The Tuskaloosa Independent Monitor

Gotta Dothan connection to Civil War St. Andrews Bay.

J.P. Folkes was the original owner of all the property in downtown Dothan. James Purdue Folkes (1837-1921) - Find a Grave Memorial

Before he came to the Dothan area, I believe Folkes worked making salt on St. Andrews Bay during the Civil War.

His sister married the brother of Charles Parker who is mentioned in the following report. Nancy Amanda Folkes Parker (1851-1916) - Find a Grave Memorial

Charles Parker Charles T Parker (1845-1904) - Find a Grave Memorial

Both of the brothers were sons of Peter Parker who founded the town of Parker. Peter Ferdinand Parker I (1817-1892) - Find a Grave Memorial

Their mother was the "Mrs. Parker" mentioned in the report and Peter Parker divorced her at the end of the Civil War. Ann B Loftin (1813-1901) - Find a Grave Memorial

Phillips Inlet and Lake Powell in 1863

W. R. BROWNE. Report of Acting Master Browne, U. S. Navy, commanding U. S. bark Restless, requesting instructions regarding the case of two deserters.

U. S. BARK RESTLESS, St. Andrew's Bay, Florida, March 2, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a letter written by Charles Parker and Augustus Stevens, two deserters from the rebel Army, who deserted from one of the rebel companies stationed at St. Andrew's last year and came off to the Roebuck and enlisted in that vessel and deserted from her and were conscripted into the rebel service again shortly after they left the Roebuck, and were serving in Robinson's company when I arrived here. I am well satisfied that they have long ago repented of having left our service, and have done all they could to induce Robinson's company to desert and come to us. The mothers of each are good Union women and solely dependent upon them for support. I have learned from refugees and deserters who have since come off that this was their motive and object in leaving. Mrs. Parker is one of the strongest Union women in Florida, and from time to time has given us valuable information. The other, Stevens's mother, is too old and feeble to take care of herself, but a good and true Union woman. Parker and Stevens are now secreted in the woods and have been there three weeks with 42 other deserters from Robinson's company, and immediately sent their muskets and cartridge boxes to me, afraid to come themselves, fearful they would have been treated as deserters, which would most assuredly have been the case, and they would have been sent to Key West for your disposal. At present it is next to an impossibility to capture them, as their place of concealment affords a surveillance of the ships and plenty of time to secrete themselves in some of the impenetrable swamps or morasses on the approach of our boats. Mrs. Parker handed me the enclosed letter, through Acting Ensign Henry Eason, who saw her on East Bay the 27th instant. I therefore transmit Parker's and Stevens's muskets and await your answer as to what steps I shall take in the matter. Very respectfully, W. R. BROWNE, Acting Volunteer Lieutenant, Commanding. Acting Rear-Admiral T. BAILEY.

Report from December 28, 1863:

By daylight we were through the narrowest part of the bay, and at the commencement of the salt works, 10 miles above St. Andrew's. The officers and men were landed under the cover of our guns and occupied the rest of the day in destroying the remaining salt works, 90 in number, with a large number of kettles and boilers and 30 buildings or salt sheds. The pickets stationed at Parker's house seeing us gave the alarm, and the rebels destroyed the remaining works by setting them on fire to keep them from being destroyed by us. We skirted this bay for a distance of 15 miles, 10 of which were covered near the beach with some 300 salt works, all of which the enemy destroyed with the exception of the 90 we demolished. Having cleared the three arms of this extensive bay of salt works we returned to this ship. On our way back we saw large fires in West Bay in the direction of some salt works we had not destroyed and supposed the rebel, Captain Robinson, had ordered them to be destroyed to prevent us from doing it, which proved to be the case. Upon my arrival at the ship I found three deserters from Anderson's company had come off and delivered up their arms and said they were ready to take the oath of allegiance to the United States Government and that all the privates in the companies of Anderson and Robinson were heartily tired of the war; even Captain Anderson had resigned and gone home, and 33 men, and now, all the salt works in this vicinity were destroyed, many would starve to death. The oath of allegiance was administered to three of these men, and who joined this ship, having entered the service for one year. Within the past ten days 290 salt works, 33 covered wagons, 12 flatboats, 2 sloops (5 tons each), 6 ox carts, 4,000 bushels of salt, 268 buildings at the different salt works, 529 iron kettles averaging 150 gallons each, 105 iron boilers for boiling brine [were destroyed), and it is believed from what we saw that the enemy destroyed as many more to prevent us from doing so. Forty-eight contrabands and prisoners have been taken and five deserters from the army have come and delivered themselves up and entered our service. Seventeen persons have been paroled after taking the oath of allegiance not to take up arms against us. In conclusion permit me to add that 52 men and 4 officers were employed in the destruction of these works-47 men, 3 officers, and myself from the Restless, 5 men and 1 officer from the Bloomer-all of which deserve great praise for the prompt manner in which they car- ried out my every order. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. R. BROWNE. Acting Master, Commanding. Acting Rear-Admiral T. BAILEY, Comdg. East Gulf Blockdg. Squadron, Key West, Fla. Commendatory letter from Acting Rear-Admiral Bailey, U. S. Navy, to Acting Master Browne, U. S. Navy, commanding U. S. bark Restless. U. S. FLAGSHIP SAN JACINTO, Key West, December 28, 1863.