Wednesday, May 25, 2011

May 24 - Tennessee Civil War Notes

24, "Tennessee's Battle-Song"

By Henry Weber

Awake, take up the arms! prepare for battle!

Our country's honor calls on your her sons!

Arise! arise! ye warriors, from your slumbers!

There is not one of you who fighting shuns,

The Lord of hosts your hearts and arm will strengthen;

The prayers of wives and sisters, filled with woe,

Plead at his throne your cause, the cause of freedom!

Success to you! Confusion to the foe!

 

Form! form! in proud array, ye Tennesseans!

March onward -- charge -- break down the seried line

That now invades the South, hallowed to freedom,

Where happiness -- religion -- culture shine,

Amidst the storm of war and cannon roaring,

Think of your pass-word, "Death or victory?"

Renown and love the conqueror awaiting,

And glory those who in the battle die.

 

Fight manly! Shame on all who will be branded,

When the fight is o'er, with wounds on back or heel,

Where'er may be the "Valley of decision" --

Thus saith the Lord, decide it with the steel,

Let all your priests uphold their arms in prayer,

That God, the God of battle, be your stay;

While his strong aid the en'my is confounding;

Yours is the crown, the vict'ry of the day.

From the Nashville Patriot

Clarksville Chronicle, May 24, 1861.

 

 

1862, Fort Warren, Massachusetts. Confederate Colonel Randal W.

McGavock, a prisoner-of-war, wrote in his journal that: "The notorious

scoundrel and liar, Parson Brownlow of East Tennessee made a visit to

the Fort today....Brownlow sent for Lieutenant Colonel White of

Hamilton County, East Tennessee and offered to parole him....He also

sent for Colonel Lillard and Lieutenant Colonel Odell of East

Tennessee and made the same offer to them. They are not required to

take the oath but to go home and not take up arms again." Lillard and

Odell did not endorse the offer.

 

 

24, 1863"The County Jail."

As we consider ourselves in a manner, at least, so far as our ability

and influence extends -- the guardians of the poor, the imprisoned,

the sick and the distressed generally of our city, we pay occasional

visits to such places of confinement as we can obtain access to, and

when we find anything wrong, expression our mind freely to the persons

in charge, with a view to having everything as nearly right as

possible. When our objections are reasonable, and it is possible to

remove them, we have always found a willingness displayed to

ameliorate the condition of the imprisoned as far as possible, and

when we find such disposition put in practical operation, we

invariably award the praise justly due the parties concerned. In this

spirit we gave, a short time ago, a commendatory notice of the County

Jail, and did then, and do now, consider it well merited by the

Sheriff and the officers in charge.

Yesterday morning we read a grave charge against "the authorities,

both civil and military," about "the wretched condition of the jail,

and the manner in which the prisoners are kept," which caused us

immediately to repairer to the jail, before some of the prisoners were

up, and before any one had attempted even to use a broom n the

premises. Without the slightest hesitation we were permitted to

inspect every nook and corner, inside and out, upstairs and down, and

in the cells, and can say with truth that the jail is in good

condition, and that the prisoners are far better fed than half our

working population. The jail is clean, and not even a musty or

disagreeable smell of any kind assailed our nostrils. The prisoners

are fed upon good beef, pork, rice, beans, potatoes, bread, coffee,

etc., luxuries which few enjoy at present time, and abundant of it. So

much we say for the persons in charge. Now of the real [sic] of the

complaint:

There are too many prisoners for the space at command. On the upper

floor of the building are five cells, each eight feet wide, 22 feet 4

inches long, and 9 feet 2 inches high; and one cell 18 feet by 22

feet. The light and ventilation in these cells are good as may be in

such a place, when security demands massive walls and small windows.

The floors are dry and clean as can be expected -- nay, cleaner than

we expected to find them, as early in the morning. On the lower floor

there are seven cells, much darker than those above, the windows being

more securely barred, the doors double, and the light from the halls

not being so clear as that one the second story. But in the darkest

recess we failed to detect any unpleasant smell, or see anything

opposed to health and cleanliness. When we consider that they are now

in this jail about one hundred and eighty prisoners [sic], averaging

nearly thirteen to each cell (counting the double cell as two), does

it not display a degree of attention and industry on the part of those

in charge, worthy of commendation rather than of censure?

We would before this have suggested to the mililtary authorities the

propriety of separating the civil and military prisoners, and those

guilty of heinous offenses are those of a different character, but we

thought we might considered impertinent and therefore confined our

efforts to endeavoring to see that our civil officer performed their

duty faithfully toward the prisoners committed to their charge. This

we are satisfied they have done, and in their name repeat the

invitation given through our columns some time ago, to the Jail

Commissioners and to proper officers, to visit the jail frequently and

at any time of the day.

Nashville Dispatch, May 24, 1863.

 

 

24,1864  Skirmish in Winchester, guerrillas rob U.S. Army paymaster

[see September 14, 1863, Confederate raiding party robs Winchester

above]

Report of Col. Henry K. McConnell, Seventy-five Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry.

HDQRS. RAILROAD DEFENSES, Tullahoma, Tenn., June 2, 1864.

Maj. B. H. POLK, Assistant Adjutant-Gen., Nashville:

SIR: I send herewith a copy of a report from Col. McConnell. I have

had no opportunity to control this lawlessness for want of sufficient

cavalry force. I shall be ready in a few days. The same men are

concerned in all of the depredations on the railroad. I have learned

the names of some of them and several of the persons who keep up and

harbor the outlaws.

Respectfully submitted.

E. A. PAINE,

Brig.-Gen., Cmdg.

OR, Ser. I, Vol. 39, pt. I, p. 18.

 

HDQRS. SEVENTY-THIRD Regt. OHIO VET. VOL. INFTY., Elk River Bridge,

May 30, 1864.

I have the honor to respectfully state that on last Tuesday night [the

24th] the guerrillas robbed Winchester of about $10,000. They knew men

and houses and events only as citizen guerrillas can. No one came to

notify me of the raid. I heard incidentally that the citizens were

industriously circulating the report that our troops had robbed the

town. I sent Capt. McConnell to inquire into the matter. They gave but

partial information. The squad was small; only six or eight. They have

been lurking in the neighborhood ever since. They fired into the train

on Saturday night [28th] between this and Decherd, and yesterday they

stole a horse near Winchester. We are very much embarrassed for want

of a telegraph office here.

Very respectfully,

H. K. McCONNELL,

Col. Seventy-first Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry.

OR, Ser. I, Vol. 39, pt. I, pp. 18-19.

 

 

24,1865  Observations made by an ex-Confederate soldier from the Army

of Tennessee while on his way home to his home in Dyersburgh environs

....All were ordered aboard and the Boat [sic] rounded out and left

the wharf about 5 oclk. [sic] escorted by the Gun Boat [No.] 17. we

[sic] got along finely arriving at Smithland [Kentucky] a little after

dark having run 200 miles -- We landed and lay over all night[.]

Arthur Tyler Fielder Diaries.

 


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