The informal Republic of Winston, or Free State of Winston, an area encompassing the present-day Winston, Cullman and Blount counties of

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County , LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham , area_total_km2 = 135,765 ...

, was one of several places in the

Confederate States of America The Confederate States of America (CSA), commonly referred to as the Confederate States or the Confederacy was an unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United States that existed from February 8, 1861, to May 9, 1865. The Confeder ...

where disaffection during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

was strong. In Winston County, this opposition became violent and had long-lasting political consequences—deep enough to generate a legend after the war that the county had seceded from Alabama.

Background

Winston County is located in the hilly terrain of

North Alabama North Alabama is a region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Several geographic definitions for the area exist, with all descriptions including the nine counties of Alabama's Tennessee Valley region. The North Alabama Industrial Development Associ ...

. The area's shallow soil is highly unsuitable for

plantation A plantation is an agricultural estate, generally centered on a plantation house, meant for farming that specializes in cash crops, usually mainly planted with a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. The ...

-style agriculture, and thus the county had never been home to many slaves. The 1860 US Census lists only 3,450 white residents in the county and 122 slaves.1860 US Census, Winston County, Alabama Winston's residents were mainly poor farmers.

Refusal of the Ordinance of Secession

Winston County's representative at the January 1861 Alabama Secession Convention was

Charles Christopher Sheats Charles Christopher Sheats (April 10, 1839 – May 27, 1904) was an attorney and politician, elected as a U.S. Representative from Alabama. He previously had served as the consul to Elsinore, Denmark, as the United States worked to expand trade ...

, a 21-year-old schoolteacher. He refused to sign Alabama's Ordinance of Secession, even after it had been passed by a vote of 61 to 39. Sheats became so vocal in his opposition that he was eventually arrested. Upon his release, he became a leader of a pro-neutrality group. Later, as a vocal

Southern Unionist In the United States, Southern Unionists were white Southerners living in the Confederate States of America opposed to secession. Many fought for the Union during the Civil War. These people are also referred to as Southern Loyalists, Union Lo ...

, he spent much of the war in prison.Rice, Charles S.; ''Hard Times: The Civil War in Huntsville and North Alabama''; Old Huntsville Press; (1994); pp. 142–143 A meeting was held at Looney's Tavern, where a series of resolutions was passed. These stated that the people of Winston County had no desire to take part in the war and intended to support neither side. One resolution declared that if a state could secede from the Union, then a county could secede from the state. Richard Payne, a pro-Confederate, laughed with delight. "Winston County secedes!" he shouted. "Hoorah for the 'Free State of Winston'!" From Payne's remark was born the legend of the "Republic of Winston." Other areas in the South at the time passed similar resolutions, including

Searcy County, Arkansas Searcy County ( ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2010 census, the population was 8,195. The county seat is Marshall. The county was formed December 13, 1838, from a portion of Marion County and named for Richard ...

, and

Jones County, Mississippi Jones County is in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 67,246. Its county seats are Laurel and Ellisville. Jones County is part of the Laurel micropolitan area. History Less ...

. The so called "

State of Scott The State of Scott was a Southern Unionist movement in Scott County, Tennessee, in which the county declared itself a "Free and Independent State" following Tennessee's decision to secede from the United States and align the state with the Conf ...

" actually passed an official act of session. Many Winston County residents refused induction into the Confederate Army, and some spoke openly of organizing troops to support the Union. The worried state authorities moved to enforce obedience to the cause through conscription and loyalty oaths, which only made matters worse.

During the war

In April 1862, the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...

invaded northern Alabama. Many of the pro-Union Winston county residents, as well as those from the similarly aligned

Nickajack The area known as "Nickajack" generally refers to the rugged Appalachian foothills in eastern Tennessee and northeastern Alabama. "Nickajack" is a corruption of the Cherokee word (Ani-Kusati-yi) which translates to Coosa Town, but more likely r ...

area on the Tennessee border, enlisted in the Union Army's new 1st Alabama Cavalry Regiment, commanded by an officer from New York,

George E. Spencer George Eliphaz Spencer (November 1, 1836 – February 19, 1893) was an American politician and a U.S. senator from the state of Alabama who also served as an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Biography Born in Champion, Ne ...

. While the 1st Alabama Cavalry would play an important part in the war, it generally did so outside of Alabama. Between 8,000 and 10,000 deserters from the Confederate Army were sheltered in Winston County during the war.

Aftermath

After the war, local politics in Winston County were dominated by the Republican Party.

Legacy

Winston's unique history has become the basis of a small tourist industry, which includes an outdoor drama loosely based on the events. A passenger boat named the ''Free State Lady'' plies the waters of the county's Smith Lake. The "Dual Destiny" statue located in front of Winston County courthouse in Double Springs depicts a young soldier dressed half as a Union troop and half as Confederate soldier.

References

External links

The Incident at Looney's Tavern
information at the Alabama Department of Archives and History

{{DEFAULTSORT:Winston, Republic of Former territorial entities in North America Former regions and territories of the United States Separatism in the United States Alabama in the American Civil War Winston County, Alabama Southern Unionists in the American Civil War