6, "Cutting It Fat."
Some of our merchants, not greatly troubled with some conscientious scruples, are now reaping a golden harvest. It may be reasonably expected that those of them receiving their goods by way of a short [cut] across the line dividing Dixie from Nod, would increase their prices to suit the nature of the case, but our citizens were hardly prepared to see them demanding a profit of 200 per cent. Whenever the margin of profit gets to be wider than Broad street, it has ceased to be reasonable, and does not deserve to be very liberally encouraged. The spirit of extortion will soon be crushed out, if wearers and consumers will firmly resolve to buy no article whatever until absolutely compelled to do so. Wear patched garment, take additional care of your old hats, bonnets, boots and shoes, live on cheaper food, do anything within the bounds of decency to obviate the necessity of buying a dime's worth from any one you have reason to regard as an extortioner. Nashville is not altogether...of that class of heartless individuals, who would wickedly mock at the calamity of their neighbors, if it but enables them to pout gold in their purses. Our people know them, and should now and forever avoid them, as they would [not enter] a house on fire or a city visited by the plague.
Nashville Daily Gazette, September 6, 1861.
6-13, Federal anti-guerrilla expedition, Shelby County to Raleigh, Green Bottom, Cypress Creek, Hickory Withe, across Loosahatchie river, Muddy river, Brownsville to Clear Creek
HDQRS. FOURTH DIVISION, DIST. OF WEST TENNESSEE, Bolivar, Tenn., September 18, 1862.
Maj. JOHN A. RAWLINS, Asst. Adjt. Gen., Dist. of West Tenn., Corinth, Miss.:
Maj.: I have the honor to report that in pursuance of order, a copy whereof is hereto annexed, the Fourth Division marched from Memphis, Tenn., on the morning of September 6, 1862, at 11 o'clock.
It accordance with the suggestions of Maj. Gen. W. T. Sherman and in conformity with his advice the line of march was so far changed as to leave Shelby to the north-this for the purpose of throwing the head of column so far toward Somerville as should seem advisable to relieve any force which might be at Bolivar. The course of the march was to Raleigh, northeast; thence almost direct east to Green Bottom; thence to Cypress Creek, where, the prevalence of rain rendering the roads impassable for artillery, the column halted one day. At Cypress Creek the column was turned sharply to the north, passing through Hickory Withe, across the Loosahatchie, the bridge over which had been held by an advance of cavalry. On the 10th the march was continued as far as the Muddy. On the same evening a bridge was built across the Muddy to replace that one which had been heretofore destroyed. An advance force was thrown forward to the Hatchie and to Brownsville and the erection of a bridge over the Hatchie was commenced. On the 11th evening, the bridge over the Hatchie being well-night completed, orders for the progress to Brownsville were delivered, but countermanded on the receipt of communication, a copy whereof is hereto annexed.[Not included in report.]
Upon the morning of September 12 the column marched southwest to Wesley; thence southeast through Dancyville to Bear Creek, where it bivouacked that night.
On the morning of the 13th September marched at daylight to Clear Creek, where it rested, proceeding at 2 p. m. to Bolivar, where it encamped upon Ross' command.
Herewith I have the honor to inclose journal of march, showing roads, water, &c., for the guidance of future operations; also report of the force with marched. [Not included in report.]
I have the honor to be, major, very respectfully,
[S. A. HURLBUT], Brig.-Gen., Comdg.
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 17, pt. II, p.226.
6, "Religious."
It surely gratified our good citizens to observe that the ministerial and Sabbath-school service in our churches were yesterday partially revived. In the noble effort to reinstall the sacred observances of the day we are charged to keep holy, we trust there will be no relaxation until every church and Sunday-school shall have been placed on its wonted basis of free, undisturbed operation. Nothing is so potent to elevate and give character to a community as the manifestation of an abiding interest in the welfare of its temples of God; when this is wanting, as our people know by sad experience, all dignity and comeliness, as a city, and all charitableness and purity of conduct as a people are utterly inexistent. [sic] The several churches open for worship were well attended and a fair proportion of the little ones resumed their places at the Sabbath-schools.
We listened to the morning discourse, at the Cathedral, of Archbishop John 'Baptist Purcell of Cincinnati, who is paying a transient visit to the Department of the Cumberland. The distinguished prelate was heard by an immense congregation of both Catholics and Protestants....As a sermon addressed to the reason and not a pretentious fulmination of pulpit oratory, it was received with breathless attention. The Archbishop in advocating the divinity of Christ and contending for the trueness of the Catholic faith, spoke with convincing force and pathos - employing the illustrative facts of sacred history, almost unadorned by any of the arts of rhetoric. He impressed his hearers as a divine of practical dealings with Scripture, and a logical enforces of sacred truths. The musical exercises of the morning included several sublime compositions, which were sweetly rendered by the members of the choir and the organist, Prof. Charles Schoppeiroi. The lecture delivered by the Archbishop, in the evening, was attended by another large concourse of all denominations. We regret that we could not be present. Archbishop Purcell's mission to this Department is one of observation in behalf of the comfort of the sick and disabled soldiers. His visits to the various hospitals have proved satisfactory in all respects, we believe, He is expected shortly to return to his labors in Cincinnati.
Nashville Daily Press, September 7, 1863.
6, "An Affair at the 'Iron Clad.'"
Sunday evening a young man, whose troubles are not unfrequent, by reason of his festive disposition, suffering from some real or fancied wrong -- real, perhaps, knocked at the door of a well known house of ill-fame, styled the "Iron Clad." The call was answered by one of the frail ones of the house, who inquired, "who's there?" The reply, "It's me" in familiar tones, caused her to open the door, which was no sooner done that she received in the face an overpowering shower of asadoedita from a syringe in the hands of the outsider. Overcome by the fragrant drug she turned to retreat, and in so doing received a brisk fire in the rear, from the same battery, after which the enemy retreated in "disorder." Her screams brought her fallen sisters and some visitors to the scene. But the perfume was so strong, they were soon obliged to leave, not, however, until most of them had became infected by it. There were strange oaths, and stranger doffing of clothing, it is said, and many of the garments, it was found necessary to bury. The victim, no doubt, suffers as if a polecat had attacked her. We learn that since the affair occurred, persons passing the premises indulge in the mysterious demonstration of squeezing their nasal appendages between their digits, so peculiar is the atmosphere surrounding them. The cause of this singular outrage is best known to those concerned.
Memphis Bulletin, September 6, 1864.
6, Skirmish at Readyville
SEPTEMBER 6, 1864.--Skirmish at Readyville, Tenn.
REPORTS.
No. 1.--Col. Thomas J. Jordan, Ninth Pennsylvania Cavalry.
No. 2.--Col. George G. Dibrell, Thirteenth Tennessee (Confederate) Cavalry, commanding brigade.
No. 1.
Report of Col. Thomas J. Jordan, Ninth Pennsylvania Cavalry.
HDQRS. NINTH PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY, Murfreesborough, Tenn., September 6, 1864.
SIR: Agreeably to orders from Gen. Van Cleve I proceeded with my command (the Ninth Pennsylvania Cavalry, 550 men) at 1 a. m. on the McMinnville road in search of a rebel column commanded by Dibrell. At break of day I discovered the encampment of the enemy at Readyville, and at once made dispositions for attack, and the moment that it was sufficiently light I ordered Maj. Kimmel to charge the enemy with four companies, while Maj. Appel, with three companies, deployed as skirmishers, was ordered to strike the left flank of the enemy at the same moment that the saber charge under Maj. Kimmel should attack the right. Maj. Longsdorf supported Maj. Kimmel's charge with three companies. At fifteen minutes before 5 a. m. the charge was ordered, and the men went gallantly into action. The enemy were 1,800 strong, 1,200 of whom were armed, the remainder were recruits. In ten minutes the enemy were in confusion, and in an hour Dibrell's brigade was a mass of fugitives. The action began at Stone's River, at Readyville, and the flying enemy pursued to Woodbury, five miles.
We captured 130 prisoners, 200 horses, 200 saddles; also a large number of Enfield rifles, all of which I ordered to be destroyed, as I had no means of transporting them to a place of safety. The enemy lost 25 killed and about 100 wounded. My own loss was 1 man killed, 6 wounded, and 5 missing. I also lost 18 horses killed an disabled during the charge.
Too much praise cannot bee awarded to Maj. Kimmel, Maj. Appel, and Maj. Longsdorf, for their gallantry in this action.
Amongst my wounded are Lieut. Thomas W. Jordan, Company H, very severely in two places; and Lieut. W. M. Potter, slightly through the right arm.
All my officers and men behaved in the most praiseworthy manner.
Respectfully reported.
THOS. J. JORDAN, Col. Ninth Pennsylvania Veteran Cavalry.
No. 2.
Excerpt from the Report of Col. George G. Dibrell, Thirteenth Tennessee (Confederate) Cavalry, commanding brigade.
HDQRS. DIBRELL'S BRIGADE, Greenville, S. C., October 19, 1864.
For the information of the major-general commanding I respectfully submit the following report of my operations since I left the command at Sparta, Tenn.:
* * * *
After my scouts in advance having reported that they had seen a large cavalry force pass down the Readyville and Murfreesborough pikes, and a consultation with officers of the different commands then with me, and owing to the large number of unarmed men with us, we decided not to attempt to cross the railroad near Murfreesborough, as the Yankee papers of that morning stated our forces were retreating south of Columbia, but turned up the Readyville pike, intending to move to the vicinity of Tullahoma, and if possible cross the railroad and join the main force, and in case we were satisfied you had gone to the Tennessee River we would likewise move across the mountains and endeavor to make our way out. Traveling on until 12 o'clock at night, we encamped between Readyville and Woodbury, placing out pickets all around us, with orders to move on at daylight next morning. Just as we were about moving the enemy, supposed to be 800 strong (Ninth Pennsylvania and mounted infantry), about half mounted, the others dismounted, having surprised and got between our pickets (who were of Maj. Wright's command, of Gen. Robertson's brigade) and our camps, came charging upon us. I used every effort to rally the men, but owing to the large number unarmed, quite a stampede took place and it was with difficulty that they could be rallied and checked. After stopping them I determined to make for the mountains, and did so, recrossing the Caney Fork below Rock Island, where all the stragglers came in. Our loss was 2 killed, 2 seriously wounded and left, and 61 captured, making a total loss to us of 65 men and about 50 horses. We killed 10, wounded 25, and captured 8 of the enemy. They admitted in their published accounts their killed and wounded 35. Eight of their dead they left on the field.
* * * *
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 39, pt. I, pp. 495-496.
Excerpt from the Report of Brig. Gen. Horatio P. Van Cleve, U. S. Army, commanding U. S. Forces, Murfreesborough, Tenn., of operations during Wheeler's raid, relative to the skirmish at Readyville
HDQRS. U. S. FORCES, Murfreesborough, Tenn., September 6, 1864.
MAJ....information was brought to me last evening that a rebel force coming from Lebanon had taken the Las Cassas road and were moving eastward. Supposing it to be a part of Wheeler's force...[I]
[i]mediately notified Col. Thomas J. Jordan, who had opportunity arrived with his regiment, the Ninth Pennsylvania Cavalry, of his movement, and, notwithstanding his men were weary from a long march, he [on the 6th] did not hesitate to start instantly in pursuit. He overtook them this morning at daybreak at Readyville, charged and utterly routed them, driving them pell mell through Woodbury, killing 25, wounding many, and capturing 130 men and 200 horses, with equipments.
* * * *
Col. Jordan made the attack with 550 men with drawn sabres.... .
H. P. VAN CLEVE, Brig.-Gen., Cmdg.
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 38, pt. II. p. 504.
Comment on the skirmish at Readyville by Lucy Virginia French
....Yesterday (6th) Coffee's men came flying back past here [McMinnville]--it seems that Dibbrell with 1200 was between Readyville and Woodbury. They were surprised and run into by some of ...[the] 9th Penna [sic] and they say the "new recruits got stampeded and stampeded the rest."...I felt sorry for those young boys--they started out only a day or so previous in such fine spirits. All the command have gone to Sparta....
War Journal of Lucy Virginia French, entry for September 7, 1864.
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