Selma, After the Battle

From "Selma; Her Institutions, and Her Men" by John Hardy, pub. 1879:

One scene of utter ruin was presented. The commons around the city were almost covered with dead and crippled animals, and the people without means to move them. A meeting of the few citizens of the place was held, and all went to work, and in a few days all the dead animals had been hauled and thrown into the river, and subsistence was collected up from the spoils an waste of provisions, thus enabling the people to get a scanty living.

Many scenes of outrage were perpetrated upon private persons. Col. P. J. Weaver, who it was said had a large amount of gold and silver in his house, was called upon on Sunday night by a gang of about twenty-five soldiers, and his money or his life demanded. The old man refused to give up his money. As they were preparing a rope around the old man’s neck his faithful body servant, Jack, whispered to one of the crowd that he knew where the money was, and if they would not bang "mass Phill," and go with him, he would show them the money. They did not take time to take the rope from Col. Weaver’s neck, but all hastened to follow Jack, who led them to the West Selma graveyard, and pointed out the spot where he said the money was buried, ten feet under the ground. While spades and shovels made the dirt fly. Jack made good his escape, through the darkness of the night. It is unnecessary to say no money was found, but a very large hole was found next morning in the graveyard.

It is due to both gen. Wilson and Gen. Winslow, to say, that in no instance, after Sunday night, when hey were applied to for protection to person and private property, but that protection was readily given, and by Tuesday evening almost every private family in the city had a soldier stationed on their premises.

Taking into consideration the severity of the battle, and the overwhelming numbers of the Federal forces, the small loss of the Confederates was remarkable. Of the 4,000 persons in the battle, there were not more than twenty confederates killed, and scarcely as many wounded. Those of our immediate citizens killed, were R. N. Philpot, Col. Wm. T. Minter, Rev. Mr. Small, pastor of the Presbyterian church, tom Riggs, and Capt. Robert McCrary. Capt. Patton, a son of Gov. Patton, who had charge of a squad of cavalry. In making a stand at the crossing of Alabama and Washington streets, was shot and killed.

The dead were all gathered up and buried.

The Federal wounded remained in the city for about two weeks, when Gen. Steele came jip the river with gunboats and transports and removed them to Mobile.

With the fall of Selma and evacuation 0f Richmond, Va., on the same day, Sunday, 2nd of April, 1865, did the Confederacy fall.

<- PREVIOUS PAGE    |   INDEX    |    NEXT PAGE ->



site by Com'See