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Guntersville in Marshall County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)
 

Federal Troops Burn Guntersville During Civil War

 
 
Federal Troops Burn Guntersville During Civil War Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By David J Gaines, November 23, 2011
1. Federal Troops Burn Guntersville During Civil War Marker
Inscription. January 15, 1865 was perhaps the darkest day in the history of Guntersville. At noon, forty Federal marines from the gunboat U.S.S. General Grant were sent to burn the town. After the mission was completed, only seven buildings remained standing – the Marshall County Courthouse, the city jail, the Guntersville Hotel, a school house, the Masonic Hall and two residences. Miraculously, both residences still exist – the Gilbreath house on Blount Avenue and the Nickles house on Hill Avenue.

The mission to burn the town resulted from an incident at nearby Red Hill, a small community south of Guntersville. During a surprise early morning Federal raid by Colonel William J. Palmer’s 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry on General Hylan Lyon’s Kentucky Cavalry, one of Colonel Palmer’s men was killed. The soldier was Sergeant Arthur P. Lyon (no relation to General Lyon), a favorite of the Federal Cavalry and recent recipient of the Medal of Honor.

This action caused immediate retaliation by the Federal troops, who burned several plantations as they advanced on Brown’s Valley toward the Tennessee River. Among the plantations destroyed were those of Arthur Campbell Beard and Thomas Atkins Street. The plantation belonging to Dr. J.W. Fennell was spared by the Federals, who used the house to treat their wounded.

The Grant, which was
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positioned nearby then navigated up river to Guntersville where the marines were dispatched to burn the town. The gunboat's log noted that it landed at Guntersville at noon, sent out a landing party, and burned the town. It also recorded that the weather was clear and pleasant and that by 3:50 p.m. the burning of Guntersville had been completed. The Grant then cast loose and headed down the Tennessee River.

Guntersville began to resurrect itself from the destruction of four years of war with the help of Louis Weiss Wyeth. In the summer of 1865 he traveled to Nashville, Louisville and Cincinnati to solicit food and aid for the starving citizens of Guntersville. Effects of the Civil War lasted well into the twentieth century. As late as 1935 there were forty-three widows of Confederate veterans drawing pensions who were living in Marshall County. The last Confederate veteran to die in Marshall County was John L. Cox, who died in 1944.
 
Erected 2010 by Guntersville Historical Society.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is January 15, 1684.
 
Location. 34° 21.823′ N, 86° 17.452′ W. Marker is in Guntersville, Alabama, in Marshall County. Marker is on Lurleen B Wallace Drive (Alabama Route 79), on the right when traveling south
Federal Gunboat General Grant image. Click for full size.
2. Federal Gunboat General Grant
. The marker is located at the Visitors Center on US 431/SR 79 on the north of town. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2098 Lurleen B Wallace Dr, Guntersville AL 35976, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. History of Guntersville (here, next to this marker); John Gunter (here, next to this marker); Colonel Montgomery Gilbreath House (approx. 0.3 miles away); Errol Allan Park (approx. 0.3 miles away); Section of Core (approx. 0.4 miles away); Veterans of Foreign Wars Marshall County (approx. 0.4 miles away); Courthouse Well (approx. 0.4 miles away); Events in Marshall County (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Guntersville.
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on July 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 3, 2012, by David J Gaines of Pinson, Alabama. This page has been viewed 2,753 times since then and 118 times this year. Last updated on July 1, 2023, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. Photos:   1. submitted on February 3, 2012, by David J Gaines of Pinson, Alabama.   2. submitted on February 27, 2012, by Jim Campbell of Fountain Hills, Arizona. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
 
Editor’s want-list for this marker. A clear daylight close-up photo of the marker. • A wide shot of the marker and its surroundings. • Can you help?

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Mar. 28, 2024