Brigadier-General Isham W. Garrott was a native of the old North State, born in 1816. He was educated at the university of North Carolina (Chapel Hill), studied law and was admitted to the bar. His parents were not wealthy and he had to make his own way in the world. He removed to Alabama and located at Greenville; but the next year he settled in Marion county and became law partner of Hon. James Phelan, afterward Confederate senator from Mississippi. He also took much interest in public affairs, and removing to Perry county represented it in the legislature from 1845 to 1849. He was afterward an associate of Judge Brooks in law practice. He was a democrat of the State rights school, and was a Breckinridge elector in 1860. When Alabama seceded he was sent by Governor Moore, as a commissioner, to North Carolina for the purpose of asking the cooperation of the legislature in the secession movement. After performing this task he returned home and, with the assistance of General Pettus, raised the Twentieth Alabama. Of this regiment he was commissioned colonel, and at once gave to his command the same energetic attention that had characterized his civil life, showing great aptitude for military affairs. There were points that had to be guarded, where an enemy did not happen to come, and for a time it was the lot of Colonel Garrott and his
