Alan,

In many cases that would be a very accurate description. Sometimes parties of these men, associated with the 1st Florida U.S. Cavalry, carried out raids in South Alabama and Northwest Florida. For the most part, though, their activities were pretty much beyond the law.

One of my favorite stories about Ward is that after the war he stood on the shore of West Bay in Northwest Florida watching a friend try to get a small boat ashore in a storm. When the friend finally made, Ward supposedly said, "I was praying for you." The friend responded, "Please don't pray for me. The prayers of the wicked availeth nothing."

Dale