Friday, January 10, 2014

1/10/2014 Tennessee Civil War Notes

        10, Plea for pardon on Confederate charges of treason

BLOUNTVILLE, TENN., January 10, 1862.

His Excellency JEFFERSON DAVIS, President of the Southern Confederacy.

SIR: I am charged with treason toward the Government of the Confederate States for which I make an appeal to Your Excellency for pardon. I will give you the details of my case in full. At the time of the gathering up of the Union men in Eastern Tennessee I went into camp and took the office of issuing commissary. I staid in camp two days when the regiment left for Kentucky, and I being unwilling to go with them started home, and on my way home I learned that some soldiers were lying in wait for me to kill me. On receiving this information I left in search of refuge. I went to Kentucky. On arriving there and finding out Lincoln's policy in full it became so obnoxious to me that I returned to Tennessee through not to my home.

I have turned aside to await an answer from Your Excellency. I have given you the case in full. You can examine it and see whether I am guilty of a crime worthy of death or not. If it please you to pardon me, I am then willing to take a position in your army; and if not I will again return to the North but I much prefer the South to the North. I await your answer with patience.

Your humble servant,

J. LOONEY TAYLOR, Hilton's Post-Office, Sullivan County, Tenn.

[Indorsement.]

SECRETARY OF WAR:

It may be well to consider the propriety of a general order or proclamation to cover such cases as this.

J. DAVIS.

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF THE CONGRESS, January 13, 1862.

His Excellency JEFFERSON DAVIS.

SIR: I have the honor to inform you officially that the Congress on this day (to wit, January 13) adopted the resolution a certified copy of which is herewith transmitted:

Resolved, That the President be requested to communicate to Congress by what authority and under what law citizens of Tennessee are imprisoned at Tuscaloosa or other points in the State of Alabama, and whether said prisoners or any portion of them have been transported beyond the limits of their own State without a trial, and whether in any instance the writ of habeas corpus has been suspended.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. J. HOOPER, Secretary of the Congress.

[Indorsement.]

Secretary of War for report.

J. D.

OR, Ser. II, Vol. 2, pp. 1412-1413.

 

 

        10, 1862 - Anti-Confederate-draft demonstrations and riots in West Tennessee

We regret to say that considerable evidence has been manifested in some of the counties in West Tennessee since the call upon the militia was made; one county (Carroll) having gone so far, we learn, as positively to refuse to submit to the detail. In Weakly county, also, we learn there was trouble on Monday last [January 6th], which led to the fear that serious difficulties would occur there; but we understand that matters were settled peaceably and without bloodshed, which was at one time apprehended. In McNairy county, however, the disaffection seems to have reached its highest point, as we see from the West-Tennessee Whig that it was found necessary to send troops into that county to arrest some of the authorities, and to send detachments of soldiers into some of the other counties for the same purpose.

Trenton Standard, January 10, 1862.[1]

 

 

        10, 1863 - One Confederate Officer's Opinion of General Braxton Bragg's Performance at the Battle of Murfreesboro

THE BATTLE AT MURFREESBORO

An Intercepted Letter from one of Bragg's Officers

From the Nashville Union[2]

We have been permitted to copy portions of a very amusing letter, written by Maj. B___, of Bragg's army, to his dear friend M___, in this city, which shows that the great skedaddler of Stone's River is not regarded as a NAPOLEON by all his officers. The letter is as follows:

Wartrace, Tenn., Jan. 10, (Saturday) 1863.

Dear M_____: My young friend, G. H. M., wrote you yesterday morning, sent the letter and a number of late papers by Mrs. H.

 * * * * * Hope you received them. I have been here one week. Left Murfreesboro Sunday (4th) morning last, at daylight, on the last train leaving there. Did not know until 10 o'clock at night that we intended to retreat the following morning, or rather the same night. Do not believe the retreat was necessary. Do not believe Gen. Bragg knew what he was doing; in other words, that he is not a man competent to command on the field. Every Tennesseean [sic] is bitter beyond expression. Some swear he is a fool. I think myself he has been blessed with very little sense, and no genius; and you know I have no cause to think hardly of him. He has recently had me promoted. Our official intercourse has been exceeding pleasant, and this is more than many of his officers can say, for several of them have been under arrest since the army left Mississippi.

But it is useless to disguise the fact that BRAGG'S career, as a Commanding General, has eventuated in a disaster and disgraceful failure. Added to this, he is not popular. I may go further, and say he is almost universally hated by all our troops, especially by the Tennesseeans [sic]. At the same time I think him a soldier-a man who has a sense of duty, and will perform his duty to the best of his ability; that he is a fine disciplinarian and an officer of splendid administrative ability. But it is sheer folly to call him a General.

I am of opinion that history will relate that all the battles around Murfreesboro were fought well, contested with desperate valor, but that they were fought without generalship. Gen. BRAGG attacked and drove back their left wing on Wednesday, (December 31st ) because he had massed his heaviest forces on their right wing, believing from demonstrations made by the Yankees, that their heaviest force was there. Our attack on the left extended gradually toward the right, hoping to move first one division after another until the whole army would be forced to retreat. But having weakened ourselves on the right and centre, in order to enable us to drive back their right, we found on attacking their whole line that we were too weak to pierce his centre or drive back his right. So Wednesday's battle closed without a decisive result. We had captured, it is true, thirty-one pieces of artillery, upwards of three thousand prisoners, and held the battle-field, which we continued to hold until we evacuated our entire defences. But we had gained, you perceive, no decisive advantage except on their right. They maintained their original position everywhere else, having repulsed the several attempts made to carry their position on the centre and right. On Thursday (January 1st) we were inactive except in taking care of the dead and wounded. We secured the trophies of the fight on the left, and shipped all the prisoners captured, ordnance, &c., safely to Chattanooga. On Friday (January 2nd) evening BRAGG foolishly (I can't conscientiously use a more expressive term) ordered BRECKINRIDGE'S Division to charge their centre again. We took the first front battery of the enemy, but after capturing it, discovered we were immediately under the fire of numerous other batteries that had up to that time remained silent. The inevitable consequence was a hasty retreat, leaving the captured battery on the field, to fall again into the enemy's hands; nor was this all-we lost many of our bravest and most gallant officers and men. Gen. HANSON was wounded, and has since died. Col. PRESTON CUNNINGHAM was killed. Capts. WOMACK, SAVAGE and SPURLOCK, of Warren County, were all dangerously wounded. Defeated in our design, repulsed with heavy loss, we retired to our former position. * * * * Early Saturday night the entire army commenced moving. I started seven long trains off crowded to overflowing with the sick and wounded.

* * * * * BRAGG discovered his mistake, and prepared for an evacuation, after having declared he would win that battle or die on the field. Our next line of defence will be immediately south of Duck River. Our headquarters will be next to Tallahoma [sic].

New York Times, February 5, 1863

 

 

      10, Nathan Bedford Forrest and Confederate guerrillas stifle elections in U. S. Congressional Districts in Gibson and Dyer Counties

[Trenton] January 10, 1863

I, Calvin S. Ezell, coroner of Gibson County, Tennessee, do hereby certify that I opened and held an election in said county on the 29th day of December, 1862, for the purpose of electing a representative to the Congress of the United States from the 9th congressional district, and that at said election Alvin Hawkins received four hundred and ninety-six (496) votes, and W. W. Freeman 5.[3] I further certify that many, more would have been polled but for the fact that the recent raid of Brigadier General Forrest threw the people into confusion, and the stringent, though necessary, picket regulations at Trenton, the county seat of said county, and other points along the railroad, prevented many persons from voting who were anxious so to do. I am satisfied that more than three-fourths of the voting population would have gone to the polls and voted but for the raid of General Forrest. I also certify that I received the vote from one district in Dyer county, as follows: Hawkins, 58; Freeman, 16; Johnson, 1. The balance of Dyer county was so infested with guerrillas as to render the opening and holding of an election by the people dangerous.

An election would have been held in this county on the 20th of January, 1863, but General Hurlbut's order[4] appointing that day was construed not to embrace the 9th congressional district, but only some portion of the 10th.

Calvin S. Ezell

Coroner of Gibson County

Governor Andrew Johnson

Nashville, Tennessee

Papers of Andrew Johnson, Vol. 6, p. 112.

 

 

        10, "The negro was condemned to receive thirty-nine lashes, and to remain in the work house until the property unlawfully taken be restored to its owner."

Recorder's Court.

A negro named Washington, a slave of Mrs. Chickering, was arraigned for disorderly conduct in abusing and cursing Mrs. Garrett, and taking from her house property belonging to Mrs. G. without authority. Mrs. Garrett was the principal witness, and testified that she owned the girl whom Washington claims for his wife, and that in consequence of his very bad conduct she had frequently forbidden him to enter her house. At length he demanded Mrs. Garrett's servant and all the clothing and furniture which he was pleased to call hers, and, after much cursing and calling Mrs. Garret a damned liar, he left and returned soon after with a wagon, a white man in Federal uniform, and a teamster, and took from the house beds, bedstead, chairs, clothing, bedding, and other property, notwithstanding Mrs. G.'s protestations. Mrs. Garrett's mother and Mrs. Thomas corroborated her statement in the main particulars. A witness, who belonged to Hospital No. 7, said he had charge of the hospital wagon, and that the negro had told Dr. Fletcher that he had been turned out of his house, and that his furniture was in the street, and asked permission to use the hospital wagon to have it taken away. The Doctor told witness to accompany the negro for that purpose, and he did so, but does not know where the furniture was taken to. The Recorder lectured the last witness on the impropriety of his conduct, but excused him from positive blame, as he acted only according to his orders. The negro was condemned to receive thirty-nine lashes, and to remain in the work house until the property unlawfully taken be restored to its owner. Mr. Mr. Brien, Esq., for prosecution….

Nashville Dispatch, January10, 1863.

 

 

        10, One Confederate Officer's Opinion of General Braxton Bragg's Performance at the Battle of Murfreesboro

THE BATTLE AT MURFREESBORO

An Intercepted Letter from one of Bragg's Officers

From the Nashville Union[5]

We have been permitted to copy portions of a very amusing letter, written by Maj. B___, of Bragg's army, to his dear friend M___, in this city, which shows that the great skedaddler of Stone's River is not regarded as a NAPOLEON by all his officers. The letter is as follows:

Wartrace, Tenn., Jan. 10, (Saturday) 1863.

Dear M_____: My young friend, G. H. M., wrote you yesterday morning, sent the letter and a number of late papers by Mrs. H. * * * * * Hope you received them. I have been here one week. Left Murfreesboro Sunday (4th) morning last, at daylight, on the last train leaving there. Did not know until 10 o'clock at night that we intended to retreat the following morning, or rather the same night. Do not believe the retreat was necessary. Do not believe Gen. Bragg knew what he was doing; in other words, that he is not a man competent to command on the field. Every Tennesseean [sic] is bitter beyond expression. Some swear he is a fool. I think myself he has been blessed with very little sense, and no genius; and you know I have no cause to think hardly of him. He has recently had me promoted. Our official intercourse has been exceeding pleasant, and this is more than many of his officers can say, for several of them have been under arrest since the army left Mississippi.

But it is useless to disguise the fact that BRAGG'S career, as a Commanding General, has eventuated in a disaster and disgraceful failure. Added to this, he is not popular. I may go further, and say he is almost universally hated by all our troops, especially by the Tennesseeans [sic]. At the same time I think him a soldier-a man who has a sense of duty, and will perform his duty to the best of his ability; that he is a fine disciplinarian and an officer of splendid administrative ability. But it is sheer folly to call him a General.

I am of opinion that history will relate that all the battles around Murfreesboro were fought well, contested with desperate valor, but that they were fought without generalship. Gen. BRAGG attacked and drove back their left wing on Wednesday, (December 31st ) because he had massed his heaviest forces on their right wing, believing from demonstrations made by the Yankees, that their heaviest force was there. Our attack on the left extended gradually toward the right, hoping to move first one division after another until the whole army would be forced to retreat. But having weakened ourselves on the right and centre, in order to enable us to drive back their right, we found on attacking their whole line that we were too weak to pierce his centre or drive back his right. So Wednesday's battle closed without a decisive result. We had captured, it is true, thirty-one pieces of artillery, upwards of three thousand prisoners, and held the battle-field, which we continued to hold until we evacuated our entire defences. But we had gained, you perceive, no decisive advantage except on their right. They maintained their original position everywhere else, having repulsed the several attempts made to carry their position on the centre and right. On Thursday (January 1st) we were inactive except in taking care of the dead and wounded. We secured the trophies of the fight on the left, and shipped all the prisoners captured, ordnance, &c., safely to Chattanooga. On Friday (January 2nd) evening BRAGG foolishly (I can't conscientiously use a more expressive term) ordered BRECKINRIDGE'S Division to charge their centre again. We took the first front battery of the enemy, but after capturing it, discovered we were immediately under the fire of numerous other batteries that had up to that time remained silent. The inevitable consequence was a hasty retreat, leaving the captured battery on the field, to fall again into the enemy's hands; nor was this all-we lost many of our bravest and most gallant officers and men. Gen. HANSON was wounded, and has since died. Col. PRESTON CUNNINGHAM was killed. Capts. WOMACK, SAVAGE and SPURLOCK, of Warren County, were all dangerously wounded. Defeated in our design, repulsed with heavy loss, we retired to our former position. * * * * Early Saturday night the entire army commenced moving. I started seven long trains off crowded to overflowing with the sick and wounded.

* * * * * BRAGG discovered his mistake, and prepared for an evacuation, after having declared he would win that battle or die on the field. Our next line of defence will be immediately south of Duck River. Our headquarters will be next to Tallahoma [sic].

New York Times, February 5, 1863

 

 

        10, Nathan Bedford Forrest and Confederate guerrillas stifle elections in U. S. Congressional Districts in Gibson and Dyer Counties

[Trenton] January 10, 1863

I, Calvin S. Ezell, coroner of Gibson County, Tennessee, do hereby certify that I opened and held an election in said county on the 29th day of December, 1862, for the purpose of electing a representative to the Congress of the United States from the 9th congressional district, and that at said election Alvin Hawkins received four hundred and ninety-six (496) votes, and W. W. Freeman 5.[6] I further certify that many, more would have been polled but for the fact that the recent raid of Brigadier General Forrest threw the people into confusion, and the stringent, though necessary, picket regulations at Trenton, the county seat of said county, and other points along the railroad, prevented many persons from voting who were anxious so to do. I am satisfied that more than three-fourths of the voting population would have gone to the polls and voted but for the raid of General Forrest. I also certify that I received the vote from one district in Dyer county, as follows: Hawkins, 58; Freeman, 16; Johnson, 1. The balance of Dyer county was so infested with guerrillas as to render the opening and holding of an election by the people dangerous.

An election would have been held in this county on the 20th of January, 1863, but General Hurlbut's order[7] appointing that day was construed not to embrace the 9th congressional district, but only some portion of the 10th.

Calvin S. Ezell

Coroner of Gibson County

Governor Andrew Johnson

Nashville, Tennessee

Papers of Andrew Johnson, Vol. 6, p. 112.

 

 

        10, "Murder, theft, falsehood and a black catalogue of crimes stalk unburdened as it were through the land since military law supplanted civil." An entry from the diary of Eliza Rhea Anderson Fain

Mr. R. in his sermon spoke of the desolations which we as a people are called upon to behold in our once fair and beautiful land. What desolation on the onward move of a terrible army can make in a few short months. Our country is laid waste, our servant are decoyed from us, our stock driven off killed and taken, our whole country demoralized men forgetting there is a God; and woman shall I say woman losing sight of all that has ever given her any position social life. Our schools all broken up for male education and but few, very few female schools still going on. He Sabbath has been desecrated. Murder, theft, falsehood and a black catalogue of crimes stalk unburdened as it were through the land since military law supplanted civil.[8]

Mr. R. spoke so feelingly of the desolated homes which this cruel was has made. The many hearts of wives, mother and sisters who were bowed with grief on account of its terrible demands. How many of those so loved have been gathered in the promiscuous heap and laid in trenches prepared by unfeeling soldier hands. Their bodies are then roughly handled and thrown in one upon another until one and another are forever hid from view, the dirt then lightly thrown upon them and they are left with a tear or a sigh unless some dear father, son or brother is there to weep and mourn for their loved dead.

Fain Diary.

 



[1] As cited in Rebellion Record, Vol. 4, p. 8.

[2] This issue of the Union does not survive.

[3] Because of the presence of contending military forces, the election was declared void by the House of Representatives. See: House Report No. 46, 37 Cong., 3 Sess, 2, as cited by the editors of The Papers of Andrew Johnson, Vol. 6, p. 112, fn 1.

[4] General Stephen A. Hurlbut's December 24 proclamation listed Madison, Haywood, Fayette, Shelby, and Hardeman counties as areas in which a fair vote could not be obtained. His order, however, did not specify that a postponement would be limited to that portion of the tenth district but was so ambiguously worded that it allowed for differing interpretations. See Memphis Bulletin, December 27, 1862, as cited by the editors of The Papers of Andrew Johnson, Vol. 6, p. 113, fn 7.

[5] This issue of the Union does not survive.

[6] Because of the presence of contending military forces, the election was declared void by the House of Representatives. See: House Report No. 46, 37 Cong., 3 Sess, 2, as cited by the editors of The Papers of Andrew Johnson, Vol. 6, p. 112, fn 1.

[7] General Stephen A. Hurlbut's December 24 proclamation listed Madison, Haywood, Fayette, Shelby, and Hardeman counties as areas in which a fair vote could not be obtained. His order, however, did not specify that a postponement would be limited to that portion of the tenth district but was so ambiguously worded that it allowed for differing interpretations. See Memphis Bulletin, December 27, 1862, as cited by the editors of The Papers of Andrew Johnson, Vol. 6, p. 113, fn 7.

[8] And, that was the good news!


James B. Jones, Jr.

Public Historian

Tennessee Historical Commission

2941 Lebanon Road

Nashville, TN  37214

(615)-532-1550  x115

(615)-532-1549  FAX

 

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