9, The vote against secession, and against "Convention" or "No Convention"
In the election on February 9, old Vox Populi [sic] spoke emphatically. On the plain question of Secession, the vote was heavily pro-Union, the returns showing a vote of 88,803 for Union candidates and 22,749 for Secession candidates. In regard to the calling of a Convention, the movement was rejected by a vote of 69, 675 to 57, 798. The decision by the people was a significant one, in that the action of both Governor Harris and the General Assembly was rebuked.
Robert D. White, Messages of the Governors of Tennessee, Vol. 5, p. 272.[1]
9, "Display of Flags"
The stars and stripes have been thrown to the breeze in every section of the City. The display is equal to that made in the late Presidential campaign, and revives reminiscences of the zeal and earnestness evinced by the workers in that canvass.
Whatever may be the result of the difficulties which at present agitate our country-whether we are to be united in our common destiny or whether two Republics shall take the place of that which has stood for nearly a century, the admired of all nations we will still bow with reverence to the sight of the stars and stripes, and recognize it as the standard around which the sons of liberty can rally and truthfully exclaim "Thou art the shelter of the free."
And if the remonstrances of the people of the South-pleading and begging for redress for years-does not in this critical moment, arouse her brethren of the North to a sense of justice and right, and honor demands a separation, we would still have the same claims upon the "colors of Washington, great son of the South, and of Virginia, mother of the States." Let us not abandon the stars and stripes under which Southern men have so often been led to victory."
Nashville Daily Gazette, February 9, 1861.
9, "The Issue Today"
What is it? or, rather, what is it not? The opponents of action, of decision and of settlement, says the time is not [right for secession.]
We [have waited patiently] for Committees, waited for Juntas. We have waited for events, until events have forced us along with their powerful and sweeping tide.
The issue is upon us, and we are told to wait other issues; it is not one of party of clique, it is not one in which leaders can judge better than the masses, nor so well.
What have the leaders done? In every possible way mistaken their road out of the difficulties, in Congress and out of Congress, and now in every State where action has been had they come round and admit their error. They indulged the hope that party ties would cement the Union, while in the North there was no party ties [sic] to affiliate with or sympathize with. The Union party ridiculed at the North in the late election, has only the effect to lead to greater hopes with the Union-savers of the South.
What ground can there be of saving the Union, when the North and the South are equally averse to its existence, and sternly opposed to any and all measures of conciliation?
But we are told to wait and hope for contingencies, yet in the possible future -- when all the past is conclusive that these are impossible.
The action of the Peace Congress, with John Tyler at its head, and Salmon P. Chase the chief expounder of its oracles, setting with closed doors -- wonderful Peace Congress! most potent Peace Congress, with such a head, and such an expounder of oracles.
John Tyler, a name for twenty years the synonym of anything but integrity: Salmon P. Chase, a whig democrat, a liberty party man, again a democrat, and lastly the embodiment of the most rabid abolitionism! And, do we wait, under the training of our great leaders, for light from the Tyler Congress? Do [such matters] rest upon John Tyler's shoulders -- upon the stability of Salmon P. Chase? Why, where is our common sense -- where is honesty of purpose, when two such men are relied on to save the Union. Death made John Tyler President, but no mortal power can give him greatness of soul or intellect. The issue is not with the Tyler Congress; it is with ourselves and for ourselves. We know, if we can think at all, that a Convention is necessary....We know that if we are to go out, secession is the only remedy for evils that, without it, will be intolerable. We know that if we do not have a Convention, we shall not know peace. We know that if we vote against a Convention now, we will have to vote for one in a few months. We know that our destinies are in our own hands. Every State is speaking for it self, North and South. Shall we alone speak for others? Mankind is prone to inaction, and every reason of the most fallacious character has been urged, that now is the time for action.
Now is the time for action. The future is not ours; the present is. Let us act, then, as men, believing that in ourselves is the power, and that the ability to judge does not rest alone in our former leaders.
The arguments of to-day will be thrown aside to-morrow, and some new contingency thrust forward to hang our hopes on.
We are told to wait, by the same men who were laughed at in the North, when they were told that the South was in earnest and would not abide the election of a man upon the ground alone of sectional power, prejudice and fanaticism. Mr. Crittenden says wait, and Mr. Crittenden said before the election that the South would not wait any further aggression. Mr. Douglas says wait, and Mr. Douglas was for coercion before the election, and whether we believe what they say now or what they said before the election, we cannot forget the fate of the Whig party under the leading of the one, or that of the Democratic party, a victim to the ambition of the other -- a sacrifice to Northern feeling and sectional animosity.
We are told that the people of the North will soon speak. How soon? The people of the South have spoken all over the South, but not one answering voice comes from the North. The cities -- yes, the cities have spoken; but what care [have] the people of the rural districts for the cities? The cities spoke the same language in November as now -- they were opposed to crushing the South, because their interests were bound up with the South. Where has there been a meeting, except to confirm the election of November, outside the cities in the Northern States?
Every true-hearted Northern man, that allows his judgment to control his feelings, says to the South, the whole South, Go out, and then possibly we can crush this monster in our midst; go out and so preserve the peace; go out, and so make the issue clear and plain that it is for the Union you go out, if it is possible to reconstruct it. [?]
If you stay in the demon of anarchy among yourselves, and the worse demon of fanaticism among us is quickened into new life; and already have the terms been sided upon which Kentucky and Tennessee are to be made free States, by that foremost man in the new President's affections, Horace Greeley.
Wait until the fires of Abolition are kindled along our borders and in our very midst, or vote that it shall be otherwise from today.
Nashville Daily Gazette, February 9, 1861.
9, Election day in Jackson, the first vote on secession
Today the election was held…to decide whether a convention should meet or not & members to the convention should meet or not & members to the convention. The people of this state are much divided, a part unwilling to live longer in this union [sic] with an uninterrupted agitation of the slavery question, a dominant party threatening to exclude them from every inch of the territory belonging…to both. The northern states or several, if not most of them have passed laws annulling [sic] fugitive slave act fugitive slave act. Under this circumstance…the South are excited, restless, consider their equality & safety endangered are not willing to submit, as yet the North are unwilling to move an inch, a portion of the people of Tennessee, and I believe they are in the majority, are willing to wait. They don't say how long.
Robert H. Cartmell Diary.
9, "THE CONVENTION."
To-day the people of Tennessee are deciding whether the State convention shall be held, and who are their choice for delegates to that body. Although at this time nothing definite is known regarding the voice of the State, we have no doubt that the majority in favor of the convention will be very large. The next question which will come up is, whether or not the action of that convention shall be submitted to the people for ratification or rejection; whether the convention, composed as it will be of delegates of every shade of opinion, will be allowed the final disposition of a question involving the destiny of Tennessee, or whether the people after having been furnished with the action of that body, shall be permitted to either approve or disapprove those actions at the ballot box. The Nashville Union, in an article on this subject, while acknowledging that submitting the action of the convention to the pole would be expedient under certain circumstances, seems to take the position that the submission is not absolutely necessary. After expressing the opinion that "should a war be raging in our midst – a contingency by no means improbable – it might be the part of wisdom, prudence and safety that the action of the convention should be definite, prompt and decided. Under other circumstances however," continues the Union, "especially if the sentiments of the people should prove by the ensuing election, to be at all doubtful, it is due to the people that they should have an opportunity of speaking their voices, at the ballot box, in an unmistakable manner."
The legislature which convened for the purpose of providing for a State convention did not feel authorized to even call that convention without submitting their action to a vote of the people. Certainly, if it were necessary for the people to decide by ballot whether the convention should be held, it is doubly imperative that the deliberations of the delegates be submitted to those who elected them. Even in the event of a war – be it a "contingency by no means improbable" – we hold that the people have as much right to decide for themselves as in any other contingency. The ballot box is the only medium through which the people – the whole people – can speak in a manner not to be misunderstood, and through that medium will they claim their right to be heard. Tennessee shall neither be compelled by a convention to remain in the Union nor to leave it for a Southern confederacy. Her people are freemen and, en masse, will decide for themselves at the polls.
Memphis Argus, February 9, 1861.
Special Election - - February 9, 1861[2]
EAST TENNESSEE MIDDLE TENNESSEE WEST TENNESSEE
Convention | No Convention | | Convention | No Convention | | Convention | | | | |
Anderson 137 | 1077 | | | Bedford 828 | 1656 | | | Benton 621 | 296 | |
Bledsoe 190 | 630 | | | Cannon | 301 | 1038 | | | Carrol 678 1495 | |
Blount 450 | 1552 | | | Coffee 613 | 698 | | | Decatur 251 | 514 | |
Bradley 242 | 1443 | | | Davidson 2525 | 3083 | | | Dyer 876 | 163 | |
Campbell 71 | 870 | | | DeKalb 336 | 1009 | | | Fayette 1521 | 19 | |
Carter 55 | 1055 | | | Dickson 499 | 490 | | | Gibson 2227 | 533 | |
Claiborne 95 | 1030 | | | Fentress 334 | 325 | | | Hardeman1694 30 | | |
Cocke 192 | 1332 | | | Franklin 1240 | 206 | | | Haywood 918 | 544 | |
Grainger 158 1675 | | | Giles | 1531 550 | | | Henderson 619 | 1105 | | |
Greene | 357 | 2648 | | | Grundy 393 | 58 | | | Henry | 1334 776 |
Hamilton 445 | 1445 | | | Hardin | 395 | 791 | | | Lauderdale 407 | 65 |
Hancock 100 | 746 | | | Hickman 765 | 298 | | | McNairy 811 916 | | |
Hawkins 422 | 1738 | | | Humphreys 385 327 | | | Madison 1757 86 | | | |
Jefferson 250 | 1999 | | | Jackson 169 2012 | | | Obion 1072 328 | | | |
Johnson 38 | 631 | | | Lawrence 692 351 | | | Perry 382 | 232 | | |
Knox 394 | 3167 | | | Lewis 192 | 84 | | | Shelby | 5699 | 197 |
McMinn 439 | 1457 | | | Lincoln | 1863 815 | | | Tipton | 700 | 147 |
Marion 108 751 | | | Macon 73 960 | | | Weakley 1472 | 483 | | | |
Meigs | 338 | 323 | | | Marshall 1186 481 | | | | 23039 7029 | |
Monroe 723 | 970 | | | Maury | 2145 628 | | | | | |
Morgan 13 | 488 | | | Montgomery 1611 389 | | | | | | |
Polk 335 | 389 | | | Overton 563 | 863 | | | | | |
Rhea 79 | 573 | | | Robertson 1621 332 | | | | | | |
Roane 67 1595 | | | Rutherford 1003 1529 | | | | | | | |
Scott 29 | 385 | | | Smith 303 1829 | | | | | | |
Sequatchie 50 | 229 | | | Stewart 997 | 96 | | | STATE TOTALS | | |
Sevier 69 | 1243 | | | Van Buren 103 | 142 | | | | | |
Sullivan 1180 | 734 | | | Warren | 821 | 452 | | | No Convention: 69,681 | |
Washington 891 1353 | | | Wayne 255 | 737 | | | | | | |
| | | | | White 673 976 | | | Convention: 57,798 | | |
| 7917 33528 | | | Williamson 430 1684 | | | | | | |
| | | | | Wilson 462 2565 | | | | | |
| | | | | | 26842 28224 | | | | |
9, Brigadier-General Gideon J. Pillow pledges "Liberty or death" in defense of Fort Donelson
SPECIAL ORDERS, No. 1. HDQRS., Dover, Tenn., February 9, 1862.
Brig.-Gen. Pillow assumes command of the forces at this place. He relies with confidence upon the courage and fidelity of the brave officers and men under his command to maintain the post. Drive back the ruthless invader from our soil again raise the Confederate flag over Fort Henry. He expects every man to do his duty. With God's help we will accomplish our purpose. Our battle cry, "Liberty or death."[3]
By order of Brig.-Gen. Pillow:
GUS. A. HENRY, JR., Assistant Adjutant-Gen.
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 7, pp. 867-868.
9, Amphibious assault on Confederate camp of instruction near Savannah [See February 6-10, Pursuit of Confederate steamers by U. S. N. above
9, Unlawful Assemblages Ordinance in Confederate Memphis
Be it ordained, &c.
That hereafter all balls parties and other collections of persons for amusement in and about any notorious house of ill-fame within the Corporation of Memphis shall be unlawful and each & every person being found and arrested as a participant in such balls parties of other collections of persons shall be adjudged guilty of a misdemeanor and fined not less than five nor more than twenty five Dollars in the discretion of the Recorder. And it is hereby made the duty of the Chief of Police to see that all such assemblages are suppressed and the guilty parties arrested and brought before the Recorder.
Memphis City Council Meeting Minutes for February 9, 1862.
9, "I had quite an adventure night before last…." An excerpt from Sergeant George S. Sinclair's February 11, 1863 letter to his wife, relative to picket duty in the Murfreesboro environs
* * * *
I had quite an adventure night before last on picket duty which gives me great reason to thank my God [sic] for his great goodness and protection to me so great a sinner. The case was this, we were out on picket…[at our] outposts with five men and a sergeant in them which are relieved from there every two hours from the reserve then the outpost men go out onto the sentinel beats and stay until they are relieved by the next outpost. Well, I had gone out onto the outpost with my five men about forty rods from the reserve and send those that were there out to the sentinel beats giving them the counter sign, the sentinel were still out forty rods from the outposts and placed about eighty feet apart. When I started out it was 7 o'clock, dark as pitch and after I had been there about half an hour, I thought that I would go out and find the exact position of the sentinels and go the rounds which it is my duty as a sergeant to do once in the two hours to see that everything is all right on the lines. So I at about half past seven started from the outpost not knowing the position of the sentinels but trusted to their attention to business to stop me on the line then I could stride the line and go around. The dough headed fools didn't hear me and I walking in an old cornfield stepping on and breaking stalks making enough noise to awake the dead, but the sentinels or one nearest to whose post I passed did not had me so I passed on out of the lines into sessesia [sic] until I knew that no picket lines were ever established soon far out. So I then turned back keeping the same path that I went out and the first intimation that I had of anything was the flash and report of a gun within twenty feet of me right in my face, but than the Lord that the damned fool was so badly scared or I should have been nor more. I realized my situation at once and fearing that there might be another man with the first, sung out what the hell he was firing at me for that I was sergeant of the guard and told him that I would give him hell for it and then sung out ["] don't come her or I will shoot again.["] At that I knew his voice and that there was but one on a beat so I run [sic] right into him bayonet first. He was so frightened that he did not recognize me then and that he belonged to the next company to us and knew me quite well on any other occasion. He still continued to thrust his bayonet at me but I locked that with mine and run my hand in on the barrel of my gun and grabbed him by the neck with my right hand and used him none of the easiest I can tell you and jerked him along into the reserve and put him under guard.
The poor devil was so scared that by morning I had made up my mind to forgive and forget it thinking myself very fortunate in getting off without a scratch. But the poor fool reminded me that I must not call him such hard names another time like that in a threatening tone as if he had the perfect right to shoot me when he pleased and me to say nothing about it. I had ought [sic] to put a ball or my bayonet through him on the spot when he threatened to shoot the second time. His remarks rather riled me and right in the presence of his and my captain. I gave him a few belts in the face to teach him manners. HE was very reasonable after that. Without joking it was no laughing affair to have a man shoot at you even in the dark at a length of two rods for that was the distance exactly. I fully acknowledge to whom I owe my preservation.
* * * *
George G. Sinclair
Sinclair Correspondence
9, "Cavalry are scouting all over the country, stealing money, clothes, foraging, pressing horses and capturing 'Secesh' soldiers."
I have been visiting all day, ought to mark it a day lost. A Federal force is at Franklin. Cavalry are scouting all over the country, stealing money, clothes, foraging, pressing horses and capturing "Secesh" soldiers.
I am fearful Robert will be taken prisoner. Not a dog barks but what I think, "The Yankees" are coming.
Oh! when will it end? I told Mag tonight I felt as if I should go crazy.
Oh! that we could conquer a peace.
I almost doubt the efficiency of a republican form of government. Ours has not yet lasted a century.
It is humiliating to reflect upon our glorious past and then compare it with the present.
Oh! For a Washington, a Jefferson, a Hamilton or a Jackson or some such mighty spirits to guide us aright and bring an end to this devastating war. At times I proudly imagine Jeff Davis our talented forbearing President in the man. God grant he may be. My thoughts are confused. Have lost all command of diction, can scarcely clothe my thoughts in the most ordinary language. This is the principle reason for my writing. To try to improve myself in composition [sic]. I wonder if I could compose a passable letter now.
I read but it makes but little impress [sic] upon my memory. In an hour after I close my book I can but with a mental effort quote a sentence. Often while sewing I endeavor to quote from memory and frequently have to get the book and re-peruse it. It alarms me. Yet what can I do? Resolutions and plans avail me not. Having no room of my own, my reading is done in the family room except at night after they retire, I read and study or try to. Frequently my eye is upon the page, my thoughts are far away lingering upon some recent bloody field or with my soldier friends.
The faces of the loved and dead come up before me. Every shadow seems a spirit and the low sighing wind seems a whisper of lips not closed forever. They are with me in dreams. I feel the clasp of loved hands, meet again eyes beaming with love.
Passionate, burning words fall upon my ear, words that I once heeded not. With a stark I awoke. Wretched, oh so desolate. Yet I make my own desolation and they say broke the truest heart that ever loved woman. I will not believe it, dare not believe. It is only the beautiful that can wound like that. No one ever called me handsome.
He acted wrong, so did I. Why? I write this I know not. Am always remembering it, always feeling a presence and a shadow even in my gayest hour.
I fear it is morbid. I never thought even after mature reflection that I cared for him more than a brother. If I did not, why? this eternal consciousness of an unseen presence [sic].
If H. could only come home, I would cease to feel so. Oh, that he would, but is he alive? I know not even that. Randolph when in agony of despair he exclaimed, "Alone, all alone." Expresses what I often feel, even with a loving brother and sister.
They do not understand me. But one never did. Alas! That one of all others.
I will perhaps tear this out tomorrow. I write as a relief. I never talk thus – never.
Diary of Mary L. Pearre
9, Affair near Moscow
FEBRUARY 9, 1863.-Affair near Moscow, Tenn.
Report of Lieut. Col. Seth C. Earl, Fifty-third Illinois Infantry.
HDQRS. FIFTY-THIRD ILLINOIS VOLUNTEERS,
Moscow, Tenn., February 9, 1863.
SIR: I have delayed making any report of the attack on our pickets until now. Acting Lieut. M. Dare, of Company E, who was in command of the men, being one of the wounded, has not been in a condition, on account of his wound, to make any report until a few moments ago, and the other reports being so indefinite that I did not consider them reliable enough to base a report on. At the same time they all went to convince me that it was neither an attack of the enemy's pickets nor even a guerrilla party, but probably some offended citizens chasing in or looking after some stragglers.
I find, however, on inquiring of the officer in command of the pickets, that as he was going from the reserve post to the advanced picket, he heard some one command "halt," and saw two mounted men coming toward him, one of them having on blue coat. He saw no arms, and thought that they were some of our men who had been out scouting around the country. He heard them tell the pickets to hold up their hands, when, seeing they were rebels, he commanded his men to fire, but not having their guns loaded could not, but were fired on by the two horsemen, wounding, as I said before, Acting Lieut. M. Dare, of Company E, and Private John Stingly, of the same company. The two horsemen then turned and ran.
The lieutenant in command says his guns were not loaded at the time as he had been instructed by different officers of the day to load his pieces at night. The men at the reserve post, hearing the noise, advanced and fired several times, The man who was wounded says he is confident one of the men who fired on them was a negro. The strength of that picket post is 1 commissioned officer, 2 non-commissioned, and 15 privates, 2 being on the outpost.
Very respectfully, yours,
S. C. EARL, Lieut.-Col., Cmdg.
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 24, pt. I, pp. 340-341.
9, Federal reaction to reports of Confederate conscript sweeps and marauding on both sides of the Obion River
COLUMBUS, February 9, 1863.
[Col. JOHN A. RAWLINS,] Assistant Adjutant-Gen., Department of Tennessee:
Reports from Union City, Fort Pillow, and Island No. 10 are concurrent in placing an organized force of about 1,000 rebels, with some artillery, on both sides of the Obion River, under command of Col.'s Richardson and [W. A.] Dawson, constantly making excursions, marauding the country, and conscripting for the rebel army. As the Obion River is navigable at present to a point above Dyersburg, I am anxious to enter it with a gunboat, and, in co-operation with the garrisons of Island No. 10, Union City, and Fort Pillow, to break up and capture these lawless bands, this being the only way to penetrate into the heart of the country occupied by these rebels. I would request orders for the co-operation of two gunboats.
ASBOTH, Brig.-Gen.
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 23, pt. II, p. 66.
9". …we had a skirmish with the Rebels for about five or six hours but none of our regiment was hurt" Foraging and skirmish with Confederates in Liberty environs
Camp Standly [sic], near Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Feb. 9th, l863
Dear Wife:
I have not much to write this time as I have given you the particulars of our great battle and the skirmish where I was slightly wounded and my horse was shot with a buckshot but has got well of that. My back is nearly well so that it does not hurt me to do duty, and day before yesterday we went out with a forage train and when we went out nine miles, we had a skirmish with the Rebels for about five or six hours [emphasis added] but none of our regiment was hurt. But one of the 7th Penn. boys was wounded in the thigh, and a ball struck the ground about twelve feet in front of me and glanced and struck my horse inside of the foreleg, but the ball was so near spent that it did not hurt him much, and he will soon be well of that shot.
We are on duty every other day, either go out after forage or else we are on picket. We are on picket today and I am sitting on my over coat and leaning against an oak sapling in the woods three miles from Murfreesboro on the Liberty Road (Pike). We live well here at present when we go out after forage, that is corn and fodder, we take what we can get, hams, chickens, turkeys, sweet potatoes and everything that is good to eat. Besides the rations that we draw, our mess has now about 100 lbs. of meat and about 25 lbs. coffee but we use our sugar as fast as we drew it. Some of our mess would use up more than their share so we divide it and I can save a good bit. Every little while I can trade it for milk or butter. While we laid at Nashville, I used to trade it for pies….
George Kryder Papers[4]
9-10, A visit from General and Mrs. John Hunt Morgan and planning for another ball in McMinnville
On Monday evening [9th] Gen. Morgan and his wife call [sic] on us. Gen. M. is a tall rather fine looking man, high forehead, very fine teeth--a staid and sober expression but very agreeable--and he is exceedingly courteous but not courtly--very polite tho' [sic] not polished. Mrs. Morgan reminded me that evening of Ellen Harrison--Her side face [sic] is like Ellen's. Her manner is that of Narcisic Saunders-- a good deal of manners. I like Mrs. Morgan much--she is not very brilliant--not quick to take up a joke or see into s[ome] witticism; but when she does see she appears to enjoy it. She had gone to the hospital a day or two previous and was speaking to "Stenil" who was ill there about the money that they had made at the concert.[5] He inquired what was to be done with it--she said she did not know certainly--it would be used for the benefit of the men. "Well" said he, "I would request that it be applied to the general washing [sic] of the command." Mrs. M. it is said did not see the point until sometime afterwards--she took him in earnest and that was the funniest of all, because certain it is that a good wash would do most of the more good than anything else!...Morgan's costume on this evening was blue cloth pants and round about--with plenty of "brass button" [sic] and immense shiny cavalry boots and spurs--black felt hat turned up at the side with a star. They came on horseback--Mrs. M. had on a black riding habit, hat and veil. Capt. Marenis was here when they came--he came to get me to "lead off" a committee of lady managers of a ball to be given by some of the officers to Mr. & Mrs. "John Hamilton"[6] on Friday the 13th. I would not consent to lead off but expressed a willingness to assist any other ladies who might wish to form a committee. Marenis said he came to me as it was known I did not belong to any of the "cliques" of the place. "No" I said, "I didn't not and never intended to." Next morning [10th] Mag Rankin wrote for us to come to Mrs. Read's to a meeting of ladies and we went. Mrs. Read, Mrs. Waters, and myself were all the committee present. I wrote out an invitation list of the ladies and some of the married folks--which was all we could do then. Mollie and I went down town--soon Mrs. Marbury and Mrs. Read came after us and we went back to Maj. Rowan's. Here we concluded not to place our names upon the invitation cards--which was a great relief to me.
War Journal of Lucy Virginia French, entry for February 15, 1863.
9, Skirmish in Hardin County
No circumstantial reports filed.
9, Disease in Knoxville. An Excerpt from the letters of William Bentley, 104the Ohio Volunteer Infantry
Feb. 9th 1864
~ ~ ~
There are still a few cases of small pox in the city – but confined mostly to the citizens. For my part, I don't feel much afraid of the disease. I have been vaccinated twice since we came to Tenn….
Bentley Letters.
9, Skirmish near Memphis
FEBRUARY 9, 1865.-Skirmish near Memphis, Tenn.
Report of Lieut. Col. Hugh Cameron, Second Arkansas Cavalry (Union), commanding Fourth Brigade, Cavalry Division, District of West Tennessee.
HDQRS. FOURTH BRIGADE, CAVALRY DIVISION, February 9, 1865.
COL.: I have the honor to report that the escort having charge of the wood train from this brigade was attacked this morning at 8 o'clock about the time it arrived in the wood-yard one and one-quarter miles outside the pickets by a party of rebels believed to be seventy-five in number. The escort comprised seventeen mounted Second Arkansas Cavalry, twelve dismounted Second Missouri Cavalry, and eleven dismounted First Iowa Cavalry, making forty men, commanded by Second Lieut. Laban N. Garrett, Company A, Second Arkansas Cavalry. At 8.30 o'clock I received information by messenger that the escort had been driven back and the train captured. I at once sent messengers to division headquarters with the information and for orders and immediately ordered out all the cavalry of the brigade. My messengers, returning, met me near the Carr avenue picket about 9 o'clock, bringing orders for me to pursue the rebels some distance beyond where the train was captured. I pushed forward as fast as possible ten miles on the rebel trail, but did not overtake any of any of the party. Had my men been mounted on serviceable horses I might have overtaken and severely chastised them. The trail was through the woods in the direction of Hernando, as I followed it. Doctor Raines, living about one mile west of the Hernando road and ten miles from the City of Memphis, informed me that the rebel force passed his house on the way to the wood-yard at 4 a. m. and returned with the captured mules at 9.15 a. m. in a hurry; that they divided just before they reached his place, thirty-five or forty passing his house, and the remainder turning to the right and making for a skirt of timber southeest of his house, though which the Mississippi and Tennessee Railroad passes.
I abandoned pursuit, satisfied that I could accomplish nothing with my broken-down horses, and determined to return. Dividing my detachment of sixty-six men, I ordered Capt. O'Brien back over the road we came with thirty-three men, and with the remainder I returned by the Hernando road. On reaching the Hernando road I captured Doctor Gabbert, who said he lived in the vicinity of Hernando, and supposing that he might give important information I brought him along. I have turned him and the property captured with him over to the provost marshal. A negro moving his family to Memphis told me that he passed a rebel force having a large of mules with them about twelve miles from Hernando; he supposed about 11 o'clock . In the encounter at the wood-yard our casualties were 1 sergeant, Second Arkansas Cavalry killed; 1 man, Second Missouri Cavalry, mortally wounded, and 3 slightly; 1 man, of the first Iowa Cavalry, severely wounded; 1 man, of the Second Missouri Cavalry, prisoner; also 5 teamsters, Second Arkansas Cavalry, prisoners. Loss of property, 111 U. S. mules in harness. Rebel casualties, as far as ascertained, 1 man killed, from whose person was taken, it is reported, a cotton pass dated February 8, 1865, and a letter containing valuable information. I have delayed this report, expecting to be able to get said cotton pass and letter and forward them with it, but have failed. I have placed the lieutenant commanding the escort in arrest for neglecting to take possession of said papers, and have no doubt that he deserves to be punished for carelessness and inefficiency; for the result of his operations in the woodyard, it seems to me, proves him to be both careless and inefficient.
I have the honor to be, colonel, respectfully, your obedient servant,
HUGH CAMERON, Lieut. Col. Second Arkansas Cavalry, Cmdg. Fourth Brigade.
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 49, pt. I, pp. 37-38.
[1] Robert H. White, Messages of the Governors of Tennessee, 1857-1869, Vol. 5, (Nashville: Tennessee Historical Commission, 1959), p. 272. [Hereinafter: Messages of the Governors of Tennessee.]
[2] Referendum on the Secession Convention of the State of Tennessee, and the Election of Delegates Microfilm of Record Group 87 Election Returns., TSL&A.
[3] Pillow was one of the first to evacuate Fort Pillow after ut fell to Union forces. So much for his gascondading,.
[4] Center for Archival Collections, George Kryder Papers, Transcripts, MS 163: http://www.bgsu.edu/colleges/library/cac/transcripts.
[5] See February 7, 1862, "A night at the McMinnville opera" above.
[6] Not identified.
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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