Prior to, and shortly after the
battle of Shiloh in April of 1862, there were many independent cavalry
companies that had been raised in Alabama to meet the manpower demands
of the Confederate States Army. Colonel Philip Dale Roddey was responsible
for the creation of the 4th Alabama Cavalry (Roddey's) Regiment by organizing
a group of these independent companies that had been raised out of Franklin,
Lauderdale, Lawrence, Marion, and Walker Counties. This regiment officially
came into being at Tuscumbia, Alabama, in October of 1862 and almost immediately
went into middle Tennessee where it took up winter quarters. In early spring
of 1863, the regiment moved into northern Alabama where it began taking
an active part in raiding and attacking the union forces that were executing
raids of their own from Tennessee. The 4th Alabama Cavalry also contested
Streight's Raid, as well as taking an active part with confederate forces under General Nathan Bedford Forrest in the victory at Brice's
Crossroads and the heavy fighting at Harrisburg that resulted in heavy losses along the way.
On Forrest's raids at Athens and Pulaski, the fourth
bore the brunt of several fights, and was again badly cut up. It bore the
leading part in General Roddey's, who had been promoted and commanded a
brigade, movements by repelling union raids, picketing the forward areas
of movement, and making a number of daring attacks, such as that at Barton's
and one at Florence, Alabama. When Wilson crossed the mountains, the regiment was
in his front, and fought contested every inch of ground all the way from Montavallo to Selma where
the majority of the regiment were finally captured on April 2, 1865. The remaining
portion of the unit surrendered at Pond Springs, Alabama, or simply disbanded and went into history.