by
Gene Cantrell
Preface
In writing this history of the Fifth Alabama Cavalry, the author has attempted
to be as accurate as to place and date events occurred. The narrative style has
been used to make the story more readable. Since there is no living eyewitness
to the events here recorded, every effort has been made, to research as many
sources as were available, to insure accuracy.
Footnotes have been left out of the text. This should make the text easy to
read. The list of reference materials is included as well as other appendage
material.
It is the hope of the author that this material will help to keep alive the
memory of his wife's Great Grandfather, Samuel Addison Gardner Walker, who
enlisted at Allen Factory, Alabama, on September 9, 1862, and served until the
end of the war. He was in the battles around Selma, Alabama, and was either
captured there or surrendered at Danville, Morgan County, Alabama at the end of
April 1865.
Sherman, Texas
1996
Dedicated to my:
Children: Patricia, Thomas, Nancy, and James;
grand-children: Susan, Jennifer, Randy, John Thomas, Joseph, Katie, Kerrid,
Blair and Tate.
and to my wife Betty, whose Great-grandfather this book is about, for her
understanding during the writing of this book.
About the Author
Gene Cantrell, the author, was born in Hackleburg, Marion
County, Alabama. A member of a large extended family, he
heard stories about his Great-grandfather's wounding in the
Civil War. He was educated in the public schools of Hackleburg,
and attended Florence State Teachers College in
Florence, Alabama. He married Betty Evans in 1947. After a
short period in St. Louis, Missouri, he began a career in
1951, in the manufacture of cotton gin machinery. He is the
father of four children. The family moved to Sherman, Texas
in 1965. He retired as the President of a company in Lubbock,
Texas, in 1995. He has always been a history buff and on
retirement decided to research both his and Betty's
Great-grandfathers service in the Civil War. This book,
about the unit in which Betty's Great-grandfather served, is
a product of his effort.
© Copyright 1997, Gene Cantrell |
