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Edward Dorr Tracy: Evolution of a Soldier

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Edward Dorr Tracy: Evolution of a Soldier 1 EDWARD DORR TRACY: EVOLUTION OF A SOLDIER By: Kenneth R. Wesson More than one-half important part of Civil War million men died in the history. American Civil War1, and Information regarding the large majority of them Edward D. Tracy’s early life are little remembered is remarkably scarce, and today. Much relevant the sources are often history about them remains contradictory, but some to be written, however, background is known. inasmuch as many of the Edward Tracy’s father, less-renowned Civil War Edward Dorrs, Sr., was manuscript collections trained in the law, and early belonging to these obscure in the nineteenth century Civil War veterans have yet he migrated from Norwich, to be transcribed and Connecticut, and settled in chronicled. One such middle Georgia.2 The elder collection centers in the E.D. Tracy was soon chosen letters of Edward Dorr Judge Advocate for the Tracy, a Confederate whose district surrounding career was punctuated with Macon, Bibb County, frequent promotion until he Georgia. In the late 1820’s was killed in battle. His Tracy, Sr., married Susan knowledgeable Campbell, the sister of the correspondence to his wife prominent Mobile jurist, and associates unfold the John A. Campbell3; Susan development of the man as was to be the mother of a soldier, his aspirations Edward Dorr Tracy, Jr.4 and ideals, as well as his Tracy, Jr., was born prejudices and faults. November 5, 1833, in Collections such as Tracy’s Macon Georgia, and his merit not only investigation, early life was a virtual but also exploitation as an model of good fortune and Complements of the Huntsville Madison County Historical Society www.hmchs.org 2 achievement. Being a blend man, twenty-one years of of New England and the age, tall and slender with South, and of the upper- brown hair.8 A promising middle class economically, lawyer, reared in the it was not unfair to assume chivalric tradition of the Old that Tracy was a respected South,9 Tracy undoubtedly young man within the attracted the attention of Macon society. He received many ladies in antebellum his early education at Huntsville. private institutions and Predictably, he was later attended the married (February 19, University of Georgia, in 1855) to one of Huntsville’s Athens, where he was prized young socialites, graduated in 1851 with an Ellen Elizabeth Steele. Ellen A. B. degree, at the age of was the daughter of the only seventeen. Two years renowned architect and later, he received a Master’s planter,10 George Steele, Degree.5 Tracy studied law and his wife Eliza. The in his spare time, was marriage joining Tracy and admitted to the bar, and Ellen took place in Steele’s began practice in Macon at famous Huntsville home, the age of twenty.6 Oaks Place.11 The Tracy’s Presumably owning to his subsequently made their father’s political affiliations, residence in the bride’s Tracy was able to greatly family home.12 expedite his career by During the succeeding obtaining a partnership five years, the Tracy family with the established and grew both numerically and respected law firm of Judge socially. Ellen gave birth to D. C. Humphreys of four children; two of the Huntsville in 1855.7 four died in infancy, When Edward Tracy however.13 The Tracy’s migrated to northern adhered to the Presbyterian Alabama early in 1855, he faith and were devout in was an attractive young their religion. Edward Tracy Complements of the Huntsville Madison County Historical Society www.hmchs.org 3 had been a member of the The close association Presbyterian church in Tracy had with the Clays in Macon and he transferred social life carried over into his membership to politics as well. After the Huntsville in 1857.14 He Charleston and Baltimore was included on the Democratic conventions, original Board of Directors and the split of the of the Madison County Democratic party in 1860, Bible Society, organized on C.C. Clay, Jr., strongly July 24, 1859,15 and he supported the also became a member of Breckinridge-Lane the Order of Masons.16 “Southern Bolters” ticket as Socially, the Tracy’s became “the only candidates who closely associated with the could preserve the rights of Clay family including the South.18 Tracy, though Clement Claiborne Clay, not a candidate for public Jr., and his wife Virginia; office during the late and Hugh Lawson Clay and 1850’s, campaigned his wife Celestia Comer diligently for the Clay. Celestia was a native Democratic party’s of Macon, and probably was candidates. After the party acquainted with Tracy divided he also backed the there. Further, Tracy was Southern Democrats and associated with Leroy Pope was an alternate elector for Walker, a prominent lawyer the State-at-large on the of the city, both cordially Breckinridge-Lane ticket. and professionally. These During the campaign Tracy friendships influenced acquired a brilliant Tracy politically and reputation for oratory while otherwise. The family on speaking tours in the evidently developed northern counties.19 materially as well for by Not all North Alabamians 1860 the Tracy’s owned five agreed with the Clays and slaves.17 Tracy’s, however, and Union sentiment was Complements of the Huntsville Madison County Historical Society www.hmchs.org 4 strong in the area. Most fear and their loyalty to the Unionists, also called national Democratic Party, Loyalists or Tories, lived in Madison County gave 1,300 the hill counties of the votes to Douglas and only Tennessee River Valley – “a 591 to Breckinridge in the cancer in the side of the presidential election.23 Confederacy”.20 These After Lincoln’s election regions contained few and South Carolina’s slaves, produced little departure from the Union, cotton, and would have the secession question little to gain from a reached a point of decision Confederate victory should in Alabama. Though the a war develop. These people Alabama Convention voted later formed Union units in for secession by a large the state.21 They were also majority, Cooperationists torn between Breckinridge and Unionists in North and the national democrat, Alabama met in Huntsville Stephen A. Douglas. Many and passed resolutions feared that should the instructing Madison extremists gain control of County delegates to retire the state, the area’s from the convention if the commercial relationship Ordinance of Secession with Tennessee would be were not submitted to endangered; to them it was popular vote.24 Some “unthinkable to server their leaders proposed civil war relations with the Union rather than submission to when their sister states to the Ordinance.25 Tracy the north… had no wrote to C.C. Clay, Jr., who intention of seceding”.22 was an ardent immediate There was considerable secessionist that “Lincoln’s apprehension that the inaugural… breathes northern counties might war”,26 and Hugh Lawson secede from Alabama and Clay predicted: “There will join Tennessee. As an be a successful attempt to indication of their economic excite the people of North Complements of the Huntsville Madison County Historical Society www.hmchs.org 5 Alabama to rebellion whether it was a ‘free against the State and we flight’. He said he will have a civil war in our supposed it was; midst”.27 Although this whereupon I went in. intra-state warfare never I made fight on the fully materialized, Unionist preamble and opposition continued and resolutions, was stronger in 1865 than separately and in 1861.28 collectively, spoke for In early March, however, more than an hour at a Huntsville mass and … made a first- meeting, the secessionists rate speech… After a triumphed and passed vain attempt to resolutions whereby the harmonize the whole Unionists pledged to question was put, support the new ‘shall [the Unionist] government.29 Tracy was resolutions be present at this meeting and adopted’. The ayes quite immodestly were feeble the naes communicated his role tremendous. therein to Clay, Jr. Tracy A decision was had asked for a reading of called for, and our the resolutions and majority was so pronounced them overwhelming that exceedingly obnoxious”: the president decided by a glance that the I told the decision was in our chairman… that I favor… My was rather uncertain resolutions scratched as to my status in the off in the heat of the meeting, the call was fight were then put addressed to the and went like a Freemen and I myself tornado. The action one of ‘em but wished of the meeting is to know of him important not so Complements of the Huntsville Madison County Historical Society www.hmchs.org 6 much from what was personal staff or to take my done, as from what chances with the was not done, to wit volunteers”.31 Many the meeting refused volunteer units elected to censure our state their own officers, more on convention format their popularity than submitting the military skill, and named ordinance of their own units. secession back to the Representative groups were people…30 christened the New Market Rebels, Minute Men, Joe By April, 1861, events Bradley’s Rebels, Madison were moving so rapidly that County Cavalry, and Ward’s most Cooperationists and Battery.32 Tracy joined the Unionists, though North Alabamians and was hesitantly, were following elected captain of the unit the general trend of the on April 26, 1861, at Confederacy. Thus, Huntsville. This unit later conscious of the direction in comprised Company I of the which the political currents Fourth Alabama infantry were flowing, Tracy Regiment.33 The local predictably joined the populace was proud of its “rebels”; the Southern volunteers, newspapers cause would play a major published lists of those who role in his life from this joined and donations were point onward.
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