USA > Alabama > Memorial record of Alabama. A concise account of the state's political, military, professional and industrial progress, together with the personal memoirs of many of its people. Volume I > Part 16
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The Tenth Confederate regiment of cavalry was organized at Murfrees- boro by the union of the battalions of Goode and Slaughter, the latter being the cavalry of Hilliard's legion, which had been in the Kentucky campaign. It lost heavily at Monticello and at Jimtown. At Chicka- mauga, it fought under Forrest with severe loss; and it fought in Kelly's division at Resaca, New Hope, and throuhougt the Dalton-Atlanta cam- paign. It took part in Wheeler's last raid, moving as far as Saltville, Va .; returned to Hood's assistance and fought at Bentonville. Several of its companies were from Georgia.
The Fifteenth Confederate regiment was organized in the spring of 1864, remained in the vicinity of Mobile till the fall, and then moved into
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Louisiana and was engaged in the brilliant affair at Tunica. It disbanded at the time of the surrender. Half its men were from Florida.
The First Confederate battalion comprised three Alabama companies and three others from Florida, Georgia and Tennessee. It fought at Corinth and at Baker's Creek. Part of it was captured at Vicksburg; the remainder fought at Jackson. It was sent to Virignia and was engaged at the Wilderness, second Cold Harbor and in the trenches of Petersburg. It was captured at Hatcher's Run, April 2, 1865. Lieut. - Col. George Hoke Forney of this regiment was killed at the battle of the Wilderness. Capt. Mike Donahue was killed at Weldon railroad.
ALABAMA'S ARTILLERY.
The First Alabama battalion of artillery was organized at Fort Morgan, February, 1861, and was recruited at Mobile, Montgomery, Selma, and Eufaula as part of the "Army of Alabama." It attained such a high grade of discipline that the Federal general, Granger, pronounced it the most perfect body of either army. Detachments from it manned the heavy artillery at Fort Gaines and Fort Powell, and handled the guns during the terrific bombardment of Fort Morgan, losing about 150 killed and wounded. Its first lieutenant-colonel, R. C. Forsyth, resigned, and was succeeded by Gen. Tucker, who soon after died in the service. Gen. Tucker was a graduate of West Point and had served with distinc- tion in Mexico. He was a major in the battalion, but his commssion as major-general arrived a few days after his death. Capt. William Walker of Mobile also died in the service.
Ketchum's-Garrity's battery was organized in Mobile in May, 1861, and was composed of officers and men from that county. It remained at Pensacola for some time. It was in the battle of Shiloh and was then attached to Ruggle's birgade, and was engaged at Farmington, Mumford- ville, Perryville and Wildcat Gap. It lost heavily at Murfreesboro and again at Mission Ridge. It intercepted Sherman frequently on his way to Atlanta, and fought at Franklin, Nashville and Spanish Fort. Capt. David Bond was killed at Jonesboro, and Capt. Maynard Hassell at Atlanta.
The Jeff. Davis artillery was organized in May, 1861, at Selma, and went during the following month with eight guns into Virignia, where it was attached to Early's brigade. It was engaged at Seven Pines, at Cold Harbor, Boonesboro and Sharpsburg, manned the crest at Fredericksburg and fought with Jackson's corps at Chancellorsville. It was in several skirmishes and in the battle of the Wilderness, but at Spottsylvania the battery was charged and half the command captured and not exchanged. The others served with a battery in Carter's artil- lery regiment during the remainder of the war.
Hardaway's battery was recruited in north Alabama, and was equipped at the expense of its first captain, Robert A. Hardaway of Macon. It
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reached Virginia in June, 1861, and remained at Manassas until the fol- lowing March. It thenceforth served with the army of northern Virginia, and fought at Seven Pines, Mechanicsville, Cold Harbor, Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, and numerous other conflicts, great and small. Its captain was promoted to the rank of colonel of artillery. He was a brave and efficient officer. Some of his guns were the last fired by the Confederates on the field of Appomattox.
Waters' battery was organized at Mobile in October, 1861, and remained - in the defenses of the city until the following spring, when it moved to Corinth. It was in the battles of Mumfordville, Perryville, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga and Mission Ridge; and at the last named half its forces were captured. The other half served in Tennessee and Kentucky bat- teries until the end of the war.
Gage's battery was also organized at Mobile, October, 1861, and was composed chiefly of citizens of Mobile. It was sent to Tennessee, where it suffered severely at Shiloh, and then returned to Mobile, where it re- mained until the city was evacuated. It was surrendeed with the depart- ment at Meridian.
Waddell's battery was organized February, 1862, by men taken from the Sixth Alabama. Equipped with six guns, it was in the Kentucky campaign and went to Mississippi with Stevenson's division and suffered severely at Baker's Creek. It was captured there, and upon being ex- changed was divided into Emery's battery and Bellamy's battery. These were ordered to Dalton, went through the campaign of 1864, and then opposed Wilson at Girard, where the men were either captured or dis- persed. Capt. Alonzo O'Neal was killed at Marietta.
Selden's-Lovelace's battery was organized at Uniontown in 1862. After remaining a short time at Columbus, the battery went to Mobile and remained there nearly two years. It. was engaged at Resaca, Cassville, Kennesaw, New Hope, and Peach Tree Creek, and at the latter place was complimented on the field by Gen. Reynolds. It lost heavily at Jonesboro and at Nashville, and surrendered at Meridian.
The Eufaula light artillery was composed of about 262 men from Bar- bour and adjacent counties, and was organized at Eufaula, February, 1862. It served with the army of Tennessee in its campaigns, and finally surrendered at Meridian. Capt. M. D. Oliver was killed at Atlanta.
Sengstak's-Barrett's battery was organized at Mobile, December, 1861, remained there for a time, and was then sent to Columbus, Miss. It was engaged at Corinth and - Hatchee, and was in the siege of Vicksburg, where it was captured. It was, upon being exchanged, consolidated with Barrett's Missouri battery, and served through the Dalton-Atlanta cam- paign. It took part in the battle of Girard, and all its guns with most of its men were there captured.
Fowler's-Phelan's battery was organized at Tuscaloosa, January, 1862. It served at Mobile for a year and then joined the main army at Tullahoma
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and lost heavily at the battle of Chickamauga. It served almost daily on the retreat from Dalton, went with Hood into Tennessee, and was then stationed at Mobile until the close of the war, when it surrendered.
Andrew's-Lee's battery was organized at Norfolk in January, 1862. It was on garrison duty on the coast of North Carolina, assisted in the capture of Plymouth, blew up Fort Branch, and tried to join Gen. John- ston. It disbanded at Ridgeway, N. C., April, 1862.
Haynie's battery was organized at Mobile, October, 1861, and remained there for several months. It was sent to Columbus, and fought at Cor- inth. It was present at the siege of Vicksburg where it suffered severely and was captured. After being exchanged it served in the defenses of Mobile until the close of the war.
Charpentier's battery was from Mobile, where it was organized in Oc- tober, 1861. It remained there until June, 1863, when it proceeded to Mississippi and fought at Jackson. It was in the first part of the Dalton- Atlanta campaign. It then joined Gen. Forrest as flying artillery, fought at Rome and participated in the defense of Selma, where it was captured.
Lumsden's battery was organized at Tuscaloosa, and reported for duty at Mobile in November, 1861. Stationed at Fort Gaines till after the bat- tle of Shiloh, it relieved Gage's battery at Tupelo. It skirmished at Farmington, Perryville and Chickamauga. It moved from Dalton to Atlanta and afterward into Tennessee, where it was overwhelmed at Nashville, losing its guns. It was then placed in Spanish Fort, where it suffered some loss, and, moving up to Marion, Miss., was surrendered.
Semple's battery was organized at Montgomery, March, 1862, was ordered at first to Mobile and afterward joined the army of Tennessee. It marched into Kentucky, and was engaged in the battles of Perryville, Murfreesboro, Dug Gap, Chickamauga, Mission Ridge and Ringgold Gap. It lost heavily at Resaca, Atlanta and Jonesboro. Its guns opened the battle of Franklin, but its loss there and at Nashville was inconsiderable. Being ordered to North Carolina, it surrendered at Augusta. Capt. E. G. McClellan was killed at Resaca, and Capt. Joseph Pollard at Murfrees- boro.
Kolb's battery consisted of one company of the artillery battalion of Hilliard's legion, and was originally organized at Eufaula as the "Barbour Light Artillery." It was for some time in Kentucky and east Tennessee, sharing the fortunes of the army of Tennessee, and fought at Chicka- mauga; it also took part in the Dalton-Atlanta campaign, and the subse- quent movements in Tennessee. It surrendered finally at Augusta, Ga.
Tarrant's battery was from the western counties and was organized in June, 1863. It remained for some months at Pollard and then joined the army at Dalton. It fought at Resaca, Cassville, Lost Mountain, New Hope. Kennesaw, Peach Tree and Atlanta. At Nashville part of the battery was captured, and so many men and horses were killed that the
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guns had to be abandoned. It was ordered to Blakely, where it was finally surrendered after taking a heroic part in the defense.
Clanton's battery was organized at Pine Level, June, 1863, and was attached to Gen. Clanton's brigade. It was for a time at Pollard and Mobile, then in northeast Alabama and Georgia. Part of it was in a fight at Rome, and it fought at Girard's, where the guns were captured and the men soon after surrendered.
There were several other companies of Alabamians scattered through the Confederate troops. There were two companies of mounted men from Alabama in the "Jeff. Davis Legion," which served in Virginia throughout the war; two Alabama companies in a regiment recruited in Mississippi by Gen. Wirt Adams; three or four companies in Georgia and Tennessee regiments; a number of Alabamians in Maj. Pelham's battery and in the batteries of Capt. Ferrell of Georgia, Capt. Dent of Barbour and Capt. Thrall of Forrest's corps; there were also several regiments of reserves or militia organized toward the close of the war, some of them engaged at Montevallo with Wilson, and some of them assembled at Mobile. The greater part of the fighting done by Alabama troops, with the exception of the Mobile campaign and the defense of north Alabama, was outside of their own state.
REVIEW OF THE CIVIL WAR IN ALABAMA.
Early in 1862, Tennessee was occupied by Federal troops, and the northern counties of Alabama were harassed by continuous raids. Hunts- ville was occupied by Gen. Mitchell and Col. Turchin in April of that year. Indignities of all kinds were heaped upon the defenseless citizens until Mitchell was replaced by Gen. Buell, a more humane and generous commander. In August the Federals were driven back by Bragg's advance into Kentucky. but they returned again as soon as the Confed- erates withdrew to the Chattanooga line.
At Little Bear creek, in Colbert county, near Tuscumbia, a spirited fight, principally with artillery, took place between Gen. Sweeney and Gen. Roddy, in the fall of 1862, causing the invaders to fall back to Corinth. Later on, a more bloody affair occurred at Barton Station, in which Roddy's troops very handsomely repulsed the Federals and drove them back to their stronghold.
April 28, 1863, Gen. Forrest, with less than 4,000 men, met Dodge's column of 8,000, where the railroad crosses Town creek in Lawrence county. Gen. Roddy was then disputing with Dodge the passage at Brown's ferry, when Forrest came to his assistance and the two opposing armies stood at bay on opposite sides of the river all day. Toward even- ing heavy cannonading was heard in the neighborhood; it was the attack of Dibbrell on the Federal works at South Florence, and it diverted the attention of Dodge, who retired, leaving Roddy in possession of the dis- puted ford. Dodge on his retreat destroyed every thing to which the
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torch could be applied, and left the beautiful valley a scene of desolation. The advance of Streight's cavalry on Rome was caught by the quick ear of Forrest. who immediately started in pursuit, leaving Roddy's forces in possession of the ford.
One of the most exciting and brilliant campaigns of the war was this pursuit of Streight by Forrest. The Federal troops were overtaken by the gallant Forrest in the lower part of Morgan county, on the last day of April, 1863. There was a terrible fight of three hours, and the Fed- erals were driven back into Blount county, leaving behind them fifty dead or wounded, a piece of artillery they had previously captured, and thirty wagons. The pursuit was renewed, and for miles the ground was strewn with castaway booty and baggage. Until 2 o'clock, the Confed- . erates kept like sleuth-hounds upon the heels of the flying enemy, who made one or two desperate stands, but were unable to check the retreat of their demoralized forces.
Forrest bivouacked until daylight, then rushed again after the enemy. At Blountsville, Streight transferred his baggage to pack animals. set fire to the wagons and took the Gadsden road. Forrest reached the spot at eleven, saved much of the abandoned stores, and hurried on. A run- ning fight occurred, and the Federals crossed the rocky ford of the Black Warrior, losing several men and a number of pack-mules. Forrest's men rested a few hours and then pressed on toward Etowah county. An amusing incident occurred here. Two young girls came into camp lead- ing three horses and driving before them three Federal soldiers, whom they had captured, and whose guns they carried upon their shoulders. They were each presented with a horse, and returned home proud and delighted with their achievement.
Upon reaching Black Creek in Etowah county. Forrest found the bridge destroyed, and while he was searching for a ford, a young girl volun- teered to guide him to it. Her services were accepted, and leaving her in a sheltered position; the general advanced to reconnoiter; but to his dismay she followed. thinking that the fact of her being a woman would protect him from the fire of the enemy. A volley of musketry failing to hit her, she exclaimed: "They have only wounded my dress," and facing the enemy she took off her sunbonnet and waved it around her head. This brave defiance elicited a round of cheers from the enemy, who ceased firing and allowed her to return to a place of safety. At its meet- ing in the following November, the general assembly of the state passed a resolution donating a section of the public lands and a gold medal to this young lady, Miss Ella Sansom, in consideration of her public service.
The ford passed, Forrest was once more on the track of Streight. Pursuers and pursued rushed into Cherokee county, resting near Turkey- town on the night of May 2. Gen. Forrest had now only about 500 men, but with this handful he boldly demanded the unconditional surrender of
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the Federals; and by his skillful maneuvers and his commands as to the disposition of numerous bodies of imaginary troops who had apparently come up. his forces were so magnified in the estimation of his opponents that he secured the surrender of Streight's command, numbering 1,466 rank and file, and also captured a detachment of 230 men on their way to attack Rome.
The northern counties of the state were the scene of incessant war- fare, being subjected to continual raids. Marshall county was the scene of many brutal and wanton acts of cruelty. Guntersville was several times shelled without warning and was finally burned. The capture of Clays- ville by Capt. H. F. Smith, of Jackson, was a daring exploit. With sixty-five men he crossed at Gunter's Landing the night of March 8, 1864. Moving up to Claysville, where the Federals were quartered in three houses, he divided his men into three detachments, cut off the pickets without alarm, and forced the surrender of sixty-six men with a large supply of stores and provisions.
Madison county, after the return of the Federals in 1863, was in their possession the greater part of the time, and felt the full burden of the border hostilities. The surrounding country was scoured by hostile parties for forage, the laborers driven off, the citizens absent from their homes, serving in other localities-the fate of its people was a very hard one, and the many gallant deeds and tragic events there enacted would in themselves fill a volume. A brilliant action took place in May, 1864, when the Federal stockade and garrison at Madison station were attacked by Col. Patterson of Morgan county, assisted by Stewart's battalion of 500 men with one piece of artillery. Eighty prisoners and a large quan- tity of provisions were captured and conveyed across the river in the face of a large force of the enemy. The garrison was estimated at about 400 men. but their loss in killed and wounded was not known. Patter- son's loss was seven killed and wounded.
In July, 1864, Gen. Rousseau, with a focre of nearly 2,000 cavalry, left the Tennessee valley and pushed rapidly down the Coosa. He struck the railroad at Loachapoka and destroyed the depots there and at Auburn and Opelika, tearing up about twenty-five miles of track in Lee and Macon counties, but was driven out by a detachment of state reserves. principally youths, and a number of citizens.
Limestone county also suffered much under the odious rule of Col. Turchin. Here, in 1864, Forrest performed a feat similar to the capture of Streight's forces near Rome. With 3,000 men, he forded the river at Colbert's Ferry and was joined by 1,500 of Roddy's force. About sunset, September 23, he arrived before Athens, which was then occupied by the Federals, and captured their horses and cantonments, driving the troops into a fort. He then demanded of Col. Campbell an immediate surren- der, disposing his own men so as to make them appear at least 10,000 strong. He secured the fortress and 1.400 prisoners, defeated a detach-
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ment which had come to their relief, destroyed all the Federal posts in the vicinity, and on the 25th took Sulphur Trestle, capturing 820 men, 350 horses, two pieces of artillery and twenty loaded wagons.
In the early days of the Confederacy the city of Mobile, which was by far the most important in the state, having a population of 30,000, and a large and prosperous commerce, was put in a state of defense; and so well were the fortifications planned that Gen. Joseph E. Johnston con- sidered it one of the best fortified cities of the south. The first continu- ous line of earthworks surrounding the place was made, in 1862, by Capt. . Lieurner, about three miles out from the business streets and on elevated ground. In 1863 Gen. Leadbetter completed a second line of works nearer to the city, including sixteen strong forts. Another line was constructed between these two, in 1864, by Lieut .- Col. V. Sheliha, including nineteen heavy bastioned forts and eight redoubts.
Below the city ten batteries were erected to sweep the channel, two of them floating. Rows of piles obstructed the channel, with an opening here and there commanded by heavy guns. On the eastern shore, bay vessels could pass up the Apalachee and come round through the Tensas, but this route was protected by Batteries Huger and Tracy, and torpe- does were placed in different parts of the bay.
A line of defenses, known as Spanish Fort, protected the bay shore further down seven miles due east of Mobile, and this was the most im- portant of the nearer approaches to the city. But the principal barriers against attack by water until the summer of 1864 were Forts Morgan and Gaines, and the entrance of the bay, four miles apart. These were taken possession of by Gov. Moore as early as January, 1861. Fort Gaines was under the command of Col. Anderson, and Fort Morgan under Gen. Page. The ram Tennessee, and the gunboats Gaines, Morgan, Selma and others, contributed to the defense of the entrance to the bay.
Early in 1864, Farragut was ordered to resume command of the west- ern gulf squadron. He did so, and arrived off Mobile bay. January 18. 1864. It was proposed to support the navy by land forces; and Gen. Banks was ordered to concentrate his troop against Mobile, March 31, 1864; but Federal reverses along the Red river prevented the orders being carried into effect. Gen. Canby assumed command of the west Mississippi division, May 11; but still the operations against Mobile were deferred by the successes of the Confederates west of the Mississippi and the demonstrations of Gen. Kirby Smith, who, with upward of 50,000 men, threatened the posts along the Mississippi and Arkansas rivers. Canby was also obliged to send 6,000 of his men, by sea from New Or- leans, to the defense of Washington, which place they reached at a most opportune time for the preservation of the Federal capital. The attack on Mobile was consequently postponed for several months.
August 2, 1864, Gen. Gordon Granger, United States army, arrived off Santa Rosa island with 1,500 men, moved up to Dauphin island, and landed
MILITARY HISTORY OF THE STATE. 141
in spite of the resistance made by the gun-boats and the fort guns. At 6 o'clock, August, 6, fourteen vessels, with the Tecumseh in the lead, steamed toward Fort Morgan. The Tecumseh fired the first shot and was answered by the fort. A few minutes later she struck a torpedo and sank with Craven, her gallant commander, and his crew of 120 men. Ten of these were rescued by Ensign H. C. Nields and a boat's crew from the Metacomet, under a galling fire from the fort. The flag-ship Hartford, in the rigging of which Farragut had taken his position, rushed forward and took the lead. The fort at first appeared like one sheet of flame, and was presently almost obscured by smoke, but the heroic efforts of the garrison were unavailing, and after an hour of intense excitement the fleet entered Mobile bay, where the Confederate gunboats opened fire. The Hartford was instantly attacked by the Tennessee, and all the mon- itors rushed to the defense of the flagship. After two hours' conflict a shot from the Manhattan penetrated the armor of the ram, and a shot from a monitor disabled her steering apparatus; whereupon she was obliged to surrender, with twenty officers and one hundred and seventy men. Admiral Buchanan was seriously wounded, and eight or ten of the crew were killed or wounded. The Selma, with her crew of ninety offi- cers and men, was captured by the Metacomet, but the Morgan and Gaines escaped. The Federal navy lost in this engagement 52 killed and 170 wounded.
The same day, the forces under Gen. Granger mounted their batteries within reach of Fort Gaines, and the monitors commenced shelling the fort. Unable to hold out against such a bombardment Col. Anderson sur- rendered, and 900 prisoners were embarked for New Orleans, the besiegers taking possession of their quarters. On the 9th of August, Granger's command moved down the shore below Fort Morgan, and encamped at two miles' distance. They steadily advanced toward the works, until the be- siegers, protected by embankments of sand, were within 200 yards, with twenty-five cannon and sixteen mortars in position, while the monitors shelled the fort at intervals, their iron sides rendering them invulnerable to the return shots. The Confederate gunboat Gaines, which had taken refuge under the guns of the fort, and all the buildings outside the works. were burned by order of the commander.
At daylight, August 22, a general bombardment commenced. At half- past nine fire broke out in the fort, threatening the whole stock of ammu- nition, upon which the attack was continued with redoubled fury. The garrison worked with undaunted bravery to extinguish the flames. being obliged to throw 90,000 pounds of gunpowder into the cistern. Many of the brave defenders were killed and the interior of the fort was a mass of smouldering ruins when Gen. Page surrendered, on the afternoon of the 23d.
The Federal fleet now had control of the bay, and was enabled to put a stop to bloockade running. The immediate defenses of Mobile were
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increased, while Farragut was endeavoring to have the torpedoes removed from the bay. Had the real condition of the city been known at this time, it could have been easily taken, there being on hand neither troops nor artillery for defense; but a garrison was collected in a few weeks- grimly resolved to resist invasion. In December a demonstration was made against the city by a small force under Granger, but effected nothing.
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