Grave of A.B.Cromartie at Canaan Cemetery Canoe, Ala.
The years between 1861-65 were a trying time for those involved in the War Between the States. Adding to the turmoil was the misery experienced by those in captivity on both sides of the Blue and the Gray.
Among the worst prisoner of war camps was Camp Douglas, Illinois which was located in what is today's Chicago city limits. In late December 1862, a very young Monroe County lad by the name of Private John William McKinley was captured at the Battle of Murphysboro and sent to the camp. In those days, Camp Douglas had not gained quite the reputation that it would gain later in the war.
The over-crowding in the camp led Northern leaders to swap the men out for Union prisoners in May 1863. Private John William McKinley and many other POWs from Camp Douglas found themselves in Virginia for the exchange and soon back with their regiments in the field.
Later in the war, after the Union Army ended the procedures by which POWs were exchanged, prison camps on both sides swelled in population. In the South, Andersonville is often cited as an example of a place of terrible conditions for prisoners. However, the South was under siege, even her own soldiers suffered terrible deprivations in the field with shortages of food, clothing, medicine and equipment. What was the excuse for Northern prison camps like Camp Douglas, Elmira, Camp Chase, Point Look Out, Ship Island and many others when the North was winning the war? The North had the industrial capacity to house and care for countless more POWs than the South.
By late 1864 conditions had reached a point where capture was almost as bad as being wounded on the battlefield. Entering into this situation was Sgt. Alexander Bolivar Cromartie.
Cromartie was born to William and Mary Cromartie on March 5, 1831. His family resided in Monroe and Conecuh County. The family lived for a time at Dennard's Bluff in Monroe County. It was here that Alexander enlisted into the 24th Alabama Infantry Regiment, Company I, as a Corporal at Mobile. He later made Sargent and was captured at Franklin, Tennessee in December 1864 and sent to Camp Douglas.
As early as 1862, many soldiers at Camp Douglas were given the option of enlisting in the US Army in order to avoid the harsh conditions at the camp. To do so, one would be called a "galvanized soldier" because, as much as metal is often coated with zinc in order to galvanize it, a true Southerner, or a true Yankee, might be "galvanized" over in their beliefs and other military service by enlisting into the other side's army as a captive.
Galvanized soldiers were present on both sides during the war. In the South, Confederate authorities recruited POWs as well. During the final six months of the war, 1600 POWs were brought into the Confederate armies. Most were foreign born individuals who had only recently immigrated to the US when they were captured. The four regiments they were formed were called Brooks Battalion of Foreigners, Confederate 1st Foreign Legion (aka Tucker's Confederates) and 2nd Foreign Legion (aka 8th Confederate Battalion). The state of Tennessee also created their own galvanized regiment called the 10th Tennessee Irish Volunteers who were made up of recent Irish immigrants.
Yet in the North, the US Army sent most of its galvanized soldiers to fight the Indians out West. On March 30, 1865, Confederate Sgt. Cromartie took his oath with the US Army and was mustered into the 6th US Infantry, Company I, as a private. Cromartie was sent to Omaha, Nebraska. He was discharged on March 3, 1866.
Alexander Bolivar Cromartie returned to South Alabama where he served as a postmaster in Mixonville, Conecuh County, and moved to Canoe, Alabama around 1908. He was married twice, first to Obedience Cunningham and later to Sarah Higdon. He fathered two children by Obedience and four by Sarah. There were Mary Elizabeth Etheridge (who married George Etheridge), and Eliza Mixon (wife of John Mixon who would later have a store in Canoe). Mary is buried at Sardis Cemetery; Eliza is buried at Asbury Methodist Cemetery in north Conecuh. The other four children were William John, Alexander, Betty Horn and Samuel Cromartie, Sr.
Alexander Bolivar Cromartie passed away at Canoe, Alabama on March 27, 1913 in Canoe and is buried at the Canaan Freewill Baptist Cemetery.
A special thanks to Mr. Rob Howell for his contributions to this article.
Available now: The Butler Street Chronicles; Selected histories of the communities surrounding Butler Street and will include information on settlers at Steadham, Pond Fork, Sizemore, Sardine, Butler Street, Hollinger and other communities along this route. Pick up your copy for $15. Copies can be purchased from the author or at Amazon.com or Lulu.com.
Vote for and support the Canoe Landmark District referendum on the 2020 ballot. Call for more details.
Shadows and Dust Volume III: Legacies is available for purchase in the amount of $30.00+$5.00 shipping and handling to PO Box 579 Atmore, AL 36502 or visit Lulu Publishing.com; Amazon.com, Barnes and Nobles.com OR at the Monroe County Heritage Museum in Monroeville, Alabama.
Canaan Freewill Cemetery in Canoe, Alabama seeks donations for the upkeep of the grounds and other maintenance. This historic cemetery is a memorial to the hardworking, good people of the area who settled, raised families, built communities and churches and, when their time had come, were buried in its hallowed confines. Send your donation today to 105 West Meadow Dr. Atmore, AL 36502.
