Tennessee Civil War Notes - APRIL 27
April 27, 1862, After the Battle of Shiloh
Camp of the Fifty-Third Regt., Ill. Vols.
Gen. McClernand's Division,
Near Pittsburg, Tenn., April 27.
To the Editor of the Chicago Times:
.…For miles around the Landing it is a wilderness of woods, mostly oak, with here and there, at long intervals, a dilapidated log house with outbuildings in keeping--old cotton fields and orchards, which, though hanging full of young fruit, look long neglected, and as though the few inhabitants who lived here had been years from home....while the sending here of this multitude of sanitary committees, physicians, and nurses was prompted by the most humane of motives, the plan was necessarily a hasty and imperfect one, and many of the individuals sent, or, coming on their own account, particularly the medical gentlemen, were not only indiscreet, but in some cases gave very decided evidence of a want of good manners. A word or two will explain wherein. In the first place, the urgent necessity for additional assistance, beyond that with which each regiment is provided within itself, was immediately after the battle, while the multitudes of wounded were lying upon the ground for miles, almost covering it. Of course the immediate exigencies would be, in such manner as possible, provided for before strangers from abroad could arrive. After which, under the direction of medical officers, the important immediate operations were performed, and the survivors provided for in the hospitals prepared before hand at Savannah, or were placed on board hospital boats for transportation to different points North. To all of which hospitals and boats, competent medical officers, with nurses and attendants, were assigned, and who were personally responsible for their proper care, and whose duty it was to give them their personal attention and observation. Of course no part of these duties could be assigned by the medical officers, separately from the rest, to volunteer physicians while, even if these were desirous of accepting the positions of subordinate attendants, which, if any, they would necessarily be obliged to take, the business of supervising and instructing them in their duties so that these should be done in accordance with those inevitable "regulations" would of itself constitute a heavy additional burden to medical officers under the circumstances, with no compensating advantage. Moreover, in this wilderness of woods, in this broken country, amid this multitude of regiments, covering miles and miles of country,--amid this multitude of boats, and hospitals, and officials in charge, new-comers are, of course, confused and confounded, lose their way, get fagged out with fatigue, and, finally, for the most part, and except in special cases, expend their energies fruitlessly. Surgeons have, uninvited, thronged about the camps of different regiments, not only proffering their services, but have even had the effrontery to intrude into their hospitals, making prescriptions, administering medicines, and even severely criticising [sic] and condemning the practice of the authorized Surgeons!
Chicago Times, April 29, 1862.
April 27, 1863, One woman's complaint about war profiteering in White County
....Mr. Stone is troubled with the cavalry all the time. Four eat [sic] dinner there today. The first two that came were riding and seemed to be very intelligent gentlemen. They said they stayed at Carold [sic] Johnson's last night and said he was boasting how much he had made since the war commenced, and that he would not have it to stop for anything. He was making money so fast. I do not know what ought to be done with a man who can have it in his heart to wish everybody so much evil, just that he make money. It seems perfectly shocking....
Diary of Amanda McDowell.
April 27, 1864, Entry in Alice Williamson's Diary, Sumner County
Sis has just come from Mrs. Lane's: while there she visited the grave of the stranger soldier who was shot Friday. The yankees took his coat and boots off and put him in the grave without coffin or wrappings of any kind.
Williamson Diary
April 27, 1865, Capture of guerrilla leaders near Rutledge
RUTLEDGE, TENN., April 27, 1865.
Maj.-Gen. STONEMAN, Cmdg. District of East Tennessee:
GEN.: I have the honor to report that I have been scouting the country on both sides of the mountains; that I have captured two very notorious characters--Dr. J. P. Legg and P. H. Starnes--and sent them to Knoxville by Lieut. Henry E. Jackson, of the Ninth Tennessee. Since I captured Legg and Starnes the remaining guerrillas want come in and give themselves up, but they are afraid that they will be executed for what they have already done. I have five prisoners who gave themselves up, and they say all the rest of them would come in if they knew that I would spare their lives.
I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
J. W. HARRINGTON, Capt. Company G, Ninth Tennessee Cavalry.
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 49, pt. II, pp. 490-491.
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