South Carolina Secedes from the Union, December 20th, 1860.

The State of South Carolina officially seceded from the Union on December 20, 1860, which was exactly 150 years ago today. This led other states to secede and led to The War Between The States (The Civil War) which ended in 1865.

Joseph Vella, A "Forgotten" French Confederate Soldier, of Selma, Alabama.

Joseph Vella was born in France, in 1834. He enlisted on March 15th, 1864 as a Private at Selma, Alabama. He was a Cigar Maker by trade and served in the Dallas County, 2nd Class Militia, Alabama Home Guard. He is described as being 5'8, dark hair, dark eyes, dark complexion and lived in Selma, Alabama. // If anyone has any other information on Joseph Vella, feel free to email me. I am interested in the name of his wife and children as well as the location of his grave site. 

Quote of Ex-Confederate General Wade Hampton, at the start of the Spanish American War, 1898.

".. as old as I am, I can still ride on horseback and wield a sword; and if her quota (S. Carolina) is not filled, if there is one name lacking to make it full, I myself will volunteer. This is our country and it is our duty to make it the champion of freedom for all time to come." - ex-Confederate General Wade Hampton, 1898 outbreak of the Spanish American War, "The State" Newspaper, South Carolina (courtesy of Brother K. Robison, Sons of Spanish American War Veterans)

Hispanic Confederate, Colonel Santos Benavides.

Hispanic Confederate, Colonel Santos Benavides, of Texas was born on this date (November 1st), in 1823, in what was then Mexico. He was one of over 400 Hispanic's who served as Officer's, in the Confederate Army and Navy. The majority (not all but most) of Hispanic Confederate Officer's served from Alabama (Mobile, Alabama), Florida (Pensacola and St. Augustine), Louisiana (New Orleans) and Texas. // The photo at the top is that of Santos Benavides.

6th Kentucky Infantry, Field ands Staff Officer's.

Colonels-  Joseph Horace Lewis (born 10/29/1824, died 7/6/1904)
Lt. Colonel - William L. Clarke and Martin H. Cofer
Majors - Thomas H. Hays and George W. Maxson

6th South Carolina Infantry Battalion, Field and Staff Officer's.

Majors - S.D.M. Byrd and Edward Manigault

2nd Virginia Cavalry Battalion, Field and Staff Officer's.

Lt. Colonel - Henry Clay Pate

TRIO MATAMOROS - VIRGEN DE LA CARIDAD (Feast Day of Our Lady of Charity / La Virgen De La Caridad Del Cobre - September 8th).

"Bonnie Blue Butler" (Cammie King Conlon) Actress from "Gone With The Wind" passes away.

Cammie King Conlon who played Scarlett and Rhett's daughter "Bonnie Blue Butler" in Gone With The Wind" passed away on September 2nd, at the age of 76. She wrote a Memoir which was published in 2009 and is an excellent read. The Baltimore Sun did an excellent article about her which you can visit here http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/books/blog/2010/09/cammie_king_conloln_of_gone_wi.html
Cammie King Conlon passed away, but she will live on forever as "Miss Bonnie Blue Butler". May She Rest In Peace.

Smith's Legion, Georgia, Field and Staff Officer's.

Lt. Colonel's - John S. Fain and John R. Hart
Major's - Benjamin F. Brown and Robert H. Moore

Population of Charleston, South Carolina, 1860 Federal Census.

The population of Charleston, South Carolina on the eve of the War was 40,522 according to the 1860 Federal Census.

Population of Houston, Texas, 1860 Federal Census.

The total population of Houston, Texas according to the 1860 Federal Census was 4,845.

Population of Pensacola, Florida, 1860 Federal Census.

The population of Pensacola, Florida according to the 1860 Federal Census was 2,876.

Population of Jacksonville, Florida, 1860 Federal Census.

The population of Jacksonville, Florida as per the United States Federal Census was 2,118.

Spanish Consul in New Orleans, Louisiana during the Confederate Period 1861-1862.

1) Juan Callejon - He served as Consul of Spain, from 1855 to 1866 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Montgomery, Alabama Police Department 1861-1865.

The Montgomery, Alabama Police Department was run during the War, by :

1) City Marshall - Isaac Maxwell (born 1823)
2) Deputy City Marshall - Thomas Reed

The Police Department consisted of between 12 and 16 Officer's and fluctuated during the war.

Joseph Pizzala, A Forgotten Italian Confederate from Montgomery, Alabama.

Joseph Pizzala was an Italian born business man in Montgomery, Alabama. He owned the very strangely named "The Rio Grande Restaurant", in 1861 and later in 1862 opened up a restaurant named "The French Restaurant". He enlisted in a local Militia Unit composed of Fire Fighter's known as the "FireMan Guards", which was only for local defense. He is listed as a Private and  as having shown up for all drill's armed with "one shotgun" and helped in the local defense of the City of Montgomery. He is found listed as Joseph Pizalla and Joseph Pizzala, his real first name was likely Guiseppe, but was Americanized to Joseph., in the surviving record's. // If anyone has any more info on Joseph, such as birth and death dates, wife's name, children ect. please send me an email.

Confederate Mayor of Charleston, South Carolina 1861-1865.

Charles MacBeth (born 1805, died 1881) served as the Confederate Mayor of Charleston, South Carolina from 1861 to February 18th, 1865 when he surrendered the City to Union Troops, under Lt. Colonel A. G. Bennett, of the 21st United States Colored Troops. (Charles MacBeth was elected Mayor on 11/2/1859, was re-elected 11/6/1861, and re-elected 11/4/1863 and served until the surrender of the City. Charles lived at # 7 Legare Street, according to the Charleston, South Carolina City Census, in 1861. The home still stand's at what is now # 9 Legare Street). Charles MacBeth was married to Henrietta Gourdin Ravenel (born 1816, died 1888).

Foreign Born White Population in South, On The Eve of The War Between The States (1860), Broken Down By Nationality.

The foreign born population in the Southern States, in 1860 was broken down as follow's :

1) Ireland / Irish - 36 % they were more or less evenly distributed within different Southern States

2) German States / Germans (Germany was not unified as a Nation, in 1860) - 31 % they were evenly distributed with large concentration's in Texas and Louisiana

3) France / French - 9 % they were concentrated in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama (Gulf Coast)

4) England / English - 7 % they were evenly distributed within the different Southern States

5) Scotland / Scot's - 3 % they were evenly distributed within the different Southern States

6) British America - 1% these were Canadian's and from the British West Indies

7) Spanish / Cuban / Mexican and other Nationalities - 13 % the Hispanic population was concentrated along the Gulf Coast States of Texas (Mexican), Spanish / Cuban (New Orleans, Louisiana, Mobile, Alabama, St. Augustine, Florida). The other non-Hispanic Nationalities were mostly concentrated in Sea Port cities along both the Atlantic and Gulf Coast area's.

The (non-existent) Confederate Census.

The Confederate Government was never able to conduct an Official Census, of the States which composed it. They depended on the number's from the 1860 Federal Census, for Official figures.

Confederate Memorial Day, April 26th.

Confederate Memorial Day is observed today in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and Texas. The  other Southern States have other dates, which honor the Confederate dead. This date also commemorates the surrender of Confederate General Joseph Eggleston. Johnston and the Army of Tennesse, to Union forces, under General William Tecumseh Sherman.

United States Declares War on Spain, April 25th, 1898 / Spanish American War.

The United States declared War on Spain, on April 25th, 1898, after Spain had declared War on April 23rd, 1898. This led to the Spanish-American War which only lasted for a few month's and which led to eventual Cuban Independence, on May 20th, 1902 and the surrender to the United States, of the Philippines, Puerto Rico and Guam.

Justice's of The Peace, Washington County, Alabama 1861-1862.

Thomas S. Parker 1861
George W. Brewer 1861
Harmon A. Bailey 1862

Sheriff's of Washington County, Alabama 1861-1865.

The following two men served as Sheriff's, of Washington County, Alabama, during the War :
Thomas B. Bowling - elected February 4th, 1860 to August 12th, 1863.
T. H. Bailey - elected August 13th, 1863 and who served until the end of the War.

Jefferson Light Artillery, Mississippi, Field and Staff Officer's.

Captain's - William L. Harper and Putnam Darden
1st Lt's. - Horace W. Bullen, A. J. Cameron, Frank W. Coleman
2nd Lt. - C. B. Richardson
Quarter Master Sgt. - Stephen S. F. Foreman (also found as Forman)
Artificer - John H. Hart
Bugler - Emile T. Geyer

West's Battery, Arkansas, Field and Staff Officer's.

Captain - Henry Clay West

3rd Mississippi Infantry, Field and Staff Officer's.

Colonel's - John B. Deason, James M. Stigler and Thomas A. Mellon
Lt. Colonel's - Samuel M. Dyer, Robert Eager, James B. McRae and E.A. Peyton
Major - William H. Morgan
Adjutant's - Benjamin Jones, Junius Poindexter and Fred S. Hewes

39th Virginia Infantry, Field and Staff Officer's.

Colonel - Charles Smith
Lt. Colonel - Louis C. H. Finney
Major - N. R. Cary

Palmetto Light Artillery, South Carolina, Field and Staff Officer's.

Captain - Hugh Richardson Garden
1st Lt.'s - William Henry Coit and Samuel McBride Pringle
(The photo on the left is of Samuel McBride Pringle who died as a result of wound's recieved at the Battle of Sharpsburg).
2nd Lt.'s - George E. Coit and William Alexander McQueen
(George E. Coit was killed during the Suffolk Campaign, he was
the brother of William Henry Coit listed above).

C.S.S. Georgia, Confederate Navy, Officer's and Staff.

Commander - William L. Maury
1st Lt's. - Robert T. Chapman and William E. Evans
2nd Lt. - John H. Ingraham
Asst. Surgeon - Thomas J. Wheeden
Paymaster - Richard William Curtis
Gunner - William Dand

3rd Florida Infantry, Field and Staff Officer's.

Colonel - William S. Dilworth
Lt. Colonel - Lucius A. Church, Elisha Mashburn and Arthur J.T. Wright
Major - John L. Phillips

4th Special Cavalry Battalion, Kentucky, Field and Staff Officer's.

Major - W.R. Messick

Granville Henderson Oury, First Confederate Arizona Territory Representative to The Provisional Confederate Congress.

Grainville Henderson Oury (born March 12th, 1825, died January 11th, 1891) was the first Representative to The provisional Confederate Congress, from the Arizona Territory (modern day Arizona and New Mexico). He resigned to enlist as a Captain in Herbert's Battalion, Arizona Cavalry and later was promoted to Colonel and served on the Staff of General Henry Hopkins Sibley, in Texas and Louisiana. // Granville Henderson Oury was succeded in the Confederate Congress by Marcus H. MacWillie, in early 1862.

Richard Lucian Page, Confederate States Navy Commander and Brigadier General.

Richard Lucian Page (born December 20th, 1807, at Norfolk Virginia, died August 9th, 1901) was a Commander in the Confederate States Navy and a Brigadier General in the Confederate Army. He was assigned to Command the Outer Defenses, of Mobile, Alabama on March 1st, 1864. He is buried in Cedar Hill Cemetery, Norfolk, Virginia.

4th Battalion, Virginia Reserves, Field and Staff Officer's.

Major - D.E. Godwin

Frontier Cavalry (also known as the 46th Texas Cavalry), Texas, Field and Staff Officer's.

Colonel - James Ebenezer McCord (born 1834 in South Carolina, died 1914 in Coleman, Texas). He was the son of William Pressly McCord and Lucinda Miller. James Ebenezer McCord married Sarah Elizabeth Mooney.
Lt. Colonel - James B. Barry
Major - W.J. Alexander

Barrett's Light Artillery, Missouri, Field and Staff Officer's.

Captain's - Overton Barrett and D.A. Rice

Confederate Mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana 1861-1862.

John T. Moore (born May 6th, 1822-died February 24th, 1871) served as Mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana from 1861 to 1862, when the City was captured by Union Forces. // He was married to Rebecca Isadora Shepard (born 1826).

Confederate Mayor's of Mobile, Alabama 1861-1865.

John Forsyth Jr. (born October 31st, 1821-died May 2nd, 1887) served as Mayor in 1861. He is buried at Magnolia Cemetery, Mobile, Alabama.
Robert H. Slough - served as Mayor from 1862-1865.

List of Prisoner's of War who died between August 1st and September 10th, 1865, Jackson Hospital, Richmond, Virginia.

Alabama
Mark C. McConnell-Private Company F, 14th Alabama Infantry
R.J. Painter-Private Company A, 4th Alabama Infantry
T.J. Webb-Lt. Company B, 12th Alabama Infantry

Louisiana
Paul Brandon-Private Company C, 5th Louisiana Infantry
Michael O'Hara-1st Sgt. Company E, 15th Louisiana Infantry

Confederate Blockade Runner "Advance".

Commander - Lt. Thomas M. Crossan
Chief Engineer - James MaGlenn
The Blockade Runner "Advance" ran the blockade from Wilmington, North Carolina, into Nassau, Bermuda and Liverpool (Great Britain), between July 1863 and September 1864, when it was captured by the Union Navy.

John Slidell, Louisiana Senator and Confederate Envoy to Great Britain.

John Slidell (born 1793, died July 29th, 1871) served as Senator from Louisiana and in 1861 was sent as Confederate Envoy to Great Britain. He owned a home before the war (1839) in New Orleans, Louisiana which is still standing. It was and is located at 312 Royal Street, also Slidell, Louisiana is named in his honor. He was married to Mathilde Deslonde, with whom he had three children (Alfred Slidell, Marie Rosine Slidell and  Marguerite Mathilde Slidell).

C.S.S. Sumter, Confederate Navy, Officer's and Staff.

Commander - Raphael Semmes
1st Lt. - John M. Kell (Exec. Officer), William E. Evans
Lt's. - Robert T. Chapman, John M. Stribling
Surgeon - Francis L. Galt
1st Lt. Confederate States Marine Corp - Becket K. Howell
Pay Master - Henry Myers
1st Assistant Engineer - Miles J. Freeman
2nd Assistant Engineer - William P. Brooks
Acting Gunner - Thomas C. Cuddy

Today is the Birthday of General Robert Edward Lee, Army of Northern Virginia.

Today is the birthday of General Robert Edward Lee. He was born on January 19th, 1807 at Stratford Hall Plantation, in Westmoreland, Virginia. The 5th son of Revolutionary War Hero, General Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee and Anne Hill (nee Carter).

Orleans Fire Regiment, New Orleans Fire Department, Louisiana Militia, Field and Staff Officer's.

Colonel - S.P. Duncan
Lt. Colonel - M.M. Reynolds
Major - James D. Hill

City Fire Guards - Captain John Kennedy
Confidence Fire Guards - Captain Joseph Didlot
Milneburg Fire Guards - Captain Charles Evershed
Orleans Good Will Fire Guards - Captain Benjamin Faith
Perseverance Fire Guards - Captain William H. Latham
Phoenix Fire Guards - Captain Valentine St. Ceran
Third District Fire Guards - Captain Frank Borge
Vigilant Fire Guards - Captain Xavier Maurer

Chasseurs a Pied, Lousiana Militia, Field and Staff Officer's.

Colonel - J. Simeon Meilleur
Lt. Colonel - Charles A. Janvier
Major - Henry J. Rivet

Joe Shannon, Last Alabama National Guard Pilot, who flew in the Bay of Pigs, Passes Away.

Joe Shannon the last surviving Alabama National Guard Pilot, who flew in the Bay of Pigs, passed away on Tuesday January 5th, 2010. He was 88 year's old. He had been an Army Air Corps Pilot in World War Two and was a member of the Alabama Aviation Hall of Fame. He was among about 60 Alabama National Guard member's who were recruited to train the Cuban Exile 2506 Brigade, which landed in Cuba, on April 17th, 1961, in an attempt to liberate the island from Communist rule. Joe Shannon helped train Cuban Pilot's and flew a last ditch mission into Cuba before the Bay of Pigs attack failed. He was a true American Hero and an example of bravery, in the face of overwhelming odd's. May He Rest In Peace // Que En Paz Descanse.

10th Georgia Cavalry, Field and Staff Officer's.

Colonel - Joel R. Griffin
Lt. Colonel - John W. Millen
Major - William G. Thomson

Louisiana Irish Regiment, Louisiana Militia, Field and Staff Officer's.

Colonel - Patrick B. O'Brian
Lt. Colonel - W.J. Castell

Louisiana Defender's Battalion, Louisiana, Field and Staff Officer's.

Major - Juan Miangolara (later in the War, he was promoted to Colonel)

Captain - Tomas Viade, Company A
Captain - Arthur Picolet, Company B
Captain - Jose Domingo, Company C

Orleans Guard Regiment, Louisiana Militia, Field and Staff Officer's.

Colonel - Numa Augustin
Lt. Colonel - Charles Messieu
Major's - Octave Voorhies, Leon Queyrouze
Assistant Surgeon - Michel Oscar Gaudet

Company A - Captain - Charles Roman
Company B - Captain - P. Oscar Labatut
Company C - Captain - Auguste Roche
Company D - Captain - Gustave Cruzat
Company E - Captain - E.P. Poupart
Company F - Captain - Pierre Maspero
Company G - Captain - Arthue Poincy
Company H - Captain - Joaquin Viosca
Company I - Captain - Guy Duplantier
Company K - Captain - S. Plassau