Book excerpt: This is a remarkably detailed history of the state of Alabama from the time of the Spanish explorer Desoto's arrival in 1540 to the year of its original publication in 1872. Containing elements that will appeal to the genealogist and historian alike, Brewer's "Alabama" is arranged in three parts. The first eleven chapters comprise an outline history of the state, with pages devoted to exploration, the Indian population, natural resources, economic development, Alabama's territorial period, and state politics in general. Included in this section is a complete listing of Alabama governors, supreme court and circuit court judges, chancellors, attorney-generals, secretaries of state, and U.S. and Confederate Senators and Representatives, giving the name of the office holder and dates of service. The middle section of the book, the longest, contains a chapter on each of Alabama's sixty-five counties. Each chapter profiles the county's formation and organization, economic base, chief roads and water courses, biographical and family sketches of prominent citizens of the county, and a complete list of that county's state senators and representatives. The final section of this auspicious work recounts Alabama's involvement in the recently concluded Civil War, and it features sketches of every infantry and cavalry regiment to have served in the Confederacy. The sketches invariably recount the organization of the regiment, campaigns or battles fought in, and the names of the regiment's field and staff officers. An index to the 600 principal subjects of the biographical sketches may be found at the end of this extremely detailed volume.