276. Bagdad Loses Another Old Confederate 1918

Another old Confederate soldier buried in Bagdad, Florida is Andrew Jackson Brown. He was born on October 1, 1845 in Evergreen, Conecuh County, Alabama to the union of Thomas P. and Frances G. Brown. His father was a carpenter by trade and was living in Pensacola as of 1850. By 1860, Andrew and his parents had moved to Milton where Thomas could practice his trade in the booming timber business. His young son Andrew followed his father into the trade, but his apprenticeship was interrupted by the onslaught of the Civil War in 1861. But, Andrew felt the patriotic need to enlist like so many of his relatives and neighbors and this is where the story gets a little cloudy. We have no date or place of enlistment recorded and the unit he states he was attached to does not exist on any record to speak of. His tombstone states he was a member of Croskies Alabama Infantry Regiment, but there is no such unit listed in the official records. Perhaps family members may have information on this matter.

However, there is a Major Elijah E. McCROSKEY from Sevier Co., Tennessee that may explain the discrepancy. McCroskey moved Montgomery, AL in 1857 where he entered the business world. However, in April 1861 he enlisted as a private in Hilliard's Infantry Legion and three months later was adjutant of the 53rd Alabama Cavalry Regiment. He served for two years participating in the "Yellow Leaf" campaign in north Alabama against Streight's Expedition as well as operations against Rousseau's Raid during the Chickamauga campaign. He was shot through the right leg on October 7, 1863 in a skirmish with Union forces. But by early 1864, he was promoted to Major and assigned to Mobile, AL. While there, he organized an infantry battalion of 800 men and moved upriver to Selma in February 1865 to repel a raid by Union General James H. Wilson. They were then ordered to Montgomery, to help fortify the city. Again ordered to Columbus, Georgia, McCroskey intercepted Wilson on Sunday morning of April 16, 1865. They threw up fortifications in Girard, Georgia on the Alabama side of the Chattahoocie River and awaited Wilson's attack. The attack came that evening and McCroskey's men were overrun in the fourth charge. The Confederates scattered into the countryside to avoid capture, but upon hearing of their Army's surrender they disbanded without a formal parole. McCroskey walked 271 miles to Montgomery where he remained a year before returning to Knoxville. Several other records have McCroskey in Co. "H" of the 51st Alabama Partisan Rangers in 1862 and later assigned to duty with the Conscript Bureau in Alabama. A pay record dated at Camp Watts, Alabama on March 10, 1863 noted that he had been enrolling conscripts in Montgomery County from December. 11, 1862 through the end of February. So obviously McCroskey was involved in several of the areas that Andrew Brown was located during that time.

In the meantime, Brown apparently made his way to Montgomery as well, either voluntarily or by capture. He was paroled there under the name of A. J. Brown on June 16, 1865 and gave his command as "Croskies" Alabama Infantry (possible a mispronunciation or misspelling). After the war, he returned to Montgomery to marry Margaret "Maggie" E. Vining (1844-1926) on December 7, 1870. By 1880, he and his family had returned to reside in Bagdad where he was employed as a lumber "tallier" (counter). By then, Maggie had given birth to Carlton, Fanny, Arthur, little Margaret "Maggie", and the twins Mary and Minnie Brown. He remained with the company well past 1910 as a timber inspector until the years caught up to him. Private Andrew Jackson Brown passed away on October 7, 1918 at the home of Joseph Newton Andrews at 1616 North 10th Avenue, Pensacola . His body was transported to Bagdad Cemetery where he awaited Maggie to join him eight years later.

He was survived by his daughters Frances "Fanny" Louisa Brown Tinsley (1871-1955) who is buried in Bagdad Cemetery with her husband John H. Tinsley (1859-1934). Also his son Arthur Vining Brown (1873-1946) and buried in Bagdad Cemetery beside hiw wife Addie Lee McCurley (1879-1957). Two of his unmarried daughters were Margaret "Maggie" Leonide Brown (1875-1955) and Minnie Osmby Brown (1880-1964) both buried in Bagdad Cemetery. Minnie's twin sister was Mary Mae Ernestine Brown (1880-1941) who is buried in the Milton Cemetery next to her husband Leroy Jones Sr. (1884-1962). There was also one infant, Andrew Jackson Brown Jr. who died at three months old (1882-1882) and is buried in Bagdad Cemetery. Their mother Margaret "Maggie" Vining lived with Oliver T. and Eliza Ann Omsby in 1860 in Montgomery, Alabama when she was 17-years old. No relationship is listed, but note that her daughter Minnie's middle name is Omsby therefore Oliver T. could be her step-father.