Story OF The Yellowhammer Nickname

      Story of the Yellowhammer Nickname:

   Alabama is known as the Yellowhammer State and the Yellowhammer

is the official state bird.  During the War Of the Northern Aggression, Alabama

soldiers were known as Yellowhammers probably more commonly pronounced

Yallerhammmers. One Version of the story behind this as as follows:

   In the summer of 1861, an eager group of 90 Confederate horsemen

from Huntsville joined Nathan Bedford Forrest's cavalry near Hopkinsville,

Kentucky.  Their wives had made new grey cotton uniforms and brightened

the garments with yellow trim around the sleeves and collar.   The women

were proud of their brave men, and like all wives, wanted them to look nice.

When the Alabama recruits rode into camp ,one of Forrest's men named

Will Arnett called out in jest, Yellowhammer, yellowhammer, flicker,

flicker,flicker.  Arnett had never seen such pretty uniforms and knew

that they would soon be stained with mud and blood.  Throughtout

the War, Alabamians were known as Allerbammer yallerhammers.

After the war, Alabama veterans often wore the feather of a yellowhammer

in the lapel of their coat.  Some put a yellowhammer wing in the wide band

of their hats.  Yallerhammer Clubs were established in many cities to

honor the memory of Alabama's Civil War sacriface.