South Alabama Rebels were formed 162 years ago near Camden, Alabama

Franklin King Beck

Today – Aug. 24 – marks 162 years from the day that the South Alabama Rebels were officially organized in Wilcox County.

According to the 1989 book, “Men of Wilcox: They Wore the Gray” by Ouida Starr Woodson, the South Alabama Rebels were organized near Camden on Aug. 24, 1861. Soldiers in the company elected John J. Longmire as captain of the unit, and they left Wilcox County around Oct. 1, 1861. From Wilcox County, they traveled to Montgomery, which had been the capital of the Confederacy up until May of that year when it was moved to Richmond, Virginia.

In Montgomery, the South Alabama Rebels were mustered into the Confederate Army as Co. A of the 23^rd Alabama Infantry Regiment. In all, companies from 10 South Alabama counties, including Wilcox County, made up the 23^rd Alabama Infantry. Prominent Wilcox County citizens like Franklin King Beck and Felix Tait served as officers in the 23^rd Alabama.

After training and drilling for a short period of time in Montgomery, the 23^rd Alabama was ordered to Tennessee. The regiment remained in “The Volunteer State” until December 1862 when it was ordered to Vicksburg, Mississippi. Known as the Gibraltar of the South, Vicksburg was a major strategic strongpoint on the Mississippi River, and in May 1863, Union General Ulysses S. Grant and his army laid siege to the city.

This historic siege lasted 47 days before Confederate General John C. Pemberton surrendered the city on July 4, 1863. Soldiers in the 23^rd Alabama were among the 29,495 Confederates who surrendered, and were paroled and exchanged within 60 days of their capture. The City of Vicksburg would not officially celebrate the Fourth of July again until 1907.

After their exchange as prisoners of war, the regiment was ordered back to Tennessee, where they fought at the Battle of Lookout Mountain and the Battle of Missionary Ridge. Soldiers of the 23^rd Alabama were also among the Confederate forces who tried to stop Union General William Tecumseh Sherman during his infamous “March to the Sea.”

Col. Franklin King Beck was killed at Resaca, Georgia in May 1864, and the regiment later suffered great losses during the Dalton-Atlanta campaign. The few who survived returned to Tennessee and later moved into North Carolina in the waning days of the War Between the States. They eventually surrendered at Saulsbury, N.C. in May 1865.

In addition to Longmire, Tait and King, the muster roll of the South Alabama Rebels is a who’s who of family names that still endure today in Wilcox County. Officers in the company included First Lt. George H. Moye, Second Lt. J.W. Steen and Third Lt. Postell Threadgill. Non-commissioned officers in the company were First Sgt. William Hanks, Second Sgt. Dan Martin, Third Sgt. John Lott, Fourth Sgt. Henry Chandler, First Corporal R.W.L. Watson, Second Corporal John Burson and Third Corporal J.T. Murphy.

Privates in the company were John Curry, Thomas Dunnam, J.E. Finkley, Bran Glass, Tyler Garlington, George Geck, Jim Hinson, George Honisberger, Kahn Kark, Ben Long, Ben Marshall, John Marshall, William Morgan, John McMurphy, William McLeod, Joe Pickett, Tom Perkins, Josh Pritchett, Elias Powell, Tom Rigby, Frank Rigby, William Saunders, Joe Anderson, Marsh Anderson, Enoch Burson, Bartlett Burson, Amos Burson, William Boyd, J.F. Brunes, John Brooks, John Boyles, John Champion, William Champion, LeGrand Champion, Westry Dunn, Frank Dulaney, Hardy Finkley, Able Garlington, Thomas Glenn, Louis Hayes, Jim Huckabee, Joe Horton, Joe Kersey, William Luke, Jim Marshall, John Manns, Joe Mason Sr., Orin Martin, Jack McAlister, John Perkins, Toll Powell, Bartlett Peavy, Dr. Calb Rayburn, Green Rigby, Ben Richard, Billie Saunders, Hiram Smith, Isaac Thomas, Jack Trull, Jim Venson, William Watson, LaFayette Watson, W.T. Warren, James Sills, Leven Turner, James D. Tepper, Tom Vick, G.M. Watson, Rufus Watson and Jackson Warren.

There is no doubt that these men have many descendants still living in and around Wilcox County today. If anyone in the reading audience has any additional information about these men or the company they would like to share, please let me know. I’m sure that I’m not the only one who would enjoy hearing more about this historic military unit from Wilcox County.

(Got a comment or question? E-mail Lee Peacock at leepeacock2002@hotmail.com.)