Thursday, July 17, 2014

7.17. 14 Tennessee Civil War Notes

        17, General Orders, No. 75, relative to free Negroes and Mulattos in Memphis

Headquarters, District of Memphis

Memphis, Tenn. July 17, 1863

I. All idlers, vagrants and persons without lawful occupation or means of support, found within the District of Memphis after ten days from this date, will be arrested and confined at hard labor in Fort Pickering.

II. All owners of slaves within the District of Memphis must, within twenty days, report to the District Provost Marshal the names, age, and description of such slaves.

III. Every free negro [sic] or mulatto, and every contraband within the District must, with[in] twenty days enter into the employment of some responsible white person, who will be required to report names, age, and description of such from negroes [sic] or contrabands and nature of contract, to the Provost Marshal of the District.

IV. All negroes [sic] and mulattos failing to find service or employment with some responsible white person, will immediately remove to the contraband camp, under charge of Chaplain Fiske, Superintendent of contrabands.

By order of Brig. Gen. James C. Veatch

Memphis Bulletin, August 16, 1863.

        17, Governor Isham G. Harris's last proclamation to Confederates in Tennessee[1]

To the People of Tennessee!

The Constitution Tennessee requires the qualified voters of the State to elect a Governor, members of the General Assembly, and representatives in Congress, on the first Thursday in August next.

This duty can be performed with proper effort on your part, regardless of the attempt of arbitrary and lawless power to prevent it.

There is scarcely a county in the State where a large number of citizens may not assemble at some precinct, and cast their votes for Governor, one congressman from each Congressional district, and Senator and Representative in the State Legislature. It is vitally important that you do so, and in doing so that you act with perfect harmony, casting the whole vote for some good and true man, for each position some man who is already outside of the enemy's lines or who will immediately come out to avoid arrest.

The importance of perpetuating your State Government through the regular constitutional channels is too apparent to require argument. I need only suggest to you the means of holding the election and making the proper returns.

There will be a military force in your county on the first Thursday in August to protect you in holding the election, and by which you can send out the returns.

This law puts it in the power of any three freeholders to pen and hold the election, if there is no officer present, whose duty it is to do so.

You will seal up the returns in the Governor's election and direct them to the Speaker of the Senate at Athens, Tenn.,

The other returns you will seal up and direct to the Secretary of State at Athens, Tenn.

The failure to return copies of poll books to the courts of your respective counties does not vitiate the election within the Federal lines. Where it may involve parties participating in the election, the poll-books need not be returned to the courts.

You will send the returns to the Secretary of State by the military force which will be in you county on the day of the election, or by the members of the Legislature elect, or such other mode as you may see proper to adopt.

Isham G. Harris, Governor of Tennessee

Chattanooga, July 17, 1863

Memphis Bulletin, October 1, 1863.

 

 

        17, "Accidental Death"

Mary Dickey, a white woman, about 60 or 65 years of age, was found dead in her bed yesterday morning, under a tree in McGavock's addition, near the residence of the late Gen. [sic] A. Heiman. Having no house to live in, she had her bed and other household articles removed to this place, a few days ago, where she camped for the time being, and until she could procure a place of shelter. P.B. Coleman, Esq., the Coroner, was informed of her death, and repaired with his usual promptness to the place, where he summoned a Jury, consisting of P. G. Warren, J.B. Ruddick, John Haslam, John S. Love, B.H. Brown, A.B. Williams and J. Norman, who proceeded to hold an inquest. The facts elicited upon the examination are substantially as follows: It appears that on the night of the 19th instant, at about 10 o'clock, a party of five or six marauders attempted to break into the stable of Mr. Joshua Norman. Mr. Norman and several friends who were with him in the house, hearing them, went into the yard and commenced firing on the party. The marauders returned the fire, shooting six times, about the same number of shots being fired by Mr. N. [sic] and his friends. It was therefore the opinion of the jury that Mrs. Dickey came to her death by a stray shot fired by one of the party who were present for the purpose of committing a robbery and the jury rendered a verdict accordingly. Mrs. Dickey was shot in the heart, the ball lodging in the right shoulder. The deceased was well known in the neighborhood.

In this connection we will remark that the neighborhood in which this melancholy affair took place is invested with a party of thieves, and house-breaking and robbing is of nightly occurrence.[added] In chronicling the above, what will be thought by the distant reader of our once fair city? An old woman turned out of her lowly cabin, and compelled to seek shelter under a tree, and meets her death by a band of thieves and midnight assassins, who prowl about in our streets! Let us drop the curtain on this demoralized state of affairs, and hope for something better in the future.

Nashville Daily Press, July 18, 1864.

        17, "A Negro Elopes with Another Man's Wife-Bloody Affair-Fatal Termination."

About two o'clock, yesterday evening, an altercation took place between two negroes [sic] named Daniel Ewing and Ned McIntosh, in the alley running from Vine and Spruce street, and midway between Cedar and High streets. After a short quarrel, Ewing drew a butcher knife and commenced an assault upon McIntosh, inflicting a serious wound on his antagonist, in the back of his neck.

After being cut, McIntosh succeeded in wrenching the knife from the hands of Ewing, making a "rake" at his opponent's neck, he cut his jugular vein, from the effects of which Ewing died almost instantly. The jury, consisting of J. E. Newman, E P Fort, Wm. Shriver, Tobe Burk, Thomas Ryan, Lawrence Gallagher and Edward Williamson, returned a verdict in accordance with the above facts, and gave as their opinion that the act was one of justifiable homicide.

The cause of the difficulty was ascertained to be as follows: Ewing, several days ago, went to the house of McIntosh and succeeded in persuading his wife and children to leave her bed and board and follow him. The injured husband went to the house of the gay deceiver on Saturday last and endeavored to procure his children in which he failed. He doubtless was on the same mission yesterday, when the difficulty occurred. Ewing received what he deserved. The wound of McIntosh is a serious one, but is not considered dangerous.

Nashville Daily Press, July 18, 1864.

 

 

        17, "A Jolly Party."

Several members of the city government, and a number of military officers and others, went on Sunday morning on a visit to the elegant mansion and plantation of Messrs. Copeland & Baker, near the Dickerson Pike, about a mile and a quarter from Edgefield. They were about twenty in the party, whose conveyance there and back consisted of two ambulances and two buggies. Arriving at the spot about 12 M., the party smiled to their "worthy hosts," again "to the day, and many returns of the same," and again "here's to you all, boys," when they strolled over the beautiful grounds, admired the vegetables, the fruit, and the balmy air, but more than all the cool grove into which they step, and seat themselves with all the ease and dignity becoming the occasion and the heat of the day. Ice in abundance soon appeared, and Mayor Smith proposed some ice-water; Sayers thought they were too warm Puckett tried it, but failed, when Hinton requested him to stand aside. Capt. Clark suggested a dash of whisky, to which all were about to say amen, when Copeland appeared in the distance, two stalwart negroes [sic] bearing a washtub, in which were buried in ice, certain mysterious long-necked bottles. Pop! goes the cork, and the sparkling liquid rushes into the glasses charged with ice, and glides smoothly down the throat of "The Corporation of Nashville" and its friends. How delicious the beverage! Pop! goes another, and Pop! goes a third, but still the thirsty souls pant for more, until the last of the dozen bottles have gone to that bourne, etc., when the dinner bell rings. We will not attempt to describe the table, groaning under the weight of good things it bore. Maj. Gunkle paid it a merited compliment, Chumbly thought it capital, the City Attorney thought it the best case he had had for many a day, to which Squire Wilkinson echoed "Oh! yes! oh! yes!" and was about to adjourn "this honorable court," when another washtub of champagne appeared on the carpet. At sight of the second dozen Myers thought he could out-wrestle any one in the crowd, but "old man Howe" took the starch out of him, and settled it down with an extra bottle. The last we saw of the party Davy Henderson was piloting one of the teams over the bridge about 5 ½ P. M., with Dodd Bringing up the rear.

Nashville Dispatch, July 17, 1864.

        17, "Love and Murder."

Several days ago, Daniel Ewing succeeded in seducing from the path of rectitude, and the bed and board of her husband, the wife of Ned. Macintosh, at which Ned became highly incensed, and went to the house of the "diabolyacal [sic] villain" on Saturday [16th] to demand the satisfaction due from the sable gentleman to an injured husband and father. In this mission Ned failed, but determined to do or die, Ned went again on Saturday afternoon, about two o'clock and found Dan in the alley running from Vine and Spruce streets, and midway between Cedar and Union streets. After a stout quarrel, Ewing drew a butcher knife and commenced an assault upon McIntosh, inflicting a serious wound on his antagonist on the back of the neck. After being cut McIntosh succeeded in wrenching the knife from the hands of Ewing, and making a "rake" at his opponent's neck, he cut his jugular vein, from the effects of which Ewing died almost instantly. The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the above facts, and gave as their opinion that the act was one of the justifiable homicide. Ewing received what he deserved. The wound of McIntosh is a serious one, but is not considered dangerous.

Nashville Dispatch, July 17, 1864.

        17, "Negro Hospital."

That indefatigable officer, Capt. Chas. H. Irvin, ever mindful of those in his employ, will on Monday commence the erection of a hospital for his sable employees. The Captain has selected a suitable site, and the hospital will be built with an eye to everything conducive to good health. We may say here that neither the Irvin Hospital, we described last Sunday, not the one about to be commenced, will cost the Government one dollar. They belong to Capt. Irvin and his employees.

Nashville Dispatch, July 17, 1864.

 

 

        17, President Andrew Johnson expresses wishes concerning execution of laws in Tennessee

STATE OF TENNESSEE, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, Nashville, Tenn., July 17, 1865.

Maj. Gen. GEORGE H. THOMAS, U. S. Army:

GEN.: I have the honor to furnish for your information the following copy of telegram:

WASHINGTON, July 16, 1865--3.50 p. m.

Governor W. G. BROWNLOW:

I hope, as I have no doubt, you will see that the laws passed by the last Legislature are faithfully executed, and that all illegal voters in the approaching election be kept from the polls, and that the election of Members of Congress be conducted fairly. Whenever it becomes necessary for the execution of the law and the protection of the ballot-box, you will call upon Gen. Thomas for sufficient military force to sustain the civil authority of the State. I have just read your address, which I most heartily indorse.

ANDREW JOHNSON, President of the United States.

OR, Ser. I, Vol. 49, pt. II, p. 1083



[1] That this was indeed Harris' last proclamation is mute, but it may well be the final proclamation he made in Tennessee.


James B. Jones, Jr.

Public Historian

Tennessee Historical Commission

2941 Lebanon Road

Nashville, TN  37214

(615)-770-1090 ext. 123456

(615)-532-1549  FAX

 

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