Monday, August 15, 2011

August 15 - Tennessee Civil War Notes

15, Lizzie Rafferty, the cult of domesticity and the Memphis Recorder's Court
"Indecency."
It is ever with reluctance we lift the pen to chronicle the conduct of fallen women. Woman, who, in the divinity of her goodness and virtue, is ever the ministering angel to the wants of suffering man, and whose lips give him life-consoling words in his melancholy moments of disconsolation, sometimes descends from her useful and noble sphere, in which she is an ornament to all creation, and becomes an object of pity, or an outcast victim of the low-flung wretches of human degradation. It is in such connection we dislike to call her name, and are therefore almost tempted to pass over that of Lizzie Rafferty who was arraigned before the tribunal of the City Recorder yesterday morning, for having publicly exposed her person, and fined there after, $6 and costs.
Memphis Union Appeal, August 15, 1862.

 

15, "The Negro Procession;" an event to promote human freedom and political equality in Nashville
]
During the past week the following announcement was published in the Nashville Times, displayed and spread out to the extent of half a column. It will be read with considerable interest, and hence we re-produce it for the benefit of "whom it may concern:"

GREAT MASS MEETING OF COLORED CITIZENS.

By invitation of the colored citizens of Nashville, John M. Lanston, Esq. the colored patriot and eloquent orator, of Oberlin, Ohio, will address them on the leading questions of the day, at "Fort Gillem," on Monday, August 15th, 1864, at 11 A. M

The citizens and public generally are invited to attend. Let every colored man, woman, and child come and spend one day in the cause of HUMAN FREDOM [sic] and POLITICAL EQUALITY. Let every one who values the glorious future of OUR COUNTRY -- and the future freedom of our race -- turn out and honor the distinguished orator. Come one, come all. Let us have a grand rally four our country, for the enfranchisement of our race, and FOR LIBERTY.

The 10th Tennessee regiment will be in attendance on the occasion. A grand Military and Civil Procession will form on the Northeast side of the Public Square at 9 o'clock A. M.

Order of Procession. -- 1, Military; 2, Chief Marshal; 3, Military Band; 4, Orator of the Day in open carriage; 5, President of the Day -- Elder Peter Lowry, and Vice-Presidents Elder Ransom Harris and N. Harris; 6, Ministers of the Gospel; 7, Benevolent Societies; 8, Citizens on foot; 9; Citizens in carriages and on horseback.

The State authorities have given their permission for our meeting, and guarantee to us ample protection and order. The officers and commanders of colored troops, and all colored troops are most respectfully invited to turn out and participate. The 15th and 17th Unites States Colored Troops are promised by their Colonels to be present, and all patriots and lovers of Liberty are expected to attend, and shall have a hearty welcome.

Marshals. -- William Sumner, Chief Marshal; W. Hickman, Jerry Stothart, Assistants.
President of the day. -- Elder Peter Lowry.
Vice-Presidents. -- Elder Ransom Harris, Nelson Walker.
Committee of Arrangements. -- B. Lewis, Chairman; W. Alex Sumner, B. J. Hadley, W. Hickman, Samuel Lowry, secretary.
Nashville, Tenn., Aug. 11, 1864
About 10 a. m. [sic], a crowd of sable damsels began to assemble on the public square, and soon after the 11 the procession was formed. After moving around the square, they passed through Cedar to Summer street, in the following order:
Bill Hickman and Jerry Stothart
Leader of a Military Band
Band of the Tenth Tennessee
About sixty members of a COLORED CITIZENS.
The "Orator of the Day," in a carriage with two or three other negroes [sic].
About 100 "American citizens of African descent [sic]" on foot.
About forty-eight vehicles of various kinds, including express wagons, dilapidated hacks and buggies, and one or two of Bill Summers' best, containing the elite [sic] of negrodom [sic].
One white woman and child.
The vehicles were mostly loaded down with the numbers crowded into them -- some of the hack containing six full grown darkies, and other throwing in one or two youngsters to fill up the corners. We are not aware of what took place after leaving the corner of Summer and Cedar street.
Nashville Dispatch, August 16, 1864.

 

15, "Meeting of Colored Citizens"

The meeting of the colored citizens of this vicinity, yesterday at Fort Gilliem, was very largely attended. The procession which passed through the streets was very large, composed in part of a great number of hacks, filled with well dressed people. The Band of the Tenth Tennessee favored them on their route to the grave with some spirited and excellent music. So far as we noticed, the behavior of the persons in the procession was orderly, and quiet, and void of offense to all except those who believe in the divine right of the peculiar institutions. The assemblage at the grove was immense.


Mrs. Langston [of Oberlin, Ohio], the appointed orator of the day, was, unfortunately, unable to attend, but some colored speaker, whose name we did not hear, is said to have made a patriotic and truly excellent discourse, which was listened to with profound attention.


Some excellent and appropriate remarks were made by Gen. Chetlain and Col. B.D. Mussey. Altogether, the affair was highly creditable to the colored people. They manifested a devotion to the Government which many white people in this city would do well to imitate. Had the miserable Legislature and Governor of Tennessee manifested a tithe of honesty, good breeding, good sense, and patriotism in 1861, which the colored people showed yesterday, Tennessee would not have called upon to mourn the death of 40,000 of her citizens.


Nashville (Daily Press &) Times, August 16, 1864.

 


No comments: