Private Alfred B. Lowe was born on July 20th, 1840, at Green Turtle Cay, Abaco (Bahamas). He was the brother of William E. “butcher Bill” Lowe. Alfred’s family relocated from Green Turtle Cay to Key West when he was five months old. He lived with his parents and one brother, and was occupied as a clerk.

After being denied a pass to leave Key West in 1861, he slipped away with Robert Watson and others by stowing away on an English vessel.

He was mustered into service on December 20, 1861 with Captain Henry Mulrenan’s Florida Volunteer Coast Guards; on January 9th, 1862 he was assigned to the crew of the Mollie Post.

He remained in this unit until mustered into Confederate service on April 25th, 1862 when he was enlisted as a Private in Captain Smith’s Company (Key West Avengers), 7th Regiment Florida Infantry by Major R. B. Thomas at Tampa, Florida for a period of 3 years or the war.

He is reported present on all rolls, being promoted to 2nd Corporal late in 1862, and then to 4th Sergeant early in 1863.

He was transferred to the C.S. Navy while at Dalton, Georgia on February 25th, 1864, and was assigned to serve in CSS Savannah on March 13th, 1864. He served in CSS Savannah until December 21st, 1864, when the vessel was fired and scuttled to avoid capture by General Sherman’s forces at Savannah.

He was sent to Charleston, South Carolina, then to Wilmington, North Carolina where he served at Fort Fisher. After the fall of the fort, he escaped and went to Wilmington, then to Richmond, Virginia. He was a member of Tucker’s Naval Brigade stationed at Drewry’s Bluff and surrendered at Appomattox, Virginia, April, 1865.

He was paroled at Burkesville Junction, Virginia, April 14, 1865. He married Mary Jane “Mollie” Whitehurst at Hillsborough County, Florida, on October 10, 1867.

He was a member of UCV Camp Franklin Buchanan No. 1214, at Monroe County, in 1907, and drew a Confederate pension. He died at died at Key West, Florida on December 1st, 1921. “Mollie” applied for and was granted a Confederate Widow's Pension for her husband's service.

Alfred B Lowe