Capt.(CSA), Albert Taylor Goodwyn, US Congress

http://digital.archives.alabama.gov/cdm/singleitem/collection/photo...

US Congressman, Civil War Confederate Army Officer.

Elected as a Populist to represent Alabama's 5th District in the Fifty-fourth Congress, he served from April 22, 1896 to March 3, 1897. The grandnephew of Alabama's first Governor, William Wyatt Bibb, he attended the Academy in his native Robinson Springs and the South Carolina College at Columbia. When Alabama seceded from the Union in January 1861, Goodwyn enlisted as a Private in the South Carolina College Cadets; he participated in the bombardment of Fort Sumter, which touched off the Civil War. He rose to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant in a company of sharpshooters that evolved into Company K of the 58th Alabama Infantry Regiment, seeing action in the Chickamauga and Chattanooga Campaigns.

On the last day of the Battle of Chickamauga (September 20, 1863), which ended in a Confederate victory, Goodwyn took command of Company K after the commanding officer was wounded. He was Acting Adjutant of the consolidated 32nd and 58th Infantries in the Battle of Lookout Mountain (November 24, 1863), and the following day he was captured at the Battle of Missionary Ridge. He spent the duration of the war in Ohio's Johnson Island Prison; during his imprisonment he was promoted to Captain. Upon his release in June 1865 he was one of the last recipients of the original Confederate Cross of Honor. After the war Goodwyn graduated from the University of Virginia at Charlottesville in 1867, was active as a farmer, and took a growing interest in local politics.

He served as State Inspector of Convicts from 1874 to 1880, in the State House of Representatives in 1886 and 1887, and in the State Senate from 1892 to 1896. In 1894 Goodwyn was defeated for election to the US House by the incumbent, James E. Cobb; he successfully contested the results and unseated Cobb for the remaining 10 months of the Congressional term. He was defeated for reelection in 1896. His last years were largely devoted to overseeing his agricultural interests. From 1928 to 1929 he was Commander in Chief of the United Confederate Veterans. He died at 88 during a visit to Birmingham, Alabama.