Sunday, May 29, 2011

May 27 - Tennessee in the Civil War Notes

27, Fear of a slave insurrection in Madison County
….Went to town this evening while there a message was sent to Jackson from up about Mr. Pinson that there was an insurrection among the negroes [sic] headed by white men. A company [of soldiers] from Memphis was sent on the cars & [a] good many citizens with double barreled shotguns [also went]. Proved to be a false report, started by some fellow shooting a repeater 4 or 5 times in front of a house where some women were.
Robert H. Cartmell Diary, May 27, 1861

 

 

Tuesday May 27th 1862

A lovely day. Kate, Bettie, Tuppie Anderson & myself went to several stores & at last went to Pa's. Saw Mrs. Wendle also Ellen Spence come in the door, but we did not speak. Tally seems to take a great delight in telling me Bro. Will had gotten home. o­ne side paralyzed. I don't know what I said, I was so angry, though as I didn't attract attention, supposed I must have behaved lady like. Came by & told Mrs. Anderson good bye & o­n my way home met Pa, who confirmed the bad news. I don't know what I should do if deprived of shedding tears, I believe go crazy. Why didn't he die before returning to bring eternal disgrace o­n the family. He has ever been a draw back. I could have stood him dying so much better, but I know Bro. John will not take the oath. I had rather our throats cut, or turned beggars o­n the world than that Bro. John should disgrace himself by taking that dirty oath. How little Brother Will thinks of his family. It will ever be a stain o­n his poor little children. I blame Mr. Butler as much as I do him, for he tried to hide him & then to think sent for Bill Spence, the last man in the world, & o­ne he could not have given more pleasure than to have had to take the oath. Bill Spence said he would have revenge o­n Ma for treating him so, & I think he certainly has had it. I hope he will not be long spared, to [do] much more mischief.

Kate Carney Diary

April 15, 1861-July 31, 1862

 

 

27, Complaints about the cost of living in Nashville
Living appears to be comparatively cheap in Chicago. Chickens sell at two dollars per dozen; potatoes are from fifty to seventy-five cents per bushel, choice butter at twenty-cents per pound, asparagus at a dollar a dozen, while lettuce, turnips, and other vegetables, sell at less than one-third the price demanded here. The truth is, Nashville is one of the dearest markets in the whole country, hardly excepting Richmond. IF w take into consideration the relative value of the currency used in Richmond and Nashville, we are not sure but the former will be found the cheaper market. There is perhaps somewhat of a scarcity in the country adjacent to Nashville, whence we draw our supplies, but if our business men could get shipping facilities, they would bring such articles as there is a demand for in the market from points where there is abundance and to spare. Our businessmen ought to unite in a representation to the Government of the great necessity that exists for extending trading facilities to this city. It was confidently expected a board of trade would have been established here before now through whom these privileges could have been secured. The poorer classes experience great hardships from the scanty supplies of the prime necessities of life which our market affords.
Nashville Dispatch, May 27,1863.

 

 

27, "A Disgraceful Affair."
A soldier, whose name we prefer to withhold, entered a saloon on Jefferson street yesterday morning, and after bargaining for a cigar, presented a mutilated treasury note of a large denomination from which to have the price taken out. The proprietor naturally enough refused to take the bill in its mutilated condition, when the military gentleman became exceeding wrath, [sic] indulged in epithets profane and vulgar, called the gentleman a "secesh" and a d_____d rebel, and to further take revenge went out to scare up a guard who should shut up his (the saloon keeper's) establishment, and put him in the [Irving]"Block." Sure enough, a guard was brought and was, in connection with the bad-bill gentleman, about to take possession of the saloon, when they were prevented by certain officers present, and the would-be swindler reported to Captain Williams. According to Gen. Washburn's recent order, the guilty party will doubtless receive the proper punishment for his most inexcusable offense.
Memphis Bulletin, May 28, 1864.

 

 

27, Tennessee's ex-Confederate Governor Isham G. Harris makes a run for Mexico
HDQRS. U. S. FORCES, DEPARTMENT OF ARKANSAS,
Mouth of White River, Ark., May 27, 1865.
[Col. JOHN LEVERING:]
COL.: I have just received information that ex-Governor I. G. Harris and the rebel Gen. Lyon crossed to the west side of the Mississippi River a few nights since between Napoleon and Gaines' Landing, Ark. This information is from a party at whose house they stopped for a half hour. The party giving the information did not know them at the time, but was afterward informed who they were by a person who knew them. Harris passed himself as Maj. Green. Lyon passed under his own name. Both claimed to be making for Mexico. I think the information is reliable.
Respectfully, &c.,
G. F. McGINNIS, Brig.-Gen., Cmdg.
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 48, pt. II, pp. 6331-632.
Note: It was either the noose or Mexico.  Harris ended up in England for a few years before he returned to Tennessee and was elected U. S. Senator.

 

 

 

 



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