4TH ALABAMA INFANTRY
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The Newspaper Article on the Conecuh Guards is located just after the photo section contains a muster roll.
William Henery H. Nichols
photo courtesy of
Walter Nichols
Newspaper article from The Evergreen Courant, Evergreen, Alabama;
December 14, 1912
The Conecuh Guards, CSA - Conecuh Co., AL
ORGANIZATION 52 YEARS AGO OF CONECUH GUARDS
Roster of Company Organized at Sparta in April 1861
Some Unwritten History
Officers
P. D. Bowles, captain
Wm Lee, first lieutenant
*J. G. Gulce, second lieutenant
M. B. Travis, third lieutenant
I. C. Gatch, first sergeant
*W. I. Stallworth, second sergeant
J. B. Bonnette, third sergeant
J. F. Cotton, fourth sergeant
W. C. Morrow, color sergeant
W. F. Thomas, first corporal
W. M. Green, second corporal
Jno. S. Stearns, third corporal
*W. S. Crosby, fourth corporal
A. Christian, quartermaster
C. T. Taliafero, company surgeon
M. L. Mosely
S. D. Nash
W. H. H. Nichols
Jas. Perryman
E. F. Powell
D. T. Pulliam
J. J. Ritchie
J. R. Ritchie
J. D. Robbins
T. E. Robbins
Jas M. Robinson
Mat Robinson
T. J. Robinson
R. H. Rose
*M. B. Salter
F. M. Sampey
E. Sheffield
N. Snowden
N. Stallworth
L. Stahl
J. H. Stallworth
H. C. Stearns
J. V. Stinson
J. M. Strickland
*J. M. Stuckey
M. Stuckey
Jos. A. Thomas
Jas. C. Thomas
Jas. H. Thomas
T. W. Turk
F. Perry
O. Perry
P. S. Whelan
T. Wilkinson
S. H. Wimberly
G. W. Wilson
Privates
W. F. Anderson
*J. T. Andrews
Blake Beard
E. Betts
G. W. Blakely
*G. R. Boulware
J. S. Riley
W. J. Booker
H. H. Colemean
M. A. Cooper
P. A. Cooper
J. W. Darby J.
T. S. Dyas
W. R. Douglas
G. H. Downs
J. J. Downs
J. B. Dubose
J. Q. Dunham
C. Floyd
R. H. Fortner
Q. Goldstein
W. M. Henderson
J. Hirschfelder
E. C. Hodges
C. W. Horton
D. Hayes
W. W. Johnson
J. L. Lamkin
J. S. Little
W. C. Long
J. H. Mason
W. M. Matthews
C. C. McMillan
A. D. McInnis
*E. McIver
A. J.Mosely
Names of those now living are indicated by a star. If there are others living we
were unable to learn their names.Nearly fifty-two years have passed since the
first roll call when the brave boys composing the above roster, with light hearts
and bouyand spirits, bade farewell to home and loved ones, and set out on
their journey for Virginia to do service for their country.The names printed here
with were written on the back of a chimney of what is known as the Hawthorn
place, now owned and occupied by W. B. Heaton.Nestling in a beautiful grove
of great oaks stands this stately old mansion.It was erected only a few years
before the breaking out of the war by John D. Carey, one of the prominent and
influential citizens of the day, and for these many years has been the object of
admiration of all who has ever beheld it. It is one of the most picturesque spots
to be found in all the country. The house has wide verandas and spacious halls
and rooms, and has been the scene of many a social function at which very
many who have now passed the meridian of life were honored guests. At the
south end of the building is a large chimney which was plastered and
kalsomined when built. On this smooth white surface is registered the names
of those who composed the Conecuh Guards when they started out on their
journey for Virginia. The names were written with lead pencil, and have withstood
the cold and dampness of more than fifty years and are today almost as legible
as they were the day they were placed there. They have not been defaced or
mutilated in any manner although children have been on the premises much of
the time. We are told that a few years ago a family from north of the line that
separates the North from the South lived at this place a few yearsago, and he
respected those whose memory is here perpetuated sufficiently not to permit
the names to be defaced, and every family who has occupied the home has
protected it as a sacred memory. These brave, chivalrous boys, doubtless with
light hearts, little thought of the hardships and privations they would soon be
called upon to endure. Many of them perhaps were fearful that the war would
end before they reached "the front." On that memorable April day
when they were even ready to start on the march for Virginia the wives,
children, mothers, fathers, and sweethearts gathered to bed many of them a
last farewell, giving them a last fond embrace, planting a kiss moistened with
tears on their checks, their ardor even then was probably not dampened. They
went with a cheerful determination. But after four years of struggles, hardships,
privatlens, separations from home and loved ones and all that was sweet to contemplate around the fireside and in the home life, the little remnant spared
from shot and shell and the ravages of disease brought on by exposure, once
more return to their homes to find everything except perhaps here and there an
unbroken family or a mother or father or sweetheart spared to them as their
richest possession. Only a few whose names are inscribed on this historic
chimney were permitted to return to their loved ones; and when the great
struggle was over perhaps the same hand that inscribed the names on this
tablet, penned these sad lines beside them for future generations to read and
ponder and profit by. There is a tone of sorrow, sadness, and regret in them that
the writer must have keenly felt when he wrote them. Here they are:
May 1, 1865. All but few of those here registered have been
slain in battle or died of disease. The war is ended and the
world is now no better than before. If these penciled lines
should outlive the one who traces them, let those who read
them know that my advice is go not to war until the burdens
of Government or grievances complained of become of a
certainty greater than the evil of war and blood-----J.D.C.
It would be fitting and appropriate that a reunion for the survivors
who formed this company be held in the grove at the Heaton home to celebrate
the fifty-second anniversary of the organization of this noted company with
appropriate ceremonies. The Courant suggests that such a celebration he
head at an early date, say about the first of April next. We are sure Mr.
Heaton would gladly tender the use of his premised for this purpose.
end
