Reuben and James Cardwell, both sons of Thomas Cardwell and Mary Long of Marshall County, Alabama, enlisted as Privates in Company D of the 48th Alabama Infantry, CSA on 07 Apr 1862 in Warrenton, Marshall County, AL. James Cardwell was KIA during the Battle of Gettysburg on 02 Jul 1862. Reuben was WIA by a rifle ball through the right thigh. He was captured by Federal forces on 05 Jul 1863 and was moved to DeCamp Hospital, Davids Island, New York. He appears absent from his unit's roster after the battle and it appears that it was not known that he was captured. He was paroled from DeCamp Hospital, but a date was not included in the service records.

James Cardwell was born in about 1834 in Alabama and died at the Battle of Gettysburg on 02 Jul 1863. Reuben Cardwell was born about 1840 in Marshall County, Alabama. Jonathan Gross, a former member of the 48th Alabama, confirmed in 1899 that James was KIA at Gettysburg. He adds that Reuben deserted the unit after being wounded at Gettysburg, but was killed at Red Hill, Alabama. No date was given for his death. See account by Mr. Gross below the unit history below.

Unit History of the 48th Alabama Infantry, CSA

Enlisted for three years at Auburn, Alabama, on 22 May 1862, with 1097 men recruited from Blount, Calhoun, Colbert, Cherokee, DeKalb, Jackson, and Marshall counties. A few weeks later it reached Virginia and was attached to Brig. Gen'l William B. Taliaferro's Brigade, Maj. Gen'l. Thomas J. 'Stonewall' Jackson's Division, with the 47th Alabama, and three Virginia regiments. The 48th Alabama's first combat was at Cedar Run (9 August 1862) where they suffered severe loss (73 casualties); at the 2nd Battle of Manassas, it again suffered severely (50 casualties).

The regiment was part of the investing force at Harper's Ferry, and it was hurt badly at Sharpsburg (42 casualties). During the winter, the 48th was placed in the Alabama Brigade of Brig. Gen'l Evander McIver Law (with the 4th, 15th, 44th, and 47th Alabama Regiments), Hood's Division, Longstreet's Corps. The regiment was under fire at Fredericksburg, and it fought with only slight losses at Suffolk.

The 48th Alabama Regiment moved into Pennsylvania and was "fearfully punished" in the assaults on Gettysburg (they reported more than 25% casulaties of the 374 engaged). (NOTE: James Cardwell was KIA on 02 Jul 1863 and Reuben Cardwell was WIA and captured at Gettysburg ~ Rand Cardwell) Ten weeks later, as a part of Longstreet's Corps, the regiment was engaged at Chicamauga (20 September). It was engaged at Lookout Valley and at Knoxville; and it passed the winter in East Tennessee. Rejoining the main Army of Northern Virginia at The Wilderness (5-6 May 1864), the 48th performed ably but lost heavily (11 killed, 30 wounded, 8 missing). From that time to the end, at Hanover Junction, the 2nd Battle of Cold Harbor,Bermuda Hundred, Petersburg, Fussell's Mill, Fort Harrison, Darbytown Road, Williamsburg Road, and Farmville, the 48th was almost constantly on active duty. During the last half of 1864, they lost 9 killed, and 24 wounded. The48th Alabama surrendered 136 officers and men at Appomattox Court House, having lost over 150 in battle, 165 in service, and 125 who were discharged or transferred.

NOTE: This article is also posted on Footnote.com under the title “Gettysburg and the Cardwell Family”

___________________________________________________________________

Company D, 48th Alabama Infantry (Marshall County)

The Guntersville Democrat, 8 Jun 1899

Company Roster. At a recent meeting of Montgomery Gilbreath Camp United Confederate Veterans, Jonathan Gross of Warrenton was appointed to prepare a roster of the Confederates who went from Marshall county with a record for publication when complete. Mr. Gross can call the roll of Co. D, 48th Alabama, from memory, as he used to in the days of '63, and he has prepared a roster of this company which is given herewith.

He says that to the best of his recollection the companies organized in Marshall county were in the following order:

Capt. Sam Henry made up a company for the Ninth Alabama, Capt. Henry Miller's was of the Fourth Alabama. Capt. Montgomery Gilbreath's belonged to the 49th Alabama. Capt. James Fletcher made up a company for the 55th Alabama. Capt. Sam Cox, Co. D, 48th Ala., Capt. Wm. Walker, Co. C, 48th Ala., Capt. P. Taylor, Co. I, 4th Ala. Cavalry.

Mr. Gross gives the following from memory of his company which enlisted at Warrenton:

Company D, 48th Alabama. Samuel A. Cox, Captain, died at Suffolk, Va., 1863; Thos. J. Eubanks, Captain, killed near Chattanooga, Tenn., 1863; Reubin Ewing, Captain, surrendered at Appomattox, lives in Cherokee county; P.A. Barnard, 1st lieutenant, resigned, lives at Oleander; James Smith, 2nd lieutenant, resigned 1862, lives in Texas; J.S. Ridgeway, 3rd lieutenant, was wounded and captured, lives at Frost, Texas; W.W. Collins, 2nd lieutenant, wounded at Chicamauga, died 1873 at Scottsboro; J.M. Hinds, 3rd lieutenant, killed near Petersburg, Va., 1864; T.J. Anderson, lives near Diamond; P.A. Bailey, killed in Virginia, 1864; Pleasant Bailey, died in Virginia, 1862; Bud Baldwin, lost leg in Virginia, died in Texas, 1870; J.H. Alexander, lives at Falkville; Green Black, Sr., surrendered at Appomattox, don't know where he lives; Vincent Bowman, died in hospital, Lynchburg, Va., 1862; Wm. Butler, discharged in 1862, supposed to have died in Illinois; G.W. Chaney, don't know where he is; James Cardwell, killed at Gettysburg, 1863; Reubin Cardwell, wounded at Gettysburg, deserted and was killed near Red Hill; M.W. Cline, died in Arkansas, 1870; Riley Corbin, lives at Reedbrake; G.W. Coleman, died at Auburn, 1862; John Doss, lives in Blount county; Abram Doty, lives in Mississippi; Charles Fielder, died in Marshall county, 1866; John Fielder, surrendered at Appomattox, died in Marshall county, 1872; Henry Frankin, died near Petersburg, Va., 1863; J.F. French, lives in Texas; Wm. Gipson, died in Marshall county, 1871; Wm. Gilbert, surrendered at Appomattox, don't know whether living; Jason Gladwell, died in Virginia, 1864; Jonathan Gross, wounded at Chicamauga, lives at Warrenton; G.W. Gross, surrendered at Appomattox, died at Warrenton, 1873; W.F. Gullion, lives in Texas; A.J. Haygood, lives in Tennessee; Olwin Haney, died in Marshall county, 1885; Allen Harper, don't know if living; John Huffstutler, killed at Chickamauga, 1863; Wm. Hughes, lives in Tennessee; B.W. Hinds, lives at New Hope; Wm. Jones, died at Auburn; J.W. King, died near Warrenton, 1866; Wm. King, killed in Virginia, 1864; J.M. King, died near Warrenton, 1895; James Lyles, died in Marshall county, 1866; Wm. Lewis, killed at Sharpsburg, 1862; Henry Martin, surrendered at Appomattox, don't know where he lives; James McDermott, killed at Chickamauga, 1863; Seiburn Mitchell, died in Marshall county, 1880; Wm. Putman, surrendered at Appomattox, died in Mississippi, 1895; Bart Renfro, lives in Tennessee; John Rogers, don't know where living; Elisha Rogers, lives in North Carolina; T.J. Roumines, died in Richmond, Va., 1863; John Sanders, killed at Cedar Run, Va., 1862; Ned Sorter, killed at Cedar Run, Va., 1862; Dan Sorter, don't know if living; James Scruggs, lives in Marshall county; Robert Scruggs, lives in Alabama; Joseph Smith, lives in Marshall county; F.M. Smallwood, died at Richmond, Va., 1864; Ayler Smith, lives in DeKalb county; Wm. Smith, killed at Chickamauga; Jerry Smith, killed in Marshall county, 1865; John Stewart, died of wound in Virginia, 1862; Wm. Stewart, lives in Marshall county; A.J. Tidwell, lives in DeKalb county; Booken Tipton, don't know; A.J. Turner, died in Marshall county, 1886; Jesse Wider, surrendered at Appomattox, don't know if living; John Wilson, died in Virginia, 1862; Samuel Wilson, lives at Oleander; Wm. Wood, don't know; W.P. Young, lives in Texas; Mumford Millirons, died of wounds in Marshall county.

Reported by Jonathan Gross of Camp Montgomery Gilbreath, No. 333, who was duly appointed by said camp to get up report of Confederate soldiers who enlisted in Marshall county, Ala.,--where enlisted, where died or was killed and where now residing, if living.

Respectfully submitted, this 3rd day of June, 1899. Jonathan Gross, Warrenton, Ala