The Journal-Record - Bicentennial Edition Thursday, July 1, 1976 Section A, Page 2 STATE CONVENTION MET IN MONTGOMERY IN 1860 TO DECIDE ABOUT SESSION (sic) The state convention met in Montgomery in 1860 to decide about session. Marion County was represented by Alex UNDERWOOD, L. C. ALLEN and STIDHAM. They went to Montgomery with Christopher SHEETS from Winston County. He was violently opposed to secession and tried to get Marion County representatives to vote with him against secession. However, they finally voted with the majority to secede. Woodruf MILES was in charge of raising an army in Fayette and Marion Counties to help defend Winston County against the Confederacy. Al GIPSON and Ham CARPENTER were in charge of raising troops for the Confederacy. Two Confederate prisons were built in the eastern part of the county. Sanford Prison was located on the upper part of Buttahatchee River and Fort Mitchell was located near by. These prisons were made of logs and had no windows and only one door. the tories raided Fort Mitchell and took Al GIPSON away and killed him. Green HOLLEY freed his slaves after Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation and Alex UNDERWOOD sold his before that time. Joe WEATHERFORD and Prentis TERRELL, son of Judge TERRELL, wee the first ones to be killed from this county in the defense of the Confederacy. Later Josh PHILLIPS was sent to take the body of Morse PACE to Allen's Factory (Bear Creek) for burial. Burrell HOWELL make bond for John PHILLIPS to get him out of prison. George STUART was a ruthless leader of the Tories and made many raids on Pikeville and Toll Gate. Ham CARPENTER was the leader of the secessionist in the county and people were afraid to declare their loyalty to either side for fear they would be burned out or murdered. John MITCHELL's wife was driven into the snow and died from exposure near Hamilton, and he came from the Federal Army in Memphis to help capture Ham CARPENTER. Tradition has it that Ham CARPENTER was captured tied by his feet, and hung over White Rock by a rope. His head almost touched the ground. Dr. MANGRAM, a Hamilton physician, was supposed to have informed him on the location of some Tories. he was called out to see a supposedly sick patient was waylaid and shot by the Tories. Some say this was on the road to Bexar and some say it was near Military Ford. John MITCHELL is supposed to have killed him. Since the county was raising armies for both the North and the South guerilla(sic) warfare was carried on and many killings and horrible crimes were committed in this area.