If Alan is correct, then the name could not possibly have been changed until Feb. 1865.

I draw this conclusion based on the fact that Alan implies that there were no reserve units prior to this, as they were not under the control of the Governor, which can only mean that there were no State of Alabama Reserves...and thus they could only be Confederate States of America Reserves...and this class was not created until Feb. 1865.

However, I'm not sure Alan is correct on this one. I'm almost positive that I have read a section in the Code of Alabama that created the Jr. and Sr. reserve classes.

As a point of reference, I do know that the State of Mississippi had State Reserves until they were abolished in Feb. 1865. I also have evidence that these units were not disbanded at that time. I strongly suspect that they were simply transferred to the service of the Confederate Government.

Also, I have at hand the 1861 and 1862 Acts of Assembly of Virginia [the equivalant of the Alabama Code]. In Feb. 1862, the State of Virginia created two classes that *all* non-exempt males *between* the ages of 16 to 55 had to be enlisted. 17 year olds were Class 2, along with those men aged 45 to 55. Those 18 through 44 were Class 1. *All* men of Virginia were to be enrolled in service if they fit into these age groups, with Class 2 being the "reserves". Volunteers for Class 1 were to be first called for, then the rest were to be drafted. [As a sidenote, this is the earliest use of the draft in the Confederacy of which I am aware.] There was no provision for volunteering for the reserves. If you were in the ages for Class 2, and you were non-exempt, you were enrolled; and, the enrolling officers were given specific authority to draft all non-exempts in this age group within the State of Virginia for duty in Class 2.

I hope that tomorrow will not be as busy as today, and I'll be able to get the hard data directly from the Alabama Code. I think that we will find a model similar to that of Virginia.