Civil War in Alabama

Civil War in Alabama

The American civil war was a political turmoil that took place during the later years of the 18th Century, particularly between 1775 to 1783, where 13 British colonies joined together to liberate themselves from the British Empire and unite to from the United States of America (American Revolutionary War, 2011). It all began with the rejection of the Parliament of the Great Britain as governing body from overseas without their representation and consequently rejecting and sending away all the royal officials and representatives. In turn they formed Provincial Congress in 1774 which made up the self-governing state. This prompted the British to send troops to America to reinstate the direct rule and in return, the Second Continental Congress was formed in 1775 to wade off the British troops and also to defend their decision towards self-governance. This was what was and still is famously know as the American Revolutionary War of 1775.

What followed was unprecedented urge for the freedom of the slaves in the Southern states and the push from the more industrialized Northern states on the agricultural Southern states to release the slaves. It was at this point that many seceded from the United States and formed the confederate states. Alabama was one of the states that seceded in January 11, 1861, these were the states that were against the end to slavery and wanted to retain their slaves throughout.

Alabama was therefore a source of troops, supplies, military material, food, and cotton that was to be taken to England to be exchanged for ammunitions. Andrew B. Moore (Governor of Antebellum) supported the confederates was with a lot of zeal. Indeed his efforts can be traced way back before the chaos began in April 1861 when he seized the facilities that belonged to the Federal government, organized for purchase of rifles from the Northeast and even took data of the amount of weapons within the state.

Despite the resistance from the North section of the state, Alabama joined the Confederates States of America. As the war continued, the Federals seized the Mississippi River, they uprooted the railroad bridges and burned down trestles as well as tore up the track, this made the unstable railroad system in Alabama to grind to a halt due to lack of parts to repair them.

Though Alabama was not a very central battle ground, there was absolute provision of recruits to the tune of 120,000 men (almost the entire white population capable of bearing arms) towards helping the Confederates. Most of them were recruited locally.

The Confederate war saw the slaves being forced to work for the confederate side. They had to do menial jobs like taking care of the horses, laundry work, cooking, carrying supplies and general aid in the field hospitals. Other jobs included grading of roads, building defensive infrastructure, iron mining, driving wagons and some in the ammunition factories. All these were done on unpaid labor basis that was solicited from their owners or their masters. This hard condition and the inability to bear the fact that one was helping the enemy, made a significant 10,000 slaves to escape and join the Union Army alongside other 2,700 whites who remained loyal to the Federal government and its call to slavery end.

The medical situation was pathetic which saw on average 15% of casualties being diseases and a smaller 10% being war casualties. Though there were thousands of women who had volunteered to help the sick and the war casualties, there were very few well equipped hospitals in Alabama. The situation in the battle field was none the better as the soldiers had fewer supplies as compared to the Federal side and resorted to stripping the dead colleagues for belts, boots, hats, shirts, canteens and the pants.

Some of the most notable personalities in the Confederate army were people like James Longstreet and Raphael Semmes Admiral who were both Lieutenant Generals (Civil War Trust, 2011), Josiah Gorgas who immigrated from into Alabama from Pennsylvania and became the Chief of Ordinance for the Confederacy ammunition, he managed to help boost the supply of ammunitions to the confederates and employed a massive 10,000 people in the factory until it was burnt to ashes by the Union army.

The Alabama soldiers fought in countless battles and their casualty by and large was unquantifiable as the Federal forces made inroads and made stronger their presence in Alabama at times taking hostage to the tune of 800 soldier lie it was in "Alabama Brigade" and day by day the Confederate army, under Nathan B. Forrest kept losing ground.

The Federal forces were given a boost by the Southern unionists who were later able to come out of hiding and join the union army. Their familiarity with the terrain was an advantage to the Federal army since they helped rescue the besieged unionists who were still behind the Confederates lines. It was significant to have the unionists on the Federal side if they had to make any meaningful progress since before their arrival, the unionists used to hide in caves and burrows hence when besieged, the Federal forces were to use the unionist loyalists to locate them.