Sunday, February 10, 2013

2/10/2013 cwn

10, "Jovial"


The visitors yesterday had a jovial time of it after the election was over. The most amusing scene that came under observation was a man stationed on the corner opposite our office, playing the bagpipes. He played long and loud, and the crowd made the welkin ring as he went through Yankee Doodle - with the variations. He aroused the sympathies of the monied men, who contributed largely, filling his pockets with dimes and quarters.


After the bagpipe-man got through, ex-Mayor John Hugh Smith favored the audience with a chaste and flowery speech, which was received with loud cheers. Altogether the crowd had a jolly time of it.


Nashville Daily Gazette February 10, 1861.

 

 

10, Confederate East Tennessean J.G.M. Ramsey to Jefferson Davis relative to 100,000 hogs and fears of a Federal invasion of East Tennessee


KNOXVILLE, February 10, 1862


HON. Jeff. Davis


HON. Sir, etc:


Let me suggest that your Government has the meat of 100,000 hogs at several points along our railroad from Bristol to Chattanooga. If East Tennessee is invaded (which I fully believe can be done in any forty-eight hours under an enterprising leader and a force of cavalry) these stores...ought to be sent to upper Georgia, or certainly to Chattanooga, by steam boat or rail, or both, or some one should be authorized to burn and destroy it rather than allow the enemy to get it. Let me suggest, too, that the forces here be not removed to any point our of East Tennessee. I hear that Colonel [James W.] Gillespie's regiment expects in a few days to join General Crittenden's headquarters via Nashville. When he take thus one-third of our small force from this point it will invite the enemy to make an immediate raid upon us, capture this post, take possession of our roads, bridges, and supplies. Can you not therefore countermand any order by which Colonel [James W.] Gillespie, or any other commander here in East Tennessee, is directed to march his troops out of this threatened section? I hope a former suggestion has been received and acted upon, viz, to send some efficient commander to this point. We, the secessionists not regularly enrolled, have determined to act as minutemen when the invasion takes place, and there is no one here fitted by experience and position...to rally around. The country is perfectly defenseless, not troops enough to guard the public stores, below 3,000 men all told, and one fourth of these unarmed, and these not concentrated, but at Cumberland Gap, or at our bridges, or scouting near the largest passes across the mountain. Then, two-thirds of the masses are either hostile or neutral,   If Floyd or even Colonel Vaughn was her to issue orders and get us organized we can do something to repel a small invading force. As it is, we cannot see what to do or where to go. Do have some efficient and enterprising officer sent her at once and re-enforcements and private citizens can form a nucleus around which we can rally. I have not the first doubt of your ultimate success, but this valley, these railroads, it seems to me, ought to be specially guarded. God is on our side, but the instrumentality of man is to be resorted to also.


In haste, your obedient servant,


J.G.M. Ramsey


OR, Ser. I, Vol. 52, pt. II, pp. 267-268. 

 

 

 

10, War activities on the Cumberland Plateau, Col. John M. Hughs' mission on the Cumberland Plateau, an excerpt from the diary of Amanda McDowell


....Fayette [Amanda's brother] returned from McMinnville on Saturday night about dark, and left on Sunday morning to carry the new orders to Col. Hughs and others. He will probably stay in the country some time if the Yankees do not run him out. He has orders to put a stop to the "pressing" and other capers of the [Federal] cavalry that has been and still is carrying on in this and other neighborhoods. I hope he will succeed.

Diary of Amanda McDowell, p. 167.

 

 

 

10, A plea to regulate the price of corn so as to provide food for the poor instead of for the production of whiskey, in the Fort Donelson environs


Near Fort Donelson


February 10th 1864


Governor Johnson


Dear Sir


There is a gradeal of suffering of the Poor in a good many Locallities, the Nwstrn [Northwestern] R Road have foraged heavy for a Long ways on both Sides but thay having   reacht  the main Corn regions that is Duck & Cumberland Rivers & those Corn rasors wont sell except at awful Pri[c]es & that in green Backs & there is a still up running of the Neighborhood of Cumberlin Citty about 21 miles below Clarksville & that make a 25 or 30, Dollrs worth of whiskey out of a barrel of Corn & he has a Large amont on hand & a Lage   amont   in juges   at Lage figurs[.]  now it that Still was stopt   as all the rest has bin it would give a gradeal of corn to fead, the Poor & if it Could be it ought to have the Prce of Corn regulated & those that hav   maid   to Let those that dont  have [and] are a seffering hav at a far Pri[c]es.


There is a plenty of men that helpt to get up the rebelion   & Promised men that if they would go into the servis  there wifes & Children should hav   a plenty that is a Litting  them suffer[.] in be half  of those wimin  & children Pleas  do what you Can -- I under stand that there is a nother still house abilidng   be Low Clarksville & have ingaged  Corn at Large figers   & if there was a stop to all disstilling of grain it would be gradeal.   


...I am Loyal & I was inducted in General Rusous office on Decr 31, 63, as an imploye of the united states  . 


Yor   Truly,


G. M. Stewart


Papers of Andrew Johnson, Vol. p. 611.


James B. Jones, Jr.

Public Historian

Tennessee Historical Commission

2941 Lebanon Road

Nashville, TN  37214

(615)-532-1550  x115

(615)-532-1549  FAX

 

No comments: