Robert Freeman Cruit is the son of Gilbert Maddicott Cruit and Mary Louisa Gallaspie. He married Mary Eliza Baggott in about 1869 and they had the following children: Ella, Ida, Hattie, Sallie, Robert Freeman and Maggie.
Story of Robert Freeman Cruit:
Robert Freeman (Uncle Free) Cruit
Confederate military records for the 2nd Alabama Cavalry list a Robert F. Crewit. This would have been Robert Freeman (Uncle Free) Cruit. He enlisted Feb 27, 1863 at Baldwin County for three years. Captain West was the enlisting officer. The remarks state: Pay horse 40 cents per day - $24.40.
Soldiers were paid extra for bringing a horse, and in some cases the horse was more important than the soldier.
A book on the history of Escambia county mentions Robert Freeman Cruit as having been one of the last bodyguards of Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy. Uncle Free's cavalry unit of 450 men escorted Jefferson Davis to Georgia where the unit surrendered to union forces only because the war had ended.
A family story about "Uncle Free" that some of the present day adults can remember from their childhoods is seeing Uncle Free ride up in his horse and buggy to visit. He was a big man with a long white beard. The kids loved to see him come, because he always brought a bag of candy. But he always required his nieces and nephews to give him a kiss before he would give them the candy, and they hated having to kiss him.
Another memory of Uncle Free is that he used to say that he had never worked a day in his life. Though that isn't likely since he spent most of his life on a farm.
Story of Robert Freeman Cruit:
Robert Freeman (Uncle Free) Cruit
Confederate military records for the 2nd Alabama Cavalry list a Robert F. Crewit. This would have been Robert Freeman (Uncle Free) Cruit. He enlisted Feb 27, 1863 at Baldwin County for three years. Captain West was the enlisting officer. The remarks state: Pay horse 40 cents per day - $24.40.
Soldiers were paid extra for bringing a horse, and in some cases the horse was more important than the soldier.
A book on the history of Escambia county mentions Robert Freeman Cruit as having been one of the last bodyguards of Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy. Uncle Free's cavalry unit of 450 men escorted Jefferson Davis to Georgia where the unit surrendered to union forces only because the war had ended.
A family story about "Uncle Free" that some of the present day adults can remember from their childhoods is seeing Uncle Free ride up in his horse and buggy to visit. He was a big man with a long white beard. The kids loved to see him come, because he always brought a bag of candy. But he always required his nieces and nephews to give him a kiss before he would give them the candy, and they hated having to kiss him.
Another memory of Uncle Free is that he used to say that he had never worked a day in his life. Though that isn't likely since he spent most of his life on a farm.
Robert Freeman Cruit is the son of Gilbert Maddicott Cruit and Mary Louisa Gallaspie. He married Mary Eliza Baggott in about 1869 and they had the following children: Ella, Ida, Hattie, Sallie, Robert Freeman and Maggie.
Story of Robert Freeman Cruit:
Robert Freeman (Uncle Free) Cruit
Confederate military records for the 2nd Alabama Cavalry list a Robert F. Crewit. This would have been Robert Freeman (Uncle Free) Cruit. He enlisted Feb 27, 1863 at Baldwin County for three years. Captain West was the enlisting officer. The remarks state: Pay horse 40 cents per day - $24.40.
Soldiers were paid extra for bringing a horse, and in some cases the horse was more important than the soldier.
A book on the history of Escambia county mentions Robert Freeman Cruit as having been one of the last bodyguards of Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy. Uncle Free's cavalry unit of 450 men escorted Jefferson Davis to Georgia where the unit surrendered to union forces only because the war had ended.
A family story about "Uncle Free" that some of the present day adults can remember from their childhoods is seeing Uncle Free ride up in his horse and buggy to visit. He was a big man with a long white beard. The kids loved to see him come, because he always brought a bag of candy. But he always required his nieces and nephews to give him a kiss before he would give them the candy, and they hated having to kiss him.
Another memory of Uncle Free is that he used to say that he had never worked a day in his life. Though that isn't likely since he spent most of his life on a farm.
Story of Robert Freeman Cruit:
Robert Freeman (Uncle Free) Cruit
Confederate military records for the 2nd Alabama Cavalry list a Robert F. Crewit. This would have been Robert Freeman (Uncle Free) Cruit. He enlisted Feb 27, 1863 at Baldwin County for three years. Captain West was the enlisting officer. The remarks state: Pay horse 40 cents per day - $24.40.
Soldiers were paid extra for bringing a horse, and in some cases the horse was more important than the soldier.
A book on the history of Escambia county mentions Robert Freeman Cruit as having been one of the last bodyguards of Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy. Uncle Free's cavalry unit of 450 men escorted Jefferson Davis to Georgia where the unit surrendered to union forces only because the war had ended.
A family story about "Uncle Free" that some of the present day adults can remember from their childhoods is seeing Uncle Free ride up in his horse and buggy to visit. He was a big man with a long white beard. The kids loved to see him come, because he always brought a bag of candy. But he always required his nieces and nephews to give him a kiss before he would give them the candy, and they hated having to kiss him.
Another memory of Uncle Free is that he used to say that he had never worked a day in his life. Though that isn't likely since he spent most of his life on a farm.
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