Melanethon CREWS

                   36th Alabama Infantry Regiment:    The 36th Alabama Infantry Regiment was organized at Mount Vernon Arsenal
near Mobile, 12 May 1862, with men recruited from Fayette, Greene, Mobile, Monroe, Sumter, and Tuscaloosa counties. It remained there a month, then aided in the construction of the defenses at Oven and Choctaw Bluffs.  From August 1862 until April 1863, the regiment was stationed at Mobile, then was sent to Tullahoma, Tenn. It was there brigaded under Gen. Henry D. Clayton of Barbour, with the 18th, 38th, and 58th Alabama regiments, Stewart's Division, Army of Tennessee. The 36th fell back with the army and participated at Chickamauga with a loss of 125 killed and wounded. Its loss was light at Lookout Valley, but large in casualties and prisoners at Missionary Ridge.

The regiment wintered at Dalton, Ga. and was engaged at Crow's Valley, Rocky Face Ridge, Resaca, New Hope Church, the Atlanta battles, and the skirmishing interludes, losing about 300 men by the casualties of battle from the time it left Dalton. At Jonesboro, the regiment was again engaged and lost 25 percent of its force present.  Having accompanied Gen. John Bell Hood to middle Tennessee, the 36th lost about 60 men at Nashville, and came out of there as an organized body. The regiment, with the other regiments of Gen. James T. Holtzclaw's Brigade, was then placed on garrison duty at Spanish Fort, Ala. During that siege, the 36th lost 110 men killed, wounded, and captured.  It was part of the force surrendered at Meridian, Miss. on 4 May 1865. The 36th went into line of battle at Dalton, 7 May 1864, with 460 muskets; within the 11 months following, it lost 470 men and 21 officers, chiefly killed and wounded.
- Source: Alabama Dept. of Archives & History

1880 U. S. Census, Illinois, Piatt County, Blue Ridge TWP:  Melanthon Crews, age 40 M W Minister, born MS (parents born NC); Ann R. H. S., age 36 F W Keeping house, born VA (parents born VA).