Event Information - Co C 27th Alabama

You are members of Co C 27th Alabama re-incorporated only a few weeks ago into the Army of Tennessee, after detatched duty over the winter in Mississippi. We come from Lauderdale county (county town of Florence). We enlisted in December, 1861 though by now a few of us are conscripts. We have had a hard time of it. We were at the Fort Donelson surrender. We were paroled in time for Perryville. In 1863 we participated in the Vicksburg campaign and got seperated from Pemberton's main body at the battle of Champion Hill (with the rest of Loring's command). We then became part of Johnson's Army of relief and spent most of the remainder of the Summer futiley contemplating the relief of Vicksburg. We established Winter Quarters in Canton (Central Mississippi) and have recently moved by rail to the main Army of Tennessee winter camps in Dalton, only to join in a headlong withdrawel to Resaca where we were amongst the first to arrive at the town. Presently we are installed at the edge of Resaca town in reserve. We take ou turn manning rifle pits at the western edge of town. Most of the fighting is up a few miles to the north.

Relevant quotes from the memoirs of J.P.Cannon (27th Alabama)

The night passed quietly. We got a few hours good sleep and felt refreshed. The troops from Dalton have all arrived and are in good spirits, ready to do their duty when Gen. Johnson, in whom we have the utmost confidence, says the time has come to fight.

We spent all our leisure time ... strengthening our works, working in mud and water from "shoe mouth" to knee deep. When night closed the conflicts of the day we felt that we were better prepared to resist the attack which we hope will be made tommorow. After eating supper, which consisted of a small corn dodger and a piece of bacon, we lay down to rest with nothing to disturb us except the firing of the pickets....

We will be accomodated in the Resaca dwellings and in some newly acquired Confederate tent flies (4 to 6 men to a fly). For those who can make it, Friday will mainly be spent setting up camp and hopefully digging two rifle pits out near the area of the Windmill. The subsequent two days will include drill and firing displays and living histroy for the public in the town, and in the rifle pits. At night we can set up a system of reliefs for the pickets in the pits!

Rations: Per Man: 6"-8" wide slice of salt pork belly or raw beef or bacon, cornbread cakes or corn meal, 1 serving of field peas (black eyed peas), goober peas, apples. Luxury goods sent from home should be limited. There should be very little or no coffeee, as we have had neither Yankees to fight or trade with for several months. Chicoree syrup ('Camp Coffee') recommended. Pipesmoking and baccy chewing encouraged.

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