Randolph County AlArchives News.....Murders of King, Smith, and Trent  May 6, 1865
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Linda Ayres http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00031.html#0007674 January 28, 2023, 6:44 pm

Macon Daily Herald May 6, 1865
Outrage
We learn a that the Tories shot Mr. Burr Smith last Tuesday night and robbed Whit 
Heran [Whit Herren] of $216 in gold and $1600 in Confederate notes. Mr. Smith was 
shot in the bowels which caused his death. All this occurred in Randolph County 
Ala near Wedowee.


Additional Comments:

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The Alabama historical quarterly
Fall-1942:

By Captain J.M.K. Guinn:

"Hon. Joshua Hightower was a Breckenridge Democrat and voted for 
secession. He made up a company of Home Guards and was its Captain. 
He was arrogant, selfish and egotistical and said to be tyrannical and 
oppressive during the latter part of the war, persecuting men and
women who differed with him politically, or in any way showed
or expressed their sympathy for the Union cause. It was said,
and from personal knowledge it is believed that Captain Hightower 
was in command of the squad of men who were detailed by
Captain Robinson, commander of the post at Wedowee, to carry
Bone Trent and Dock King to Talladega conscript camps, which
they never reached nor were seen alive afterwards, but were said
to have been found by Capt. E. B. Smith’s men sometime after-
wards in a pit several feet deep, partially filled with water, at
Gold Ridge gold mines. The next day following Captain Smith’s
find the whole community turned out to recover their bodies,
but on reaching the pit, they found it had been filled during the
previous night with logs and brush, which had evidently been
done by the parties committing the crime. This, with other
circumstances connected, intimidated those who were gathered
there and they went home without any further effort, believing
their own lives would be in jeopardy. It has been said also that
he was one of the men who shot and killed Capt. E. B. Smith." 


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Name:  Smith, Elijah B.
Birth Information:  USA, Georgia
Occupation:  Merchant
Marital Status:  Married
Enlistment Date:  1861/07/26
Enlistment Information:  Alabama, Montgomery, Captain
Engagements:  Present at: Siege of Yorktown 1862/04/05 to 1862/05/03; Absent 
sick: Seven Pines 1862/05/31 to Malvern Hill 1862/07/01, inclusive; Present at: 
South Mountain 1862/09/14 through Sharpsburg 1862/09/17. 
Branch:  Infantry
Regiment:  13th Alabama Regiment
Company:  K
Comments:  Resigned January 1, 1863. P.O. Brockville, Alabama age 50 years
Source:  Record roll at Petersburg, Virginia 1864/12/31

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Name:  Trent, Andrew J.
Birth Information:  USA, Georgia
Occupation:  Farmer
Marital Status:  Single
Enlistment Date:  1861/07/26
Enlistment Information:  Age 20, Alabama, Montgomery, Private
Engagements:  Absent Sick: Siege Yorktown 1862/04/05 to Malvern Hill 1862/07/01 
inclusive; Absent Without Leave: South Mountain, Maryland 1862/09/14 through 
Sharpsburg 1862/09/17; Deserted: Chancellorsville 1863/05/03 to Squirrel Level 
Road, Virginia 1864/10/01.
Branch:  Infantry
Regiment:  13th Alabama Regiment
Company:  K
Comments:  Post Office: Wedowee, Alabama. Deserted and killed at home in 
personal encounter.
Source:  Record roll at Petersburg, Virginia 1864/12/31



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