The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-11-13
,R Commerce St.

The coming here of the Veterans of 4he Confederacy, the boys Who wore the Grey" brings fresh to my mind re- collections of the great conflict or Whch they are the living mementoes was too young to be a soldier. but my young rrind was filled with the spirit or the hour. and if they had taken me l would nave gone in any capacity that would have let me in, but 10 years was much below the limit of the minimum age, and had to forego the honor Of being soldier. but I shall remember as long as lime shall last the great preparations 4hat were made for the impending sep aration I have some vague recollection of the Commercial Convention held in fhis city in 1859, and the excitement It's debates and conclusions aroused. The discussions between MT. Yancey Of Ala aama and MT. Pryor of Virginia. the leading representatives of the extremes on the question of secession and the going out of the Union of the States. That convention was but the forerunner Of the approaching storm, and although IL was two yeaYs before it burst in all its fury. there were few who did not fully realize that 1t had to come and they began to wet ready for it.
 Making Ready.
 At the time lived in Tuskegee and
  ehat separated the two sections and Brought our country to arms, arrayed father against son, brother against broth CT and section against section. our peo- ule were making ready and military com panies were being organized all over the State. At Tuskegee and in the surround ing country there was abundant material and two splendid companies were formed, she Tuskegee Light Infantry and the Tuskegee Zouaves and their daily and nightly drills filled the little boys who could only look on with that martial spirit and love for the military display which has not left me to this day, but my ardor has very much cooled when think of the fate that overlook many Of those who went to the front, never to return, but gave their lives for the cause they loved so dearly and to maintain a principle which they knew to be right. q thank my stars I was no older. Well do I remember the scene just before the departure of delegates and spectators to ahe National Democratic Convention in charleston in 1860. There were quite a number who went from Tuskegee my Sather being of the number and when he returned and talked of the split and the walking out of the Southern delegates and told of the debate between Yancey of Alabama, and Pugh of Ohio, knew that the war had begun and felt that there was an awful doom impending, and 50 It proved.
 Of for Pensacola.
 All was hustle and excitement, the two military companies spent most of. their lime in their respective armories drilling and making themselves proficient in the manual, and when the order came to go to Pensacola the climax was reached. The patriotic and loyal women, with tears streaming down their cheeks. fear ang for the safety of their husbands and sons and brothers. yet urged them on to their duty and such preparations I had never seen before and never expect to see again. There was not d home from which some loved ons was not to go and everything needful was provided. The time for departure came and the flower of the flock was off to war. The months spent in Pensacola were utilized in fitting the boys for the service that was tc come and when they went to Virginia about Norfolk in 1861, they were as wei drilled and as thoroughly disciplined as any troops in the Confederate army
 The Light Infantry was made a par of the Sd Alabama Regiment, and wa' mustered into service at Lynchburg witf that regiment May 4. 1861. and went a once to Norfolk, where a year was spen and they all re-enlisted The captains O the company were W. c. Swanson, Rob ert l.. Mayes, Chas. J. Bryan, Wm Thos. Bilbro T. Alexander Etheridge There was another company from Macol organized at Union Springs of which R H. Powell. E. Troup Randle and J. K McGowan were captains.
 The Zouaves went into the 4th Alabama mmA on May 7th, 1861, went to Harper