Wednesday, September 3, 2014

9.3.2014 TENNESSEE CIVIL WAR NOTES

        3, "Mammoth Apples."

Mr. I. T. Chilton who has a farm on the Nolensville turnpike, about two miles from the city, left in this office yesterday, the largest apple perhaps, ever grown in the State. We have seem the fine mountain apple exhibited at our State Fairs, but in size this eclipses anything that has yet made its appearance. The one in our possession measures 4½ inches in diameter and weighs 18 ounces. It is a regular whale and no mistake. We learn from Mr. C. that it was grown on a remarkably small tree.

Nashville Daily Gazette, September 3, 1861.

        3, Southern Mothers swamped

Sick Soldiers.—The Southern Mothers' house is overflowing with sick soldiers, and citizens willing to take any of the sufferers in their own house are earnestly requested to inform the association.

Memphis Daily Appeal, September 3, 1861.

 

 

        3, Difficulties with contraband in Nashville

Drunken Negroes.—The attention of the City Police is now being directed, and very properly, to the numerous groceries and dram shops in which negroes are supplied with intoxicating drinks. The law forbids any person selling or giving liquor to negroes, and those who violate such a wholesome preventive of drunkenness must not complain if they are made to suffer for their conduct to the utmost extent of the law.

Nashville Dispatch, September 3, 1862.

        3, Strict enforcement of the Confederate conscription law proposed to control activities of paroled East Tennesseans. "The conscript law should be enforced at once. I would prefer having the disaffected element in my front than my rear."

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF EAST TENNESSEE, Knoxville, Tenn., September 3, 1862.

Hon. GEORGE W. RANDOLPH, Secretary of War, Richmond, Va.:

SIR:

*  *  *  *

Col. Scott and others in Kentucky have paroled East Tennesseeans in the Federal Army to return to their homes. These men are doing great damage. I have directed them to be collected and sent North, among others Lieut. Peck, of the Federal Regular Army. Cumberland Gap, on this side, is closely invested, and Gen. Morgan is short of provisions. The north side of the Gap is open, and he can escape in the direction of Manchester or Columbia. The force at my disposal is only sufficient to invest this side, protect the railroad bridges, and keep the country quiet. Gen. Smith is calling on me for re-enforcements. My position as temporary commander of the department is embarrassing, to say the least. I shall carry out Gen. Smith's views.

The conscript law should be enforced at once. I would prefer having the disaffected element in my front than my rear. I would recommend that warning be given that all those who left would be considered as aliens and their property sequestrated. I would in the mean time call for volunteers to the date the law would be put in force. Those who left for the north would only embarrass Gen. Morgan in his critical position. If I had forces sufficient to invest the north of the Gap I believe that Morgan and his whole force would soon be captured or give battle. A definite policy should be adopted at once, and I ask early instructions. The position and importance of East Tennessee require prompt action.

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. P. McCOWN, Maj.-Gen.

OR, Ser. I, Vol. 16, pt. II, pp. 794-795.

        ca 3-6, Cavalry scouts and troop movements, Murfreesborough, Woodbury, Sparta, Altamont, McMinnville

McCOOK'S HDQRS., Two miles North of Murfreesborough, September 6, 1862.

Gen. D. C. BUELL:

My cavalry just in from Lebanon. They patrolled the roads 6 miles toward Sparta. Saw nothing...if the enemy comes I am ready. If my cavalry do not fight you will never hear from them. I have given my Infantry orders to shoot every one of them of them that runs to the rear.

McCOOK, Gen.

McCOOK'S HDQRS., Two miles North of Murfreesborough, September 6, 1862.

Gen. BUELL:

My cavalry in from Woodbury and men from McMinnville and Sparta.

On Wednesday [3d] 1,500 infantry and artillery arrived at Sparta. Infantry by Altamont arrived at McMinnville yesterday. One thousand six hundred cavalry encamped 1 mile beyond Woodsbury [sic] and expect infantry there to-day. The infantry from Sparta marched by the Liberty pike. A negro [sic] from the Confederate States army has also arrived; left McMinnville night before last. He was with Wheeler's cavalry, and said the major would reach McMinnville yesterday.

McCOOK, Gen.

OR, Ser. I, Vol. 16, pt. II, pp. 489-490.

 

 

        3, "I am unarmed and in your power, but you have mistaken your man; you can kill me, but you can't make me draw off my own shirt." Federal atrocity at New Market

From the Christian Observer.

Savage and Fiendish Atrocity.

The following communication to the Attorney General of the District of East Tennessee, contains an account of the most diabolical and savage acts of malignant cruelty of which we have seen a record since the commencement of the present war. Language fails us to express the abhorrence and detestation which every one, not lost to humanity, must feel for the vile and cowardly miscreants who, instead of meeting their victim singly in open day, decoy him from home in the dead hour of night, and inflict upon him their worse than murderous revenge, simply because he had dared to preach the gospel.

Bristol, Tenn., Sept. 3d, 1864

To J. G. Wallace, Esq., Attorney of the District of East Tennessee:

Sir—In compliance with your request, I proceed to make a brief statement of the facts connected with my being driven from my church, my home and family at New Market, East Tennessee.

After bed time, August 3d, 1864, Captain James Crawford, Lieut. Wm. O. Sizemore, of Hawkins county, and others, (all, perhaps, of the Federal army) entered my house and searched for "guns, swords, pistols and concealed rebels." They found none, for none such were there, nor had there been. Before leaving my house they asked my position in regard to the war. I told them that my sympathies were with the South; whereupon, they gave me two orders, accompanied with much profanity: 1st, "To go to hell and preach for the devil;" 2d, "Never again to preach at New Market." I made no answer-I uttered not one offensive word. My conclusion was, however, that duty forbade me to comply with either order. I therefore attended to my ministerial duties as usual, until the morning of August 18th, I met Lieutenant Sizemore in the street, and he inquired if I had preached since I received the above orders. I answered him I had; whereupon, as he turned away, he remarked, "All right-we'll send you to Knoxville." I remarked, mildly, "I thought it all right, or I would not have preached." That night, just after we had retired to rest, a man in the garb of a Federal soldier came to my door, and decoyed me off under the pretense of my being called to a neighbor's house. I dressed and went forth with this man, and soon met three other soldiers, viz: Lieutenant Sizemore, Bill Owens and a third man, unknown to me.-The three conducted me towards the depot. Now, for the first time, I suspected that I was arrested, and was en route for Knoxville. They were so bitter and so disgustingly profane that I asked but one question-"Where do you wish me to go?" and made one remark expressive of surprise at being thus snatched from my home at night.

We passed out of town about a half a mile from my house, when Sizemore, who superintended the whole affair, asked me, "Are you a rebel?" I replied to this effect: "I am a sympathizer with the South; I can't deny it without lying, and I won't falsify my word."-He replied. "That's enough-halt." In obedience to his orders, I drew off my coat. The other two men did the same. He then ordered me to draw off my shirt-(had not put on my vest and cravat). This I declined doing. The order was repeated with a terrible threat, and a revolver drawn upon me. I replied, "I can't do it-that is an indignity which I will not consent to place upon myself." The order was again repeated, with curses and threats, and the pistol at my breast. I remarked, "I am unarmed and in your power, but you have mistaken your man; you can kill me, but you can't make me draw off my own shirt." By Sizemore's orders, the other two drew off my shirt, and each taking hold of a hand, they began inflicting, the one upon my naked back, and the other upon my naked breast, a most severe whipping with hickories prepared for the occasion. They wore out three sets of switches or withs, and, during the time, Sizemore, by threats and commands, increased the severity and rapidity of the blows; and also himself broke off a limb from a tree near by; the limb had several prongs, and was longer than his body, and with this limb in both hands he exerted himself violently until he had worn it to a mere club. Here I pleaded with them to desist, but in vain; asked them to shoot me and thus end my misery, assuring them that I had no fears of death. But the club still fell heavily and fast upon my bruised, bleeding, lacerated body. It became insufferable; I tried to avoid the strokes, when a blow upon the head brought me to the ground. As I lay there, they lashed me with fresh switches; and once upon my feet again, was knocked down the second time by Sizemore-several blows from the fist of one of them having failed to knock me down. One large scar over each eye I must wear to the grave, and how many others upon my back, breast and arms may be scars for life, I know not. They left me, and with difficulty I put my shirt partly on and got back to my house; sent for Dr. Blackburn, who washed and bound up my wounds, ordered the free use of aperients and the frequent bathing of my body in a solution of muriate of ammonia. He treated my case in accordance with this prescription until the day I fled from my home.

A day or two after I was beaten as just described, rumored threats were current on the streets to the effect that a like fate awaited any man who visited me, or manifested any sympathy for me in my sufferings. Personal threats were made against Rev. Isaac N. Caldwell and others, among the best and most quiet and inoffensive men of my congregation. Again fresh threats are heard-threats of scourging and death in case we did not fly the country. These threats were understood to have been made by the same parties who so misused me. We are now out of the Federal lines, but our families and friends may ere this have fallen victims to the fiendish rage of such men as Sizemore, Owen & Co.

Very respectfully,

Geo. E. Eagleton.

Richmond [VA] Whig, October 7, 1864[1]

 

 

 



[1] As cited in: http://www.uttyl.edu/vbetts.


James B. Jones, Jr.

Public Historian

Tennessee Historical Commission

2941 Lebanon Road

Nashville, TN  37214Cc

(615)-770-1090 ext. 123456

(615)-532-1549  FAX

 

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