Selma Established as a Military Post

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

Charles Lewis, C. E. Thames, Robert Hall, Andrew Bogle, A. G. Mabry, E. W. Marks, and Dr. I. Morgan were elected Councilmen. Dr. I. Morgan, Jonathan Haralson and John M. strong were appointed to access the real estate of the city. Capt. S. D. Rodifer was directed to take charge of the street hands, carts &c., as Marshal pro tem. and to clean all the filth from the military hospital T. C. Daniel, Captain of the "blues," was paid $500, under an ordinance of the city, because his company had enlisted from Selma. The following officers were elected: John M. Strong, Clerk and Assessor of Personal property; John R. Wilson, Marshal; Joseph t. Hunter, Treasurer; Fellows, Dunklin & Haralson, Attorneys; M. J. Williams, Printer; Samuel D. Rodifer, Deputy Marshal; A. P. Pool, Richard S. Smith, St. John Tavell, Jack Rice, Jere Duckworth, W. A. Kelley, Policemen; John McGrath, Sexton; Thos. Whalan, Overseer of street hands. An ordinance was adopted allowing Knight & co. to establish powder mills in the incorporation. Gen John B. Forney was petitioned to establish Selma as a military post, and appoint T. B. Wetmore, Provost Marshal, which was done. George F. Plantt, the Mayor elected died at his residence in Selma, on the 9th day of July 1862, and suitable resolutions were passed by the Council. One thousand dollars were sent to Mr. Judge Hopkins, at Richmond, Va., for the benefit of the wounded and sick soldiers. James A. Harmon was appointed City Surveyor. Joseph R. John was elected mayor, by the Council, until the first Monday In May 1863, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of George F. Plantt, late Mayor. C. E. Thomas resigned his place in the Council and Robert Hall resigned his place in the Council. S. C. Pierce was elected in Hall's place, and M. J. A. Keith to fill Capt. Thomas' vacancy. Jonathan Haralson, superintendent of the nitre works, asked permission of the council to let his negro hands sleep at works, which were in the limits of the city. The small pox mad its appearance among some refugee negroes who had come to the city, and a pest house was at once built on the magazine, hospital and East Selma graveyard lot, which had been purchased form Col. J. L. Price, the administrator of Gen. Scherer's estate, and by the vigilance of Dr. Morgan, and the rigid enforcement the vaccine ordinance the disease did not spread. The Council paid Dr. Morgan $1000 for his services. M. L. Dedman was appointed assistant marshal at a salary of seventy-five dollars per month. Joseph T. Hunter, Treasurer, having died, Maj. J. C. Graham was elected to fill the vacancy. The Council appointed a committee composed of Dr. Mabry, Dr. Morgan and E. W. Marks to confer with Col. J. L. White, and tender him on behalf of the city, a suitable lot or lots upon which the Confederate States could erect a national armory, a naval gun foundry and powder works. Gen Fairfax whom Pope Walker, the Secretary of War, had sent to look out a suitable location, decided upon Selma, declined the offer of the city, but went to work, bought all the lots suitable for a naval foundry, a lot to manufacture powder and balls, and leased other places for the manufacture of cartridges, and in a few months the town was full of people, busy in the manufacture and construction of implements for the destruction of life and property.

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