Tuesday, September 9, 2014

9.9.2014 Tennessee Civil War Notes

        9, Suggestion that female contraband population to be employed as nurses in Nashville

Female Slaves.

We learn that there is in the city a considerable number of female slaves, who have fled from the famine and general distress which now prevails in the lower counties. Now why cannot these women be sent immediately to the various hospitals to perform that labor which they can do better than any one else. Women are naturally nurses, and attend to sick rooms far better than men. Let the soldiers be kept in the ranks, and these negro women be placed where they will not only be provided for, but do service.

Nashville Daily Union, September 9, 1862.

 

 

9, A Nashville Trade Union Local Ends its Relationship with its National Organization

At a meeting of the Nashville Typographical Union, on the 9th inst. An ordinance dissolving all connection with the National Union was adopted by a unanimous vote.

Daily Picayune, September 12, 1861.[1]

 

 

        9, Chattanooga occupied by Federal forces

FIVE MILES SOUTH OF CHATTANOOGA, 10TH

Via Dalton, September 11, 1863. [Received 11th]

The enemy entered Chattanooga yesterday in force, driving out the small garrison I could leave behind. His main force in Will's Valley still threatens my rear, and compels me to follow on this side of the mountain. The difficulty of supplying the army in this mountainous region is very great, and may compel me to turn east to the railroad.

BRAXTON BRAGG, General.

OR, Ser. I, Vol. 30, pt. II, p. 22.

 

No circumstantial reports filed.

Excerpt from the September 27, 1863 report of Colonel George P. BUELL, Fifty-eighth Indiana Infantry, 21st Brigade, 1st Division, 21st Army Corps relating to the Union occupation of Chattanooga.

* * * *

My brigade remained in...camp until the morning of the 9th instant, when, by order of Gen. Wood, it led the advance on Chattanooga. At the point of Lookout Mountain we met a small picket force of the enemy which we soon dislodged, and marching on entering Chattanooga about 12 o'clock of the 9th instant. My brigade was the first that entered the City.

OR, Ser. I, Vol. 30, pt. I, p. 653.

 

HDQRS. FOURTH DIVISION, FOURTEENTH CORPS, Cureton's Mill, September 9, 1863--6.30 p. m.

Col. FLYNT, Assistant Adjutant-Gen.:

We are in receipt of two dispatches from Col. Atkins, commanding Ninety-second Illinois (by special couriers from his regiment), within a few minutes of each other. Find copy of the first received inclosed; the other reads as follows (written first):

HDQRS. NINETY-SECOND ILLINOIS VOLUNTEERS, Chattanooga, September 9, 1863--11 a. m.

Maj. LEVERING, Assistant Adjutant-Gen.:

Maj.: We had a little skirmishing on the mountain, but now hold Chattanooga. My stand of colors was the first to float over the town. A complete evacuation. Columns of dust showed them going south. Two companies of my regiment are pressing after them, and I will likely take my command up the river to gobble a little squad said to be there.

Very respectfully,

SMITH D. ATKINS, Col. Ninety-second Illinois.

OR, Ser. I, Vol. 30, pt. I, p. 247.

 

HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND, Trenton, September 9, 1863--3.30 a. m.

Maj.-Gen. THOMAS, Comdg. Fourteenth Army Corps:

A dispatch is just received from Gen. Wagner, dated 8.30 p. m. yesterday, stating that Chattanooga is evacuated by the rebels and he will occupy it in the morning. The general commanding desires you to call on him at once to consult in regard to arrangements for the pursuit.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. A. GARFIELD, Brig.-Gen., Chief of Staff.

OPPOSITE CHATTANOOGA, September 9, 1863.

Capt. SEITER, Fourteenth Army Corps:

Gen. Wagner occupies Chattanooga to-day. The Stars and Stripes were raised on Mound Fort at 11 a. m. The last of the enemy left as our men entered, without firing a gun. Gen.'s Crittenden and Wood are in Chattanooga.

G. W. LANDRUM, Lieut. and Acting Signal Officer.

OR, Ser. I, Vol. 30, pt. III, pp. 481-482.

 

CAMP NEAR TRENTON, Ga., September 9, 1863--8.30 p. m.

(Received 6.40 p. m., 10th.)

Maj. Gen. H. W. HALLECK, Gen.-in-Chief:

Chattanooga is ours without a struggle, and East Tennessee is free. Our move on the enemy's flank and rear progresses, while the tail of his retreating column will not escape unmolested. Our troops from this side entered Chattanooga about noon. Those north of the river are crossing. Messengers go to Burnside to-night, urging him to push his cavalry down. No news from him or his cavalry.

W. S. ROSECRANS, Maj.-Gen.

OR, Ser. I, Vol. 30, pt. III, p. 479.

 

Wednesday Sep [sic] 9th. Chattanooga Evacuated!! [sic] Today the Union Troops entered the boasted stronghold of the West without the loss of a man....The 92d belongs to our Brigade and they had the honor of first planting the stars & stripes on the works of the deserted town. At about 11 o'clock the flag was hoisted on the Crutchfield House. Soon after the 92d had entered the town Capt. Lilly and Colonel of the 97th Ohio crossed the river in a boat and planted the flag of the 97th on the parapet of the large fort, which was greeted by a salute from the Battery. The town has a dirty, dreary appearance, almost deserted by the citizens-very few nice housed and all old ones, besides.

The "Chattanooga Rebel" was printed in the vault of the Chattanooga Bank to keep out of the way of our shells. Depot and Crutchfield house in particular. The owner of the latter said we ventilated his smoke house to such an extent that he was unable to smoke his meant. Our Brigade had the honor of first opening out on Chattanooga also the first to enter it. Our Battery fired the first and last gun at the town-fired over 600 rounds altogether-put 2 shots into the Depot at a distance of 2½ miles. We were here from the 21st Aug. til [sic] to day with Wilders [sic] Brigade and Wagoners [sic] for our support...nearly three weeks opposed to the whole of Bragg's Army. Old "Rosey" has completely outwitted Bragg....

About 3 o'clock we pulled out up the river and camped about dark at Friar's Island.

Campbell, Three Years in the Saddle pp. 69-70.

 

THE CAPTURE OF CHATTANOOGA.

Gen. Wood in Command of the Place.

The Rebels in Rapid Retreat.

Our Advance Threatening the Georgia State Road.

Cincinnati, Thursday, Sept. 10.

A special dispatch to the Gazette, from Trenton, Ga., 9th, says:

"At 123 o'clock to-day Gen Crittenden took peaceable possession of Chattanooga.

Gen. Wood was put in command of this place.

The principal portion of the rebel infantry left

Chattanooga yesterday morning-their cavalry remaining till this morning.

The headquarters of the department will probably be at Chattanooga to-morrow.

The rebels are in rapid retreat, but our combinations are such that they can hardly get off with all their forces. They are cutting down trees and using other means to obstruct our further passage over the mountains.

Our advance threatens the Georgia State Road, which is the rebel line of retreat.

New York Times, September 11, 1863.

 

Gen. Rosecrans' Campaign.

The Occupation of Chattanooga-Where Bragg Will Make His Next Stand.

Correspondence of the Cincinnati Commercial.

Look-Out Valley, Ga., Twelve Miles South of Trenton, Sept. 9, 1863.

Chattanooga has fallen! Such is the tenor of a dispatch just brought in by a courier. Crittenden occupied the stronghold to-day. Bragg evidently dreaded a repetition of the Vicksburg disaster, if he remained and attempted to defend Chattanooga, after our army had occupied a position directly threatening his rear. He could not leave a garrison to hold the works, while he opposed our right with his main force, with Burnside on the way to reinforce our left. With Burnside it would have been easy to isolate Chattanooga, and give it its own good time to accept the fate of the "Virgin City."

The evacuation was not completed too soon. This morning Stanley was on the road with a heavy cavalry force, supported part of the way by two brigades of infantry, to strike the line of railway in Bragg's rear, in the vicinity of Rome. As soon as the evacuation was discovered, the expedition was overtaken and ordered back to camp. From the front, where Stanley started, it was but a day's march, for horsemen, to Rome, and the raid would, doubtless, have been successful if Bragg's army had not been promptly withdrawn from Chattanooga to oppose just such a movement.

Rosecrans strategy has proved a splendid success. Crossing a broad and dangerous river, and an extremely rough chain of mountains, he throws his army in four days forty miles almost directly in the rear of the rebel stronghold. That he was not bitterly challenged by the enemy proves a weakness almost startling in the size and morale [sic] of Bragg's army. Can it afford to fight us on any terms in its present condition?

There has been no more brilliant movement during the war, if we except [sic] the wonderful exploit of Gen. Grant in marching to the rear of Pemberton. It has been carried on with the loss of two men killed and two wounded in a slight cavalry skirmish, the only occasion we were made aware that an opposing army was near.

New York Times, September 20, 1863.

 

 

 

 



[1] As cited in PQCW


James B. Jones, Jr.

Public Historian

Tennessee Historical Commission

2941 Lebanon Road

Nashville, TN  37214

(615)-770-1090 ext. 123456

(615)-532-1549  FAX

 

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