TUSCALOOSA CITIZENS FOR ACTION COMMITTEE
2621 9TH Street
Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35401

WHY NON-BUYING

The businesses in Downtown Tuscaloosa are the object of our non-buying campaign because of the practices of segregation and discrimination in services and employment. Negroes are not extended common courtesies, are not addressed as Mr. or Mrs., and are not employed on an equal basis.

One of our weapons is the withholding of our money. All of us can cooperate in this phase of the fight for freedom. DO NOT GO TO TOWN. DO NOT ORDER GOODS BY TELEPHONE. BUY ONLY WHAT IS NECESSARY.

WHAT SIDE ARE YOU ON? ARE YOU ON THE SIDE OF FREEDOM?

Michael:
I have two different original "Don't Buy Downtown" flyers from June 2, 1964. Here's a quote from one of them " The Tuscaloosa News does not report all of the facts. Reporters who come from other cities are harrassed by the law enforcement officers. People in other cities are aware of our conditions before we are...."
According to one flyer "On Tuesday, June 2, three persons had oil of mustard thrown on them. On Wednesday, June 3, twenty persons were treated for burns from oil of mustard. On Thursday, June 4, 25 persons were treated for burns. On Friday, June 5, twelve persons were treated from shots fired from air guns. Our medical expenses for two days treatment at the hospital exceed $100.00"

Ought to be a pretty interesting 40th anniversary in T-town.

Saludos,
Roberto

P.S. I'll try to remember to get some of this stuff on my weblog at

http://www.robertreg.blogspot.com

This flag was made by Miss Martha Crossley, Miss Queen Gamble and other ladies of Perote, Pike County, Alabama. It was presented to the company in September 1860 on the steps of the Methodist Church in Perote. The flag was presented by Miss Crossley and received for the company by M. B. Locke. The Perote Guards were sent to Pensacola, Florida where they became part of the 1st Alabama Infantry. Upon receipt of a regimental flag, the company flags were placed with the regimental quartermaster for safe keeping.

The 1st Alabama Infantry surrendered on April 7, 1862 at Island No. 10. Following the surrender, the flag was taken from the company baggage by members of the 15th Wisconsin Infantry and eventually carried back to Wisconsin. Learning of the flag's location Dr. Thomas Owen, Director of the Alabama Department of Archives and History, requested its return in the summer of 1903. Ruben G. Thwaites, Secretary of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, replied on June 19, 1903 that he felt the Society would be quite willing to return the flag. This, however, would require a resolution by their legislature which did not meet again until January 1905. On March 15, 1905 Lieutenant and Acting Governor R. M. Cunningham requested that the flag be returned to Alabama. Joint Resolution Number 29-S of the Legislature of the State of Wisconsin, April 13, 1905 approved the return of the flag.

THE HISTORY OF MY G-GREAT UNCLE, WILLIAM DUNCAN REGISTER'S, UNIT

First Alabama
Infantry Regiment

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This was the first regiment organized under the act of the State legislature authorizing the enlistment of troops for twelve months. The companies rendezvoused at Pensacola in February and March 1861, and about the 1st of April organized by the election of regimental officers. Transferred to the army of the Confederate States soon after, it remained on duty at Pensacola for a year. It was chiefly occupied in manning the batteries and took part in the bombardments of November 23, and January 1, 1862. A detachment was in the night fight on Santa Rosa Island. Being the oldest regiment in the Confederate service, it was first called on to re-enlist for the war, at the end of the first year, and seven of the companies did so. Ordered to Tennessee, the regiment, 1000 strong, reached Island Ten March 12, 1862. In the severe conflict there, all but a remnant of the regiment were captured. Those who escaped were organized into a battalion, which was part of the garrision at Fort Pillow, and afterwards fought at Corinth. Those captured were exchanged in September, and the regiment rendezvoused at Jackson, Miss., having lost 150 by death in prison, 150 by casualties since and during the siege of Island Ten. At once ordered to Port Hudson, they participated in the privations of that siege. They were captured, after losing 150 killed and wounded. The privates were paroled and the officers kept in prison till the peace. The men were exchanged in the fall, and joined Gen. Johnston in Mississippi, 610 strong. The regiment was then at Mobile and Pollard, and joined Gen. Johnston at Alatoona. In Cantey's brigade, it fought at New Hope, and was afterwards transferred to the brigade of Gen. Quarles, in which it served till the end. It participated at Kennesa, and lost considerably at Peach Tree Creek. In the terrible assault on the enemy's lines at Atlanta, July 28, the regiment won fresh renown, but lost half of its force in killed and wounded. Moving with Hood into Tennessee, it again lost very heavily at Franklin and Nashville. Transferred to North Carolina, it took part at Averysboro and Bentonville, and about 100 men surrendered at Goldsboro. Upwards of 3000 names were on its rolls at different times during the war, including the companies that did not re-enlist.

"Until one is committed, there is hesitance, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness concerning all acts of initiative (and creation). There is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never have otherwise occurred. A whole stream of events issue from the decision, rousing in one's favor all matter of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man would have dreamed could have come his way. Whatever you can do or dream, you can begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin now". ...Goethe

Gravestones in Confederate Rest, a portion of Forest Hill Cemetery in Madison, Wisconsin
THE NORTHERNMOST CONFEDERATE CEMETERYhttp://people.msoe.edu/~peterson/confederaterest/

From: Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships

Bloomer

Amelia Bloomer, a feminist, gave her name to a short skirt and loose trousers gathered at the ankles.

(StwStr: T. 130; cpl. 49; a. 1 32-pdr. S. B., 1 12-pdr. R.)



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Bloomer, a stern-wheel river steamer, was built in 1856 at New Albany, Ind.; captured by a boat expedition from Potomac and the 91st New York Volunteers in the Choctawatchie River, Fla., 24 December 1862, outfitted at Pensacola, Fla., as a tender to Potomac and placed under command of Acting Ensign E. Crissey, 24 January 1863. Her status as a prize or a salvaged vessel was the subject of much litigation and was not settled until the New Orleans Prize Court declared her to be a prize, 4 January 1865. She was subsequently purchased from the Court by the Navy.

Bloomer served with the East Gulf Blockading Squadron throughout her career. During 10-18 December 1863 she took part in the attacks along St. Andrew Bay, Fla., which resulted in the destruction of 380 salt works and the town of St. Andrew. Bloomer was wrecked on the Florida coast in June 1865 and sold 22 September 1865.

barto:

The capture of the Bloomer led to a lot of my ancestors having to join the Confederate army. The incident is hilarious but the consequences were horrific.

Any chance the " Bloomer " could have been used in blockade running?

The "Bloomer" was a 130 ton sidewheeler with high pressure engines. It had a hole in one of its boilers and was moored at the wharf at river junction in Geneva. On Sunday afternoon, December 28, 1862, two groups of Yankees(25 men of the 91st New York Volunteers commanded by Lieutenant James H. Stewart and the crew of the blockading schooner "Charlotte" commanded by Acting Master Elias D. Bruner) repaired the boiler, fired the engines and started down the Choctawhatchee for Pensacola. The Army and the Navy fought over this prize of war but the U.S. Claims Court at New Orleans awarded the steamboat to Master Bruner and his crew. The U.S. government paid them $5,100 for the ship and it joined Admiral Farragut's Northern Gulf Blockading Squadron and saw service in Pensacola Bay, Santa Rosa Sound, Choctawhatchee Bay and in the salt raids in the St. Andrews Bay area.

Governor Shorter used this incident as a propaganda tool to encourage enlistment in Southeast Alabama. I'm pretty sure this was the first time Alabama had been invaded by Yankees so Shorter played up the fact that "the back door to Alabama stood open to invaders."
A good description of the "Bloomer Incident" is found in E.W. Carswell's Holmesteading, a history of Holmes County, Florida.

Any help will be appreciated and feel free to forward this to anyone. I will be posting my progress on the weblog "Cuba, Alabama" http://www.robertoreg.blogspot.com

Saludos,

roberto

This information concerns my g-great uncle, John Forsyth Register's, unit, the 6th Alabama Calvary.
Excerpt of a letter from Mark Curenton to Ron Jones dated 12 Apr 1999:

“What this blurb does not mention is the reason that the 6th Alabama Cavalry was
transferred from Clanton’s brigade to north Alabama. Clanton’s brigade, consisting of the
57th Alabama Infantry, the 61st Alabama Infantry, the 6th Alabama Cavalry, the 7th Alabama
Cavalry, Clanton’s battery and Tarrant’s battery, was organized in early 1863 as a direct
result of the raid by Union forces through Walton County in December of 1862. This raid
resulted in the capture of the steamboat Bloomer on the Choctawhatchee River just south
of Geneva, Alabama. This brigade served in west Florida and south Alabama to guard
against future raids. By December of 1863 morale in the brigade was so low that there was
open talk of laying down their guns and going home. On January 5, 1864, sixty men out of
300 stationed at Gonzales, Florida mutinied and refused to serve any more. They were all
swiftly arrested. The Confederate command broke up the brigade and transferred the
regiments to different commands to prevent any further occurrence of mutinous conduct.”

Company D, 4th Confederate Infantry, 1st Regiment, made up of men from Ala., Tenn., and Miss.(Became Co. E. 54th Ala. Inf. Regt.). Served at Island #10 in Tennessee and surrendered there in April, 1862. Men taken prisoners, but exchanged In Sept. 1862. Alphabetical list of soldiers, age at time of-enlistment, and a little other information if known. Copied this today from a Muster Roll record in AL Archives & History.

"Gulf Rangers" of 1861--Company "D", 4th Confederate Infantry--lst Regiment Alabama, Tennessee & Mississippi Infantry--Captain Henry Wesley Laird's "Gulf Rangers"

by Mrs. Marla Drake Dooley, 8505 Cherry Valley Lane, Alexandria, VA 22309. Dedicated to my Great, Great Grandfather-Henry Laird

A family story is that the "Gulf Rangers" was formed of friends, neighbors and blood kin. My ancestor, Private Henry Laird, was one of the original members of the "Rangers". The Roster of members of the "Gulf Rangers" was taken from the "Service Records of Confederate Soldiers", Microcopy #258, Rolls 64, 65, & 65, at the National Archives, Washington D.C., by my husband William James Dooley and myself, Marla Drake Dooley.

The "Gulf Rangers" were formed on 14 September, 1861, in Geneva, Coffee County (later Geneva County), Alabama, by Captain Henry Wesley Laird. After mustering in Montgomery, Alabama, they became part of the First Alabama Regiment, and were sent to Island #10 in Tennessee. Island #10 was situated in the Mississippi River near the corner of Tennessee, Missouri and Kentucky. It contained about forty acres of land, and stood ten feet above the water line. The battle was fought purely as a holding action; 7000 Confederate troops were to hold General Pope and 40,000 Union soldiers in check long enough for- General Albert Sydney Johnson to attack Grant at Shiloh. After a month, on 8 April, 1862, the outnumbered Confederates formally surrendered Island #10. The Prisoners of War were taken to Camp Randall, Madison, Wisconsin, Camp Butler, Springfield, Illinois, Johnson Island, Sandusky, Ohio, and Camp Douglas, Chicago, Illinois. Many were sick from fighting in the rain, mud, cold and rigorous climate, and then a terrible epidemic of measles, mumps and pneumonia came. Without suitable food, and practically without medicine with which to combat the epidemic, many died fighting and in prison. In September, 1862, the prisoners were exchanged and sent home to the South. Many of the "Gulf Rangers" were still sick, so they were given a medical discharge. Just as soon as they were well again, however, nearly everyone re-enlisted in another company.



Captain Henry Wesley Laird's "Gulf Rangers"

William Duncan Register(d.o.b. August 18, 1842) Corporal, born in Georgia, died in prison on 13 July 1862; claim filed August 3, 1863 by John Register (This is William's father (my g-great grandfather John Young Register)

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My g-great uncle, John Forsyth Register, enlisted in Company "K" in the 6th Alabama Calvary in April of 1863 at Geneva, Alabama. He was honorably discharged from the Confederate Army on May 5, 1865 and took the oath of allegiance at Montgomery on May 30, 1865. John was elected the second sheriff of Geneva County on November 7, 1871. The community of Leonia in northern Holmes County, Florida, is named after his first wife. He was a Missionary Baptist preacher for 43 years and according to my family's papers, he recorded more members into the Baptist Church than any other Baptist minister who lived in the Geneva area.
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6th Alabama Cavalry Regiment
The 6th Alabama Cavalry was organized near Pine Level, early in 1863, as part of Brig. Gen'l James H. Clanton's brigade. Recruits were gathered from Barbour, Coffee, Coosa, Henry, Macon, Montgomery, Pike, and Tallapoosa counties. It was first engaged near Pollard with a column of the enemy that moved out from Pensacola. Ordered then to North Alabama, the 6th was concerned in several skirmishes near Decatur, with small loss. During the Atlanta-Dalton campaign, the regiment served for several weeks as part of Brig. Gen'l Samuel W. Ferguson's and Brig. Gen'l Frank C. Armstrong's brigades, losing quite a number. A portion of the regiment resisted Maj. Gen'l Lovel H. Rousseau at Ten Islands, losing a number killed and captured. Transferred to West Florida, the 6th fought Maj. Gen'l Frederick Steele's column at Bluff Springs, under orders from Col Armstead, and its loss was severe, especially in prisoners. The remnant fought Maj. Gen'l James H. Wilson's column, and laid down their arms at Gainesville, fewer than 200 men.

Field officers: Col. Charles H. Colvin, Lt. Col. Washington T. Lary (captured at Ten Islands); Major Eliphalet Ariel McWhorter (captured at Ten Islands, Bluff Springs); and Adjutant Joseph A. Robertson

gesp:
I have caught the interest of the editorial page editor of the Dothan Eagle, Bill Perkins. He is interested in helping us commemorate the Bicentennial of the Forbes Purchase at the site of Chiscatalofa on May 25.
While organizing my Forbes Purchase material, I realized what a watershed year 2005 will be for bicentennial anniversaries.

I. Hopoi Micco, Head of the Creek Tribal Council, was assassinated.

II. Bowles died in Morro Castle.

III. Little Prince takes over the Creek Council.

IV. The Treaty of Washington with the Creeks( November 14, 1805) which extinguished Indian title to the land between the Oconee and the Ocmulgee and authorized a right of way for a Federal Road to be built to Mobile.

V. The Treaty of Mt. Dexter with the Choctaws (November 16, 1805) which extinguished Indian title to the land north of Ellicott's Line west of St. Stephens.


VI. Chickasaw Treaty of 1805- I believe that is July 25, 1805. I put a graphic of the cession's map on the blog today

http://www.users.mis.net/~chesnut/pages/cherokeeplace.htm

Nikutse’gi (also Nukatse’gi, Nikwatse’gi, or abbreviated Nikutseg’)

Nickajack, an important Cherokee settlement, about 1790, on the south bank of Tennessee river, at the entrance of Nickajack creek, in Marion county, Tenn. One of the Five Chickamauga towns (see Tsikama’gi). The meaning of the word is lost and it is probably not of Cherokee origin, although it occurs also in the tribe as a man’s name. In the corrupted form of "Nigger Jack," it occurs also as the name of a creek of Cullasaja river above Franklin, in Macon county, N.C.

http://www.sacred-texts.com/nam/cher/motc/motc124.htm

NICKAJACK: A creek entering Tennessee river from the south about 15 miles below Chattanooga. Near its mouth is a noted cave of the same name. The Cherokee form is Nïkutse'gï, the name of a former settlement of that tribe at the mouth, of the creek; but the word has no meaning in that language, and is probably of foreign, perhaps Chickasaw, origin. The derivation from a certain "Nigger Jack," said to have made the cave his headquarters is purely fanciful.

http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnsumner/early20.htm

Early History of Middle Tennessee
By Edward Albright, 1908


Chapter 20
Events Of 1780 (Continued)
Clover Bottom Defeat (Continued)
Bear Hunters
Unreadable (first 3 words)...and his companions got their boat loaded firs, and, pushing it across to the northern shore, began gathering the cotton, of which there was only a small amount, heaping the bolls on the corn in the boat. It was expected that they would be joined directly by the party from the Bluff, and that thus working together, the task would soon be complete.

A little later, however, Captain DONELSON was much surprised to see the latter rowing on down the river toward home. He hailed them and asked if they were not coming over. Captain GOWER replied in the negative, saying that it was growing late and they must reach the Bluff before night, at the same time expressing the belief that there was no danger. DONELSON began a vigorous protest against their going, but while he yet spoke a horde of Indians, several hundred strong, opened a terrific fire upon the men in GOWER'S boat. The savages had been gradually gathering and were now ambushed in the cane along the south bank and near to the corn ladened craft, which by this time had drifted into a narrow channel on that side. At the first fire several of the men jumped from the boat and waded through the shallow water to the shore, where they were hotly pursued by the foe. Captain GOWER, his son, and ROBERTSON were killed and their bodies lost in the river. Others were slain and fell on the corn in the boat. Of the party that reached the shore only three, a white man and two negroes, escaped death.

The white man and one of the negroes wandered through the woods without food for nearly two days, finally reaching the Bluff. The other survivor, a free negro by the name of Jack CAVIL, was wounded, captured and carried a prisoner to one of the Chickamauga towns near Chattanooga. He afterwards became notorious as a member of a thieving band of Indian marauders who, making headquarters in that region, wrought great havoc on the settlements west of the mountains. The village of Nickajack, or "Nigger-jack's Town," which was afterwards founded, took its name from this captive.