Help Researching An Event

[bqbowden]

I have no idea where to start and I hope someone can lead me in the right direction ...

Would the official records have any after action reports when Tannehill Furnace and Bucksville (north of Birmingham, Alabama) were raided around March 31st, 1865 when Wilson came through on his raid? I know that Brigadier Gen. John T. Croxton departed from Elyton (now Birmingham-Cotton Ave.) on their way to Tuscaloosa as part of Wilson’s Raid. On March 31st, Croxton dispatched Captain William A. Sutherland from the main column to destroy the Ironworks and the tannery nearby. If I could locate any official records, after action reports or anything else from this action it would be a big help.

Thanks everyone ...

[rmilstead]

Barry,
A good place to start would be: United States War Department, The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Washington DC: GPO, 1880–1901), Generally among the items contained are the after-action reports done by the relevant officers. These are accessible with indexes online. There are other period books which provide compendiums of unit histories for all Federal troops. Confederate material is in the 'official records' as well. "Battles and Leaders" (4 volume set) may have something and if you know or can find the various units (US and CS) there may be individual unit histories authored by veterans after the war that would provide information. At least all of those are sources that you should check out.

Dick Milstead
The Company of Military Historians
Liberty Rifles