The Alabama in the Civil War Message Board

Re: Skirmish at Hunt's Mill
In Response To: Re: Skirmish at Hunt's Mill ()

Michael:

My great, great uncle, Isaac Owen Browning, was a member of Company "A" 1st Tennessee-Alabama Independent Vidette Cavalry USA. He was married, with a baby girl and lived near Wedowee, Alabama, in Randolph County. Several groups of Browning families settled in Randolph County and in what is now Clay County, AL in the late 1850's migrating to the area from Henry County, Georgia (Stockbridge area). Isaac's older brother, James Madison Browning, my g-g grandfather, served the CSA in a Henry County unit. He was probably drafted into that unit in 1862.

Isaac joined the 1st TN-AL Vidette cavalry in 1863. He was also captured at Hunt's Mill on 9/26/1863 and held by the Confederates through Feb-March 1864. He reappears in Jackson County AL in April 1864 and enlists a second time. it was a 3 year enlistment in Company I, 13 Tennessee Cavalry USA.

I have his service records, but do not know where he was imprisoned, or the circumstances of his release or escape. He died in a US Army hospital in Gallatin, TN and is probably buried there. His service records come from his g-g-g granddaughter.

When I discovered the rosters for the TN-AL Vidette Cavalry, I noted the members of the Isbell family in Company A. Census data had several living north of Huntsville, near the Tennessee - Alabama state line. This is the same area where singer Jason Isbell is from. I contacted his manager and asked if he might be related to the Isbells serving in the unit with my g-g uncle. I got a reply from the agent that Jason was interested in finding out. Are you related to the artist?

It was a big shock to me that I had relatives fighting on both sides. I can't find much family information on Isaac either, but a distant cousin came to my assistance. Unionists from the south, particularly the Deep South, is a part of history that is not well known. If found two books that were especially helpful in understanding the environment. "Bitterly Divided: the South's War With Itself" - David Williams is a good place to start. "Loyalty and Loss: Alabama Unionists in the Civil War and Reconstruction" is especially good and concerned about Alabama "anti-secessionists." Both books are extremely well documented with hundreds of primary sources. Isaac is not talked about in my family, and his widow was very poorly treated, threatened and went out in public dressed as a man.

Unionists by the thousands enlisted, over 200,000 white southerners fought for the North. There was more resistance to secession that most history tells us. An unknown part of the war, and likely the real reason the South lost. (about 250,000 former slaves fought in Union uniforms).

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Skirmish at Hunt's Mill
Re: Skirmish at Hunt's Mill
Re: Skirmish at Hunt's Mill, Jackson County
Re: Skirmish at Hunt's Mill, Jackson County
Re: Skirmish at Hunt's Mill, Jackson County
Re: Skirmish at Hunt's Mill, Jackson County
thanks! *NM*
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Re: Skirmish at Hunt's Mill