re: Civil war ancestors/family stories

Check out the “Dual Destiny” statue. It is in Double Springs, Ala (Winston County).

I’ve traced around fifty Civil War ancestors, from grandfathers to uncles to cousins. About 90% Confederate. One uncle was Rutherford B. Hayes, who was a brevet brigadier general and later POTUS. One grandfather was in the 9th Louisiana, and fought from Second Manassas to Appomattox. A few sets of brothers, including three at Gettysburg (one killed, one captured, and one wounded). Some kinfolk in Kentucky had brothers on both sides; literally brother against brother.

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There was a song about the exploits of his ship titled “Roll Alabama Roll” which is believed to be origin of “Roll Tide.”

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I’d never heard that sourcing for roll tide roll but it would make a lot of sense.

Would also tie another school nickname in the SEC to the civil war (LA Fightin Tigahs, Ole Miss Rebels, etc) which makes sense given how the war was still basically in living memory when the nicknames were being chosen.

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My great-great grandfather was a survivor of the Sultana in 1865. He

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I believe that was the boat my ancestor was supposed to be on had he not gotten blackout drunk haha. Had two maternal grandfathers fight. One was enlisted the other a conscript. Neither probably spoke a lick of English I often wonder how that played out. Did they keep the coonass groups together?

Grey and red were common school colors in the aftermath of the war. Grey for the uniform and red for blood.

My mom does Civil War history and has a bunch of memorabilia and Civil War medals. Here are some ancestors of mine:

GEORGE ATKINSON
Born 20 October 1846, OH; died 20 February 1924 in Combs, Ritchie County, WV
Served in Company "F", 36th Ohio Volunteer Infantry.

ALEXANDER HOBACK
From Wayne County, WV; First W.Va. Cavalry; killed in battle.

JACOB CONRAD SMITH
Private, Company "C", 133rd Regiment, WEST VIRGINIA STATE MILITIA
Died at ANDERSONVILLE Confederate Prison Camp, 16 March 1864.
Was not even in a regular army regiment. He was in a local militia and was captured while practicing drills. The militia men only served a few days a month and protected railroads, etc. He starved to death at Andersonville

SAMUEL SPRINGER, Private, Company "H", 1st W. Va. Volunteer Infantry

Others:
George W. Alltop, Co. "B" 7th W. Va. Infantry
George T. Atkinson, Co. "F" 36th Ohio Infantry
Enoch F. & John F. Basnett, Company "K" 6th W. Va. Cavalry
Lloyd M. Boyles, 15th W. Va. Infantry
George & John Bucher - Both Died
Alexander Henderson, 6th W. Va. Infantry
Clifton D. Holsclaw, Missouri State Militia
Levi Kelly, 12th W. Va. Infantry
Sidney Merrifield, 6th W. Va. Infantry
Collin (Calvin) Minor, 18th Penna. Cavalry
Holdridge S. Sayre, W. Va. Independent Scouts

I had a great aunt who did a family history shortly before I was born. She found my great-great grandfather was a private in the 15th Alabama. He fought at Little Round Top. I get my first name from him.

My grandfather’s grandfather ( my great,great grandfather) was in Quantrill’s guerrilla band with Frank James.My grandfather was born in Carthage /Joplin Missouri area in 1884.He said he remembered Frank James stopping by to visit his grandfather a couple of times when he was a small child.
He told me a story about a time when he was 6 y.o.,his grandfather took him to town on a Saturday to buy supplies.His grandfather got in a fight with a man,got him down on the ground on his stomach and twisted his head until he broke the guys neck and killed him.
I asked him if he got arrested,he said no,town marshall came and talked to the witnesses,they all said it was a fair fight.So that was it.

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I’d never heard that sourcing for roll tide roll but it would make a lot of sense.

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I’ve read it on several occasions as a theory. Given the very reason Alabama football became so popular was due to it being seen as a mechanism to restore glory post-Civil War, it kind of makes sense. Selfishly I go with it….haha

LINK

You’re part black or one of your ancestors was a notorious klan member.
Could go either way I guess depending on how your uncle is lol