These were organized by Congressional District. One of their main functions was to operate to make safe the travels of the local conscript officer within the district.

The Supporting Force companies were non-existent in certain areas, however. I have seen particular complaints of the lack of supporting forces in either, Walker or Winston County (can't remember which). The conscript officer was unable to function for lack of protection. This is in the O.R.'s somewhere, as I recall. I also recall seeing in that same source, where the 8th{?} Congressional District Supporting Force was a part of the active forces at Mobile during the last days of the war.

And, to answer your question, yes, R.B. Allen was the captain of the 5th District Supporting Force. This unit was surrendered/paroled at Columbus, Miss. The 2nd Lt. that you mention was James Carson. My list of that company has 18 privates and the two officers .

OFFICE COMMANDANT OF CONSCRIPTS,
Montgomery, Ala., November 30, 1864.
JOHN C. BURCH,
Asst. Adjt. Gen., Hdqrs. Reserve Forces, Montgomery, Ala.:

Under existing orders and regulations only one commissioned officer is allowed to a county, and he must be a disabled officer. Each disabled county officer is allowed three light-duty men as assistants and three men over forty-five years of age to act as members of the Advisory Board. One company, composed of old men or men unfit for field service, is allowed to each Congressional district as a supporting force. These companies, divided into detachments, give an average of about twelve or fifteen men to each county. These detachments have never been furnished with arms or equipments by the Government, though requisitions have been repeatedly made. They are only partially armed with almost worthless guns, such as could be picked up through the country. The supply of ammunition is very small, and, of course, entirely unsuited to the guns in a majority of cases. So the force in each county may be summed up as follows: Commissioned officers (disabled), 1; assistants (disabled soldiers), 3; Advisory Board (old men), 3; supporting force (old men and disabled men, unarmed), 15; total, 22. It is plain that more armed men are required to perform the labor now required of the Bureau of Conscription in this State, and unless material strength is added it will be impossible to execute orders with that promptness which the necessities of the general service so imperatively demand."

H. C. LOCKHART,
Lieutenant-Colonel and Commandant, Alabama.