General Notes

[coosa1.ged]
Thomas A. Rushing served the South in the Civil War in the 60th Alabama
Infantry Regiment, Company C.
From the Civil War Records of the Department of Archives and History,
Montgomery, AL:
"Thomas A. Rushing, Private, 60th Alabama Infantry Regiment. Killed by
minnie ball in the head in the trenches 11 August 1864.  Petersburg Roll
7-12/12-31-1864, J. N. Gilmer, Adjutant."
Sept 30, 1864                  Obituary
Seldom are we called to mourn the loss of one so beloved by all who knew
him, as our young friend, Thomas A. Rushing, who fell in the trenches
before Petersburg, Va., on the 11 Aug., 1864, in the 26th year of his
age. He was a member of Co. C, (Delilah Dabney Guards) of the 60th Ala.
Regt., with which company he had served faithfully through the campaigns
of nearly 3 years, during which time he was never know to be from his
post of duty. As a soldier he was brave, as a man he was amiable and
generous - and in his death the Company has lost one of its noblest
defenders, and his family a kind and affectionate relative. His many
noble qualities had won for him scores of friends in whose hearts his
amiable disposition and impeachable character will long be remembered.
Our young friend has gone, and hour hearts are made sad, but when we
draw around the familiar hearth and gaze in mute sorrow, let us remember
that the link thus broken adds to the new one forming for all God’s
chosen people, and that our great loss is his eternal gain. The deceased
has left a darling wife and many relatives and friends to mourn his
untimely death, to whom we offer our most sincere condolence in their sad
bereavement.       Comrades.
60th Alabama Infantry Regiment
The 60th Alabama Regiment was formed by consolidating four companies of
the First Battalion of Hilliard's Legion with six companies of the Third
Battalion. The First Battalion, seven companies, went out with Jack
Thorington of Montgomery as lieutenant colonel, and John H. Holt of
Montgomery as major [Thorington succeeded Hilliard as colonel of the
Legion, and Holt was thereupon promoted, but he was killed at
Chickamauga]; and the Third Battalion, six companies, went out with John
W. A. Sanford of Montgomery as lieutenant colonel, and Hatch Cook of
Georgia as major. The operations of the Hilliard Legion are given in the
memoranda of the 59th Alabama. At Chickamauga, the First Battalion lost
168 killed and wounded of 230 engaged, and the Third Battalion lost 50
killed and wounded of 219 engaged. Organized at Charleston, Tennessee, 25
November 1863, the 60th passed through the winter campaign in East
Tennessee. In the spring, it reached Richmond and lost heavily at
Drewry's Bluff, where the regiment was complimented on the field by Gen'l
Archibald Gracie, as the Third Battalion had been at Chickamauga by Gen'l
William Preston of Kentucky. The regiment was in the trenches at
Petersburg for eight months, and lost continually by the almost incessant
shelling. At White Oak Road and Hatcher's Run, the 60th was fully engaged
with many casualties. At Appomattox, the regiment had capturted a Union
battery when word of the surrender came to them. Their number at that
time was 14 officers and 170 men.
Field and Staff Officers: Col. John W. A. Sanford (Montgomery); Lt. Col.
Daniel S. Troy (Montgomery; wounded, Drewry's Bluff, Hatcher's Run (where
captured)); Major Hatch Cook (Georgia; KIA, White Oak Road); and Adjutant
James N. Gilmer (Montgomery)
Captains, and counties from which the companies came:
Coosa: Thomas H. Smith
Montgomery: David A. Clark (mortally wounded, Appomattox)
Montgomery: Peter M. McEachen
Pike: John McReless
Pike: George Boatwright (resigned); S. A. Williams (wounded, White
Oak Road)
Chambers: John W. Smith (wounded, White Oak Road)
Lowndes: W. H. Zeagler
Butler: Tarbutton (wounded, retired); G. A. Tarbutton (wounded,
White Oak Road)
State of Georgia: Rober