John Thomas Sterling was born to Josiah and Elizabeth Jacobs Sterling about 1840. John Thomas was born in Blount County, Alabama but moved along with some of his siblings to the Pin Hook area of Lawrence County, Alabama sometime before 1860 and lived with a relative. His father remained in Blount County.

John Thomas, along with brothers Josiah Sterling, Jr. and Silas A. Sterling, enlisted in the 1st Alabama Cavalry in the Spring of 1864.

John Thomas enlisted in Company B of the 1st Alabama Cavalry at Mooresville in Morgan County 22 Mar 1864. Almost immediately, he contracted camp fever and was left behind in the hospital at Decatur when his company moved out on 17 April. He recovered and later rejoined his company and survived the war. John Thomas was mustered out of the service in Huntsville 20 Oct 1865.

In an 1880s pension application, Josiah reported his son John Thomas Sterling died about 12 months after he returned from the war. The 1870 Blount County Mortality Schedule reported a Thomas Sterling who died of consumption in Feb 1870. It is not known which report is the most accurate. No tombstone has been located in Blount County for John Thomas Sterling.

Besides the two brothers who also enlisted in the 1st Cavalry, John Thomas Sterling also had three older brothers who fought for the Confederacy.

 
About the Author
Robin Sterling is a descendant of William and Emily Echols. More information about the Sterling family can be found here.

Database created and maintained by Ryan Dupree.

Service records compiled by Glenda Todd and used with her permission. This and other information about the history of the First and the men who fought with the unit can be found in her book, First Alabama Cavalry, USA: Homage to Patriotism.

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