I got bored watching this VH1 documentary on heavy metal so I decided to google my g-g-grandfather who was born in Washington County, Georgia in 1818.
Found this document on the Internet prepared by my g-g-grandfather J. Y. Register for a widow's claim filed for settlement:
http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/al/coffee/military/civilwar/mt41.txtRegister of Claims of deceased Officers and Soldiers from Alabama
which were filed for settlement in the Office of the Confederate
States Auditor for the War Department
By Whom Presented: Ardilla Green, Widow
When Filed: Dec. 17, 1863
Comptroller:
When reported to: Oct. 11, 1864
When returned: Oct. 28, 1864
Number of settlements:
Certificates: 19950
Amount found due: $169.96
Hill Hospital
Ringgold, GA.
Oct. 17th, 1863
Sir,
W.A. Green, Private 25th Ala. Co. “K”, died this day in Hospital of
Virlinus Sclopeticum.
Effects – Six Dollars and fifty cents ($6.50)
Very Respectfully,
Your Obedient Servant
W.J. Burt Asst. Secy
in Charge of Hospital
The State of Alabama, Coffee County
On this the 4th day of December A.D. 1863 before me, J.Y. Register,
a Justice of the Peace, in and for said State and County, personally
appeared Ardilla Green of Coffee County, and made oath according to
law, the same is the wife of William A. Green, a private of Company
(K) Captain D.C. Monroe in 25th Regiment Alabama Volunteers, that the
said William A. Green volunteered at Elba on the 20th day of January
1862 for three years or the war, and continued in actual service until
the 17th of October A.D. 1863 at which time he the said William A.
Green did die at Ringgold, Geo. of wounds received at the battle of
Chickamauga on the 20th of September 1863 leaving a wife and three
children and that she is therefore the only person fully entitled to
receive the pay or arrears of pay, commutation, bounty and c., that
may be found due said deceased William A. Green from the Confederate
States and that she authorizes J.Y. Register to apply for and receive
for her sole benefit whatever may be due to said William A. Green by
reason of service rendered by him in the army of the Confederate
States, to whose recipe shall be a full acquittance and discharge
against me for the same.
And at the same time, also appeared Stephen Hawkins and T.H.
Yarborough who after being duly sworn that they are acquainted with
the said Ardilla Green and knew the said William A. Green, deceased,
and that the facts as sworn to by the said Ardilla Green are
substantially true, and they are not interested in this claim.
Ardilla Green (her mark) L.S.
Stephen Hawkins L.S.
T.H. Yarborough L.S.
The foregoing affidavit were subscribed and sworn to before me, on the
day and year the same bears date and I certify that I know affiant to
be credible, that the applicant is the person she represents herself
to be and that I have not interest in the prosecution of said claim.
J.Y. Register, J.P.
The State of Alabama, Coffee County
I Rowling W. Starke Judge of the Court of Probate in and for the county
and state aforesaid hereby certify that J.Y. Register, Esq. whose
genuine signature appears to the foregoing affidavit and certificate
of acknowledgement was at the time of signing the same and is now an
acting Justice of the Peace duly commissioned and qualified, and that
full faith and credit are due his official acts, and further, that
this is a Court of record having a Seal, and that I am ex-officio
keeper thereof.
Given under my hand and official Seal at office this 7th day of
December A.D. 1863
R.W. Starke, Judge of Probate
The Confederate States
To: Ardilla Green, Widow of William A. Green, deceased, late Private
of Capt. D.C. Monroe’s Co. K., 25th Regt. Ala. Vols.
For pay of said deceased from June 30, 1863 the date of last payment
to Oct. 17, 1863, the date of his death 3 mos. & 17 days
$39.23
>From Oct. 62 to Oct. 63 – 12 mos at $134.13 - $134.13
Commutation for clothing – 10 days at 24 cts per day 2.10
$136.23
Clothing Drawn -$12.00 124.23
Amt. in hands of Israel Gibbons Capt. & Post L.M. (no amount listed)
Rec’d of W.J. Burt Asst Secy Hill Hospital Ringgold, Ga.
6.50
$169.96
As per Report of Lieut. E.E. Yonge & Israel Gibbons Capt. & Post L.M.
Payable to Ardilla Green Widow Coffee Co., Ala.
Care of Capt. H. Fowler Agent for Ala.
Box 1508 Richmond, Va.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT
Second Auditor’s Office
October 11th 1864
R.F. Gordon, Clerk
Comptroller’s Office
Oct. 28th, 1864
P.H. Pendleton, Clerk
I also found this land sale on the Internet:
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~dobson/al/alcoffee.htm
E-274: Coffee Co. AL, 18 June 1859,
Daniel Duncan and wife
Mary (X)
Duncan to
J.Y.
Register for $60, SE 1/4 NW 1/4 and NE 1/4 SW 1/4 Sec.25 T3 R21, 80 acres; no wit. (FHL film 1,031,290)
(MAD: 1850 Pike Co. AL census, 1860 Henry Co. AL census)
In 1895 my g-g uncle J.F. Register was the pastor of six different Baptist Churches in both Alabama & Florida:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~fljackso/sandycreek.htm
Church Directory 1895 Pastors and their addresses Members
Pilgrims Rest GJ Canant Dale, Al ?
Hurricane JF Register Holmes, Fl 48
Pleasant Grove John Patten Holmes, Fl 81
Shiloh James Blount Geneva, Al 99
Union JF Register Geneva, Al ?
Spring Creek JLC White Geneva, Al 39
New Teamon S Willerford 66
Pleasant Hill James Blount Geneva, Al ?
Christian Home GJ Canant Geneva, Al ?
Leonia JF Register Holmes, Fl 53
Elbethel HS Nichols Geneva, Fl 46
New Prospect JF Register Geneva, Al 38
Zion Hill S Willerford Geneva, Al 28
Fellowship James Blount Geneva, Al 6
New Hope JF Register Holmes, Fl 65
Here's the story of how J.F.Register was drafted into the Confederate Army:
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.
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.”
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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
Here's a picture of the monument of a mass grave of 6000 Confederate
dead that includes the remains of my g-great uncle William Duncan
Register.His name can be found on the monument.This is the largest
Confederate burial ground in all of the North.
THE STORY OF MY G-GREAT UNCLE W.D. Register's UNIT'S CONFEDERATE FLAG:
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
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
Captain Henry Wesley Laird's "Gulf Rangers"
William Duncan Register(d.o.b. August 18, 1842) Corporal, born in Georgia,
died in Camp Douglas Prison in Chicago, Illinois on 13 July 1862;
claim filed August 3, 1863 by John Register
(This is William's father ,my g-great grandfather John Young Register)
Found out that my Grandfather Register's Daddy's oldest brother,
William Duncan Register, Pvt. Co. D. 1st AL, TN, MS Infantry
(died July 13, 1862) is buried in downtown Chicago along
with 6000 other barefooted Rebel Sons of Bitches.
Seeing the monument and knowing that nothing marked their 6000
graves until 30 years after their death is not a comforting thought
Not only that, the neglect and torture they endured has been effectively
suppressed by the Yankees.Check out what happens when you fight
and die for your country and your country loses the War.
http://www.graveyards.com/oakwoods/confederate.html
