Friday, February 21, 2014

2/21/2014 TENNESSEE CIVIL WAR NOTES

21, 1865 - Parson Brownlow's Political Position

Parson Brownlow.

This eccentric person, who is now a candidate for Governor of Tennessee, thus unmistakably defines his position in his paper, the Knoxville Whig:

Since the partialities of our Union friends have led them to confer upon us the nomination for Governor, those who did not approve the nomination as warmly as they do the acts of Jeff. Davis, have made the remarkable discovery that we have conspired with certain Federal officers to sacrifice Union widows and their children, and that we have caused the late military changes to be made in this district. Neither to procure votes, not to gratify the vain desires of such enemies, can we stoop to defend ourselves in such cases. The truth is-and we desire to be candid-we neither want the friendship or votes of any set of men mean enough to make such charges or fools enough to believe them

So far as abuse is concerned, coming from rebels and rebel sympathizers. Let them all cut [illegible]-"Tray, Blanche and Sweetheart." Let the kennel be unloosed-all the pack-from the slobbering hound of the Richmond confederation to the growling cur of Constitutional Union training-let them all bark at once. While this unholy alliance of traitors are doubling on us, and expiring from the venom of their own fangs, they will not be working on better men.

We have some of the meanest rebels in Tennessee that are to be found anywhere; and we have some who sympathize with them. And seed in every way to served them, who are several degrees meaner than they are. The idlest and blackest-hearted of the Sepoys would spurn these traitors, regarding them with scorn; the whitest-livered wretch that ever ran from the battle field would despise their poltroonery. Put these devils in what position you will, and the bad traits of our ungenerous nature, deceit, cruelty, selfishness, envy, malice, hate, theft, murder,[1]seems to have taken a more debased and disgusting form in the character and persons of these have mingled with a degree of treachery and cowardice, which is not human-scarcely canine.

Come, you cowardly rascals and malicious traitors, try our hands upon us, in connection with some new and greater charges. Can't you, with your large corruption fund, bribe some one to swear that we have robbed a bank? Prove counterfeiting upon us? You have not made out a case plain enough to keep loyal men from supporting us for Governor, and if something is not done we really expect to be elected. And when these rascals are convicted by our courts of high crimes, and sent to the penitentiary, we may be slow to pardon them out.

 Daily Picayune, February 21, 1865. [2]

 

21, 1863 - Thomas' Legion

The Indian Legion.—Major Thomas, commanding the Legion of Cherokee Indians, who have rendered much service to the Confederate cause in East Tennessee, was in our city yesterday. The Major is now with his aboriginal allies in the mountains on the border between this State and North Carolina, where he is in reality conciliating the tories. Let us mention a fact or two communicated to us by Major Thomas, to the credit of these dusky warriors. They excel any troops in either the Northern or Southern armies for subordination—an Indian always executes an order with religious fidelity. They scrupulously respect private property—there are no reports of depredations where they are encamped. They are the best scouts in the world, and hence the good that they have accomplished among the mountain tories and bush-whackers. A notice that Maj. Thomas' Indians are in a section of country brings in the dodgers at once, for they know that hiding out will not avail against the Cherokees. By their aid the Major has enlisted without bloodshed, a great many men in his corps of sappers and miners, who have thus been converted from mischievous tories and bush-whackers into useful employees of the Confederate Government. The Major, if the war lasts, will yet be of infinite service to the Government.—Knoxville Register, [February] 21st.

Weekly Columbus [Georgia] Enquirer, March 3, 1863.[3]

 

 

21, "I have often thought of you since I left you that Saturday morning when I left you with tears in your eyes weeping about me having to part a way from you." Lt. A. J. Lacy's letter to his wife in Jackson County.

Maury Co Tenn Feb The [sic] 21th [sic] 1863

Dear Miss,

I seat myself to write you. I have nothing strange to write to you. We are camped 5 mi [sic] from Columbia down the river. I would be glad to see you all. I dont [sic] expect to see you shortly. There is no talk of us getting to go up the country now.

I am a going to vacinated [sic] this morning. The small pox is in 5 mi of us at this time.

I have bought me a pare [sic] of grey [illegible] pants at $16.00.

I would be verry [sic] glad to see my true love once more. I hear a lonesome dove hollowing mournful as if it has lost its mate. Its mournful noise makes me think of my love to the day I parted a way [sic] from you in grief, trouble [sic] and sorrow to [sic] I have often thought of you since I left you that Saturday morning when I left you with tears in your eyes weeping about me having to part a way from you.

I have sien [sic] many hardships since I left home as well as hear[ing] the whistle of the bullets. No man can form any ideel [sic] of what a scene it is to go in a battle [sic]. I want you all to remember me for I must close. Write evry [sic] chance you can. Father write to me. Tell Mother I want her to remember me.

So no more. A. J. Lacy

To Miss M. E. Lacy

Lacy Correspondence.

 

 

21, 1863 - A Celebrated Woman Confederate Spy in Knoxville

Letters from "J. T. G."

Knoxville, Feb. 21st, 1863.

Editor Enquirer: Since the departure of the important personages that have enlivened "all" Knoxville for the past ten days, the denizens have lapsed into their usual ways. However, the attractive, "dashing" Belle Boyd, once an inmate of Fortress Monroe upon the charge of being a Confederate spy, perambulates Gay Street in all her glory….

J.T.G.

Weekly Columbus [Georgia] Enquirer, March 3, 1863.[4]

 

 

21, 1863 - Confederate pipe dreams from Winchester

From the Winchester (Tenn.) Bulletin 21st)

From Middle Tennessee

We learn from a lady who left Nashville five days since the position of affairs in that vicinity. She was refused a passport, and watched her opportunity and came out by Lebanon, Alexandria and Liberty and thence by a road between Woodbury and McMinnville avoiding the enemy pickets the whole route.

The people of Nashville are not suffering now for the necessities of life, but are very desponding and gloomy – subdued – subjugated.

Flour is selling at Nashville for three dollars per hundred, sugar ten cents, and coffee fifty cents per pound.

Rosecranz's [sic] army has plenty of supplies brought down by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, which was completed within three weeks after its destruction.

The enemy have [sic] been heavily reinforced, and the main army is in advance of Nashville, there being but few troops in and about the city.

This being the situation of affairs in front, we look for an early advance now and a great battle during the next two weeks.

There was a number of pontoon bridges lying outside the enemy's lines near Nashville, for some time which, were not guarded, and it is a great pity our cavalry did not learn the facts in time to have destroyed them. However, it is too late now, as the abolitionists have removed them to Murfreesboro' under an escort of 5,000 men, which is further proof of an intended advance on their part.

We insist upon it, we must be up and doing. We know Gen. Bragg has a fine army, well disciplined, and his troops are in fine spirits, and ready for the coming contest; but we repeat the fact that we ought to have twenty thousand more men, and we call upon the Secretary of War to hear the voice of Middle Tennessee through our humble columns, and send us the requisite number of reinforcements at once.

We are confident now in the strength of the enemy, with its overwhelming numbers, and we feel it our duty to appeal to those in authority to reinforce our army immediately – now is the accepted time. Let there be no more delays; no time wasted in debating the necessity of it.

If ever there were an occasion for pressing on the ground of military necessity, this is the one. If we lose the confidence of the Northwest, whom a late Cincinnati (Commercial) paper informs us, is determined to unite with us, or form a Northwestern Confederacy. The paper says they are determined to have one or the other or peace. But, if a battle is forced upon us before they can act – and one is imminent – we should be overpowered and compelled to fall back, they will begin to despond and despair of rendering that aid which is so necessary to bring about a peace.
We are informed by the Confederate Judge, who brought the news in relation to the Acts of the Kentucky Legislature, which we published in yesterday's issue, that Indiana, Illinois, and, perhaps Ohio are determined to pursue this course, and call their troops home; but we must remember that their public journals , as well as acts, are kept from the soldiers, and they are not permitted to know what is going on in their native land – hence the necessity for an early battle on their part, until the news may accidentally reach their troops and demoralize there army.

Daily Morning News, (Savannah, GA), February 26, 1863.[5]

 



[1] And those were their good points.

[2] As cited in PQCW.

[3] As cited in: http://www.uttyl.edu/vbetts. See also: Montgomery Weekly Advertiser, March 4, 1863, as cited in Ibid.

[4] As cited in: http://www.uttyl.edu/vbetts.

[5] TSLA 19TH CN   


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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