Hello Hoyt,
Yes they are without a doubt part of Selma's circle of defenses. I have studied it in depth. On the map of Selma and its defenses in the "The Official Military Atlas of the Civil War", Selma is surrounded by earthworks, forming a horse shoe around Selma, from a point on the river on one side of Selma all the way around to a point on the river other side. I have studied and figured and marked these spots on a modern map of Selma. Then I roved Selma many times, and found traces of these works in various people's yards, schools, etc., and marked them on a modern map. If you have a Civil War Military Atlas, look at Selma on page 70(you have to figure out the Roman Numerals). The works I am talking about are the ones along the west side of Selma, between Summerfield Rd. and Valley Creek. Where we went Thursday was sort of like the N.W. corner. Look on the map where the works cross the Summerfield Road. Just to the west of that you see that big sort of corner fort. Most of that corner fort, and that "V" shaped redoubt, and that long straight section to where it crosses that stream that branches off of Valley Creek is the section we walked. It is perfectly preserved. That "V" shaped redan is about 40' across at its widest and of course goes to a point. There are some fine rifle pits, etc., too. We followed the line, walking along the parapit or burm until it neared that little creek. We are planning to go back and see how much of it continues along on the other side of that little branch. At the end near the river is some recreated or rebuilt works where they have the big Selma reenactment each year,or every other year.
Actuall the first time I ever saw the works was in 1979. At that time there was also a perfectly preserved section spanning a whole city block on Range Line Road, across the edge of the yard of a black Lutheran Churches property. You could walk the moat and/or burm. It was so neat. I remember digging at the base of a tree with a screw driver amongst the roots just to see if anything was cought up in them, and finding some bullets. Anyway, when I went back in recent years, the idiots that own that church(it may have changed hands) have gotten a bulldozer and knocked it all down, levelling most of it. Now most of it looks like any other yard with grass. All that remains there is a couple of little scattered mounds, including the big one right on Range Line Rd. with the marker on it. That marker names a few people, including some civilians and a civilian preacher, who died right there defending the city against invasion. I am so worried that the trenches we saw Thursday will follow the same fate. We saw a sewage line w/manhole cover nearby and a telephone pole with wires and cables hanging down and lying across the trenches. It is a matter of time before there are houses built there. Surely some of the reenactors in Selma know about them, or perhaps the Selma Historical Society. I just don't know who to get in touch with. I think I am going to get in touch with the head honcho of the Confederate Memorial Park in Marbury and talk to him about it. He is also high up in the Alabama Division of Civil War Reenactors, and see what he says.
Take care,
Dave