Monday, May 16, 2011

Water Color, Colonel John Snodgrass Commander, 55th Alabama Regiment

Water color of Col. John Snodgrass, Commander of the 55th Alabama Regiment  by Garry Morgan taken from a photograph in "The Forgotten Regiment, A History of the 55th Alabama, by Rex Miller, Colonel Snodgrass was from Jackson County and is buried at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Scottsboro.

                  Grave site at Cedar Hill Cemetary, Scottsboro, Al.


Alabama Department of Archives Unit History of the 55th Alabama Infantry Regiment.

The 55th Alabama Infantry Regiment was made up of Snodgrass' 16th and Norwood's 6th infantry battalions, the former of six companies, the latter of five. Snodgrass' Battalion was organized at Corinth in the spring of 1862 out of companies that had been in the service a year at that time, in the organizations of other states. They had fought at Shiloh, and the battalion itself had fought at the first siege of Vicksburg and in the battles of Baton Rouge and Corinth. Norwood's Battalion was organized at Clinton, MS, out of the five companies of Alabamians which had fought and been captured at Fort Donelson while part of Quarles "Tennessee" regiment.

Organized at Port Hudson, Louisiana, in February 1863, with 900 veterans from Calhoun, Cherokee, Jackson, Madison, and Marshall counties, the 55th fought at Baker's Creek in Gen'l Abraham Buford's Brigade, Gen'l William W. Loring's Division, losing considerably. It fought at Jackson in the subsequent operations in Mississippi. As part of Gen'l Scott's Brigade, the regiment was attached to the Army of Tennessee in the spring of 1864. It was much reduced by the constant fighting on the retreat from Dalton, but it entered the Battle of Peach Tree Creek (20 July 1864) with 22 officer and 256 men, losing 14 officer and 155 men k and w. After some further skirmishing, the 55th participated in the winter campaign in Tennessee, with long lists of casualties at both Franklin and Nashville. Proceeding to North Carolina, the regiment surrendered at Greensboro, much reduced, under Col. John Snodgrass, 26 April 1865.

Field and staff officers: Col. John Snodgrass (Jackson); Lt. Col. John H. Norwood (Jackson; wounded, Peach Tree Creek); Majors Joseph H. Jones (Jackson; KIA, Peach Tree Creek); James B. Dickey (Madison); and Adjutants Hal C. Bradford (detached); J. C. Howell (Cherokee; KIA, Peach Tree Creek)

Alabama Department of Archives Battle and Officer list: http://www.archives.state.al.us/referenc/alamilor/55thinf.html

Sunday, May 15, 2011

THE FORTRESS








Likely Civil War fighting position off of Old Larkinsville Road,  100 yards long, wall over looking open field along road near bottom of Tater Knob, west side, wall runs north to south, remaining road runs approximately 200 yards north of Parks/Shelton Cemetery.




Mr. Wendell Page told me about this wall prior to his passing away. Unfortunately I was not able to get back with him to show him these photographs. Mr Page was a historian extraordinaire, it was my pleasure to know him and work with him on several projects at the Heritage Center of Jackson County.

Water Iris, Lake Guntersville, Alabama

                               The lovely "Water Iris."

County Park, Birds and Flowers

                       Purple Martins behind Council on Aging

                                     Tiger Lily
                                    "Fire Star"

                           Solarized Pink Rose

Flowers and Butterflys

                          Yellow Swallowtail on Zinnea - summer 2010
                            Negative Art - White Clematis
                        Black Swallowtail on Zinnea - Summer 2009

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Disclosures and Politicians of Jackson County

On April 25, 2011 the Jackson County Legislative Delegation and the Jackson County Commission met in a "public hearing/information session." A quorum of the Jackson County Commission met in a non-announced meeting at the Legislative Delegation Office. There were 2 items discussed at the meeting, 1) contents of the public hearing to be connected at Scottsboro City Hall and 2) TVA in lieu of tax. The TVA in lieu of tax issues are items which will be discussed at future dates before the Jackson County Commission. The unannounced meeting by the County Commission at the Legislative Delegation Office was a violation of the Alabama Open Meetings Act as any item which may surface in future open meetings may not be discussed in private. This is not the first time the Jackson County Commission has met in violation of the Alabama Open Meetings Act.


A quorum of the Jackson County Commission meets with the Jackson County Legislative Delegation in an unannounced meeting. The county attorney and the county administrator was present at the meeting. TVA in lieu of tax funds were the subject of the meeting. I discovered the whereabouts of the commissioners after inquiry about where the county attorney and administrator had disappeared. The meeting was held at the Jackson County Legislative Office prior to the "public hearing, information session" scheduled at city hall for 4:30 PM. The clock on the wall indicates 17 minutes after the hour, the clock reflects Central Standard Time, not Daylight Savings Time.
The Jackson County Commission at the "public hearing." Left to right in photo, Chairperson of the Commission Sadie Bias, Commissioner Gaylen Stone, Commissioner Jack Allen, Administrator Sandra Erickson.
"Politicians," left to right, Scottsboro Mayor Melton Potter, State Representative Wayne Johnson, State Representative John Robinson, State Senator Shad McGill.
Probate Judge Floyd Hambrick making rounds.

Senator McGill and Representative Robinson.