Wednesday, April 23, 2014

4.20.14 Tennessee Civil War Notes

        20, The Bank of Tennessee and the United States Court in Nashville
The Nashville Union, of April 20, has these items:
"We are told that the Bank of Tennessee, and perhaps, the other banks, have removed their deposits and all their specie into the Southern Confederacy. If this be so, it is a gross outrage on the rights of the depositors, and the officers should be held strictly accountable. Let it be investigated forthwith. The amount placed in the Bank by depositors amounted, accoridng to its own report, to the enornmous sum of $8,865,000. Have the people been robbed of all this by an institution favored with the peculiar privilege by the State?
The April Term of the United States Court for the District of Tennessee will commence on Monday (to-morrow) the 21st inst. His Honor Judge Catron, who is now in the city, will preside. It will doubtless be one of the most deeply interesting Courts ever convened in this country."
New York Times, April 27, 1862.


        20, Observation on the Confederate flag
We saw a young lady on the streets recently with a Confederate flag pinned across her bosom. We guess it was a rebel flag floating over cotton breastworks. [sic]
Nashville Daily Union, April 20, 1862. [1]


20, Lt. Albert Potter's opinion of negro troops; an excerpt from his letter to his sister
Headquarters Co "H" Near
Columbia Tenn Apr 20 [1863]
Dear Sis
*  *  *  *
….I don't believe I think more of the negro…but I do believe and say they ought to have their freedom and they shall have it – not only because they are human and have souls, but because their masters have forfeited all right to them and their loss is our gain – And again they make good soldiers, good Fighting soldiers, and I say let them fight. They are no better to stop a ball than I am --- If working men are so opposed to arming the negro let them take the musket out of their hands and come along.
Show one a man, who is down on our negro soldiers and who keeps hanging back and shirking and I will show you a coward. Yes a moral coward and I believe God hates a coward.
*  *  *  *
Potter Correspondence.


        20, Skirmish, Waterhouse's Mill
APRIL 19-20, 1864.-Skirmishes at Waterhouse's Mill and Boiling Springs, Tenn.
REPORTS.
No. 1.-Col. Edward M. McCook, Second Indiana Cavalry, commanding First Cavalry Division, Army of the Cumberland.
No. 2.-Col. Oscar H. La. Grange, First Wisconsin Cavalry, commanding Second Brigade.
No. 1.
Report of Col. Edward M. McCook, Second Indiana Cavalry, commanding First Cavalry Division, Army of the Cumberland.
HDQRS. FIRST CAVALRY DIVISION, Cleveland, Tenn., April 20, 1864.
GEN.: I have the honor to report that Lieut. Hill, of my staff, with 15 men, attacked and routed 27 of the First Tennessee (rebel) Cavalry near Waterhouse's, wounding 2 and taking 1 prisoner. Last evening about 8 o'clock a small party of our scouts had a skirmish with about 20 of the enemy at Boiling Springs, about 5 miles above Spring Place, on Charleston and Spring Place road. They drove the rebels back and killed 2 of their horses. My pickets report all quiet in their front.
I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
EDWARD M. McCOOK, Col., Cmdg.
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 32, pt. I, p. 672.

No. 2.
Report of Col. Oscar H. LaGrange, First Wisconsin Cavalry, commanding Second Brigade.
CLEVELAND, TENN., April 22, 1864.
CAPT.: I respectfully report that the scouting party detailed from Second Brigade on 21st proceeded to Waterhouse's Mill, where it remained until 1 o'clock this morning, when it was equally divided, one party under Lieut.-Col. Stewart proceeding directly down the Spring Place road, and the other crossing into the old Federal road and describing an arc, intersecting the Cleveland and Spring Place road at a point 29 miles from Cleveland, equidistant from Boiling Springs and Spring Place, and behind the camp of a scouting party of 32 rebels. A mistake in regard to the distance to be traveled by the second party prevented the junction agreed upon, and Lieut.-Col. Stewart, attacking directly in front at daylight, notwithstanding the disadvantageous circumstances, captured a captain, a lieutenant, and 12 men without loss. The peculiarly favorable position of the enemy renders this trifling success creditable to himself and his men.
* * * *
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
O. H. LAGRANGE, Col., Cmdg.
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 32, pt. I, pp. 672-673.


A Visit to the Refugee Home in Nashville
Visited the Refugee Home…this P. M….As I entered one room, a woman was bustling about in a great passion, and picking up a few personal rags, while ordering her son to get up and they would find a place to stay where shouldn't be "set to do niggar's [sic] work!" [sic]
She was a healthy, strong woman, and had been repeatedly requested to make her own and son's bed, and assist in sweeping or cooking for the numerous inmates. Indeed, I think she had received a gentle hint that it might be as well to see that her son and herself have clean linen as often as once in two or three weeks, and that the use of a comb occasionally would not detract from personal appearance. But she had her own peculiar ideas, obtained from living under the domination of a peculiar institution, and didn't fancy being dictated to in the delicate matter of her personelle. [sic]
Upon entering what is called the lecture-room we saw several families and parts of families, which had within two hours arrived on the trains from Alabama or Georgia.
I found that some of these snuff-dipping, clay-colored, greasy and uncombed ladies "from Alabam and Gorgee," [sic] are as expert marksmen as any of our northern exquisites, as the deposit the "terbaker" juice most beautifully into and around any knot-hole or crack in the floor, and while they are at a distance of several feet. It's wonderful how they do it-I am afraid I should never be able to learn.
We approach one woman who is standing by a rough board bunk, upon and around which are several children overcome by the fatigue of travelling. She, unlike the generality, is neatly dressed in a clean dark calico and sunbonnet, and wears a cheerful and intelligent look. She informs us that these are all her children-six of them, that her husband is in the Union army, only a few miles out, that he had sent for to come here, and she expects to see him in a few days. She cannot write, for she hasn't been to school a day in her life, and she says: --[sic]
"An' that thar's suthin' you people hev' up north, thet we don't. Poor folks that, hev' a chance to give thar children some larnin'; but them that owns plantations down our way don't give poor folks a chance. Larnin's only for rich folks. But my children shan't grow up to not know no more nor that father nor thar mother, ef I kin' help it. Ef this war don't close so's to make it better for poor folks down har, we'll go north. Thar's a woman what kin' write," she adds with an admiring glance to the other side of the room, "an' she's writin' a letter for me to my husband."
We glance that way, and see a youngish woman, whose entire clothing evidently consists of one garment, a dress which is colored with some kind of bark. She sits in conscious superiority, scarcely deigning to notice up, as we approach, while he is carefully managing the writing with one eye, while her head is turned half way from it, so that the ashes or coal, from the long pipe between her lips, man not fall upon the paper. Her air and manner are evidently intended to be regal, for isn't she the woman "what kin' write!" [sic]
At a little distance sat a hale, broad-shouldered, stalwart man, who looked as if he were able to do the work of half a dozen common men, who inquired of us, where "Hio [sic] was-if 'twas in Illinois"-and whether if he went to either of those placed he would be "pressed into the service." In reply, we informed the gentleman that "Ohio was not in Illinois," but if he went to either, he would probably have to stand his chance of being drafted, together with other good loyalists-with the physicians, lawyers, editors, and ministers. He did not reply to that, but his look spoke eloquently.
"For a lodge in some vast wilderness,--
Some boundless contiguity of shade"
Where war and draft not come."
Miss Ada M., the Matron of the Refugee Home, was, in our room this eve, and said that she was yesterday preparing some sewing for some young Misses, who were conversing earnestly about the Yankees. Finding their ideas rather erroneous with regard to that class of people, she made a remark to the effect that she was one herself.
"Why, you aint a Yankee?" [sic] exclaimed a Miss of fifteen dropping her work in bland astonishment.
"Yes, indeed, I am," was the reply.
"Why," said the girl, with remarkably large eyes, "I've allays hearn [sic] tell that the Yankees has horns, and one eye in the middle of their foreheads! [sic]
Powers, Pencillings, pp. 54-59.


        20, Mopping up against guerrillas, Rutledge and Talbot's Station in East Tennessee
No circumstantial reports filed.
SPECIAL ORDERS, No. 90. HDQRS. DISTRICT OF EAST TENNESSEE, Knoxville, Tenn., April 20, 1865.
I. Col. Joseph H. Parsons, commanding Ninth Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry, will order a company of his regiment to proceed immediately to Talbott Station for the purpose of pursuing and chastising the guerrilla band which attacked and destroyed the train near that place yesterday. No quarter will be given to these or any band of guerrillas infesting that region of country.
II. A company of the Ninth Tennessee Cavalry will be selected by the colonel of the regiment to proceed to the town of Rutledge on Sunday, the 23d instant, for the purpose of protecting the loyal citizens at that place and neighborhood during the session of the court to be held there during the coming week.
III. The commanding officer of these detachments will be held responsible for the conduct of their men and must permit no depredations upon private property to be committed. All supplies procured for the troops must be properly receipted [sic] for on the proper blank forms.
IV. The Seventh Indiana Battery Light Artillery (dismounted) is hereby assigned to the Fourth Division, Department of the Cumberland, and will take post at Sweet Water, Tenn., and relieve the Tenth Ohio Battery, which will proceed with its guns to London, Tenn., and report to the commanding officer of that post for duty. The Seventh Indiana Battery will be assigned to a brigade by orders from division headquarters.
* * * *
By command of Maj.-Gen. Stoneman:
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 49, pt. II, p. 420.


        20, News of the Lincoln assassination assessed by a Bolivar school girl
....Report is confirmed as to Abraham Lincoln's assassination also Seward's. It is supposed by Yankees to be Booth the great tragedian. The tragedy surpasses any ever known before, even Caesar's. Dressed Warren's doll this evening. Finished the skirt of blue checked gingham also....
Diary of Sally Wendel Fentress.




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

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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