An entry from Kate Karney's (Murfreesboro) Diary
Saturday May 24th 1862
It was drizzling rain this morning, but it soon cleared off. I was in hopes it would have proved a disagreeable day, so the country people would have been prevented coming in town to hear old Andy Johnson speak.* I heard he had very few to hear him speak, & most of them were soldiers, which I was glad of. An old friend of Pa's was to see him today, a Mr. Hall. He wouldn't stay long, said he wanted to leave town before they began speaking. He is the gentleman who was so kind to our two friends the Dr's Tiddings of Ky. They have staid a long time with him, after they left here. They have joined Morgan, but for a long time they could not make their escape. They can boast of many narrow escapes they have had when they return home especially the one they had here. Uncle Tom Turner has been here today. A remarkably prudent man, won't say a word scarcely. Said Sister Amanda heard from Bro. Jno. a short time since. He was well, but Bro. Will was sick down at Sister Mary's in Miss. and that Legrand was not well. They were all in the fight down at Pittsburgh Landing. Sister Amanda is not going to name her daughter until Bro. Jno. gets back home. Cousin Henry Tilford was out here also today. Rosa spent last night at Uncle Avent's, & Kate returned with her this morning, & going to spend the night with her. Sallie & Harriet Wendle came out to see the children this evening. Bettie & I walked down in the lot, met Mrs. Camp, that told us her husband had been discharged from our army on account of ill health, but she wanted it kept a secret for fear he would be arrested. Said she could not tell any thing, but if Pa would go down to see him, that he could get all the news. She asked permission for her horse to stay in the lot, and I told her I guessed it might, but would ask Pa, and it was all right, and he told the servants not to turn it out. Ma then got Pa to go down to see him. He said our boys were all in high spirits, that they had enough provisions to last them a year, that troops daily flocked to our army at Corinth, & there was no danger of our boys being defeated. He also said Morgan had raised 10,000 men from Ky. & it was thought he had recaptured his prisoners that were taken in Lebanon. It is certainly cheering to hear such good news, for inside the lines here we seldom ever see, only the dark side of the picture. Bettie and I were sitting out on the front steps when we saw some men coming up, but it was so dark we could not distinguish who they were, but when we found it was not Pa coming from Mr. Camp's, run in and shut the door. Ma stepped to the door, and on finding it was strangers stepped back & got a light, & lo & behold it was that little Yankee from the convalescent hospital that came up, and told Ma when Pa was arrested that it was negro news, & wanted to know about her money, & I firmly believe if he had thought that Ma had had money in the house he would have robbed her. He wanted Ma to pay him to get Pa out of jail, said he was a Pittsburgh lawyer. He wanted Mr. Tally to make out a bill and receipt it, so he could go to the government officer & make him pay it, & when Mr. Tally refused, he swore he would get as much money out of that old government as possible meaning the U. S. It was he and two others (I guess of the same stamp). One was a Capt. & the other had some office, I don't know what, Pa came after awhile, & still they staid on, & when supper was announced they went in, although they said they had taken theirs before the came. I suppose they thought they would get to see us & go off, and report that we had received them, but only Pa, Ma, & Cousin Ann went in to supper. They asked for music, both before and after supper, but I would cut my hands off before I would play for Yanks. I thought it was a great piece of impertinence in that little chap bringing those others up here to hear music, as he said just as if we dare not refuse to see them. The very idea, I hope I will die before I am found receiving a Yankee. They said they had never received a single kind word from any one in Murfreesboro, & had no sympathy for secession. How can they look for kindness when they have come to take every thing away from the citizens down South, & ruin every thing we hold dear.
Kate Carney Diary
April 15, 1861-July 31, 1862
http://docsouth.unc.edu/imls/carney/carney.html
*Ed. note: For coverage of his speech found in the New York Herald, June 4, 1862, see LeRoy P. Graf and Ralph W. Haskins, eds., Patricia Clark, assoc. ed., The Papers of Andrew Johnson, Vol. 5, 1861-1862, (Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1979), 416-417.
24, Skirmish at Davis' Mill Road*
No circumstantial reports filed.
*Ed. note - There is some confusion regarding this accuracy of this event and this date. The OR General Index, Vol. I, p. 239 indicates that there was a skirmish at Davis' Mill Road on May 24, 1863 and that information is to be found in Ser.I, Vol. 24. However, this event is listed in the Index of Vol. 24, pt. I pp. 811 and 832 as having occurred in March 24, 1863. In Vol 23, pt. I, pp. 472-473 is found the report of Lieutenant-Colonel Reuben L. Loomis, 6th Illinois Cavalry of a skirmish on the Davis' Mill Road on March 24, 1863 [see also March 24, 1863] Consequently it cannot be determined whether or not there was a skirmish, etc., for this date at Davis' Mill Road. [see also, March 24, 1862, p. 472 of OR, Ser. I,Vol 24, pt. I.]
Not listed in Dyer's Battle Index for Tennessee.
24, Skirmish in Winchester, guerrillas rob U.S. Army paymaster Report of Col. Henry K. McConnell, Seventy-five Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry.
HDQRS. RAILROAD DEFENSES, Tullahoma, Tenn., June 2, 1864.
Maj. B. H. POLK, Assistant Adjutant-Gen., Nashville:
SIR: I send herewith a copy of a report from Col. McConnell. I have had no opportunity to control this lawlessness for want of sufficient cavalry force. I shall be ready in a few days. The same men are concerned in all of the depredations on the railroad. I have learned the names of some of them and several of the persons who keep up and harbor the outlaws.
Respectfully submitted.
E. A. PAINE,
Brig.-Gen., Cmdg.
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 39, pt. I, p. 18.
HDQRS. SEVENTY-THIRD Regt. OHIO VET. VOL. INFTY., Elk River Bridge, May 30, 1864.
I have the honor to respectfully state that on last Tuesday night [the 24th] the guerrillas robbed Winchester of about $10,000. They knew men and houses and events only as citizen guerrillas can. No one came to notify me of the raid. I heard incidentally that the citizens were industriously circulating the report that our troops had robbed the town. I sent Capt. McConnell to inquire into the matter. They gave but partial information. The squad was small; only six or eight. They have been lurking in the neighborhood ever since. They fired into the train on Saturday night [28th] between this and Decherd, and yesterday they stole a horse near Winchester. We are very much embarrassed for want of a telegraph office here.
Very respectfully,
H. K. McCONNELL,
Col. Seventy-first Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry.
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 39, pt. I, pp. 18-19.
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