The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-07-22


from Shakespeares Henry V. before
the attack on the French troops. Your
arms are fair when your purpose in
using them is just
THE scene was beautiful. On the
scene was gathered some four hun
dred beautiful young women pupils of
the two semnaries, all in white. l do
mot remember my speech of acceptance,
but l can distinctly recall the swish
of my sword when | drew ii from its
'scabbard as the flag was given to the
color bearer, and l uttered the COM
Emand: Attention, Marion Rifles! In
two ranks-right face-forward,
IInarch.' And then we turned our faces
towards the battlefield and our backs
bon a beautiful scene there in that
peaceful village as it had existed from
land most of the brave men were away
four years.
The Bridal Dress Flag.
"The Marion Rifles were divided up
at Pensacola. some Joined the Fourth
Alabama and some the Eighth. l was
appointed adjutant and directed to
raise the Twenty eighth Alabama. 1t
was organized at Shelby Springs with
Col. John w. Frazier in command.
had been married only few weeks
land my wlfe's bridal dress of white
[
hini Marshall also painted 1T. | re-
l,nember the cotton stalk painted in its
hhree stages OF bloom and fruitage; the
bower limbs with open hollis and the
pink and white blooms in the middle
land at the top.
II mustered In two companies here
in jefferson at Elan, now Princes
lSprings. In these companies were the
NicAdorys Nabers, Morrows, Hawkins,
Greenes Sharritts and others, the sons
of jefferson, who are inseparably
linked with this county and state
history.
II commanded this regiment at
rMurfreesboro, as Captain Turpin, the
Isenior could not make his commands
heard l put him on my horse and was
Walking by his side when he was shot
down losing his arm. After this Capt.
Nat Hawkins was killed while l was
talking to him as we advanced across
la field. The late Judge p. G. Wood OF
sSelma had his thumb shot away In
this fight but never left the battle
Held Murfreesboro was the bloodiest
fight we were in. 1t lasted five days,
and the killed and wounded on each
side was 10000 men.
Reconstruction Days.
"I remember that bloody riot In
Selma, when a white bricklayer Bag
lev killed a negro, and the negroes
mobbed him, dragging him from GIFTS
carriage shop for block and leaving
him dead. We organized committee
of safety. General Pettus headed 1t.
Mayor Perkins elected by the negroes)
made an address and called out the
fire companies to dispense the mob.
John l. Parkman, a northern man,
opened up the first national bank es-
tablished in the south. He married
a beautiful Selma woman, Miss Norris.
recall how odd it seemed that they
should have white coachman, the
first in this portion of the south. Park
mans bank failed; the federal author
Sties sent Columbus c. Cadle to take
charge of it's affairs. If l remember
alright T. II. Aldrich came with him.
On account of some irregularities
iParkman was imprisoned in the jail at
'Cahaba, then the county seat of Dallas.
One day while a large crowd was
standing on the river bluffs watching
a steamboat at the landing Parkman
made a dash for liberty, the guard
fred upon him and he plunged into
the river under the paddle wheel OF
the boat. His body was found after
wards with a bullet hole through 1t.
The L,g Three.
"In those days a great sensation was
produced by the going over to the re-
publican party of three lawyers, men
of conspicuous ability: Alexander
White, Samuel f. Rice and Lewis u.
parsons They had all been union men
before the war They failed to carry
onv following with them. 1t was in
The first constitutional convention after
the war that Alexander White made