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CIVIL WAR AND RECONSTRUCTION
IN
ALABAMA
BY WALTER L. FLEMING, Ph.D. PROFESSOR OF HISTORY IN WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY
New York THE COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESS THE MACMILLAN COMPANY, Agents LONDON: MACMILLAN & CO., Ltd. 1905
All rights reserved
Copyright, 1905, By THE MACMILLAN COMPANY. Set up and electrotyped. Published October, 1905.
Norwood Press J. S. Cushing & Co.—Berwick & Smith Co. Norwood, Mass., U.S.A.
TO MY WIFE MARY BOYD FLEMING
PREFACE
This work was begun some five years ago as a study of Reconstruction in Alabama. As the field opened it seemed to me that an account of ante-bellum conditions, social, economic, and political, and of the effect of the Civil War upon ante-bellum institutions would be indispensable to any just and comprehensive treatment of the later period. Consequently I have endeavored to describe briefly the society and the institutions that went down during Civil War and Reconstruction. Internal conditions in Alabama during the war period are discussed at length; they are important, because they influenced seriously the course of Reconstruction. Throughout the work I have sought to emphasize the social and economic problems in the general situation, and accordingly in addition to a sketch of the politics I have dwelt at some length upon the educational, religious, and industrial aspects of the period. One point in particular has been stressed throughout the whole work, viz. the fact of the segregation of the races within the state—the blacks mainly in the central counties, and the whites in the northern and the southern counties. This division of the state into “white” counties and “black” counties has almost from the beginning exercised the strongest influence upon the history of its people. The problems of white and black in the Black Belt are not always the problems of the whites and blacks of the white counties. It is hoped that the maps inserted in the text will assist in making clear this point. Perhaps it may be thought that undue space is devoted to the history of the negro during War and Reconstruction, but after all the negro, whether passive or active, was the central figure of the period.
Believing that the political problems of War and Reconstruction are of less permanent importance than the forces which have shaped and are shaping the social and industrial life of the people, I have confined the discussion of politics to certain chapters chronologically arranged, while for the remainder of the book the topical method of presentation has been adopted. In describing the political events of Reconstruction I have in most cases endeavored to show the relation between national affairs and local conditions within the state. To such an extent has this been done that in some parts it may perhaps be called a general history with especial reference to local conditions in Alabama. Never before and never since Reconstruction have there been closer practical relations between the United States and the state, between Washington and Montgomery.
As to the authorities examined in the preparation of the work it may be stated that practically all material now available—whether in print or in manuscript—has been used. In working with newspapers an effort was made to check up in two or more newspapers each fact used. Most of the references to newspapers—practically all of those to the less reputable papers—are to signed articles. I have had to reject much material as unreliable, and it is not possible that I have been able to sift out all the errors. Whatever remain will prove to be, as I hope and believe, of only minor consequence.
Thanks for assistance given are due to friends too numerous to mention all of them by name. For special favors I am indebted to Professor L. D. Miller, Jacksonville, Alabama; Mr. W. O. Scroggs of Harvard University; Professor G. W. Duncan, Auburn, Alabama; Major W. W. Screws of the Montgomery Advertiser; Colonel John W. DuBose, Montgomery, Alabama; Mrs. J. L. Dean, Opelika, Alabama; Major S. A. Cunningham of the Confederate Veteran, Nashville, Tennessee; and Major James R. Crowe, of Sheffield, Alabama. I am indebted to Mr. L. S. Boyd, Washington, D.C., for numerous favors, among them, for calling my attention to the scrap-book collection of Edward McPherson, then shelved in the Library of Congress along with Fiction. On many points where documents were lacking, I was materially assisted by the written reminiscences of people familiar with conditions of the time, among them my mother and father, the late Professor O. D. Smith of Auburn, Alabama, and the late Ryland Randolph, Esq., of Birmingham. Many old negroes have related their experiences to me. Hon. Junius M. Riggs of the Alabama Supreme Court Library, by the loan of documents, assisted me materially in working up the financial history of the Reconstruction; Dr. David Y. Thomas of the University of Florida read and criticised the entire manuscript; Dr. Thomas M. Owen, Director of the Alabama Department of Archives and History, has given me valuable assistance from the beginning to the close of the work by reading the manuscript, by making available to me not only the public archives, but also his large private collection, and by securing illustrations. But above all I have been aided by Professor William A. Dunning of Columbia University, at whose instance the work was begun, who gave me many helpful suggestions, read the manuscript, and saved me from numerous pitfalls, and by my wife, who read and criticised both manuscript and proof, and made the maps and the index and prepared some of the illustrations.
WALTER L. FLEMING.
New York City, August, 1905.
CONTENTS
PART I
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER I
Period of Sectional Controversy
PAGE
Composition of the Population of Alabama 3
The Indians and Nullification 8
Slavery Controversy and Political Divisions 10
Emancipation Sentiment in North Alabama 10
Early Party Divisions 11
William Lowndes Yancey 13
Growth of Secession Sentiment 14
“Unionists” Successful in 1851-1852 16
Yancey-Pryor Debate, 1858 17
The Charleston Convention of 1860 18
The Election of 1860 19
Separation of the Churches, 1821-1861 21
Senator Clay’s Farewell Speech in the Senate 25
CHAPTER II
Secession from the Union
Secession Convention Called 27
Parties in the Convention 28
Reports on Secession 31
Debate on Secession 31
Political Theories of Members 34
Ordinance of Secession Passed 36
Confederate States Formed 39
Self-denying Ordinance 41
African Slave Trade 42
Commissioners to Other States 46
Legislation by the Convention 49
North Alabama in the Convention 53
Incidents of the Session 56
PART II
WAR TIMES IN ALABAMA
CHAPTER III
Military and Political Events
Military Operations 61
The War in North Alabama 62
The Streight Raid 67
Rousseau’s Raid 68
The War in South Alabama 69
Wilson’s Raid and the End of the War 71
Destruction by the Armies 74
Military Organization 78
Alabama Soldiers: Number and Character 78
Negro Troops 86
Union Troops from Alabama 87
Militia System 88
Conscription and Exemption 92
Confederate Enrolment Laws 92
Policy of the State in Regard to Conscription 95
Effect of the Enrolment Laws 98
Exemption from Service 100
Tories and Deserters 108
Conditions in North Alabama 109
Unionists, Tories, and Mossbacks 112
Growth of Disaffection 114
Outrages by Tories and Deserters 119
Disaffection in South Alabama 122
Prominent Tories and Deserters 124
Numbers of the Disaffected 127
Party Politics and the Peace Movement 131
Political Conditions, 1861-1865 131
The Peace Society 137
Reconstruction Sentiment 143
CHAPTER IV
Economic and Social Conditions
Industrial Development during the War 149
Military Industries 149
Manufacture of Arms 150
Nitre Making 153
Private Manufacturing Enterprises 156
Salt Making 157
Confederate Finance in Alabama 162
Banks and Banking 162
Issues of Bonds and Notes by the State 164
Special Appropriations and Salaries 168
Taxation 169
Impressment 174
Debts, Stay Laws, Sequestration 176
Trade, Barter, Prices 178
Blockade-running and Trade through the Lines 183
Scarcity and Destitution, 1861-1865 196
The Negro during the War 205
Military Uses of Negroes 205
Negroes on the Farms 209
Fidelity to Masters 210
Schools and Colleges 212
Confederate Text-books 217
Newspapers 218
Publishing Houses 221
The Churches during the War 223
Attitude on Public Questions 223
The Churches and the Negroes 225
Federal Army and the Southern Churches 227
Domestic Life 230
Society in 1861 230
Life on the Farm 232
Home Industries; Makeshifts and Substitutes 234
Clothes and Fashions 236
Drugs and Medicines 239
Social Life during the War 241
Negro Life 243
Woman’s Work for the Soldiers 244
PART III
THE AFTERMATH OF WAR
CHAPTER V
Social and Economic Disorder
Loss of Life in War 251
Destruction of Property 253
The Wreck of the Railways 259
The Interregnum: Lawlessness and Disorder 262
The Negro testing his Freedom 269
How to prove Freedom 270
Suffering among the Negroes 273
Relations between Whites and Blacks 275
Destitution and Want, 1865-1866 277
CHAPTER VI
Confiscation and the Cotton Tax
Confiscation Frauds 284
Restrictions on Trade in 1865 284
Federal Claims to Confederate Property 285
Cotton Frauds and Stealing 290
Cotton Agents Prosecuted 297
Statistics of the Frauds 299
The Cotton Tax 303
CHAPTER VII
The Temper of the People
After the Surrender 308
“Condition of Affairs in the South” 311
General Grant’s Report 311
Carl Schurz’s Report 312
Truman’s Report 312
Report of the Joint Committee on Reconstruction 313
The “Loyalists” 316
Treatment of Northern Men 318
Immigration to Alabama 321
Troubles of the Episcopal Church 324
PART IV
PRESIDENTIAL RESTORATION
CHAPTER VIII
First Provisional Administration
Theories of Reconstruction 333
Presidential Plan in Operation 341
Early Attempts at “Restoration” 341
Amnesty Proclamation 349
“Proscribing Proscription” 356
The “Restoration” Convention 358
Personnel and Parties 358
Debates on Secession and Slavery 360
“A White Man’s Government” 364
Legislation by the Convention 366
“Restoration” Completed 367
CHAPTER IX
Second Provisional Administration
Status of the Provisional Government 376
Legislation about Freedmen 378
The Negro under the Provisional Government 383
Movement toward Negro Suffrage 386
New Conditions of Congress and Increasing Irritation 391
Fourteenth Amendment Rejected 394
Political Conditions, 1866-1867; Formation of Parties 398
CHAPTER X
Military Government, 1865-1866
The Military Occupation 408
The Army and the Colored Population 410
Administration of Justice by the Army 413
The Army and the White People 417
CHAPTER XI
The Wards of the Nation
The Freedmen’s Bureau 421
Department of Negro Affairs 421
Organization of the Bureau 423
The Bureau and the Civil Authorities 427
The Bureau supported by Confiscations 431
The Labor Problem 433
Freedmen’s Bureau Courts 437
Care of the Sick 441
Issue of Rations 442
Demoralization caused by Bureau 444
The Freedmen’s Savings-bank 451
The Freedmen’s Bureau and Negro Education 456
The Failure of the Bureau System 469
PART V
CONGRESSIONAL RECONSTRUCTION
CHAPTER XII
Military Government under the Reconstruction Acts
Administration of General John Pope 473
Military Reconstruction Acts 473
Pope’s Control of the Civil Government 477
Pope and the Newspapers 485
Trials by Military Commissions 487
Registration and Disfranchisement 488
Elections and the Convention 491
Removal of Pope and Swayne 492
Administration of General George G. Meade 493
Registration and Elections 493
Administration of Civil Affairs 495
Trials by Military Commissions 498
The Soldiers and the Citizens 500
From Martial Law to Carpet-bag Rule 501
CHAPTER XIII
The Campaign of 1867
Attitude of the Whites 503
Organization of the Radical Party in Alabama 505
Conservative Opposition Aroused 512
The Negro’s First Vote 514
CHAPTER XIV
The “Reconstruction” Convention
Character of the Convention 517
The Race Question 521
Debates on Disfranchisement of Whites 524
Legislation by the Convention 528
CHAPTER XV
The “Reconstruction” Completed
“Convention” Candidates 531
Campaign on the Constitution 534
Vote on the Constitution 538
The Constitution fails of Adoption 541
The Alabama Question in Congress 547
Alabama readmitted to the Union 550
CHAPTER XVI
The Union League of America
Origin of the Union League 553
Its Extension to the South 556
Ceremonies of the League 559
Organization and Methods 561
PART VI
CARPET-BAG AND NEGRO RULE
CHAPTER XVII
Taxation and the Public Debt
Taxation during Reconstruction 571
Administrative Expenses 574
Effect on Property Values 578
The Public Bonded Debt 580
The Financial Settlement 583
CHAPTER XVIII
Railroad Legislation and Frauds
Federal and State Aid to Railroads before the War 587
General Legislation in Aid of Railroads 589
The Alabama and Chattanooga Railroad 591
Other Indorsed Railroads 600
County and Town Aid to Railroads 604
CHAPTER XIX
Reconstruction in the Schools
School System before Reconstruction 607
School System of Reconstruction 609
Reconstruction of the State University 612
Trouble in the Mobile Schools 618
Irregularities in School Administration 621
Objections to the Reconstruction Education 624
Negro Education 625
Failure of the Educational System 632
CHAPTER XX
Reconstruction in the Churches
“Disintegration and Absorption” Policy 637
The Methodists 637
The Baptists 640
The Presbyterians 641
The Churches and the Negro during Reconstruction 642
The Baptists and the Negroes 643
The Presbyterians and the Negroes 646
The Roman Catholics 647
The Episcopalians 647
The Methodists and the Negroes 648
CHAPTER XXI
The Ku Klux Revolution
Causes of the Ku Klux Movement 654
Secret Societies of Regulators before Ku Klux Klan 659
Origin and Growth of Ku Klux Klan 661
The Knights of the White Camelia 671
The Work of the Secret Orders 675
Ku Klux Orders and Warnings 680
Ku Klux “Outrages” 686
Success of the Ku Klux Movement 690
Spurious Ku Klux Organizations 691
Attempts to suppress the Ku Klux Movement 694
State Legislation 695
Enforcement Acts 697
Ku Klux Investigation 703
Later Ku Klux Organizations 709
CHAPTER XXII
Reorganization of the Industrial System
Break-up of the Ante-bellum System 710
The Freedmen’s Bureau System 717
Northern and Foreign Immigration 718
Attempts to organize a New System 721
Development of the Share and Credit Systems 723
Superiority of White Farmers 727
Decadence of the Black Belt 731
CHAPTER XXIII
Political and Social Conditions during Reconstruction
Politics and Political Methods 733
The First Reconstruction Administration 733
Reconstruction Judiciary 744
Campaign of 1868 747
The Administration of Governor Lindsay 750
The Administration of Governor Lewis 754
Election of Spencer to the United States Senate 755
Social Conditions during Reconstruction 761
Statistics of Crime 762
Social Relations of Negroes 763
Carpet-baggers and Scalawags 765
Social Effects of Reconstruction on the Whites 766
Economic Conditions 769
CHAPTER XXIV
The Overthrow of Reconstruction
The Republican Party in 1874 771
Whites desert the Party 771
The Demand of the Negro for Social Rights 772
Disputes among Radical Editors 773
Demand of Negroes for Office 773
Factions within the Party 774
Negroes in 1874 775
Promises made to them 775
Negro Social and Political Clubs 776
Negro Democrats 777
The Democratic and Conservative Party in 1874 778
Attitude of the Whites toward the Blacks 779
The Color Line Drawn 780
“Independent” Candidates 781
The Campaign of 1874 782
Platforms and Candidates 782
“Political Bacon” 783
“Hays-Hawley Letter” 786
Intimidation by Federal Authorities 789
Intimidation by Democrats 791
The Election of 1874 793
The Eufaula Riot 794
Results of the Election 795
Later Phases of State Politics 798
Whites make Secure their Control 798
The “Lily Whites” and the “Black and Tans” 799
The Failure of the Populist Movement 799
The Primary Election System 800
The Negroes Disfranchised 800
Successes and Failures of Reconstruction 801
Appendices:
Cotton Production in Alabama, 1860-1900 804
Registration of Voters under the New Constitution 806
Index 809
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE
Alabama Money Facing 178
Buckley, Rev. C. W. " 552
“Bully for Alabama” " 738
Callis, John B. " 552
Clanton, General James H. " 760
Clemens, Jere " 36
Confederate Capitol, Montgomery " 96
Confederate Monument, Montgomery " 96
Confederate Postage Stamps " 178
Crowe, Major James R. " 760
Curry, Dr. J. L. M. " 626
Davis, Jefferson " 54
Davis, Inauguration of " 96
Davis, Residence of, Montgomery " 96
Gaineswood, a Plantation Home " 8
Hays, Charles " 552
“Hon. Mr. Carraway” " 738
Houston, Governor George S. " 760
John Brown Extra " 18
Johnson, President Andrew " 336
Ku Klux Costumes 675
Ku Klux Hanging Pictures 612
Ku Klux Warning 678
Lewis, Governor D. P. Facing 600
Lindsay, Governor R. B. " 760
Meade, General George G. " 476
Moore, Governor Andrew B. " 130
Negro Members of the Convention of 1875 " 600
“Nigger, Scalawag, Carpetbagger” " 738
Parsons, Governor L. E. " 600
Patton, Governor R. M. " 760
Pope, General John " 476
Prescript (Original) of Ku Klux Klan, Facsimile of Page of " 670
Prescript (revised and amended) of Ku Klux Klan, Facsimile of Page of 665
Private Money Facing 178
Rapier, J. T. " 552
Ritual of the Knights of the White Camelia, Facsimile of Page of " 670
Shorter, Governor John Gill " 130
Smith, Governor William H. " 600
Smith, William R. " 36
Spencer, Senator George E. " 552
Stephens, Alexander H. " 36
Stevens, Thaddeus " 336
Sumner, Charles " 336
Swayne, General Wager " 476
“The Speaker cried out, ‘Order!’” " 738
Thomas, General George H. " 476
Union League Constitution, Facsimile of Page of " 566
Walker, General L. P. " 36
Warner, Senator Willard " 552
Watts, Governor Thomas H. " 130
Wilmer, Bishop R. H. " 130
Yancey, William Lowndes " 36
LIST OF MAPS
PAGE
1. Population in 1860 4
2. Nativity and Distribution of Public Men 6
3. Election for President, 1860 20
4. Parties in the Secession Convention 29
5. Disaffection toward the Confederacy, 1861-1865 110
6. Industrial Development, 1861-1865 150
7. Devastation by Invading Armies 256
8. Parties in the Convention of 1865 359
9. Registration of Voters under the Reconstruction Acts 494
10. Election for President, 1868 747
11. Election of 1870 750
12. Election of 1872 755
13. Election of 1874 795
14. Election of 1876 796
15. Election of 1880 798
16. Election of 1890 799
17. Election of 1902 under New Constitution 800