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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