Tuesday, June 7, 2011

June 7-8 - Notes on the Civil War in Tennessee

June 7-8, 1862, Confederate Account of the Bombardment of Chattanooga
A REBEL ACCOUNT.
Chattanooga, June 8, 1862
The shelling of Chattanooga by the enemy's forces, commenced yesterday afternoon about half-past five P.M. It was known that a portion of Gen. Mitchel's [sic] forces, under Gen. Lytle, was approaching this point from Winchester, Tennessee, where they had been committing all kinds of robbery and outrage. o­n Wednesday, the fourth inst., Col. Adams, who is in command all the cavalry forces here, allowed himself to be surprised with three hundred and fifty men of the First Kentucky regiment, at Sweden's [sic] Cove, about thirty miles north-west of this place, o­n the road leading from Winchester to Jasper.
He made his escape with the loss of o­nly six men, instead of twenty, as reported. It is supposed that this force, estimated from o­ne thousand five hundred to three thousand, under Gen. Lytle, came through Haley Cut-off, a gorge in the mountain of Waldron's Ridge, already described, two miles this side of Kelly's Ferry, which is ten miles below this point, and reached the opposite side of the river yesterday morning [7th]. Their main body was concealed in the woods covering the ridges and heights, about o­ne mile from the river.
On Saturday morning some small parities of the enemy were seen at the head of the lane running down to the ferry and our scouts fired upon them, killing, it is said, o­ne officer. The enemy showed no force at this time; neither did they make any demonstration. It appears, however, they were busy making reconnoissances, and getting their light field pieces and mortars in battery, when our battery, having injudiciously sent a few round shots where some parties were supposed to be concealed, near an old barn at the head of the lane, the enemy opened fire, their sharp-shooters at the same time showing themselves in the woods near the bank of the river.
The frightful whizzing of the shell, as the fell rapidly near a the dwellings of some families residing near the vicinity of the ferry, produced the greatest consternation among the women and children, who were seen running in every direction, from the rive to the centre of the town in the wildest terror, while the most heart-rendering cries and screams of others in the houses frantically illustrated some of the horrors of war.
Our batteries returned the enemy's fire, and o­ne of the gunners of the Merrimac being here, did good execution at o­ne of our guns, silencing two of the enemy's. Our sharp-shooters did good work at the same time, killing a number of the enemy. The firing ceased about half-past eight o'clock P.M., and I have already sent you the o­nly casualties that occurred, by telegraph.  A few buildings were injured, but no accidents occurred.
This morning [8th] the enemy commenced shelling the town again about ten o'clock, and continued the fire for about an hour and a half, a number of the shell[s] exploding in the streets and in the ground, o­ne building o­nly being hit; no other damage was done. Our batteries did not reply. All is now quiet, it being four P.M.
Rebellion Record, Vol. 5, pp.189-190.
Note: "The frightful whizzing of the shell, as the fell rapidly near a the dwellings of some families residing near the vicinity of the ferry, produced the greatest consternation among the women and children, who were seen running in every direction, from the rive to the centre of the town in the wildest terror, while the most heart-rendering cries and screams of others in the houses frantically illustrated some of the horrors of war."
This account is no doubt accurate, but the source for the account was not given in Rebellion Record. It most likely was a report from a Southern newspaper. Should someone know of the source, please let me know.

 

 

7, "How Much Lower?"
We have had to chronicle many a case of downright dishonesty and theft, but never in the course of our journalistic career have we put before the public the quintessence of meanness which we are called upon not to expose. According to late military orders, owners of dogs were compelled to put muzzles upon their canine pets, and all dogs found running the streets without the same would be shot by the Provost Guard, whose duty it was to execute the order. The order in many cases has been complied with and so now we hear complaints almost every hour in the day made by parties who have had the muzzles stolen off their dogs. The wretch [who would] remove the safeguard of poor old [Fido?] after having been placed there by his master, should himself be muzzled, and allowed to walk the streets in no other way.
Memphis Bulletin, June 7, 1864.

 

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