Thursday, September 6, 2012

September 6 - Tennessee Civil War Notes


6, “Cutting It Fat.”
Some of our merchants, not greatly troubled with some conscientious scruples, are now reaping a golden harvest. It may be reasonably expected that those of them receiving their goods by way of a short [cut] across the line dividing Dixie from Nod , would increase their prices to suit the nature of the case, but our citizens were hardly prepared to see them demanding a profit of 200 per cent. Whenever the margin of profit gets to be wider than Broad street, it has ceased to be reasonable, and does not deserve to be very liberally encouraged. The spirit of extortion will soon be crushed out, if wearers and consumers will firmly resolve to buy no article whatever until absolutely compelled to do so. Wear patched garment, take additional care of your old hats, bonnets, boots and shoes, live on cheaper food, do anything within the bounds of decency to obviate the necessity of buying a dime’s worth from any one you have reason to regard as an extortioner. Nashville is not altogether...of that class of heartless individuals, who would wickedly mock at the calamity of their neighbors, if it but enables them to pout gold in their purses. Our people know them, and should now and forever avoid them, as they would [not enter] a house on fire or a city visited by the plague.
Nashville Daily Gazette, September 6, 1861.


6-13, Federal anti-guerrilla expedition, Shelby County to Raleigh, Green Bottom, Cypress Creek, Hickory Withe, across Loosahatchie river, Muddy river, Brownsville to Clear Creek
HDQRS. FOURTH DIVISION, DIST. OF WEST TENNESSEE, Bolivar, Tenn., September 18, 1862.
Maj. JOHN A. RAWLINS, Asst. Adjt. Gen., Dist. of West Tenn., Corinth, Miss.:
Maj.: I have the honor to report that in pursuance of order, a copy whereof is hereto annexed, the Fourth Division marched from Memphis, Tenn., on the morning of September 6, 1862, at 11 o'clock.
It accordance with the suggestions of Maj. Gen. W. T. Sherman and in conformity with his advice the line of march was so far changed as to leave Shelby to the north-this for the purpose of throwing the head of column so far toward Somerville as should seem advisable to relieve any force which might be at Bolivar. The course of the march was to Raleigh, northeast; thence almost direct east to Green Bottom; thence to Cypress Creek, where, the prevalence of rain rendering the roads impassable for artillery, the column halted one day. At Cypress Creek the column was turned sharply to the north, passing through Hickory Withe, across the Loosahatchie, the bridge over which had been held by an advance of cavalry. On the 10th the march was continued as far as the Muddy. On the same evening a bridge was built across the Muddy to replace that one which had been heretofore destroyed. An advance force was thrown forward to the Hatchie and to Brownsville and the erection of a bridge over the Hatchie was commenced. On the 11th evening, the bridge over the Hatchie being well-nigh completed, orders for the progress to Brownsville were delivered, but countermanded on the receipt of communication, a copy whereof is hereto annexed.
Upon the morning of September 12 the column marched southwest to Wesley; thence southeast through Dancyville to Bear Creek, where it bivouacked that night.
On the morning of the 13th September marched at daylight to Clear Creek, where it rested, proceeding at 2 p. m. to Bolivar, where it encamped upon Ross' command.
Herewith I have the honor to inclose journal of march, showing roads, water, &c., for the guidance of future operations; also report of the force with marched.
I have the honor to be, major, very respectfully,
[S. A. HURLBUT], Brig.-Gen., Comdg.
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 17, pt. II, p.226.


  6, “Disgraceful Riot in South Nashville - Two Houses Fired.”
A most disgraceful riot occurred yesterday in a disreputable locality near the ruins of the old Asylum, in South Nashville. About two o’clock p.m...a party of soldiers, twenty or more in number, entered a house of ill-fame where beer was kept for sale, and demanded as much beer as they could drink, without offering to pay for it. The women refused to adhere to this unreasonable proposition, whereupon the dastardly men assailed them, and were in turned pitched into by the beer-venders, who manfully stood their ground until the base rogues resorted to the torch to subdue them. They set fire to the beer saloon and a house adjoining, both of which were occupied by the women, Ellen Gallagher, Mary Murphy, and Ann Coffin. The former building was totally consumed, but the flames were extinguished before the other was damaged materially. The rioters would not permit the inmates to remove any article of furniture from the house, but some o­ne of their own number took a certain sum of money from the burning wreck. o­n the approach of the guard, the crowd rapidly dispersed and o­nly six of the rascals were secured, Their names are James K.P. Harris, D. Post, and Joseph, Gregory, of the Third Ohio Cavalry, and Pat Kelly, Wm. Wallace, and Ed. Shelby, of the Fifth Michigan Battery. They were safely lodged in the Penitentiary, Every exertion is being made to apprehend the remainder of th scamps, and they will hardly escape. While no tears will be shed over the loss of such a notorious brothel, it is but just that the perpetrators of the incendiary act should meet with the severest punishment. Such an example of crime, if uncorrected, will lead to dangers innumerable and appalling. 
Nashville Daily Press, September 7, 1863.


6, "An Affair at the ‘Iron Clad.’”
Sunday evening a young man, whose troubles are not unfrequent, by reason of his festive disposition, suffering from some real or fancied wrong -- real, perhaps, knocked at the door of a well known house of ill-fame, styled the “Iron Clad.” The call was answered by one of the frail ones of the house, who inquired, “who’s there?” The reply, “It’s me” [sic] in familiar tones, caused her to open the door, which was no sooner done that she received in the face an overpowering shower of asadoedita from a syringe in the hands of the outsider. Overcome by the fragrant drug she turned to retreat, and in so doing received a brisk fire in the rear, from the same battery, after which the enemy retreated in “disorder.” Her screams brought her fallen sisters and some visitors to the scene. But the perfume was so strong, they were soon obliged to leave, not, however, until most of them had became infected by it. There were strange oaths, and stranger doffing of clothing, it is said, and many of the garments, it was found necessary to bury. The victim, no doubt, suffers as if a polecat had attacked her. We learn that since the affair occurred, persons passing the premises indulge in the mysterious demonstration of squeezing their nasal appendages between their digits, so peculiar is the atmosphere surrounding them. The cause of this singular outrage is best known to those concerned.
Memphis Bulletin, September 6, 1864

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