Caught in the middle between the north and the south, in a war that was unwinnable at any price; the people of Winston County Alabama had nowhere to go, nowhere to hide from either side. Just fifty years earlier many of their fathers fought to preserve the Union, so the thought of seceding from it was reprehensible. Secessionists led by William Yancey thought they could do better and preserve a life style based on slavery. William Looney, nicknamed the Black Fox by the Confederate Army, owned a tavern in Winston County where local leaders decided was a good place to vote on how to deal with their state's desire to leave the Union. With his superior knowledge of the forests and his skill in hunting Bill Looney was especially suited for the role that would ultimately make him famous - but was the price too high? The 1st Alabama Cavalry, made up of Alabama men would play an important role. Bill's brother Anderson Looney was among the many who joined because they believed in preserving the union. Others joined to avoid being conscripted into the Confederate Army. Their knowledge of the area would prove to be of significant help.