The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-18

1861, the delegates from six seeding
states met Gin the senate chamber) and
organized the provisional government of
the Confederate States of America. Here
they adopted a provisional constitution;
kere they elected jefferson Davis and
Alexander stephens. President and vice
president. respectively. of the new con-
federation. and here on the front portico
Mr.. Davis was inaugurated in the pres
enee of applauding thousands on Feb
ruary Is, 1861
A formal proclamation of war was
made April Is. 1861. by Abraham Lincoln.
President of the United States. At once
the brave and patriotic people of Ala
bama rallied to the defense of the state.
The sentiment of the people is happily
his inaugural address of December /, 1868:
And when the first tocsin of war
sounded co-operationists and secessionists
marched shoulder to shoulder, heart to
heart, hand to hand, to the arbitramem
of battle. From the gulf to our northern
border. from the mountains, valleys and
plains from the east and from the west,
the stalwart sons of Alabama rushed to
the standard of the newborn republic,
and with dauntless bravery and heroism
they have crimsoned with their blood
every battlefield from Manassas to Chick
amauga. An imperishable monument or
glorious renown has been erected for the
state. The name 'Alabamian' has be-
come immortal in our history
The nnmber of soldiers from Alabama
who enlisted during the war was esti-
mated by Governor Parsons, in an off,
cial proclamation of July, 1885, at 122,000,
of a total white population of 52621 in
1850. OF these. he states, that at least
$4,000 are believed to have lost their lives,
while a large number were permanently
disabled by wounds or disease. These
troops comprised. substantially three regi-
ments and 10 companies, Alabama Volun-
teer Corps, 1861; 60 regiments and 20 bat
talions of infantry; IA regiments, 80 bat
talons and SO independent companies of
cavalry. four battalions and 20 batteries
of artillery, 10 Confederate regiments and
one Confederate battalion, one or more
companies in IA commands from other
states, 10 reserve regiments and battal-
ions, and in addition more than 100 local
defense organizations which saw active
service. There was no important battle
east of the Mississippi river In which It's
troops did not perform an honorable part,
and some of the most brilliant general
officers We're Alabamans, either by birth
or by adoption.
In a report to Gov Lewis E. Parsons,
December 4, 1867 Col. William H. Fowler,
state superintendent of army records,
says:
Il assert with confidence that Alabama
sent more troops into the service in pro-
portion to population than any other
state of the south, and that her loss was
heavier than any other, irrespective of
population. / am certain, too. that when
General Lee surrendered his army the
representation from Alabama on the field
that day was inferior to no other south
ern state in numbers, and surely not in
gallantry."
In 1874 the state was redeemed from
negro and carpetbag rule under the
leadership of George S. Houston and
from that period TO the present 1t has
had an almost phenomenal growth and
development. In material advance that
progress has been unparalleled, as is ev-
idenced by the growth of mining, timber
and manufacturing industries. the en-
largement of shipping interests, the in
crease of railroad mileage, the improve
ment of the public roads and the found
ing of new towns. In agriculture there
has been marked progress in scientific
and progressive methods
In Montgomery was built and operated