William H. Keller, 47th Alabama

Military Images, May/Jun 2003

In September 1862 James W. Jackson, who had been appointed colonel in command of the 47th Alabama Infantry although only 30 years old, asked his brother-in-law, William Henry Keller, to join his regiment as his adjutant. Having one's relatives on one's staff, regardless of military qualifications or knowledge, was not at all unusual in a time when Lieutenant General Richard S. Ewell has his wife's son by a previous marriage brought on his staff as an aide-de-camp. The son, serving as an acting adjutant general, ended the war as a major.

Brown had originally been the regiment's lieutenant colonel. The unit's first colonel, James Oliver, a lawyer before the war, resigned August 11, 1862, and Jackson took his place.

Jackson led the regiment, part of Brigadier General William B. Taliaferro's Brigade, into action at Sharpsburg. Taliaferro himself had been seriously wounded at Groveton and his brigade was commanded initially by Colonel E.T.H. Warren. However, during the fighting, Warren was wounded and command fell to Jackson. Jackson, too, was wounded, and gave up command to another regimental colonel.

Jackson recovered his wound and returned to lead the regiment during the Gettysburg campaign.

The 47th was part of Longstreet's attack on the Union left flank on July 2. The regiment had a long march that hot morning as the original line of march would have passed under Union observation and so the troops had to countermarch to get into position unseen.

Finally, the brigade's attack began, the 47th leading the way out of the woods. Reaching a fence, the men halted for a breather. Jackson, never very healthy before, tried to get them going again, but collapsed himself. Keller saw him fall and went to his aid. The two were not seen for the rest of the battle.

On August 7, 1863, Major J.M. Campbell turned in his official report on the battle:

SIR: A report of the part my regiment took in the fight at Gettysburg: Before our line was formed, three companies were detached from my regiment, and placed in rear of our right, to guard a road. These companies remained on this part of the field, almost constantly skirmishing with the enemy, until we fell back on the morning of the 4th, when they rejoined their command. The other seven companies went into the fight in line with the brigade. There was some confusion in these companies, owing to the fact that in the charge the lieutenant-colonel expected the colonel to give all necessary commands, and the colonel remained so far behind that his presence on the field was but a trammel on the lieutenant-colonel [editor's emphasis].

The colonel having been left behind, and the lieutenant-colonel (fighting most nobly) killed, I took command of the regiment, and, after the first repulse of the brigade, in obedience to orders, I deployed a part of my men on the right of the brigade, where they remained until the close of the fight.

After the firing ceased, in obedience to orders from Colonel [James L.] Sheffield, commanding brigade, I threw my regiment out as skirmishers on our right, where they remained until morning.

Out of the 21 officers, 4 were killed on the field. All of these (the 21) acted well. The colonel and adjutant are not included in this number [editor's emphasis].

About one-third of the whole number of men were killed and wounded.

On July 10, 1863, Jackson resigned because of his actions, or lack thereof, at Gettysburg, and returned home. His adjutant, tarred with the same brush as Jackson, fairly or not, went with him. William Keller's military service was over.