Athens in Limestone County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)
Prisoners of War
Fort Henderson and Trinity School
By Mark Hilton, October 18, 2020
1. Prisoners of War Marker
Inscription.
Prisoners of War. Fort Henderson and Trinity School. . “When told that the fort had been surrendered... [the soldiers] could scarcely believe themselves, but with tears demanded that the fight should go on, preferring to die in the fort.” , Lt. Robert McMillan, 110th U.S. Colored Infantry
You now stand near the fort's northwest bastion. Treating them differently than white soldiers who went to prisoner of war camps, General Nathan Bedford Forrest sent many from the 110th United States Colored Troops to Mobile, Alabama. There, Julius and Samuel Redus, George Allen, John Jackson, Doctor Peete, Moses Peete and John Roberts were put to work by General Richard Taylor on the city's fortifications. They remained prisoners for eight months until Taylor surrendered to Union forces. Sadly, not all returned home. Samuel Redus took ill during captivity and passed away in a Nashville hospital on June 24, 1865. Two days later and likely unaware of his brother's passing, Julius died due to complications from a blow to the head inflicted by a guard. Moses Peete, while aboard the Natchez on the Alabama River, fell from the deck and drowned. His body was never recovered. Their comrades, John Jackson, Doctor Peete and John Roberts, returned to the regiment as did George Allen, despite an injury from a magazine explosion. These men served out their term of enlistment and were discharged in February 1866. No longer slaves, they now had to find their way in a new society.
[Photo captions . Middle: Norton W. Campbell served as a captain in the 110th U.S. Colored Troops. Campbell briefly commanded the regiment in the spring of 1864 and surrendered at Fort Henderson. Unlike enlisted men in his charge, Campbell was exchanged and returned to duty in December 1864. Courtesy of the Library of Congress
Right: Edward R.S. Canby graduated from West Point in 1839. Early in the war, Canby defeated Confederate General Henry Sibley in the New Mexico Campaign. Appointed to command the Military Division of West‘Mississippi, Major General Canby ultimately freed the USCTS captured at Fort Henderson when he accepted General Richard Taylor's surrender in May 1865. Courtesy of the Library of Congress . This historical marker was erected in 2020 by American Battlefield Trust & Paul Bryant Jr.. It is in Athens in Limestone County Alabama
“When told that the fort had been surrendered...
[the soldiers] could scarcely believe themselves,
but with tears demanded that the fight should
go on, preferring to die in the fort.” — Lt.
Robert McMillan, 110th U.S. Colored Infantry
You now stand near the fort's northwest bastion.
Treating them differently than white soldiers who
went to prisoner of war camps, General Nathan
Bedford Forrest sent many from the 110th United
States Colored Troops to Mobile, Alabama. There,
Julius and Samuel Redus, George Allen, John
Jackson, Doctor Peete, Moses Peete and John
Roberts were put to work by General Richard Taylor
on the city's fortifications. They remained prisoners
for eight months until Taylor surrendered to Union
forces. Sadly, not all returned home. Samuel Redus
took ill during captivity and passed away in a
Nashville hospital on June 24, 1865. Two days later
and likely unaware of his brother's passing, Julius
died due to complications from a blow to the head
inflicted by a guard. Moses Peete, while aboard the
Natchez on the Alabama River, fell from the deck
and drowned. His body was never
By Mark Hilton, October 18, 2020
2. Prisoners of War Marker
Former Trinity High School in background.
recovered. Their
comrades, John Jackson, Doctor Peete and John
Roberts, returned to the regiment as did George
Allen, despite an injury from a magazine explosion.
These men served out their term of enlistment and
were discharged in February 1866. No longer slaves,
they now had to find their way in a new society.
[Photo captions
Middle: Norton W. Campbell served as a captain in the 110th
U.S. Colored Troops. Campbell briefly commanded
the regiment in the spring of 1864 and surrendered at
Fort Henderson. Unlike enlisted men in his charge,
Campbell was exchanged and returned to duty in
December 1864. Courtesy of the Library of Congress
Right: Edward R.S. Canby graduated from West Point in 1839. Early in the
war, Canby defeated Confederate General Henry Sibley in the New
Mexico Campaign. Appointed to command the Military Division of
West‘Mississippi, Major General Canby ultimately freed the USCTS
captured at Fort Henderson when he accepted General Richard
Taylor's surrender in May 1865. Courtesy of the Library of Congress
Erected 2020 by American Battlefield Trust & Paul Bryant Jr.
N, 86° 58.824′ W. Marker is in Athens, Alabama, in Limestone County. Marker can be reached from Trinity Circle north of Browns Ferry Street (County Road 29), on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 606 Trinity Cir, Athens AL 35611, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 3, 2021. It was originally submitted on October 19, 2020, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 57 times since then and 16 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on October 19, 2020, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.