Tuesday, November 13, 2012

November 13 - Tennessee Civil War Notes

1861, Correspondence between president of the East Tennessee and Virginia Railroad and Judah P. Benjamin, Con federate Acting Secretary of War relative to protection for the railroad

 

JONESBOROUGH, TENN., November 13, 1861.

J. P. BENJAMIN, Acting Secretary of War:

The Lincolnites are forming an encampment at Elizabethtown; now have from 1,000 to 1,300 men, and more coming, within 6 miles of our railroad, at Watauga Bridge. They also have from 600 to 1,000 men near Strawberry Plains Bridge, the most important and expensive bridge on our road, and still collecting in greater numbers, and threatening to take and burn the bridge and take possession of the road. If these two bridges are burned our road stops. The demonstrations are such in East Tennessee that a much larger force is necessary. They are cutting the telegraph wires as fast as we put them up.


JOHN R. BRANNER, President East Tennessee and Virginia Railroad.


RICHMOND, November 13, 1861.


JOHN R. BRANNER, President R. R. Co., Jonesborough, Tenn.:


Troops are now moving to East Tennessee to crush the traitors. You shall be amply protected.


J. P. BENJAMIN Acting Secretary of War.


OR, Ser. I, Vol. 4, p. 243.

 

 

13, Complaints about Nashville's constabulary

 

The Police.—We respectfully ask the attention of the Committee on Police to the frequent and daring burglaries taking place in our midst, and beg that they will endeavor to put a stop to them. We have sixteen night policemen, and we are informed that each one patrols his beat alone. In times like the present this should not be allowed; their lives are in constant danger, and they stand no more chance of arresting a burglar than if they were quietly slumbering in their beds all night. What do two desperate men care for one policeman? They should patrol in pairs, and be permitted to call for military assistance when required. As General Rosecrans seems determined to put a stop to pillaging, we think that the Mayor and the Police Committee could make some arrangement by which the lives and property of our citizens could be protected. Within a month, two of our citizens have been murdered, and the perpetrators of the foul deeds are at large—one of them known to the police and military authorities, and almost daily, as we are informed, committing depredations of some kind. We are also informed that there are in town several notorious thieves who are provided with Federal uniform, which they put on for the express purpose of pressing horses and searching and robbing houses. Cannot such things be stopped? We think such men can and ought to be brought to justice.

 

Nashville Dispatch, November 13, 1862.

 

 

 

        13, The murder of James Hollister in Nashville

 

Thursday Night's Murders.—On Thursday [13th] night, as Mr. James Hollister was conversing with some friends in the saloon of the Commercial Hotel, a private soldier came in and demanded some liquor, which was refused. The applicant insisted, and threatened violence unless his request was complied with, when Mr. Hollister again refused and ordered him away. The soldier then struck him a violent blow upon the head, either with a slung-shot or some other deadly weapon, which prostrated the unfortunate man, and caused his death about an hour thereafter. Mr. Hollister was a young man of excellent character and amiable disposition, and was much loved and respected by a large circle of friends. He was a brother of Mr. Charles Hollister, of Union street.

 

About the same hour several soldiers went to the beer establishment of Mr. Robert Weitmiller, at Belleview, and demanded admittance. He refused to open the door, and they thereupon broke it open, and demanded liquor. Mr. W. stated that he had none to give them, and after a few more words he received a shot from a pistol in the hands of one of the soldiers, from the effects of which he will probably die.

 

A soldier was found dead in South Nashville, and a negro was picked up beyond Broad street in an insensible condition, the former no doubt murdered, and the latter with his skull fractured in such manner as to leave little doubt of his speedy death.

 

We heard of another murder near the railroad tunnel, but could obtain no reliable information on the subject, except that he was a soldier, who had shot a soldier on Wednesday night.

Officer John Cavendar was attacked by a number of soldiers on Thursday night, but finding that he was an officer, they concluded to molest him no more.

 

We understand that one man has been arrested for being engaged in the killing of Mr. Hollister, and the military authorities have issued orders for the arrest of all stragglers, with the hope of finding out the guilty parties. It would not be a bad idea for the police to arrest all straggling citizens who are unable to give a correct account of themselves and their manner of living.

 

Nashville Dispatch, November 15, 1862

 

 

 

 

13, Skirmish at Palmyra


No circumstantial reports filed.


Excerpt of Major-General George H. Thomas' December 1, 1863, report to Brigadier-General Lorenzo Thomas, Adjutant-General, US Army, relative to the skirmish at Palmyra:
November 13:


Capt. Cutler, with one company of mounted infantry and a portion of Whittemore's battery (mounted), belonging to the garrison of Clarksville, had a fight near Palmyra with Capt. Grey's company of guerrillas, killing 2, wounding 5, and taking 1 prisoner; Cutler's loss, 1 lieutenant and 1 man wounded.


OR, Ser. I, Vol. 32, pt. II, p. 93.

 

 

 

 

 

 

13, General Orders, No. 3, designating nomenclature for defensive earthworks around Pulaski


GENERAL ORDERS, No. 3. HDQRS. U. S. FORCES, Pulaski, Tenn., November 13, 1864.


The following are announced as the names of the works composing the defenses in and around Pulaski:


1. The battery at the most southern end of town to be called Battery Lane.


2. The work at the female seminary to be called Lunette Opdycke.


3. The work at McCullain's house to be called Lunette Evans.


4. The redoubt on the point of the ridge by the Cornersville road to be called Redoubt Suman.


5. The work at the northern point of the same ridge, where the old Columbia road crosses it, to be called Redoubt Waters.


6. The works on the cluster of hills, spurs, and ridges, fortified by Gen. Bradley's brigade, to be called Bradley's Intrenchments.


7. The line of works constructed by Col. Martin's brigade to be called Martin's Lines.


8. The works constructed by Col. Knefler, on the most westerly hill, to be called Redoubt Knefler.


9. The work constructed by Col. Post's brigade to be called Demilune Post.


10. The work on the central conical peak (where the flag-staff is) to be called For Pulaski.


11. The works between Lunette Evans and Redoubt Suman to be called Bradley's Intrenchments.


By command of Maj.-Gen. Stanely:


W. H. SINCLAIR, Assistant Adjutant-Gen.


OR, Ser. I, Vol. 52, pt. I, p. 658.

 

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