Friday, September 27, 2013

9/27/2013 Tennessee Civil War Notes


27, "To the Benevolent Ladies of Clarksville, Tennessee."

Ladies: Accept from grateful soldiers the warmest thanks for your liberal donations. Although self-exiled from our homes-our friends, fleeing, scattered in all directions -- our hearth-stones desecrated by pillaging hordes, and our Southern principles by our own Legislators, as meriting Capital Punishment-we can be but more sensible of your bounties; and your remembrance will be held most dear to the hearts of Southern Kentucky soldiers. Many, now ready for the battle-field thank you, who so kindly assisted them from their beds of sickness by your timely gifts of clothing and other necessaries as well as by your cheering and sympathizing presence.

To our Kentucky neighbors, many, very many thanks are due. To enumerate their acts of goodness would be a pleasant, but a long [sic] task; yet you will please accept a soldier's thanks returned in a soldierly manner-blunt, but sincere.

"Bartlett"

Hospital of 3d Reg[iment]. Kentucky Volunteers

Camp Boone, Sept. 18, 1861

Clarksville Chronicle, September 27, 1861

 

 

27, General Orders, No. 2, Confederate forces forbidden to commit depredations against Unionist loyalists in East Tennessee.

GENERAL ORDERS, No. 2. HDQRS. DEPT. OF EAST TENNESSEE, Knoxville, Tenn., September 27, 1862.

I. The major-general commanding has learned with regret that persons claiming to be acting under military authority have, under the pretext of seizing property for the public service, oppressed and depredated on the citizens of this department. It is therefore ordered that private property shall in no case be taken for military purposes, except on written authority, signed by the assistant adjutant-general or by the chief quartermaster, commissary, or ordnance officer attached to these headquarters. In every case in which such authority is thus granted the officer giving it shall immediately report in writing to the major-general commanding the articles impressed and the circumstances which rendered such impressment necessary. Proper receipts at fair valuation shall always be given.

II. Violation of this order by officers or men will be visited with the severest punishment, though it is expected that the service will not be disgraced by men wearing the uniform of the Confederate States engaging in such lawless and disgraceful acts.

By command of Maj. Gen. Samuel Jones:

CHAS. S. STRINGFELLOW, Assistant Adjutant-Gen.

OR, Ser. I, Vol. 16, pt. II, pp. 884-885.

       

 

 

27, Major-General W.T. Sherman's SPECIAL ORDERS, No. 254 expelling ten families for each steamboat fired into by Confederate guerrillas

SPECIAL ORDERS, No. 254. HDQRS. FIFTH DIVISION, Memphis, September 27, 1862.

Whereas many families of known rebels and of Confederates in arms against us having been permitted to reside in peace and comfort in Memphis, and whereas the Confederate authorities either sanction or permit the firing on unarmed boats carrying passengers and goods for the use and benefit of the inhabitants of Memphis, it is ordered that for every boat so fired on ten families must be expelled from Memphis.

The provost-marshal will extend the list already prepared so as to have on it at least thirty names, and on every occasion when a boat is fired on will draw by lot ten names, who will be forthwith notified and allowed three days to remove to a distance of 25 miles from Memphis.

By order of Maj. Gen. W. T. Sherman:

OR, Ser. I, Vol. 17, pt. II, p. 240.

 

 

27, Request by Colonel William B. Stokes, 5th Tennessee (U. S.) Cavalry to counter Confederate guerrilla activities in DeKalb, Warren, Smith and Wilson counties

HDQRS. FIFTH TENNESSEE CAVALRY, Camp Crook, Bridgeport, Ala., September 27, 1863.

Col. C. GODDARD, Asst. Adjt. Gen., Dept. of the Cumberland:

Having learned from reliable sources that Col. Murray, with 500 men, is prowling around in the counties of DeKalb, Warren, Smith, and Wilson, committing depredations upon Union families which for barbarity and cruelty have had no parallel in this campaign, I respectfully ask that my command may be ordered to McMinnville or Carthage, to relieve the cavalry forces stationed at either point. The forces stationed at either point. The forces stationed at these points are unacquainted with that country, while my men have a perfect knowledge of every crossroad and by-path throughout that section. My only desire to be ordered to one of the points is for the good of the service. I could render more good for the service of stationed at one of these points, while the cavalry I would relieve could be as beneficial as myself if here. The inhabitants of the counties named are almost unanimously loyal, having sent more men in loyal Tennessee regiments than any other four counties in Middle Tennessee, and in justice to themselves they ought to be protected in their loyalty to their Government. Murray and his men, having every advantage of a perfect knowledge of the country, keep out of the way of the cavalry now in that country. They have not only stolen property, insulted ladies, but have even murdered loyal men. They have stolen all my stock, have attempted to burn my house, insulted my family, fired on my wife, and committed the most heathenish outrages ever heard of. While I could render important service, if stationed there, the cavalry I would relieve could be as useful here. If I am allowed to go to either of these points I pledge my all that I will clear the country of all rebels. I earnestly request that Companies C and H of this command, now stationed at Decherd and Tullahoma, respectively be ordered to join this portion of the regiment. It is the desire of the officers and men to do so, and as they are of little benefit where they are. I respectfully urge that they be ordered to join me at once. While I would willingly join Gen. Crook in the front, I feel it is my duty to protect the families of my men.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. B. STOKES, Col., Comdg.

OR, Ser. I, Vol. 30, pt. III, pp. 900-901.

 

 

 

27, Medical inspection of military prison at Memphis

Report of a medical inspection of the military prison at Memphis, Tenn., commanded by Capt. George A. Williams, First U. S. Infantry, and acting provost-marshal, made on the 27th day of September, 1864, by Surg. T. M. Getty, U. S. Army, acting medical inspector of prisoners of war.

Prison, name and geographical position--military prison, Memphis, Tenn. Water, source, supply, quality, effects--river water, abundant, excellent. Fuel, whence obtained, kind, supply--oak and cypress, in the neighborhood, abundant, Huts, construction, size, number of men to each--three large warehouses, 120 by 75 feet, four stories high. Huts, heating, cleansing, ventilation--stoves, scrubbing, good. Sinks and cesspools, construction, position, management--wooden, twenty feet in the rear of the prison, good. Removal of offal and rubbish, police-daily, good. Rations, quality, quantity, variety--prison rations, good, abundant. Vegetables and pickles, kinds, amount, how obtained--from prison fund, potatoes, &c., occasionally. Rations, how cooked, how inspected, messing--on stoves, by the medical officer, good. Clothing, condition, deficiencies--good enough, supplied by outsiders. Men, sanitary condition, personal cleanliness--good, clean enough. Hospital --a room 24 by 50 on the third floor, dispensary 16 by 18, mess--room 16 by 18, kitchen 16 by 20, office 16 by 18. Hospital, warming, ventilation, lighting--stoves, good, gas; hospital, water--closets and sinks--the same as the prison; hospital, discipline, police--good. Water, source, supply, quality, effects--the same as the prison. Fuel, whence obtained, kind, supply--the same as the prison. Diet, quality, quantity, variety--the same as the prison, with purchases from the hospital fund. Diet, how cooked, how inspected, messing--the same as the prison. Medicine and hospital supplies, quality, condition, deficiencies--good, none. Instruments, hospital, personal, condition, deficiencies--personal, good. Commissary stores, medical comforts, condition, deficiencies-ample. Hospital records and accounts--in good condition. Hospital muster and pay rolls--none. Reports of sick and wounded and of operations--none. Requisitions and returns--made properly. Morning reports, provision returns--made properly. Hospital fund, how expended, accounted for, condition--$22.07, as in the army proper. Hospital washing, how performed, how paid for -by hospital matrons, by the pay department. Surgeons, number present, absent--none. Assistant surgeons, present, absent--Actg. Asst. Surg. P. D. H. Goff, U. S. Army. Hospital stewards, present, absent--1 acting steward. Cooks and nurses, present, absent--3 convalescents. Sick, condition, cleanliness--good, clean. Sick, beds for, superficial area and air space per bed--18, 800 feet. Medical and surgical treatment--good. Surgical operations, how performed--no capital operations. Nursing, how performed--well enough. Diseases prevalent--diarrhea and dysentery. Diseases of local origin--diarrhea. Recoveries from diseases, wounds, rapid or tardy--generally rapid. Vaccination--general. Interments, how conducted and recorded--by the quartermaster, properly recorded.

The military prison at Memphis consists of a building composed of three large brick warehouses with iron front, 120 by 75 feet, four stories high. The prison is in very bad repair, especially the windows and stairs. It is being rapidly put in order from the provost-marshal fund. In part there is a wooden wall ten feet high. First floor, a Federal, a citizen, and a rebel prison, each 25 by 120 feet. Second floor, a kitchen for prisoners, a twenty-four hours' prison, surgeon's office, prison office, and guard-room. Third floor, dispensary, hospital, hospital kitchen, and mess--room; ten rooms occupied as a female prison, two rooms as officers' quarters, chain gang. Fourth floor, a prison for colored males, same for females, and one room for the extra guard. Number of prisoners--Federal soldiers, 120; citizens--male, 39; female, 6; black male citizens, 8; black male soldiers, 15; total, 188. The prison fund amounts to $1,136.81. The fund is properly used and managed. Capt. Williams informs me that he has no use for this fund. I would recommend that $100 be turned over to the hospital fund and the remainder transferred to some prison where it is needed. Capt. H. W. B. Hoyt, One hundred and thirteenth Illinois Volunteers, is prison officer. The money belonging to the prisoners is placed in his hands and is properly managed.

T. M. GETTY, Surg., U. S. Army, and Actg. Medical Insp. of Prisoners of War.

OR, Ser. II, Vol. 7, pp. 920-922.

 

 

 

 

 

James B. Jones, Jr.

Public Historian

Tennessee Historical Commission

2941 Lebanon Road

Nashville, TN  37214

(615)-532-1550  x115

(615)-532-1549  FAX

 

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