USA > Georgia > Floyd County > Rome > A history of Rome and Floyd County, State of Georgia, United States of America; including numerous incidents of more than local interest, 1540-1922, Volume I > Part 20
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The struggle for food further exemplified the splendid fortitude and spirit of self-sacrifice among the women. It must be remem-
MR. AND MRS. I. D. FORD, a beloved couple of Rome, the parents of the first Mrs. Joseph L. Bass.
bered that the blockade of South- ern ports was almost "water tight," and that the absence from farm and shop of nearly all the younger men curtailed production enormously.
Spinning wheel and loom were recalled to make thread so that socks might be sent the soldiers, and worn at home.
Many of the articles of food that had been abundant were ob- tainable no more, and various sub- stitutes were employed. For cof- fee they used rye, wheat, okra seed, dried apples, sweet potatoees and persimmon seed; the rye and okra seed were simply parched and ground, and sweet potatoes were cut into small pieces, dried and parched.
Salt was so scarce that it was priced the same as sugar in Con- federate money in 1862-$10 a bushel. The salt from meats in smoke houses was used. This was obtained by wetting smoke house earth, and boiling down the drip- pings until nothing but salt re- mained. Presently this gave out.
Sorghum syrup made a poor substitute for sugar.
People dipped tallow and made candles, or poured hog fat into tin moulds. Wicks were put in first, and when cold, the candles were drawn out.
Dyes for clothing were cop- peras, bark stain and pokeberry extract.
All the leather went into shoes, saddles and pistol holsters for the soldiers. Women's shoe tops were made of coarse duck and dyed black with oil and soot. Shoe strings were made of hard twisted
*In 1863 Dr. Battey had charge of the Bell hospital, and it is presumed this was on Broad between Fourth and Fifth Avenues. He also had charge of the Polk hospital, on the west side of Broad Street between Second and Third Avenues. Polk hospital was moved to Macon. ** According to the war liary of the late Reuben S. Norton, the last hospital was moved from Rome Dec. 8, 1863.
ACTIVITIES OF THE FOLKS AT HOME
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A GROUP WHICH SUGGESTS THE LONG AGO.
At the top is Mrs. T. J. Simmons, for a number of years, with her husband, the head of Shorter College; beside her are Dr. and Mrs. Robt. T. Hoyt; on the left at the bottom is Mrs. W. I. Brookes, then come John Locke Martin, journalist and poet, and Mrs. Mary Eve, of Eve Station.
thread. Squirrel skins made good shoe tops and caps.
Good toilet and laundry soap were "manufactured" from lye extracted from ashes.
For soda, corn cobs were burn- ed into ashes and lye made there- from, and this was mixed with sour milk. Butter bean hulls were used in the same way.
During the autumn, when the sorghum was being ground, peaches, apples, wild grapes and wild cherries furnished the "base" for jams and jellies. The sorg- hum was used as sweetening, and the product after cooking was called preserves.
If the invaders shot down sheep in the pasture, the good woman
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A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY
went to the spot with her shears and got enough wool for socks and stockings.
Serviceable women's hats were fashioned out of corn shucks, and in fact, every product of nature was utilized in some way, and the people learned indelibly just what is necessary to sustain life, and just what contributes to "high life."
The situation was helped with some families when the Northern troops captured the country. "We have the shelter," invited certain householders. "We have the food," responded many of the boys in blue; so those who could not be accommodated in tents moved into homes, and shared their food with the occupants. Cooking was done in common.
When the corn was gathered in the fall of 1864, it constituted the principal article of food. Families lived through the winter on lye hominy, grits and sorghum and what little bread they could find.
Eventually the soldiers left and all semblance of authority col- lapsed. Little food was to be had, and blood-thirsty, plundering van- dals stalked through the prostrat- ed communities, robbing and mur- dering the defenseless inhabitants.
The final surrender in the spring of 1865 brought the men home, and they agreed, that the front was little worse; so all set to work to make something out of little or
nothing. How heroically and well they repaired their broken for- tunes is a story that furnishes one of the most helpful chapters in the history of Dixieland.
Many cases of extreme dan- ger and acute suffering were re- ported from the country districts, where women often stepped into the places of the men in the fields.
"The most novel thing I have seen in some time was a woman plowing yesterday, with a pistol buckled around her," wrote "R.," a Courier correspondent, May 5, 1863, from Bridgeport, Ala .; and he continued :
She is an intelligent woman, and her husband is in the army at Shelby- ville. I asked her why she carried a pistol and she said she knew the thieving disposition of the Federals, and had been dispossessed of every- thing but one horse and corn barely sufficient to make a crop, and she was determined to defend what was left to the last. One of our men, a noble- hearted farmer from Floyd County, was on picket, but being off post at the time, took hold of the plow and assisted her in laying off her corn rows.
Sir, with such women, starvation is out of the question, and subjugation impossible. This woman, with her child sitting in the field, toils away, knowing that justice is God's empire. Let the faint-hearted and effeminate take courage at such examples.
News of Forrest's great victory near Rome has just reached us and dis- appointment is seen in the countenance of every man of this battalion, be- cause we were not permitted to go on and participate in the brilliant af- fair so near our homes.
CHAPTER IV. Streight's Raiders Captured by Forrest
A N INCIDENT of the war which vied in spectacularity with the Andrews' raid was the Hathaway-Streight in- cursion into Alabama and Georgia from Tennessee, in April and May, 1863, and the capture of the com- mand by Forrest's force, less than one-third as large. Indeed, this incident was not surpassed by any similar occurrence during the con- flict, yet we find the historians (especially outside of the South) complacently sleeping on their pens with regard to it.
There were two circumstances which called for proper exploita- tion from the native historians and for a degree of silence elsewhere ; 410 men captured 1,466, and the event developed a hero whose ride in certain respects outstripped the well - sung Paul Revere-soldier, silversmith, electro-engraver and manufacturer of cannon.
John H. Wisdom, stage coach driver and rural mail carrier, warned Rome of the enemy's ap- proach, and Gen. Forrest captured them almost at the city's gates. That was Sunday, May 3, 1863- the first Union troops Romans had seen. Gen. Sherman later com- plimented Forrest with the state- ment that "his cavalry will travel 100 miles while ours travels ten." It had been left to the intrepid Confederate general to demon- strate how a small band could pursue such a superior force through the mountains and over the streams of two states and make them lay down their arms. The feat was accomplished through strategy as well as force. After Forrest had sent in a flag of truce, demanding surrender, Col. Abel D. Streight, of the 51st In- diana Volunteers, asked the terms.
"Unconditional surrender, your officers to retain their side arms and personal effects," was the re- ply. "I have reinforcements and it is useless for you to sacrifice your men."
Forrest met Streight at the meeting place. Streight wanted to argue, and Forrest wanted an an- swer. Capt. Henry Poynter dash- ed up, and Forrest gave him or- ders for the disposition of certain imaginary units of men; the order had previously been given to march the artillery around a hill, then out of sight, and to keep them circling the brow. Streight was so impressed that he capitulated. The place was in Alabama near the Georgia line, about 20 miles below Rome.
From the Tri-Weekly Courier, with dates as indicated, we get other details :
Great Victory-Great Joy !- The Yankees in Rome at last! Sunday morning last opened at half past two o'clock a. m. with an alarm. Mr. John H. Wisdom, of Gadsden, Ala., and a former resident of this city, reached here after riding with hot haste for eleven hours, and gave in- formation, that the enemy were at Gadsden when he left, and were bound for Rome.
Preparations were begun with de- spatch, and by 9 o'clock in the morn- ing our soldiery and citizens were pre- pared to give them a warm reception. Two pieces of artillery were placed in position, commanding the road and the bridge, cotton barricades erected at all the defiles of the city, videttes sent out to watch the enemy's ap- proach. Everything was got in read- iness for determined resistance. Dur- ing the morning several couriers with despatches from Gen. Forrest arrived, urging our commander here to hold them at bay for a few hours if possi- ble, at all hazards. About 2 o'clock another despatch from Gen. Forrest, saying he was fighting them at Gay- lesville, Ala., with an inferior force.
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A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY
About 9 o'clock a. m. a small body of the enemy's advance (about 200) reached the environs of the city, and were actually bold enough to dismount and feed their horses almost in sight of the city. They picked up all the horses and mules in the neighborhood, took some citizens prisoners and re- connoitered the defenses of the city. Learning that we were prepared with artillery, they bivouacked, and seemed to await the arrival of the main body. For some cause they retreated about 3 o'clock down the Alabama road. They were pursued by a small but resolute band of citizens, who were determined that the affair should not end thus.
In the meantime, Gen. Forrest had overtaken the main body near Gayles- ville, and not far this side of Cedar Bluff. After some slight skirmishing, Gen. Forrest demanded a surrender. An interview was held under flag of truce and the terms of surrender agreed upon. The entire Yankee force, consisting of 1,800 men, were made prisoners of war, and as this ineluded the bold adventurers who had looked with insulting eyes upon the church spires of the city, they, too, were turn- ed into disarmed infantry. They were met by Gen. Forrest's advance, about the same time that our citizen cavalry overtook them in the pursuit.
Gen. Forrest arrived in the city with all the Yankee officers and the small body of troops alluded to on Sunday evening about 6 o'clock p. m. The rest of both forces reached here yesterday morning. But mark what remains to be told.
Gen. Forrest accomplished this bold feat with less than 700 men, though the rest of his command were in sup- porting distance. Thus terminated the last Sabbath. Such a jubilee Rome has never experienced! Such raptures over Gen. Forrest and his brave men!
When it is considered what a dar- ing raid the enemy aspired to-what an extensive circuit they contemplated -what irreparable damage they had deliberately planned (being the burn- ing of the bridges on the State road, and the destruction of government property at Round Mountain, Dalton and Rome) it is wonderful how Gen. Forrest has managed to prevent the consummation of their designs. With more than 100 miles the start of him, he nevertheless has pressed them so hard with hot pursuit as to prevent material damage being done; except the destruction of the Round Moun- tain Iron Works in Cherokee County,
Ala., they have done but little dam- age. Gen. Forrest has lost not exceed- ing 20 men in this glorious work. He killed and wounded about 300 of the enemy, among them Col. Hathaway, of Indiana. Col. Streight, of Indiana, was commanding the Federal forces.
Heavy reinforcements arrived here yesterday at noon from Atlanta, but owing to the peculiar nature of exist- ing circumstances, they will have noth- ing to do but guard duty .- Tuesday morning, May 5, 1863.
The Greatest Cavalry Achievement of the War-We had hoped to have been able to furnish our readers with the full particulars of the brilliant and successful achievement of Gen. For- rest in this issue of our paper, but our own business engagements and the constant occupation of the General with his official duties have rendered it impossible for us to obtain all the facts necessary for the preparation of such an article. Our readers may ex- pect a full history in our next issue, and until we can give a full and suc- cinet account of this brilliant cam- paign and glorious victory, we will refrain from further comment .- May 7, 1863.
Picnic to Gen. Forrest and His Brave Men on Saturday Next -- Con- tributions expected from all the citi- zens of the county who feel able and willing to give honor to whom honor is due. Bring sufficient supplies, ready cooked and prepared; bring for 20 men if you can, or for 10 men, or for 5. besides a sufficient supply for your own family who attend. Report your name, with the number you will pro- vide for, to one of the undersigned: A. G. Pitner, T. G. Watters, C. H. Smith, A. M. Sloan, T. McGuire; Rome, Ga., May 4, 1863.
We learn that the number of Yankees paroled (by Gen. Forrest in the capture of Streight) was 1,466- officers and men. They were all sent off on Tuesday last.
Rumor, with her thousand tongues, has got every one of them going, and there is no end to the wild reports that are in circulation. Report is hav- ing it that all North Georgia and Alabama are swarming with Yankees.
A large number of horses were in the streets on Tuesday, many of which were identified as having been stolen by the Yankees in their recent raid through the country.
The Yankees captured by Gen. For- rest are said to have been the pick
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of Rosencrantz's army, and were really mounted infantry, having been drilled in both services. It is reported that Rosencrantz had offered them a boun- ty of $300 apiece and a discharge from the service to accomplish their object, which was to destroy Rome and the State road bridges. And better sub- jects for such infernal designs could scarcely have been selected, for a more villainous-looking set of scoundrels it has never been our misfortune to have seen before, and that, too, with scarce- ly an exception. What an escape a merciful Providence has vouchsafed to Rome !
We noticed a telegram stating that the citizens of Rome met and fought the Yankees here on Sunday last. The only fighting was done by a few in- dependent scouts and videttes, who tried a round or two at them. But we learn that they were much sur- prised, as they expected to march in without any opposition.
Tory Band-A citizen of Jackson County tells us that a number of Tories have banded themselves to- gether in Sand Mountain (Ala.) to resist conscription and the arrest of deserters-that they worsted a com- pany, more or less, of Confederate cav- alry who went there to arrest desert- ers and conscripts, some eight or ten days ago; that the facts have been reported to Tullahoma headquarters, and a force has been detailed suffi- cient to overcome the Tories. (Hunts- ville Confederate.)-Thursday, May 7, 1863.
The Most Brilliant Feat of the War -Soon after the fight between the Federals and Col. Roddy near Tus- cumbia, Ala., a column of 2,000 Fed- eral cavalry, all under command of Col. Hathaway, of the 73rd Indiana Cavalry, consisting of the 73rd and 51st Indiana, 80th Illinois, and 3rd Ohio, diverged south, with two moun- tain Howitzers, with a view to cross the Sand Mountain and strike the Coosa River at Gadsden, Ala .; thence pass the Round Mountain and Chat- tooga River Iron Works, to Rome; thence to Dalton, Ga .; thence through East Tennessee and join Rosencrantz with a view to destroying the towns, bridges, iron foundries, railroads, com- missary supplies on this entire route, making a raid of some 1,500 miles.
This was a daring, well-planned, well-executed expedition, as far as it went. The troops and commanders were regarded as select, and the in-
ducements to success were strong and overwhelming with the well-known Yankee character. The plunder and stealage belonged to the capturers. In the event of success, each member of the raid was to receive a gold medal, $300 in gold, and a discharge from the service during the war. To ac- celerate their movements they seized every valuable horse and mule that they could find, taking them from wagons, buggies, stables or plows, and as their surplus increased, dropping ont their own weak and broken-down stock, and by this means always keep- ing mounted on fresh stock.
On Wednesday, the 29th, Gen. For- rest, with 500 mounted men and two brass cannon, started in pursuit, the Federals having taken a lead of about 80 miles. On Thursday night he over- took them, fought and repulsed them on Sand Mountain; in this fight Gen. Forrest had his horse killed under him. From that time onward, until Sunday, the 3rd of May, the time of the final surrender of the Federals, he fought and drove them back, or rather, for- ward, about three times every 24 hours.
As they passed through Gadsden they destroyed part of the town and the depot, always destroying every
GEN. NATHAN BEDFORD FORREST, whose locks were cut by admiring women when he saved Rome from Streight's raiders in '63.
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bridge behind them and otherwise ob- strueting the road as best they could. Forrest fought them near Major Blount's plantation Friday evening or Saturday morning. Here their com- mander-in-chief, Hathaway, was kill- ed. The command then devolved on Col. Streight, of the 51st Indiana. As they passed onward they destroyed the Round Mountain Iron Works. Cross- ing Chattooga River, they destroyed the bridge. Some time during Sat- urday night, Gen. Forrest succeeded in crossing the river, and fell on them Sunday afternoon at Mrs. Lawrence's, about five miles east of Gaylesville, and here after a short fight, terms of capitulation for the entire Federal forces was agreed upon, and the Fed- erals stacked their arms.
During Saturday evening a detach- ment of 200 had been sent ahead to reconnoiter and attack Rome, as cir- cumstances might indicate.
The first intimation the people of Rome had of the raid was the arrival of Mr. John H. Wisdom, from Gads- den, giving information of the rapid approach of the Federals. Tremendous excitement, and be it said to the dis- credit of some, much liquor was wast- ed, doubtless to screw up their cour- age to the fighting point. By 8 p. m. two cannon, with barricades of cotton bags, were mounted. and placed in po- sition on the river bank. The citi- zens from the country flocked in with their rifles and squirrel guns, and there soon were enough to make a pretty formidable fight, if they had been under any sort of organization. But the organization amounted to as near none as possible. About half past 8 some pickets and videttes went out and a short distance from the city en- countered the enemy's advance pick- ets. Here some skirmishing for sev- eral hours took place between the enemy and these pickets and some citizens who had advanced on the enemy. About 2 p. m. the enemy very suddenly and apparently in a great hurry mounted and retreated down the road, followed by our skirmishers. They met Gen. Forrest and his party about 8 or 9 miles below Rome, Col. Streight and all the Federal officers being their prisoners. It is said the reason of the sudden departure of the Federals from Shorter's was a cour- ier from Col. Streight, their com- mander, informing them that they were prisoners of war, and had been for eight hours.
About 6 p. m. Gen. Forrest, with 120 Federal officers and this detach-
ment reached the city, under such booming of cannon and rejoicing as has never been seen in Rome, and may never again. Indeed, it was right and just to him and his brave men. But for the noble and gallant Forrest and his equally noble and gallant men, who had pursued and fought this band of outlaws, robbers and murderers for five consecutive days and nights, al- most without eating or sleeping, our beautiful little Mountain City would at this hour be in ashes, and many of our best citizens robbed and murder- ed. A thousand blessings upon them, and a thousand prayers for them!
In their vanity and folly some of our vain and swaggering people are trying to claim credit to themselves for this glorious success of the truly in- domitable and noble Forrest. If we did anything, it was clumsily done. Forrest has justly won for himself by this almost superhuman effort a title to a major generalship, and if he is not promoted, he will not have jus- tice done him, especially when it is remembered that with a picked force of Federals, four to his one, he dash- ed on them by day and by night, and in chasing them a little over 200 miles, he killed or captured the last one of them, with all their cannon, arms, horses, stores, etc., killing outright their leader and 300 men, with a loss of only 10 killed and 40 wounded. And he thereby saved millions of dollars worth of property from destruction by the hands of the cowardly scoundrels and vandals.
We of North Alabama and North- western Georgia will cheer him and reiterate our cheers for him, and never cease until he shall receive a major general's commission. We have but one complaint to make. We thought he was a little too lenient to the im- pudent, boasting, threatening, coward- ly Federal officers.
A CITIZEN OF ROME.
To Arms! To Arms !- The citizens of Floyd and surrounding counties are requested to meet in Rome on Thurs- day next at 11 o'clock a. m., May 14, to form a military organization for repelling the thieving, house-burning and vandal foe that may venture on our soil. Let everybody come and go to work in earnest.
Defend Your Homes and Your Prop- erty .- It will be seen from a notice in this issue of our paper that the citi- zens of Floyd and the surrounding counties are called on to meet at the court house in this city on Thursday
STREIGHT'S RAIDERS CAPTURED BY FORREST
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HOAS
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ELSTROME
MAP SHOWING
PROPERTY Of THE
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ROME GA.
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A MAP OF ROME IN 1890. (Scale, one mile to the inch).
night, the 14th inst., for the purpose of forming a military organization for the protection of their homes and their property. This is a highly im- portant movement and we give it our most cordial and hearty endorsement. Let every boy and man from 15 to 60 years old fall into line and stand up for the protection of their mothers,
wives and sisters. If the love of coun- try does not move you, these sacred claims will surely spur you to action.
It is plain now that the enemy, be- ing foiled and routed upon every field of general engagement, has determined to turn loose his army in maraud- ing bands, to dash through our coun- try with torch and sword, to burn and
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plunder our citizens and homes, mur- der our men and dishonor our women.
We are advised that good arms will be furnished to all who are not able to supply themselves.
Let all the people in this and the surrounding counties meet in this city on next Thursday; and the ladies will do well to encourage this movement by their presence-they are all wanted. Come, ladies, and bring your sons and your husbands .- May 9, 1863.
The Yankee Prisoners at Rome .- Among this batch of thieves and mur- derers was found two companies of North Alabama Tories; and amongst them a man by the name of Funder- burk, who was born and raised with- in three miles of Rome. This villain- ous whelp had a gallant brother in the Eighth Georgia who fell covered with honor and glory at the First Bat- tle of Manassas, July 21st, 1861. This scoundrel, with his widowed mother, moved to the Sand Mountain in 1852, and since the death of his brother has been here trying to get a share of his honored brother's estate. He ad- mits he piloted the Yankees to this place. He is safely under lock in jail. There was also found among them a man by the name of Phillips, who was raised in Forsyth County, Georgia. He is alleged to be a Confederate de- serter. He is with Funderburk, to- gether with a Methodist preacher, who says his name is Brown, who the Yankees say also piloted them, and many years ago was a circuit rider in Floyd. But no such a man ever rode the circuit in this county.
The prisoners generally were re- markably impudent and insulting, es- pecially the officers. One of their of- ficers, a major, publicly cursed Gen. Forrest on the streets for a scoundrel and a rascal, stating that when For- rest demanded a surrender the Yankee negotiators were trying to get the best terms possible, and Forrest suddenly appeared to get very mad. Swore he would wait no longer, that he would rather kill the whole of them than not; ordered his couriers immediately to direct the commanders of four sep- arate batteries to place them on sep- arate points of hills; and ordered the commanders of four separate regi- ments to be formed immediately at particular points in line of battle, and that the couriers absolutely dashed off, as though they were going to have these orders executed. And as they dashed off, Forrest told them his signal gun would be fired in ten min-
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