The two companies (9th Alabama) from Limestone County Alabama left Athens by train and went to Decatur, Alabama. From there they took the line (I believe the Memphis & Chattanooga) to Chattanooga, Tennessee- then to Cleveland, Strawberry Plains, and Bristol TN. From Bristol they continued on the Virginia-Tennessee Railroad to Lynchburg, Virginia, where they received physicals and the companies were sworn in. They were then sent to Richmond along the Virginia Central line. Lynchburg was sort of the "triage" location for determining which units went to Richmond (for organization and training) and which were sent on directly to Manassa Junction and Strasburg, Virginia for immediate service on the front line at Winchester.

The description of the travel of the Limestone companies appears in "To Lochiber Na Mair" (William Eppa Fielding's diary) by Faye Acton Axford; and in "Welcome the Hour of Conflict- William Cowan McClellan and the 9th Alabama (edited by myself)

John