Alan J. Pitts
"ruthless and cruel"
Mon Feb 5 16:06:46 2001


Sounds like a familiar type. The Shelby County story included an individual named 'Blackwell' who represented himself as a Confederate officer and claimed to have orders to collect conscripts and punish deserters. Never could find a commissioned officer by that name who could've been in Montevallo. I'd be a bit surprised if your 'Bard' individual doesn't have a shady background, too. I did find OR references to a guerilla nmed Blackwell from Tennessee who led gang wanted by Federal authorities for killing captured Union soldiers. He also killed a Confederate recruiting officer shortly afterwards, shortly before the killings began in southern Shelby County. I found a court record in Blackwell's home county which mentioned some property held by his wife in 'Monticello' Ala., which I suppose meant Montevallo. When Montevallo became a rendezvous for Russell's 4th and the 7th Alabama Cav., the mayhem stopped, at least until the war ended.

It would be interesting to hear about similar incidents elsewhere in Alabama. Keep your eyes open as you peruse the records. They're unrelated to the type of subject we ordinarily research, but quite interesting, nonetheless.