Clark Boutwell, a 28-year veteran of the Troy Police Department, genealogist and local historian talked with the Troy Rotary Club about the leader of a group of Civil War deserters and raiders.

Boutwell, a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, said he came across the history of the Battle of Fairview Church while doing historical research. Boutwell said rediscovering and remembering information is critical to remembering history.

“First of all, we don’t do enough to find out where we came from to go back to our roots,” Boutwell said. “And if we don’t do it as a generation, it’s going to be lost. And there are so many assets out there nowadays, online, and also there’s printed material that gives you an opportunity to go back and know about. Of course, my area is the Civil War, but the ability to go back and even find your Revolutionary War veterans that you have in your genealogy …let me encourage everybody to do that, realize the material is out there.

“It takes just a few minutes, and I found out that you actually can get these grandkids involved with it, so it’s an opportunity. And you think about those times you talk to them about something, and then they come up and ask a question, and all you can do is cultivate that, try to get them into their history, because these people sacrificed so we can be here today.”

Boutwell said near the end of the Civil War, there were a lot of deserters. Once such a deserter was Jim Ward. Ward had been conscripted into the Confederate Army and deserted. He was also conscripted into the Union Army and deserted as well. Boutwell said Ward was from Coffee County and organized a group of deserters into Ward’s Raiders. Boutwell said they raided throughout Southeast Alabama and into the Florida panhandle.

In the spring of 1864, Ward’s Raiders attempted to burn the Coffee County Courthouse to destroy conscription records. However, Boutwell said, the home guard saved the records but were unable to save the courthouse.

Ward made a second attempt to burn the records by setting several buildings on fire on Sept. 1, 1864. Again, the home guard prevented the loss of the records. However, they were expecting another attack from Ward’s Raiders and pursued them south to Fairview Church.

Boutwell said there was a battle there and four home guards and two raiders were killed with another two raiders captured.

After the battle, Ward escaped and drifted west. He killed a plantation owner by the name of Columbus Holley, Holley was known for turning in deserters.

Boutwell said Ward never confessed to any crime and was never convicted of any crime. However, Ward was a suspect in Holley’s murder. Boutwell said the court system eventually told Ward to leave Alabama and never return. However, Ward moved to Monroe County and settled there with his family.

Boutwell said on his deathbed, Ward confessed to killing Columbus Holley.