From the Beginning
I. Before the War - Louis Frazier in Mount Andrew, Alabama
On November 12, 1840, a son was born to 22 year old Ann Frazier in the Mount Andrew community area of Barbour County, Alabama. The son was the first child, and was named Louis. A brother was born in 1842, named James Thomas. 1846 saw a baby girl, named Rebecca, and 1850 ushered in another girl, named F. M. Two years later, another boy named William M. was born, and in 1859, Mary F., a third girl, the sixth child overall, was born1.
The Mount Andrew community area is located in the northern portion of Barbour County. Barbour County, located in the southeastern area of the state, was formed from a portion of Pike County and a portion of land that was ceded to Alabama from Creek Indians in 1832. The county was named in honor of James Barbour, the Governor of the State of Virginia from 1812 to 1814. The county includes approximately 850 square miles of primarily agricultural land.
In 1840, the census of Barbour County was 6,469 whites and 5,555 blacks; by the year 1860, the white population had doubled to 14,269, while the black population nearly tripled to 16,183. The primary cash crops in Barbour County during antebellum times were corn, oats, potatoes, molasses, cotton, and wool. The Mount Andrew community area is largely rural, being home to mostly plantations and farms. The area is composed of rolling hills, and is intersected by sharp creeks2.
In July of 1860, a census taker visited the Frazier family. The census taker noted that Ms. Frazier could not read or write, and was the head of the household. Ms. Frazier told the census taker that she had been born in South Carolina, and was 42 years old. There is no record of a Mr. Frazier. Louis, the oldest male member of the household, was listed as being employed as a farm laborer. Ms. Frazier told the census taker that she owned about $ 100.00 work of personal estate, and had no real estate3.
II. Volunteering in the 39th at Clayton, Alabama
In February of 1862, Louis Frazier traveled to Clayton, Alabama, only an hour's walk from Mount Andrew. Clayton is the primary county seat of Barbour County; the City of Eufaula is also considered the county seat of Barbour. Louis visited with Captain Whitfield Clark, who was raising a company of infantry soldiers for the Confederate Army. Captain Clark was employed by Colonel Henry D. Clayton to raise 100 men from Barbour County. Of these men, there would be four officers; a captain, a first lieutenant, a second lieutenant, and a third lieutenant. Four sergeants and four corporals would serve as non-commissioned officers. All of the officers and non-commissioned officers (aside from Whitfield Clark, who would serve as the Captain) would be elected by the men. The Company would serve either three years of service or the duration of the war, whichever occurred first. On March 10, 1862, Louis Frazier, along with one hundred other young men formally joined the Barbour Blues. That same day, the men of the Barbour Blues slung their knapsacks on and marched to Opelika, Alabama, for training1.
The Barbour Blues were probably named for their handsome blue wool coats and
gray pants. A tall hard-shelled hat with a plume most likely complemented
the uniform. Thomas Anderson, an 18 year old, served as the Company's
drummer boy, and Silas Brewer was the Fifer. The Company's commander,
Captain Whitfield Clark, was a man "not wanting in character and courage,
but, the truth is, not a military man", according to a fellow sergeant,
John James. Twenty-five year old Drewery H.
Smith was elected 1st Lieutenant. Lieutenant Smith is described by
Sergeant James after the war as "a delicate man, whose poor health
prevented him from achieving the success which he would have otherwise
obtained, for he was a good man and a good officer". 1st Lieutenant
Smith, despite his 'poor health', would eventually rise in command to lead the
39th, only to be killed while leading his men south of Atlanta before his
promotion was a week old. The 2nd Lieutenant was chosen to be William S.
Swanson. The man elected to 3rd Lieutenant was 23 year old William H.
Dill, described by Sergeant James as "an excellent officer".
All of these men were approved by Captain Whitfield Clark, and recommendations
for their commissions were forwarded to the Confederate Congress by Colonel
Henry D. Clayton2.
The Kentucky Campaign to Chattanooga Chickamauga to the Recovery at Dalton, Ga. The Atlanta and Tennessee Campaigns - To the Bitter End Footnotes