The Red Rovers , commonly referred to as the Alabama Red Rovers , was a military volunteer company organized in Courtland, Alabama to support the Texas Revolution .
25-568: Raised by doctor and planter Jack Shackelford in November 1835, the unit took its name from the red jeans of their uniforms and was outfitted with equipment from Alabama state arsenal. Consisting of some 70 men, nearly half the men in Courtland, the unit remained encamped until December 12 before setting out for Texas by way of New Orleans . After arriving at Lavaca Bay on January 19, 1836, and being accepted into Texas service on February 3,
50-480: A Federal-style home built around 1830, is listed individually on the National Register of Historic Places . Rocky Hill Castle was a forced-labor plantation whose architecturally renowned plantation house was demolished in 1961. Courtland is located at 34°40′6″N 87°18′39″W / 34.66833°N 87.31083°W / 34.66833; -87.31083 (34.668457, -87.310821). The town
75-433: A doctor could be used to treat Mexican soldiers. He would ultimately be released and return to Alabama, where he was thought dead. Four of the men, Zachariah S. Brooks, Dillard Cooper , Isaac D. Hamilton , and Wilson Simpson, escaped the slaughter. The four men traveled together at night to avoid capture and eventually found their way to other Texas forces and safety. The Red Rovers endure a lasting legacy celebrated through
100-660: A group known as the Courtland Land Company bought the land on which the town is now situated and subdivided it into lots. The town was incorporated on December 13, 1819, by the Alabama territorial legislature The early roads Gaines Trace and Byler Road went through town. One of the South's earliest railroads, the Tuscumbia, Courtland and Decatur Railroad , was organized at Courtland in 1831, and chartered
125-464: A household in the town was $ 27,500, and the median income for a family was $ 36,000. Males had a median income of $ 31,250 versus $ 17,188 for females. The per capita income for the town was $ 14,456. About 18.1% of families and 20.2% of the population were below the poverty line , including 22.7% of those under age 18 and 32.9% of those age 65 or over. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 583 people, 293 households, and 211 families residing in
150-683: A range of events, festivals, and historical reenactments. Among these, Captain Shackelford's Company of the Alabama Red Rovers stands out as a Texas-based assembly of Living Historians and Re-enactors dedicated to portraying the era of the Texas Revolution. The group not only engages in immersive living history experiences but also pays tribute to the military band's significance. The Red Rovers are also remembered thorough an Historical Marker, established in Courtland, Alabama by
175-481: Is concentrated in area along Big Nance Creek, a tributary of the Tennessee River , west of Decatur and southeast of Muscle Shoals . The town's municipal boundaries extend northeastward to U.S. Route 72 . The town of North Courtland borders Courtland to the north. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 2.3 square miles (6.0 km ), of which 2.3 square miles (6.0 km )
200-551: Is land and 0.43% is water. From 1880 until 1910, Courtland was the largest town in Lawrence County, losing the distinction in 1920 to the county seat of Moulton , which has held it to date. As of the census of 2000, there were 769 people, 316 households, and 210 families residing in the town. The population density was 331.2 inhabitants per square mile (127.9/km ). There were 363 housing units at an average density of 156.4 per square mile (60.4/km ). The racial makeup of
225-653: The Alabama Historical Association . This marker, erected in 1964, serves as a testament to the unit's contributions, featuring the names of the men who valiantly fought with the militia during that pivotal period. The Alabama Red Rovers and the Goliad Campaign are noteworthy not only for their historical significance but also for the exemplary demonstration of leadership skills by the commanders, notably Dr. Jack Shackelford. The enduring qualities of 'duty' and 'loyalty' frequently characterize
250-573: The War of 1812 , he joined the Army and served on Andrew Jackson 's staff, being wounded at Charleston. In 1818, he moved to Shelby County, Alabama , and purchased a cotton plantation . He was elected to the Alabama State Senate three times, in 1822, 1823 and 1824. However, he was forced to sell his plantation after standing surety for a cousin whose business failed. He was employed as
275-630: The " Red Rovers " for the color of their uniforms, the company was captured by Mexican forces at Coleto in March 1836, and most of its men were killed in the Goliad massacre . Shackelford was among the few survivors. In 1944 and 1945, during World War II , Courtland was home to the Courtland Army Airfield (Courtland AAF). It was dismantled after the war and given to the city of Courtland, which now operates it as Courtland Airport . In
SECTION 10
#1732775313601300-658: The Mexicans' retreat after their defeat at the Battle of San Jacinto , Shackelford and Dr. Joseph Henry Barnard managed to escape. Shackelford was honorably discharged and returned home to Alabama. He wrote of his war experiences in a memoir entitled "Some Few Notes upon a Part of the Texas War". After his wife died in 1842, Jack Shackelford married Martha Chardevoyne. Dr. Jack Shackelford died in Courtland on January 22, 1857. The following year, Shackelford County, Texas ,
325-583: The Red Rovers were put under command of Colonel James W. Fannin . They fought in the Battle of Coleto on March 19–20, performing well, but the Texians were overrun and ultimately forced to surrender. The Red Rovers are primarily commemorated for their tragic role as victims of the Goliad Massacre. In this devastating event, a substantial majority of the band, as well as approximately 400 men of
350-466: The Texan army, met their demise following an order issued by Mexican President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna which ordered General José de Urrea to execute any Texan he came across. As a result, the majority of the Red Rovers, including two of Shackelford's sons, were killed in the Goliad massacre on March 27, 1836, along with hundreds of others. Shackelford himself was spared execution since his skills as
375-524: The area when the first European settlers arrived. The current town is reportedly located on the site of the Native American village. Courtland began as a small settlement known as Ebenezer in the early 1800s. Its early settlers were wealthy planters mostly from Virginia , Tennessee , the Carolinas and Georgia . It was presently named for the federal courthouse and land office there. In 1818,
400-464: The color of their jeans or uniforms. Under the command of Colonel James Fannin , they fought in the Battle of Coleto on March 19–20, 1836. The Texians were defeated and forced to surrender. Most of the prisoners, including Fannin and Fortunatus Shackelford, were executed in the infamous Goliad massacre, but Jack Shackelford and several other doctors were spared to care for the Mexican wounded. During
425-460: The commercial buildings facing the square, especially along College Street and Tennessee Street, were built in the 1890s and early 1900s. The train depot on the south side of the square, now a community center, was built in the late 1880s. The Old Sherrod Hotel, located at the northwest corner of Tennessee Street and Alabama Street, was built around 1930, and provided housing for early Tennessee Valley Authority employees. The John McMahon House ,
450-491: The early 1990s, more than 100 buildings in Courtland were listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Courtland Historic District. Most of the buildings in the district date from the 1830s through the 1930s, and architectural styles include Federal , Italianate , Victorian , Colonial Revival , and Neoclassical . The Town Square was part of the town's original 1818-1819 plan. Many of
475-610: The following year. The railroad's organizers routed the 50-mile (80 km) railroad to bypass the dangerous shoals along the Tennessee River to the north. The railroad was absorbed by the Memphis and Charleston Railroad in the 1850s, and later became part of the Southern Railway . In 1835, Courtland physician Jack Shackelford organized a volunteer military unit to fight in the Texas Revolution . Known as
500-482: The head of the United States Land Office in Courtland, Alabama, and also as treasurer of the Tuscumbia, Courtland and Decatur Railroad . In 1835, Dr. Jack Shackelford raised a company to fight against the Mexicans in the Texas Revolution. Nearly 70 strong, it included his oldest son, Fortunatus; two nephews; and almost half the men of Courtland. They came to be called the Red Rovers because of
525-1629: The service of these men, with these themes resonating throughout the battle. The United States military and its officers, in particular, have drawn inspiration from the lessons exemplified in the Goliad Campaign, often referencing the steadfast commitment to duty and loyalty displayed by its commanders and soldiers. Capt. Jack Shackelford 1st Lt. Francis S. Early 2nd Lt. William C. Francis 1st Sgt. Fortunatus Sydney Shackelford 2nd Sgt. Issac D. Hamilton 3rd Sgt. Arthur G. Foley 4th Sgt. Zachariah H. Short 1st Cpl. Henry Hogue Bentley 2nd Cpl. David Moore 3rd Cpl. John H. Barkley 4th Cpl. Andrew Winter Pvt. Patrick H. Anderson Dr. Joseph Henry Barnard Pvt. John N. Barnhill Pvt. Joseph H. Blackwell Pvt. William Procter Bowhay Pvt. G. W. Brooks Pvt. Zachariah S. Brooks Pvt. Thomas Burbridge Pvt. Benjamin Franklin Burt Pvt. J. W. Cain Pvt. Thomas Cantwell Pvt. Seth Clark Pvt. John G. Coe Pvt. Stith Conner Pvt. Dillard Cooper Pvt. Harvey Cox Pvt. Robert T. Davidson Pvt. George A. Davis Pvt. G. L. Davis Pvt. H. B. Day Pvt. Silas DeWitt Pvt. Abijah Hogan Dickson Pvt. Alfred Dorsey Pvt. Henry L. Douglass Pvt. William G. Douglass Pvt. James W. Duncan Pvt. James E. Ellis Pvt. Samuel Farney Pvt. Joseph Fenner Pvt. Robert Fenner Pvt. Joseph G. Ferguson Pvt. Elijah B. Franklin Pvt. David Gamble Pvt. M. C. Garner Jack Shackelford Jack Shackelford (March 20, 1790 – January 22, 1857)
SECTION 20
#1732775313601550-553: The town was 54.23% White , 40.44% Black or African American , 2.08% Native American , 0.26% Asian , 0.13% Pacific Islander , and 2.86% from two or more races. 0.91% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 316 households, out of which 32.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.0% were married couples living together, 20.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.2% had someone living alone who
575-448: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.06. In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.8% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 85.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.3 males. The median income for
600-649: Was an American medical doctor, politician and soldier. He raised and led a unit in Courtland, Alabama called the Red Rovers or the Alabama Red Rovers to fight in the Texas Revolution . He was one of the few survivors of the Goliad massacre . Jack Shackelford was born in Richmond, Virginia , to Richard Shackelford. After obtaining his M.D., he moved to Winnsboro, South Carolina , where he opened his medical practice. He married local Maria Young or Youngue. In
625-673: Was named in his honor. Courtland, Alabama Courtland is a town in Lawrence County , Alabama , United States, and is included in the Decatur Metropolitan Area , as well as the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area . The population was 609 at the 2010 census , down from 769 in 2000. A small creek named Big Nance Creek runs through the town. The creek was named for a Cherokee chief who lived in
#600399