The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-05-01
HISTORY IS GIVEN
 OF THIRD ALABAMA Departed from Montgomery
 Forty-hve Years Ago COL. WITHERS IN COMMAND Capt. Frank p, o'5rlen Gives Interest. ing History of the Famous confed-
 crate Regiment From Ala
 bama-The Officers.
COL. WITHERS IN COMMAND

| was a member of this command.
 IF orty-five years ago today" said Cap | tain O'Brien yesterday, the Third Ala bama regiment, of which was member, I left Montgomery for Virginia The or | ganization was made up of the following named companies: Mobile Cadets, Gulf City Guards. Washington Light Infantry and Mobile Rifles from Mobile Metropolis tan Guards and Montgomery True Blues of Montgomery, .Wetumpka. Light Guards, Tuskegee Light Infantry. South ern Rifles of Union Springs and the Lowndes Beaureguards from Lowndes- | boro
 ''The organization of the regiment was completed April 2G, 1861, by the election of Jones M. Withers of Mobile, colonel; Tenant Lomax of Montgomery lieuten- ant colonel; Cullen A. Battle of Tuskegee, major: Charles Forsythe of Mobile adju- l tant John W. A Sandford quartermas- ter. and Ben. Leon Wyman, con1mis- sariat; the latter two were from Mont | gomery.
 We passed the Fourth Alabama at Dalton, Ga. the evening of April 30, ar l irving at Lynchburg, Va, May l, and | pitched tents at the fair grounds near | the city.
 We were mustered into the Confeder- ate service May by Keneral Kirby Smith. On the evening of May our com | manding officer was ordered to hold his regiment in readiness to march at mo- ments notice. May telegrams from Rich | mond directed Colonel Withers to report at once to General Huger at point near Norfolk for the purpose of making an at tack on that city. As the Third marched | out of camp at the Lynchburg fair grounds the Fourth Alabama took pos session of our old quarters
 Fourth Regiment Hailed. 'In passing, members of the Third hailed the Fourth with the glorious n- formation that we were going to the front and would have the honor of the first engagement with the enemy, although the Fourth had left our state in advance of the Third. We were sadly disappointed. as on our arrival at the point designate ed | in general orders, we found that the land and naval forces of the United States had evacuated Norfolk and Portsmouth destroying the Gosport navy yard and all war vessels on docks for repairs. chief among the number destroyed being the Merrimac which was afterwards rebuilt by the Confederate government and called the Virginia
 AS before stated. our ambitious desire to cover ourselves with glory was held {. h ficer and man in the regiment. We were ordered into camp under command of the gallant little Brigadier Billy" Ma hone and remained at Norfolk twelve months to day playing kid glove sol der, while the Fourth regiment. over whom we had been growing, was ordered to the front and distinguished itself in the memorable first Manasses
 While en route an incident occurred which came very near ending seriously for several of us, and but for the earnest pleading of one good woman, the career of man who figured in the history of Tennessee during the war in very un- enyiable- way, from the southern view point, would have been cut short
 Knoxville Was Visited.
 
 "On the way to Virginia we were de- layed several hours at Knoxville On ar rival at the depot permission was given several squads. each being accompanied by a n-commimssioned officer to visit the town. While strolling about the city one of the squads discovered large Uni ted States flag floating from the roof of a handsome private dwelling. Private John Soto of the Mobile cadets. who was a member of the party, proposed that we tear down 'the hated ensign of oppres- sion," and went forward and made known cur intention to an elderly gentleman who was seated on the front porch. While we were deliberating as 10 the easiest and speediest method of carrying out our, purpose, the old gentleman quickly en- tered the house and returned immediately with a double-barreled shotgun. Just as he came to his front steps the party, headed by Soto, was about entering the front gate Tn loud and commanding tone the old fellow ordered halt. stat ing that he would kill the first man who attempted to put his foot on the porch.
 Young Lady Appears.
 During the wrange lady who proved to be the old mans daughter, appeared on the scene and appealed to the party to desist and make no attempt to carry out the threat to tear down the flag, stating that, although her faher was ar avowed unionist she was in sympathy with her native south, and she believed that for her sake they would forgo the desire to tear down the Stars and Stripes, which her father had floated from his house top. After a short barley better judgment prevailed, and for sake of that true daughter of Dixie repetition of the Colonel Ellsworth incident at the Relay house near Baltimore was averted.
 ''rhe old man referred to was the mo- torious Parson Brownlow. who after wards became governor of Tennessee. A few members of that squad are living yet and should this sereed reach either of them they will remember distinctly the attitude of that old man and the de- termined position which indicated that he would have defended his home al the risk of his life. There was no discount
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