My name is Jackson Brown. I was born in Winston county in Northern Alabama in 1830.

I live on a

small farm on hill which stands on the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. I have no slaves on

my farm. Nobody should be treated inhumane. When South Carolina seceded, I had a bad feeling

that we were next in Alabama. My best friend is Charles Sheats. He is known around the state, and

even the South for his anti-secession ideas. He is the chairman for Winston County. After the

Convention in Montgomery, we tried to think of a way we could help the Union even though

Alabama seceded to become a part of the Confederacy. Charles thought of the idea of a spy in the

Confederate army. He knew he could not be it though because his ideas were known. Finally, a

lightbulb went off. I knew I could be the spy to help my country. I enlisted with the Confederacy,

and Charles made secret plans with Union troops for our arrangement. Those years in the

Confederate Army were so tough. I hated pretending to fight and be someone I wasn’t. It was worth

it though. It was crazy the way that battle plans were freely shared around the camps. There was

one time when I was almost caught. The plan was for me to “drop a paper at specific coordinates in

the woods, so the Union generals could grab the information. Well, I thought I was alone in the

woods, but someone had followed me. When I turned around, they accused me of dropping secret

notes for the Union troops to get. Luckily, I was smart on my feet, and saw a creek nearby. I said, “I

was going to refill my canister with water.” He believed me! It was the craziest day. I eventually was

able to relay the information in a different way. I am proud of my service, and not ashamed for

standing up to my friends and even family for being a “traitor.” I was a beneficial part to the Union,

and I am proud of that. In a time of adversary, I stood up for what I believed in by being a spy. God

Bless America.