Saturday, May 21, 2011

May 20 - Notes on the Civil War in Tennessee

20, Confederate Navy's interest in the Tennessee Iron Works in Stewart County
CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA, Navy Department, Montgomery, May 20, 1861.
SIR: Upon the receipt of this order you will proceed to ascertain the practicability of obtaining wrought-iron plates of from 2 to 3 inches in thickness.
The Tennessee Iron Works have, I am informed, rolling mills for heavy work. They are on the Cumberland River, in Stewart County, Tenn.
* * * *
You will ascertain as early as possible whether the plates of this thickness can be furnished, and their form, dimension, weight, and price per pound must be stated, together with the best means of forwarding them to New Orleans.
I am, respectfully, your obedient servant,
S. R. MALLORY, Secretary of the Navy.
Captain DUNCAN N. INGRAHAM, C. S. N.
NOR, Ser. II, Vol. 1, p. 792.

 

20, A West Tennessee woman's concerns about the future

It has rained incessantly since last night. All day rain, rain, it will keep the rivers up to float the Yankee gunboats, and stop our farmers' ploughs and perhaps injure the wheat crops. I feel gloomy and depressed -- nothing is more calculated to cast a cloud over us than a rainy day. But when we feel that a rainy day is bad for our country on the brink of ruin, Oh! How sad our hearts feel, none but who suffer can tell.

We are ever inclined to murmur at God's providence. We must be patient and prayerful, never losing faith in Our Father for He doeth all things well.

The scarcity of provisions in the South makes it a fearful thing to think of our crops of grain failing. Our enemies have ever boasted that they "will starve us out," and if our bread crops fail they will succeed. Salt is not but thirty dollars a sack and scarce at that. Heaven only knows how we will manage to save our meat another Fall [sic], but there is time enough to grieve over that. Let us get our Army through the Summer before we dread the Fall. "Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof"

Estes's Diary, May 20, 1862

 

20, The imprisonment of Mollie Hyde for spying for Confederate forces
MILITARY PRISON, Alton, Ill., May 20, 1863.
Col. W. HOFFMAN, Commissary-Gen. of Prisoners, Washington, D. C.
COL.: I have the honor to report that another female prisoner, a Miss Mollie Hyde, of Nashville, Tenn., has been sent to this prison "for spying and other misdeeds," to be confined during the war or until released by competent authority. She was sent here by order of Gen. Rosecrans.
I have the honor to be sir, with much respect, your obedient servant,
T. HENDRICKSON, Maj. Third Infantry, Commandant of Prison.
OR, Ser. II, Vol. 5 pp. 684-685

 

20, Skirmish at Collierville
MAY 20, 1863.--Skirmish at Collierville, Tenn.
REPORTS.
No. 1.--Col. John M. Loomis, Twenty-sixth Illinois infantry, commanding brigade.
No. 2.--Col. R. McCulloch. Second Missouri Cavalry (Confederate).
No. 1.
Report of Col. John M. Loomis, Twenty-sixth Illinois Infantry, commanding Brigade.
COLLIERVILLE, May 21, 1863.
SIR: The attack of yesterday evening was made on picket post Nos. 4 and 5, directly in our front, in three columns, by different roads, and of larger forces than I supposed last night. Cavalry and infantry supports arrived at the line before the enemy were out of sight of the next post, but, as they scattered in the woods, our cavalry did not overtake them. Neither post was surprised. The guard fought well, and held their posts too long to be able to retire, they being surrounded. My force at these two posts was 15 men and 2 non-commissioned officers. My loss was 1 killed and 9 missing. The balance did not come on, but held the vicinity of their post until they were re-enforced. I am not aware of the damage to the enemy, though some is reported. I can attach no blame to the officers or men of the guard. All were at post, and in proper order. They discovered the enemy at once, and made such disposition as the officer in charge thought best. Duration of attack probably not fifteen minutes. The guard fired an average of three rounds.
The lieutenant in charge of the left wing of the picket guard, who spends the whole tour of the guards on its line, was at post No. 3, and saw the affair, and speaks in praise of the conduct of the men, as do the citizens who saw the fight.
JOHN MASON LOOMIS, Col., Commanding Brigade.
No. 2.
Report of Col. R. McCulloch, Second Missouri Cavalry (Confederate).
SENATOBIA, MISS. May 21, 1863.
GEN.: The enemy advanced yesterday from Collierville, 1,000 strong, to Coldwater; returned in the evening. Capts. White and [W. H.] Couzens sent Lieutenant [Z. D.] Jennings with 10 me as far as Collierville; here the lieutenant killed 2 and captured 10 Federal prisoners. Arrived here this evening.
R. MCCULLOCH.
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 24, pt. I, p. 425.

 

20, Observations made by an ex-Confederate soldier from the Army of Tennessee while on his way home to his home in Dyersburg
....This morning found us on the train in sweetwater [sic] valley. We arrived at Chattanooga about 12 oclk. [sic] every [sic] important place along the entire route is strongly fortafied [sic] with strong block houses and guarded by U.S. troops White and Coloured [sic] -- on arrival at the the Depot we were ordered off the train and marched up near the center of town and halted where we drew one days [sic] rations of bacon and hard bread and sit [sic] and stood about until 5 oclk. [sic] when we were marched to the Depot and pretty soon got aboard the Cars [sic] which left for Nashville about 8 oclk. [sic] and run out about 9 miles and switched off and halted for the night
Arthur Tyler Fielder Diaries.

 



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