After looking at each of these, we're not too far off base.

The first record shows that A.M.D. Howard enlisted in Capt. Joseph D. McCann's "Hillabee Highlanders", which became Co. "G", 25th Alabama Infantry Regiment. The company enlisted at Millerville (present-day Clay County, between Sylacauga and Wedowee AL) on Oct. 14, 1861. Sent to camp at Halls Mills near Mobile, Howard was discharged due to disability on Jan. 26, 1862. There are no other details; I'm guessing he was older and not up to camp life.

About eighteen months later, Howard was enrolled in Raldolph County by Capt. Oliver P. Knight on June 30, 1863. The Confederate enrolling officer for this county, Knight was elected Captain of Co. "H", 7th Alabama Cavalry. Howard appears on later rolls as absent without leave since May 23, 1864. His name was also shown on a court martial document for Forrest's Cavalry, Nov. 7, 1864. There are no later records of Howard with this regiment.

Capt. Knight was also the officer responsible for enlisting A.M.D. Howard (age 17) of Randolph County in Capt. W. Walter Horton's "Goldthwaite Artillery" on June 23, 1863. Most members of this company were from the Black Belt counties of Perry, Greene and Marengo. Horton's command soon converted to mounted service and was attached (not assigned) to the 6th Alabama Cavalry. In February 1864 it was assigned to Chandler's Cavalry Battalion, which was eventually designated Co. "B", Livingtson's 8th Alabama Cavalry.

A.M.D. Howard was paroled at Talladega AL on May 20, 1865. Evidently duplicate rolls were made of the original documents. On one roll Howard appears as a member of Co. "A", Hardie's Cavalry Battalion, a reserve command which operated in north central Alabama during the war's last year. On the other roll, Howard signed as a member of the 7th Alabama Cavalry on May 18 or 19 (difficult to read), 1865. I'd guess that Howard deserted the 7th Cavalry and rode with members of Hardie's Reserves during the last few months. He may have decided to sign paroles showing both the unit in which he was enrolled as well as the unit he was actually with at the time.

I don't know anything about the family, but I'd guess that the seventeen year-old was a son by the same name. My assumption makes the elder Howard a member of the 25th Alabama Infantry and 7th Alabama Cavalry who happened to be riding with Hardie's men when the war ended. Hope this isn't too confusing.

If I can help with copies of the service record(s), please contact me at pittsaj14@hotmail.com