All of Hughes' records in the 1st Alabama Artillery Battalion are at home, so that will have to wait until later. However, here's point or two that should help.

First, the Montgomery "True Blues" had existed as a volunteer militia company since Feb. 21, 1836. It reorganized on Dec. 18, 1860, under the state law establishing the Alabama Volunteer Corps, and was called into state service on Jan. 19, 1861. State troops under direction of Governor A. B. Moore occupied the arsenal at Mount Vernon, the bay forts and still others were ordered to Pensacola. Most of these companies were later accepted in Confederate service, the "True Blues" enrolling on April 26, 1861. This company reorganized as an independent artillery company on February 17, 1862, and afterwards had a particularly undistinguished career in the backwaters of North Carolina.

Hughes' association with this company seems to belong to the period prior to Fort Sumter. NARA records of the "True Blues" all relate to activities after their entry into Confederate service. There are no antebellum records about this company in the ADAH file on Montgomery County, but some may exist in the 3rd Alabama files. I fear that state service for Hughes or any other member of this company may not be verifiable.

On the other hand, there are numerous records on file for his service with the 1st Alabama Artillery Battalion. This command organized before Alabama joined the Confederacy, officers and men enlisting under provisions of the state constitution establishing the "Army of Alabama". It was later turned over to Confederate service as a regular army unit. If I'm not badly mistaken, officers belonging to this battalion held commissions in the P.A.C.S., just like drillmasters at Talladega and Notasulga.

I hope to be able to offer additional information on Captain Hughes' career with this unit later.