Hayes Lowe
Corrected email address and comments.
Wed Apr 25 10:19:28 2001


The correct address is hlowejr@msn.com.

It is possible that both mills were burned. At least one author states that both were, and I believe that this author is one that interviewed witnesses. Also, two contradictory times have been given for the burning of the mills, and the time at which Croxton's force moved out. This tends to support that there were actually two burned.

Your theory on the location of the attack is a valid one, and supported by evidence. However, there is contradictory evidence that would place the first attack on the north side of the Sipsey. At this point in time, until more evidence is uncovered, I'm tending to believe the account that places it north of the river. The reason that I believe this account is because it comes from an eye witness account and occurred in a populated area. This account pinpoints the location to an exact spot. I think that I have developed this theory to a level neccessary to explain all the seeming contradictions (including the Horton plantation incident).

Your theory, which is also my alternate theory, has no eyewitness support (that I've found) for the location of the first attack, understandable since it would have occurred in a rather unpopulated area. But there are other factors (some of which you mention) that lend validity to it. Another reason that, for now, I have given this theory a backseat is that I cannot explain other events that would have been in contradiction. For example, I can find no explanation for the event on the north bank of the Sipsey or for the Yankee bodies found in Cotton's fishing traps (presumably on Cotton Eddie of the Sipsey).

I'll be in touch by email and we can discuss and compare notes further.