Braylee

   This is my Grey Mare, Braylee. Although my time with her was but a few months I really enjoyed it and loved this horse. Not only was she a very beautiful horse, she was was such a sweetie. We ended up having to get rid of her because developed a spooky nature about her. I was not experienced enough to have a horse who would bolt with the kids and completely freak out.

   I will always remember her as the first horse that I actually loved. I wish badly that I could have handled her and bonded with her for many more years.

All photos are owned by me and I reserve all rights to the photos.

Bayou Colors

This is a photo that I took while on the Bayou. When I seen this my first thought was I need to take this down and replace it with a new one. I took a few pictures of the flag and then my thoughts changed some.

I felt the flag was a fairly good representation of America right now. The Flag is torn and tattered yet still waving proud. Many in America right now feel that we are torn and tattered yet I don't know of one person who is NOT proud to be American.

We are all proud to be Americans even though we may not like many things that are going on in this country as of late.






I own all rights to "Bayou Colors". If you wish to use this picture please feel free to contact me.

Black Confederates

  There are many people out there who strongly disagree at the fact that black men served as Confederates during the War for Southern Independence. They belittle these men; calling them only cooks, servants, musicians etc. Most of these people are from the north who usually have a hidden agenda. They usually dont want people to recognize that black men fought because then they would not have a leg to stand on when they fight to ban the Confederate Battle Flag. They say the flag is a flag of racism.

   They want us to believe that the war was just about slavery. Now, I wont sit here and say that the war had nothing to do with slavery. We all know it was a big part of it. They want us to think that it was the negro hating demon south against the negro loving and saving north. As with anything.....its never that simple and its never that black and white.

This post is not to get into the politics of the war or what caused the war. Its also not to dismiss slavery as a driving factor in the war. It is merely to pay honor to those Black Confederates. They, no doubt, had many reasons for being Confederates. Some may have been forced but some, no doubt, wanted to stand up and fight. After all, the North was invading their country also.

Some of the following men are unidentified to me. If you have knowledge of who they are please feel free to email me at JWheeler331@gmail.com as I would surely love to add that info.

The ones that I do have identities for, I have added their info.

Once again, I do not make this thread to get into a flaming about Black Confederates but to merely Honor the ones who served the Confederacy.

Holt Collier

 At the outbreak of the Civil War, Howell Hinds joined the Confederate Army and gave Collier his freedom papers. Collier immediately tried to join the Confederate forces alongside Hinds, but was told he was too young to fight. He ran away from the plantation and stowed away on a riverboat in the Mississippi for almost a year and then joined the 9th Texas Brigade by his own choice and served throughout the war. He finished his service as one of Nathan Bedford Forrest’s most trusted cavalry scouts, known as a superb horseman and marksman.

During the time of Reconstruction, Collier was accused of murdering a Yankee soldier, Captain James King, but was acquitted by a military tribunal in Vicksburg. King and Howell Hinds were involved in a fight and during the dispute, Hinds, though a much older man, knocked the youngster down several times. King’s anger grew with every knockdown. Finally, the thoroughly infuriated young man drew a knife on his unarmed opponent, but a bystander fired shots killing King, preventing him from drawing blood with his knife. It was never fully proven that Holt Collier was the man behind the gun. Soon after the trial, Collier left Mississippi and headed for Texas to lay low and let the controversy of the trial and King’s death blow over.

While in Texas, Collier used his skills as a horseman to work as a cowboy for one of the Lone Star State’s Founding Fathers, Lawrence Sullivan Ross, on Ross’ large ranch. Ross was one of the first Texas Rangers and eventually Governor of Texas, which adds a bit of irony to the story considering Collier was biding time waiting for a murder accusation to pass.

 http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/f...=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=10431545&df=all&

Unidentified Black Confederate

Unidentified Black Confederate

 Unidentified Black Confederate

John Noland

This image was taken by E.A. Baldwin June 5 1863. This is John Noland. Gus Myers spoke highly of this black man in notes in his journal. He is wearing a Confederate raider hat. He was Quantrill’s personal scout and spy. He later attended many of the Quantrill Reunions and was very highly respected. All of his pall bearers were former Quantrill guerrillas, white men who loved him

Unidentified Black Confederate

Half Brothers

 This ambrotype taken by Washburn & Co. of New Orleans captured an example of a unique social status in antebellum New Orleans. These Confederate soldiers are half brothers, the one on the right a mulatto.

Silas Chandler


Most of us have seen this photo before.

The one-of-a-kind Civil War photograph is at the center of a hot debate over whether black men fought for the Confederate army. Was Silas Chandler, the black man in a Confederate uniform, slave or free? What was the relationship between him and Andrew Chandler, the man at left?

The gentleman on the right is Silas Chandler, his slave, or as we've always called him, manservant. Andrew Chandler fought with the 44th Mississippi Cavalry, as did Silas. They're about the same age, joined the Confederate army when Andrew was 16, Silas was 17, and they fought in four battles together. What I'm told is unusual about this is that both men are obviously in Confederate uniforms and that images of African Americans in Confederate uniforms during the war are particularly rare. I think they were seen more prevalently at veterans reunions and things wearing Confederate uniforms. But it was, I think, a very interesting relationship. The men grew up together, they worked the fields together, and continued to live closely throughout the rest of their lives.

Daniel Jenkins

Mulatto Confederate Soldier Daniel Jenkins and his wife. Jenkins was with the Confederate 9th Kentucky Infantry and was killed at Shiloh on 4/6/62.

Anthony T. Welters

 Confederate soldier Anthony T. Welters is pictured in this late 1800's portrait. Welters is one of two African American Confederate soldiers buried at San Lorenzo Cemetery in St. Augustine.

Returning to St. Augustine, after the war, Welters lived at 79 Bridge St. and became active in politics and with the E. Kirby Smith Camp, United Confederate Veterans. He died in 1902 at 92 years old.

Wary Clyburn

Wary Clyburn, served with honor
Mattie Clyburn Rice is the second black "Real Daughter" to be recognized by the United Daughters of the Confederacy.

Mattie Clyburn Rice, 88, spent years searching through archives to prove her father was a black Confederate. As she leafs through a notebook filled with official-looking papers, Rice stops to read a faded photocopy with details of her father's military service.


"At Hilton Head while under fire of the enemy, he carried his master out of the field of fire on his shoulder, that he performed personal service for Robert E. Lee. That was his pension record," Rice says.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/f...=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=60770561&df=all&

Burrel Hemphill

Jeff Shields

A cook for the Stonewall Jackson Brigade, maybe a cook for Stonewall Jackson himself.








I hope that you can enjoy the photos and information provided with some of them. Feel free to leave comments but please be respectful. 

Images from Selma 2012

These are some images that we took while in Selma for the Battle of Selma 2012.

First up is a Union Officer. My 10 year old son wanted to snap some pictures and this was one of the first ones he took. I think it turned out pretty nice.

I like the way he captured the flag in the picture. The man himself looks as though he was plucked right out of the 1860s.


Next up we have a Confederate Dead. This was taken during the skirmish on the Saturday. I thought it captured the mood of battle.

I think the picture gives the look of of a man who had met his end and who is laying in the hot sun.


This next photo was shot while a lone Confederate walked into the woods. Almost like the ghost of the Confederate heading into eternity.......going back home.

This next picture was taken in Live Oak Cemetery. We came across a lone Confederate AVC Soldier sitting on a brick wall inside the cemetery. This is another picture that my son shot. I think he is getting the hang of it.

Another neat picture we were able to get while inside the Live Oak Cemetery during ceremony was that of some Cavalry Soldiers on horseback.

These two fellows below were part of the Navy Presentation. My son liked their uniforms and went over and asked them to pose for the camera.

Hope you enjoyed the pictures. Please feel free to leave comments.



All of these photos are copyright protected and owned by me. If you wish to use these images for anything please contact me at jwheeler331@gmail.com

C.S.A.

C.S.A

by Abram Joseph Ryan

Do we weep for the heroes who died for us,
Who living were true and tried for us,
And dying sleep side by side for us;
The Martyr-band
That hallowed our land
With the blood they shed in a tide for us?
Ah! fearless on many a day for us
They stood in front of the fray for us,
And held the foeman at bay for us;
And tears should fall
Fore'er o'er all
Who fell while wearing the gray for us.
How many a glorious name for us,
How many a story of fame for us
They left: Would it not be a blame for us
If their memories part
From our land and heart,
And a wrong to them, and shame for us?
No, no, no, they were brave for us,
And bright were the lives they gave for us;
The land they struggled to save for us
Will not forget
Its warriors yet
Who sleep in so many a grave for us.
On many and many a plain for us
Their blood poured down all in vain for us,
Red, rich, and pure, like a rain for us;
They bleed -- we weep,
We live -- they sleep,
"All lost," the only refrain for us.
But their memories e'er shall remain for us,
And their names, bright names, without stain for us:
The glory they won shall not wane for us,
In legend and lay
Our heroes in Gray
Shall forever live over again for us.

This is a poem that I have enjoyed reading from time to time over the years. The photo was taken in Selma, Alabama at Live Oak Cemetery in May 2012. There are so many men who fought and died who are "Unknown, but to God". They rest in unmarked graves or graves with markers such as the one above. Their loss is no more less than those who are known but they are lost to history.

May they all rest in peace.









Photo is owned by me. If you wish to use this photo please contact me at jwheeler331@gmail.com
Thank you for taking the time to look. Please feel free to comment.

Rube Burrow

My family is from Lamar County, Alabama. My grandmother owns land that once belonged to Rube Burrow, the infamous Alabama Outlaw from the late 1800s. Growing up on that land, I heard the stories of Rube Burrow and it really sparked my love of history. As a kid we would play cops and robbers and of course Rube was a big part of those games.

We always wondered if there was gold buried on our land but of course we never found any. It was just the wild imagination of young kids but it served for many good times.

My grandmother would take me as a kid to see his grave in Fellowship Cemetery in Vernon, Alabama. It was very exciting for me to see this. I enjoyed reading about the Wild West but that seemed so far away. Rube is buried in my hometown and that brought it to life.

I would always read any book that I could find on Rube. Pictures were always a plus. My most favorite picture that I have spent many many hours looking at and studying is the pic that was taken in Birmingham, Alabama. It shows Rube in his casket with his guns and hat in there with him. He was taken off the train that was taking him back home to Lamar County, Alabama and stood up for this photo while thousands of people came to view the body of the most wanted man in the country.  This fasinated me as a kid. I loved guns at a young age and I always wondered what happened to those guns that were in his coffin with him.

This is the picture that I spent so many years looking at.

You can see how this picture would be so facinating to a young kid. Its everything the "Wild West" is made up of and this Outlaw was from my hometown and is buried just down the road from where I was born.

I wondered for years what the guns were and after studying them I found out. The rifle is what interested me the most because he loved that rifle so much that it basically got him killed.

You see, when he was captured Jeff Carter took his rifle and upon escaping Rube (instead of leaving right away) decided to go find Jeff Carter and get his rifle back. A gunfight took place and Rube was killed. Had he just ran away he may have escaped and possibly lived longer. He choose to get that rifle back though and paid for it with his life.

I started a love affair with that rifle as a boy that I still have today. Now with the internet and things I was able to find out that the rifle is still around today and that I could view it. Heck yes I thought. I made plans to go see the rifle for myself. I had looked at this rifle for so many years in that infamous picture and now I was going to stand there and see it in person. Of course I was going to snap a few pics of my own.

There was even the last bullet that was left in his revolver. It was taken from the revolver after the gunfight that killed Rube Burrow. I thought that was pretty neat also.

Of course no Rube Burrow road trip would be complete without seeing the old courthouse that Rube was killed in front of. It is still standing today.

If you would like to learn more about Rube Burrow google his name. There are plenty of things that come up.

To me, Barbara Woolbright Carruth, is considered the leading Rube Burrow Expert. She has a book about him also.

I collect anything I can find on Rube Burrows so if you have something please email me at JWheeler331@gmail.com

I love newspaper articles, wanted posters, pictures, books or just ANYTHING on him.


Thank you for reading, please feel free to comment.



PS. I know his name is spelled both ways as in Burrow and Burrows as written on his headstone. The correct spelling is actually Burrow.

Wheeler Men

Going through some things we found this picture of some of my ancestors. This picture was taken in the late 20s or early 30s.

I thought this was a neat picture because it shows the men all of which are standing with their shotgun or rifle.

In the picture from the left;

Thomas Nathan Wheeler, son of Confederate Veteran Jesse Wheeler

Myrt Wheeler, son of Thomas Nathan Wheeler

Bailey Woods, son in law to Thomas Nathan Wheeler

Hezzie Carl Wheeler, son of Thomas Nathan Wheeler

William Chester Wheeler, son of Thomas Nathan Wheeler

Since we liked this photo we decided to get a few of the sons and grandsons of the men in the original picture together and take one of our own.

In our picture from the left;

Roger Dale Wheeler, son of William Chester Wheeler in the original

Farrell Wheeler, son of Hezzie Wheeler in the original

David Wheeler, son of William Chester in the original

Joe Wheeler, son of Roger Dale Wheeler in our new picture

Justin Wheeler, son of Roger Dale Wheeler in our new picture

Jimmy Wheeler, grandson of Hezzie Wheeler in the original picture

I own all rights to these pictures. Please contact me if you wish to use these images at JWheeler331@gmail.com

Old Cahawba (Cahaba)

This past fall I went out to the old Alabama Ghost Town of Old Cahawba or (Cahaba) as its sometimes spelled. It is located just outside of Selma, Alabama and sits between the Cahaba and Alabama river.

I found this to be a very interesting place. It was the first state capital of Alabama and a thriving antebellum river town. It was once home to a Confederate ran Civil War Prison. Now, its not much more than a few roads and even fewer structures.

There is a cemetery there with many people resting in their final resting place. Many died from a wide spread sickness that killed many in the town. The cemetery is not in the best of shape. Many of the graves have broken stones and/or open tombs.

It is my hopes that eventually they will work towards preserving some of the graves there.




Historic St. Lukes Episcopal Church Building.

This 150 year old structure was designed by Richard Upjohn. When I was there this building was in the process of being restored.




There are still standing, a couple of the old columns that were part of the Crocheron Home.

Here is where the Confederate ran prison was situated at.

It is absolutely amazing to me to think of the history that happened here so many years ago.

If you are a person who enjoys history and you are in the Selma, Alabama area anytime soon it is well worth it to take a stroll through here and check out the sights. There are signs up in key spots to tell you what once was there. You can see basement impressions in the ground in places. There is an old chimney where the Prison once stood. (maybe part of the actual prison chimney).  There was so much history in the area that if you let yourself imagine.....you can hear all the sounds, picture the buildings, see the citizens...the soldiers.

This place was very moving to me. There is a website for anyone who is interested. It can be found at

http://www.cahawba.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

On the website you can read more history on the town, donate and also see some of their own pics.


I am in no way affiliated with the town. Just someone who enjoyed my visit there and took a few pics. I felt it would be fun to share with you on this blog. Hope you enjoyed the small tour.


All of my photos are copyright protected and owned by me. If you wish to use one of my photos please contact me at JWheeler331@gmail.com

Nathan Bedford Forrest Bust

This is a series of photos that I took while attending the Battle of Selma in 2011. These photos are of the bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest.

The bust has been a topic of controversy since it was made. Soon after it was dedicated in October 2000, the monument was vandalized and was moved to the Confederate monument area inside the cemetery.

Recently in March of 2012 the bust was stolen by some crook. I truly hope that they find the person responsible for this theft. I don't know how much confidence I have in the authorities there though because of what was actually stolen. Time will tell.

All of these images are copyright protected. If you wish to use one of these photos please contact me at JWheeler331@gmail.com