Hayes Lowe
Reign of terror and home guard.
Wed Feb 21 19:15:58 2001


As I understand it, the home guard was purely for defense from hostile opposing forces (Union). The Supporting Forces were initially composed for the primary purpose of protecting the Conscript Officers from attack by the locals who opposed conscription.

As for the reign of terror, I have heard many references and stories of it. It was particularly bad in South Alabama, but it was present all over the state. This reign of terror was imposed mostly by men who were stragglers, deserters, and shirkers (according to reports of the time). They would hide out in the woods until making a raid on the locals for food and provisions.

Those in South Alabama, in particular, were rumoured to have been supported by the Union Army. One group called themselves the 1st Florida Cavalry. The Federal Government, during and after the war, denied any association with these groups, but there is evidence in the O.R.'s to the contrary. There are specific references to purely military raids that the "1st Fla. Cav." conducted.

There are many family stories of the family servant or the young children taking the horses to be hid in the swamps each morning. The food was hidden, too. So was the gold. Contrary to how the stories are told today, this was not so that the Union soldiers couldn't find the stores...it was so that the Confederate stragglers and local raiders would not find it. This is particularly true in most parts of Central Alabama, where a Union soldier was never seen until Spring of 1865.






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