The Journal-Record - Bicentennial Edition
Thursday, July 1, 1976
Section A, Page 2

STATE CONVENTION MET IN MONTGOMERY IN 1860 TO DECIDE ABOUT SESSION (sic)

The state convention met in Montgomery in 1860 to decide about session.
Marion County was represented by Alex UNDERWOOD, L. C. ALLEN and STIDHAM.
They went to Montgomery with Christopher SHEETS from Winston County. He was
violently opposed to secession and tried to get Marion County
representatives to vote with him against secession. However, they finally
voted with the majority to secede.

Woodruf MILES was in charge of raising an army in Fayette and Marion
Counties to help defend Winston County against the Confederacy. Al GIPSON
and Ham CARPENTER were in charge of raising troops for the Confederacy.

Two Confederate prisons were built in the eastern part of the county.
Sanford Prison was located on the upper part of Buttahatchee River and Fort
Mitchell was located near by. These prisons were made of logs and had no
windows and only one door. the tories raided Fort Mitchell and took Al
GIPSON away and killed him.

Green HOLLEY freed his slaves after Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation and
Alex UNDERWOOD sold his before that time.

Joe WEATHERFORD and Prentis TERRELL, son of Judge TERRELL, wee the first
ones to be killed from this county in the defense of the Confederacy. Later
Josh PHILLIPS was sent to take the body of Morse PACE to Allen's Factory
(Bear Creek) for burial. Burrell HOWELL make bond for John PHILLIPS to get
him out of prison.

George STUART was a ruthless leader of the Tories and made many raids on
Pikeville and Toll Gate. Ham CARPENTER was the leader of the secessionist
in the county and people were afraid to declare their loyalty to either
side for fear they would be burned out or murdered.

John MITCHELL's wife was driven into the snow and died from exposure near
Hamilton, and he came from the Federal Army in Memphis to help capture Ham
CARPENTER. Tradition has it that Ham CARPENTER was captured tied by his
feet, and hung over White Rock by a rope. His head almost touched the
ground.

Dr. MANGRAM, a Hamilton physician, was supposed to have informed him on the
location of some Tories. he was called out to see a supposedly sick patient
was waylaid and shot by the Tories. Some say this was on the road to Bexar
and some say it was near Military Ford. John MITCHELL is supposed to have
killed him.

Since the county was raising armies for both the North and the South
guerilla(sic) warfare was carried on and many killings and horrible crimes
were committed in this area.