2nd Alabama Cavalry
Sergeant
- Joined
- Jan 29, 2019
In researching the 2nd Regiment Alabama Cavalry over the last couple of decades I have made several very interesting discoveries, which to me were quite fascinating. But some of the most fascinating things involve components of camp life in between the campaigns, battles, skirmishes, fights, actions and scouts. One of those was the dismissal of both the 2nd Alabama Cavalry regimental commander (Colonel Fountain Winston Hunter) and the regiment`s Major (Matthew R. Marks) due to violence which ensued after an all night poker game between the officers of the regiment in November 1862 while operating in the Florida Panhandle.
This is basically what happened; after playing and gambling all night, as the game was breaking up, the officers began to settle the balance of their wins and losses. As they did some of the men began complaining because they lost large amounts of money and were not happy about it. As the trash talk began to get personal and insulting, several heated arguments broke out, one of those being between the regiments Colonel, Fountain Winston Hunter (regimental commander) and Matthew R. Marks (regimental Major). Very quickly this turned to violence when Col. Hunter struck Major Marks and in response Major Marks drew his pistol and shot Col. Hunter. It was at this time that the other officers, who were also in the game, jumped in and broke up the fight at which point they attended to their Colonel.
It was not long until the Provost Marshal and guards was alerted and the aggravated parties were separated, placed in arrest and an official investigation was ordered. Charges were filed, on the brigade level, against both men. A Military Court was ordered and convened to hear the charges in a General Field Grade Court Martial on 9 December 1862 at Pollard, Alabama (Camp Lee). Col. Hunter was charged with striking an inferior officer and conduct unbecoming of an officer and a gentleman. Major Marks was charged with assault on a superior officer and the use of a deadly weapon which resulted in that officer being wounded. Both men were found guilty and were then being considered for dismissal of their duties. The matter went all the way to President Jeff Davis and his adjutant, who agreed that the two men should be punished and removed from their positions as punishment. This was ordered from Richmond to be carried out on 4 Apr 1863.
So on that day Lt. Col. James Cunningham (Lt. Commander) temporarily took over for Col. Hunter as acting regimental commander, until 27 May 1863 when Capt. Richard G. Earle was promoted to Colonel and took over the regiment with Capt. John P. West being promoted to Lt. Colonel and was appointed as the regimental Lt. Commander. Capt. John N. Carpenter was promoted to Major taking the place of Major Matthew R. Marks as the regimental Major.
The following account of what took place is recorded in Major Matthew R. Marks` Official Records which are on file with his Confederate Service Records:
"The findings of the Court Martial showed that the two officers (Marks / Hunter) with others were engaged in gambling during nearly the whole night. That the altercation originated in the settlement of balances of loss at the end of the game. That a fight ensued in which Major Marks used a deadly weapon (pistol) wounding his superior (Col. Hunter)."
Major Matthew R. Marks stated in his defense that after being struck by his superior officer, Col. Hunter, that it provoked him to pull his pistol and act in self defense and that he was acting in response to what he considered both a threat to his life and a grave insult to his manliness and reputation.
Gambling (card games / dominos), horse trading and horse racing was common in many Civil War camps in both armies during down time, especially amongst some of the younger soldiers, as was drinking spirits when it was available near the camps (corn liquor / whiskey). In several letters written home from men of the 2nd Alabama Cavalry they discussed raffles being held on pay day when someone in the camp would put up a horse, mule, pistol or rifle as a prize and charge a certain amount of money for each ticket purchased with the winning ticket to be pulled from a hat.
This is basically what happened; after playing and gambling all night, as the game was breaking up, the officers began to settle the balance of their wins and losses. As they did some of the men began complaining because they lost large amounts of money and were not happy about it. As the trash talk began to get personal and insulting, several heated arguments broke out, one of those being between the regiments Colonel, Fountain Winston Hunter (regimental commander) and Matthew R. Marks (regimental Major). Very quickly this turned to violence when Col. Hunter struck Major Marks and in response Major Marks drew his pistol and shot Col. Hunter. It was at this time that the other officers, who were also in the game, jumped in and broke up the fight at which point they attended to their Colonel.
It was not long until the Provost Marshal and guards was alerted and the aggravated parties were separated, placed in arrest and an official investigation was ordered. Charges were filed, on the brigade level, against both men. A Military Court was ordered and convened to hear the charges in a General Field Grade Court Martial on 9 December 1862 at Pollard, Alabama (Camp Lee). Col. Hunter was charged with striking an inferior officer and conduct unbecoming of an officer and a gentleman. Major Marks was charged with assault on a superior officer and the use of a deadly weapon which resulted in that officer being wounded. Both men were found guilty and were then being considered for dismissal of their duties. The matter went all the way to President Jeff Davis and his adjutant, who agreed that the two men should be punished and removed from their positions as punishment. This was ordered from Richmond to be carried out on 4 Apr 1863.
So on that day Lt. Col. James Cunningham (Lt. Commander) temporarily took over for Col. Hunter as acting regimental commander, until 27 May 1863 when Capt. Richard G. Earle was promoted to Colonel and took over the regiment with Capt. John P. West being promoted to Lt. Colonel and was appointed as the regimental Lt. Commander. Capt. John N. Carpenter was promoted to Major taking the place of Major Matthew R. Marks as the regimental Major.
The following account of what took place is recorded in Major Matthew R. Marks` Official Records which are on file with his Confederate Service Records:
"The findings of the Court Martial showed that the two officers (Marks / Hunter) with others were engaged in gambling during nearly the whole night. That the altercation originated in the settlement of balances of loss at the end of the game. That a fight ensued in which Major Marks used a deadly weapon (pistol) wounding his superior (Col. Hunter)."
Major Matthew R. Marks stated in his defense that after being struck by his superior officer, Col. Hunter, that it provoked him to pull his pistol and act in self defense and that he was acting in response to what he considered both a threat to his life and a grave insult to his manliness and reputation.
Gambling (card games / dominos), horse trading and horse racing was common in many Civil War camps in both armies during down time, especially amongst some of the younger soldiers, as was drinking spirits when it was available near the camps (corn liquor / whiskey). In several letters written home from men of the 2nd Alabama Cavalry they discussed raffles being held on pay day when someone in the camp would put up a horse, mule, pistol or rifle as a prize and charge a certain amount of money for each ticket purchased with the winning ticket to be pulled from a hat.
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