Jim MartinYellow-Hammers (41st AL Inf.)Sat Mar 31 10:05:27 2001 I'm sure a number of people have read this, but here's an account of why the 41st Alabama was referred to as the "yellow-hammers". Hayes Lowe is quite the expert on this unit, so I'll look forward to his comments as to the accuracy of this excerpt.During Major McDowell's (Maj. Hervey McDowell; 2nd Kentucky Inf.) conversation he related an anecdote in regard to the Kentuckians of Breckinridge's division, in the army then commanded by Bragg. It may have been in print before, but never having seen it, I will repeat it here. During the campaigns of Bragg in Tennessee, the brigade, to which Hervey belonged, bore an active part it was composed of Kentuckians, except one regiment of Alabamians. It seemed that the Alabamians were given to falling out of ranks upon the march and lying down to rest by the roadside, and the Kentuckians, throwing gibes at them, said they were like the yellow-hammers that flew up and down the fence after pokeberries and called in question their fighting qualities. The Alabamians retorted by charging all the stealing that was done upon the Kentuckians, and finally the Kentuckians of the brigade went by the sobriquet of "Breckinridge's rogues" and the Alabamians by that of "the yellow-hammers."In a charge, at the battle of Chickamauga, the Kentucky brigade captured a heavy battery, and General Breckinridge, reining up at the time, some of the men called out, "Well, General, your rogues have stolen you a battery," when a long, lean-looking Alabamian, placing his hand upon one of the pieces near him, said, "Yes, General, and one yellow-hammer." A general burst of merriment followed from all in hearing. "Memoirs: Historical and Personal; Including the Campaigns of the First Missouri Confederate Brigade" by Ephraim McDowell Anderson; Page 38041st — Hayes Lowe, Sat Mar 31 10:34 41st Ala — Homer Jones, Sat Mar 31 15:53 Sam Watkins — Lee White, Mon Apr 2 17:52 Re: Sam Watkins — Alan J. Pitts, Mon Apr 2 17:57 Surely not Deas' Brigade. — Hayes Lowe, Tue Apr 3 13:30 Dea's Brigade — Lee White, Tue Apr 3 14:26 Missionary Ridge — Hayes Lowe, Tue Apr 3 14:54 Missionary Ridge — Lee, Tue Apr 3 15:26 Thanks...more... — Hayes Lowe, Tue Apr 3 16:52 No, wrong term. — Hayes Lowe, Tue Apr 3 16:57 Dea's Brigade — Lee, Tue Apr 3 20:30 Loss at Chickamauga — Hayes Lowe, Tue Apr 3 22:11 Re: Loss at Chickamauga — Alan J. Pitts, Wed Apr 4 09:23 Fun with numbers. ; ) — Hayes Lowe, Wed Apr 4 11:18 Re: Fun with numbers. ; ) — Alan J. Pitts, Wed Apr 4 23:48 Maybe Armistead's Brigade? — Hayes Lowe, Tue Apr 3 13:18 The only place that I've ever read that phrase... — Hayes Lowe, Sat Mar 31 16:22 Not meant to impugn! — Jim Martin, Sat Mar 31 12:15 Reputation as best drilled brigade. — Hayes Lowe, Sat Mar 31 13:19 Other Sources — Bryan Howerton, Sat Mar 31 12:30 Another unlikely source... — Hayes Lowe, Sat Mar 31 13:12
During Major McDowell's (Maj. Hervey McDowell; 2nd Kentucky Inf.) conversation he related an anecdote in regard to the Kentuckians of Breckinridge's division, in the army then commanded by Bragg. It may have been in print before, but never having seen it, I will repeat it here. During the campaigns of Bragg in Tennessee, the brigade, to which Hervey belonged, bore an active part it was composed of Kentuckians, except one regiment of Alabamians. It seemed that the Alabamians were given to falling out of ranks upon the march and lying down to rest by the roadside, and the Kentuckians, throwing gibes at them, said they were like the yellow-hammers that flew up and down the fence after pokeberries and called in question their fighting qualities. The Alabamians retorted by charging all the stealing that was done upon the Kentuckians, and finally the Kentuckians of the brigade went by the sobriquet of "Breckinridge's rogues" and the Alabamians by that of "the yellow-hammers."
In a charge, at the battle of Chickamauga, the Kentucky brigade captured a heavy battery, and General Breckinridge, reining up at the time, some of the men called out, "Well, General, your rogues have stolen you a battery," when a long, lean-looking Alabamian, placing his hand upon one of the pieces near him, said, "Yes, General, and one yellow-hammer." A general burst of merriment followed from all in hearing.
"Memoirs: Historical and Personal; Including the Campaigns of the First Missouri Confederate Brigade" by Ephraim McDowell Anderson; Page 380