Rick,

There were alweays large numbers of Unionists in Limestone and Madison County throghout the war. Their feelings were very evident during the Secession Cionvention, and their refusal afterwards to abide by the decision to separate. After the firing on Fort Sumter, most young men joined a Confederate company, most older Unionists either left the county, or made the decision to go along with their home state, just hunkeing down and maintaining a low profile. Until, that is the Union Army occupied northern Alabama in 1862- then many of these same Unionists came out in open support of the Union. Soldiers in the 9th Alabama compained about bthe city fathers of Athens welcoming the invaders into their town. As Union forces started moving in and out of northern Alabama, and Confederate forces returned to the area, the Unionists both fled or went underground again. Many Unionists continued to provide information to Union forces and even to rat out their Confederate neighbors to Union troops. After the war many of these same people filed claims for the loss of their property.

John