Alexander's Distillery
Salado, Bell County, Texas
Marker Inscription
On this site in 1861-65, the William R. Alexander Distillery met a wartime need in Texas. May 28, 1862, Governor Francis R. Lubbock closed all Texas distilleries, to save grain. Army calls for medicinal liquor (for opiate and stimulant purposes) soon caused him to order a few, including Alexander's, re-opened. In drastic medical shortages, Texans throughout the Civil War gave such help as they could. Bandages, sewing silk, lint, polk weed, peach bark, barilla and other home medical aids went to various military units. (1964)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
During the Civil War, the William R. Alexander Distillery on this site met a pressing wartime need. Governor Francis Lubbock ordered Texas distilleries closed in 1862 to conserve grain, but army demand for medicinal liquor—used for opiates and stimulants—soon reopened a select few, Alexander's among them. Amid drastic shortages, Texans across the state improvised bandages, lint, and homemade remedies for the troops.
Why it matters
The distillery illustrates how a blockaded Confederate Texas scrambled to supply its own medical needs from local resources.
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Related people
- · William R. Alexander
- · Francis R. Lubbock
Related events
- · American Civil War
Themes & tags
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