Old newspaper clipping details Monroe County's 'Battle of Mount Pleasant'

(My friend Steve Stacey recently e-mailed me a copy of an old newspaper clipping from the May 13, 1915 edition of The Baldwin Times newspaper. The clipping is from the community news column from Little River, and it’s believed that it was written by Charles Henry Dreisbach. Much of the article is about the “Battle of Mount Pleasant,” which occurred in Monroe County on April 11, 1865 during the Civil War.)

LITTLE RIVER: Fifty years ago on Tuesday, the 11th of April, part of the 15th Confederate Cavalry, under the command of Lt. Col. Myers and Major Patridge, had a battle at Mount Pleasant, Monroe County, with a cavalry force of the United States under the command of Gen. Lucas.

With the 15th Confederate Cavalry was a part of the mounted militia company of Monroe and Baldwin counties, commanded by Capt. T.C. English, a brother-in-law of Gen. George B. McClellan. In the Confederate force was about 130 men and under the Federal general were about 3,500 men.

The writer had the pleasure of being in the melee. The flag bearer of the 15th was shot in a few feet of the writer and died at the home of Mr. James Daniels. In the retreat of the Confederates, the brother of the flag bearer was shot in the back. They were Canadians.

The flag bearer’s name was Harvey and his brother’s name was Jack. Jack Davis was taken to a house by the writer and a doctor sent for (the lamented Dr. J.W. Thomas) and he finally got well. A young man by the name of Holland of Conecuh County was killed in the retreat and the Federals buried him alongside of the public road and his remains, I think, are there yet, as I have never heard of their removal. The late Jack Holland, tax collector of Escambia County, was his brother.

The other officers of the militia company were Thos. P. Atkinson, 1st Lt.; Joseph Booth, 2nd Lt.; and Joseph B. Boyles, Orderly Sergeant. Most of these men were old men and have mostly crossed the Great Divide.

Two sons of the warrior Billy Weatherford, Charles and A. McGilvary Weatherford, were members of the company, also a nephew, John Weatherford. The writer owns the grave of the Warrior William Weatherford, and only a rock marks his last resting place. His mother, Sehoy Weatherford, is also buried there. The mockingbird sing o’er his grave and the Cherokee rose and wild flowers bloom nearby, while his beautiful Alabama, the birthright of his people is owned by the people who robbed the Aborigines.

The writer surrendered at Gainesville, Ala. on the 26th of April 1865, under General Forrest.