate mother, Mrs. Spradley, the mother of the host, who is now 88 years old, she with Mrs. Lucy Brooks, of Monticello, who is past 90 and Mrs. Harvell, of Ansley are the only women that we have any knowledge of who sent some to fight in the war between the states, who are now living. This editor was kindly invited, but on account of pressing duties was unable to attend." (1) Troy Messenger. June 4, 1912. On mircrofilm # 173 in the Alabama Department of Archives and History. Researched by John Eager Howard Rushing's Great Great Grandson Ronald D. Bridges on 25 Apr 2005. Three of my Great Great Grandfathers served in the 53rd Alabama Cavalry Regiment. Two of them, Andrew Jackson Miller and George Washington McEwen, served in Company C. Andrew is buried in Poplar Springs Baptist Church Cemetery, located near Hanover, Coosa Co., AL. George Washington McEwen is buried in Sears Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery, Coosa Co., AL located about a mile north of Rockford. The third one, John Eager Howard Rushing, served in Company B. He is buried in Good Hope Baptist Church Cemetery, Pike Co., AL This regiment was also referred as a mounted infantry and was also called Partisan Rangers. Ron Bridges File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/pike/newspapers/reuniono158nw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/alfiles/ File size: 5.9 Kb