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 21
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utes, when in fact (he said) the ras- cal had but two little cannon, and not more than a half regiment all told. Finally, that Forrest was nothing but a damned swindler.
The impudent whelps, openly on the streets, avowed their intention to be back here in less than three months, burn up the town and hang every man in it because, they say, they were bushwhacked. This, of course, is an idle boast of the poor cowardly devils, to cover up their shame and disgrace. They said they did not come into Rome just as they expected; that they could stand all that; but such a number of them to be gobbled up by a little squad of "dirty, snotty-nosed butternuts" was past endurance.
We regret to learn that Capt. For- rest, a brother of the General's, com- manding a company in his old regi- ment, was severely and it is feared mortally wounded in the recent run- ning fight with the Yankees from Courtland to Rome.
Gen. Forrest has received a dispatch from Col. Roddy, announcing that the Yankees have evacuated Tuscumbia.
The Steamer Laura Moore blew her whistle off yesterday morning as she was about signalling her departure. Her steam escaping prevented her de- parture .- Saturday, May 9, 1863.
"BILL ARP" ON ROME "BATTLE" (Southern Confederacy, Atlanta) . Rome, Gorgy.
Mr. Adeer & Smith:
So many onreliable persuns will be sirkulatin spewrius akkounts of the "Grand Rounds" tuk by the infernal Yankees in these Roman-tik rejuns, that I think it highly proper you should git the streight of it from one who seed it with his eyes, and hearn it with his years, and a piece of it fell on his big toe.
More than 200 years ago Genrul D. Soto had a big fight with the Injuns on or about these consekrated grounds. Since that time an oninterrupted peece hav rained around these classic hills and hollers. Flowers hav bloomed sweetly, lambs hav skipd about, dog fennel hav yallered the ground, and the Coosa river, which were then a little spring branch, hav grown both wide and deep, until now the majestik steamboat can float upon its bosom, and the big mud cat gobble up the yearthworms what chance to fall into its watters.
But rollen years will change a pro- gram. Anno domini will tell ! Jest
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afore the broke of day, on Sunday, the third of May, 1863, eighteen hun- dred and 63, the cityzens of the eternal city were arowsed from their slumbers with the chorus of the Marsales hymn, "To arms, to arms, ye brave! Abe Linkhorn are pegging away, and the Yankees are ridin to Rome on a raid!" Ah! then were the time to try men's soles! But there were no panik, no skedadlin, to shakin of nees-but one universal determynation to do sum. thin. The burial squad organized fust and foremost and begun to inter ther money, and spoons and 4 pronged forks, and sich like about the prem- ises. Babies were sent to the rear. Hosses hid in the cane brake. Cows milked oncommon dry. Cashiers and bank agents carried off their phunds in a pair of saddle bags, which very much exposed ther facilities and the small compass of ther resources. It
were, however, a satisfactory solushun of ther refusin to discount for the last 3 months. Skouts were sent out on . every road to snuff the tainted breeze. Kotton bags were piled up across ev- ery high way and low way. Shot guns and cannon and powder and ball were brought to the front. The yeo- manry and the melishy jined a squad of Confederate troops and formed in line of battle. They were marched across the Oustanawly River, and then the plank of the bridge torn up so that they couldn't retreat. This were done, however, at ther own valyunt request, because of the natural weak- ness of the flesh. They determined jintly and sevrally, firmly by these presents, to do sumthin.
Two cracked cannon, what had holes in the ends, and two or three on the side, were propped up between the kotten bags, and pinted dead straight down the road to Alabam. They were fust loaded with buckshot and tacks, and then a round ball rammed on top. The ball were to take the raid in front, and the bullets and tacks to rake 'em in the phlanks. These latter it was supposed would go through the cracks in the sides and shoot around gener- ally. Everybody and everything de- termined to die in their tracks, or do sumthin.
The steamboats dropped quietly down the river to get out of the thick of the fight. The sharp shooters got on top of semmetery hill with ther re- peaters and pokit pistols. The videttes dashed with spy glasses to the top of the court house to see a fur off. Dashin Comanchy couriers rode on- ruly steeds to and fro, like a fiddler's
elbow. Sum went forward to rekenoy- ter as skouts. Everybody resolved to do sumthin.
At this critical junkture, and pre- vious and afterwards, reports were brought into these Head Quarters, and all other quarters, to the effeck that 10,000 Yankees were kummin, and 5,- 000 and 2,000, and any other number; that they were ten miles from town, and 6 miles, and 2 miles, and any other number of miles; that they were on the Alabam road, and the Cave Spring road, and the River road, and any other road; that they were cross- in the river at Quin's Ferry, and Wil- liamson's Ferry, and Bell's Ferry, and any other ferry; that they had tuck the Steembote Laura Moore, and Chi- rokee and Alfaratta, and any other steembote; that they had shot at a Comanchy rider, and hit him in the coat tail, or his hosses tail, or any other tale; that they had seezed Sis Morris, or Bill Morris, or Jep Mor- ris, or any other Morris. In fak, a man could hear anything by gwine about, and more too.
Shore enuf, however, the important crisis which were to have arriven did actually arriv, about 10 o'klock in the mornin, a. m., on May 3rd, 1863. I am thus portikler, Mr. Editurs, bekaus
JUDGE JNO. W. MADDOX, who entered the Confederate Army at 15, and served several terms in Congress from the Seventh District.
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it are to be entered on next year's almynak as a remarkabul event. The head of the raid did aktully arriv at the suburbin villa of Mr. Myers, and thar it stoped to rekonnoiter. Thar they learned as how we had 600 head of artillery, and 6,000 kotton bags, and a permiskous number infantry taktix, and we were only waitin to see the whites of their eyes. Also that the his- tory of Gen. Jackson at New Orleans wer red in publik, and that everything were inspired to do sumthin; where- upon the head of the raid turned pale, and sent forward a picket. At this onspishus moment a foot skout on our side let fly a whistlen bullit, which tuk effek somewhat in those rejuns. It were reasonably suposed that one Yankee were killed, and perhaps two, for even to this time sumthing dead can be smelt in those parts, tho' the buryal squad had not been able to find it up to yestiddy. After right smart skirmishin, the head of the raid feit back down the road to the Alabam, and were persued by our mounted yeomanry at a respectabul distance.
Now Mr. Adeer & Smith, while all these vaylunt feets were going on hereabouts, Gen. Forrest had been fighting the body and tail of the raid away down at the Alabam line. Final- ly he proposed to the raid to stop fightin and play a game or two of poker, under a cedar tree, which they aksepted. But the Ginerul were not in luck and he had a pore hand, and had staiked his last dollar. The Yankees had a Streight, which would hav tuk Forrest and raked down the pile, but he looked on rite in the eye and sed he would see 'm, and "4,000 better." The raid looked at him, and he looked at the raid, and never blinked. The raid trembled all over it boots, and gin it up. The Generul bluffed 'em, and ever since that game was played, the little town hard by has bin called Cedar Bluff. It were flush times in the Alabam, that day, shore!
Well, Mr Editurs, you know the sequil. The Generul bagged 'em and broght 'em on. The planks were put back on the bridge. The river bank infantry countermarched and fired a permiscous volley in token of jew- bilee. One of the side-swipin cannon went off on its own hook, and the ball went ded through a house and tore a buro all to flinders. Sum sed it were a Niter Buro, but a potash man who examined sed he reckin not, for ther weren't no ashes in the drawers, nor naro ash hopper on the premises.
By and by the Comanchy Skouts and
pickets all kum in, and shuk ther an- brosial locks and received the congrat- ulations of ther friends. Then begun the ovashun of fair women and brave men to Gen. Forrest and his gallant boys Bokays and tears were all mixed up promiskous. Big chunks of cake and gratitude were distributed generally and frequent. Strawberries and cream, eggs and inyuns, pies and pancakes- all flew aroun amazin, for everybody was determined to do sumthin. Gen. Forrest subsided, and General Jew- bilee tuk command, and Rome her- self again. The 4 pronged forks and silver spoons ros from the dead and even the old hen what one of our city aldemen had burried with her head out, was disinterred and sacrificed im- mediately for the good of the koun- try.
Thus hav ended the raid, and no loss on our side. Howsumever, I sup- pose that Mr. Linkhorn will keep "peg- gin' away."
Yours truly and immensely, THE ORTHOR,
Adjective Generul of Yeomanry.
The Yankee cavalry roamed a little too far from home when they ventured a journey to Rome. The citizens there- of were Romans enough to meet them in battle array, and Forrest, at Rome, was the "noblest Roman of them all." -Rebel.
Proclamation .- To the Citizens of Rome: A little more than a week ago our city was beleaguered by the most lawless band of incendiaries that ever disgraced humanity. This enemy came with "lust in his eye, poverty in his purse and hell in his heart. He came a robber and a murderer." But at our very threshold he was arrested by the Lord God of Hosts. Thus we were de- livered, and thus our city was saved from destruction. Under such circum- stances it is right, proper and our bounden duty as a people to bow down in adoring thankfulness to that kind Father whose everlasting arms have been around, about and underneath us, to protect us from harm, and it is our duty and privilege to ascribe to him all the honor of our deliverance.
Now, therefore, I, John M. Gregory, mayor of the City of Rome, do issue this, my proclamation, setting apart Wednesday, the 13th inst., as a day of thanksgiving and prayer to Almighty God for the great mercies vouchsafed to us, and I do therefore earnestly in- vite the people of the city to assemble at their respective places of worship
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on that day, and to unite in render- ing thanks and praise to God. Given under my hand and seal of office, this May 11, 1863. J. M. Gregory, Mayor of the City of Rome .- Tuesday, May 12, 1863.
Gen. Forrest and the Citizens of Rome-As a slight appreciation of the services of the gallant Forrest in sav- ing our beautiful city from sack and flames, at the hands of the ruthless vandals, who lately came to lay our homes in desolation, a suggestion was made that it would be expressive of our gratitude to present the General with a fine horse, and in the course of an hour or two over $1,000 was con- tributed for this purpose. But. Col. A. M. Sloan, anticipating the move- ment, on his own private account pre- sented Gen. Forrest with his splendid saddle horse, for which he would not on any other account have taken the best negro fellow in the State. This was an appropriate and magnificent offering on the part of Col. Sloan .*
We are advised that the money which had been contributed by the citizens for this purpose was turn- ed over to Gen. Forrest to be used for the benefit of the sick and wounded of his command.
The Alabama Traitors .- We have bad the pleasure of reading a letter from Gov. Shorter, of Alabama, to Surgeon P. C. Winn, in regard to the Alabama traitors captured by Gen. Forrest in North Alabama, in which the Governor says he has demanded "under the order of President Davis, all the officers taken in Alabama, found serving with armed slaves," etc.
We greatly admire the spirit of Gov. Shorter in this matter and hope to see his example emulated in every state.
Perhaps no event of the war has caused more profound regret through- out the Confederacy or more real sat- isfaction to the Yankees than the death of glorious old Stonewall Jack- son. After having made such hair- breadth escapes from Yankee bullets he has died at last at the hands of his own men. His memory is embalmed in the hearts of the people, and his name will live through all times.
Some of our contemporaries are de- termined that the royal ape of Wash- ington shall have his proper cognomen of "Hanks," and "Hanks" let it be, and thereby free the respectable name of Lincoln from the odium attached to
it from his bearing it. It is said that old Hanks has started the old pegging system of tactics. If so, we suppose the recent raid to Rome was one of the pegs driven in and broken off .- Thursday, May 14, 1863.
The Meeting on Thursday-A large number of the citizens of Floyd and the surrounding counties met in this city on Thursday last to consult to- gether on the best means of defending our city and the approaches to the State road, against raiding parties of the public enemy. Major John Rush was chosen president and Mr. John M. Berry secretary. Col. Fouche explain- ed the object of the meeting, and moved the appointment of a commit- tee of five, who were himself, Col. D. R. Mitchell, Maj. J. G. Yeiser, Rev. J. W. Glenn and Col. Alfred Shorter. During the absence of the committee, Hon. John W. H. Underwood was in- vited to address the meeting, but de- clining to do so, called on Dr. P. C. Winn, of Alabama, who entertained the audience with a spirited plea for home defense. The committee report- ed stirring resolutions, which were unanimously adopted.
We would appeal to every boy and man who has the pluck to defend his home, to join some military company. We know of but three excuses which any man could offer for not joining: utter physical inability, innate, incur- able cowardice and old age. But the man should be so old that he would not think of marrying again if his wife should die. If any man will come out and establish his right to plead any of those three excuses, let him be perpet- ually exempt from all military serv- ice; but let all others shoulder arms and fall into ranks for the defense of their native soil .- Saturday, May 16, 1863.
To Arms, Ye Romans !- We find the following astounding telegram to the Associated Press, which, if true, it is time Romans were looking to their lau- rels :
Atlanta, May 16 .- Quartermaster Polk's Corps `arrived and passed through this morning. We have re- ports that 7,000 or 8,000 of the enemy are approaching Rome. All the avail- able force here is ordered to be held in readiness.
There is a grape-vine telegram afloat that Jackson, Miss., has been taken by the enemy, and that our forces have them surrounded and cut off .- Tuesday, May 19, 1863.
*A. M. Sloan, banker and warehouseman, formerly of Columbus.
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A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY
3
5
6
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NINETEEN DWELLINGS OF MANY TYPES.
1-Wilson M. Hardy; 2-old A. R. Sullivan home; 3-old Goetchius home; 4-Dr. J. C. Watts (C. N. Featherston) ; 5-part of old Battey infirmary; 6-J. W. Rounsaville; 7- Eliza Frances Andrews; 8-A. B. S. Moseley; 9-T. J. Simpson (J. L. Sulzbacher)", 10- Ed. L. Bosworth; 11-O. L. Stamps (C. Rowell); 12-S. F. Magruder; 13-old Harper home; 14-Hughes T. Reynolds (R. D. VanDyke) ; 15-Hood-Cumming-Featherston (Rixie) ; 16-Dr. T. R. Garlington (J. D. Hanks) ; 17-Unknown; 18-VanDyke-Maddox; 19-Henry Stoffregen.
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To All People Who Are Able to Bear Arms !- The question can no longer be blinked. You must either fight, run or take the oath of allegiance to Lin- coln. This call is made to the fight- ing men, young and old. If there be any of the other classes, we don't want them; the sooner they take care of themselves, the better. Daily develop- ments convince all thinking men of the immediate necessity of a strong mili- tary organization for self-defense. The people are invited, perhaps for the last time, to meet at the court house in Rome on Tuesday morning next, May 26 at 10 o'clock a. m., to learn what has been done, and to determine, un- der a proper organization, what they will do in defense of their property, their wives and their children. We beseech you to come and to come ready to make all needed sacrifices for your country !- J. M. Gregory, mayor; S. Fouche, D. R. Mitchell, J. G. Yeiser, A. Shorter, J. W. Glenn, Committee .- Tuesday, May 26, 1863.
Rev. George Pierce, son of the bishop of that name who served the Rome district after the war, had intended to preach at one of the Methodist churches on the Sunday Forrest appeared, but he quickly caught the war fever and shouldered a gun .*
According to William Hardin and Jas. O. Winfrey, the well- known Confederate veterans, Col. Streight cried over his plight, and it was said on good authority at the time that he tried to get a pis- tol to shoot himself. He was de- scribed by all who knew him as an intrepid soldier.
Reminiscences by the late Dr. P. L. Turnley, presented to the U. D. C., add this information :
Col. Hathaway, original commander of the raiders, was shot through the neck and killed at the foot of Owl Mountain, near Turkeytown, Etowah County, Ala., while eating breakfast. Two young sharpshooters, brothers named Hall, had climbed to the top of
the spur above the invaders and crack- ed down on the officer. Streight was then placed in command.
The news that Streight was ap- proaching spread like prairie fire, and more activity was shown in Rome than for a long time. By noon the town was fairly well garrisoned by men and boys of all ages. The bridges were blocked with cotton bales, and the floors covered with straw saturated with oil. Every cellar and garret had been ransacked for arms and weapons of any kind. Col. J. G. Yeiser obtain- ed two old honey-combed cannon, and placed the dangerous ends toward the enemy. These, with old rusty flint- lock rifles and a few pistols, were all the defenders had, but they were suf- ficient to turn back Streight's advance guard.
Rome was hilarious that Gen. Forrest could hardly attend to his du- ties; and it has been said by one who was present that the brave general would have been bald had he given locks of his hair to all the ladies who made the request .**
Forrest's losses were said to have been ten killed and 40 wound- ed. Streight's losses from Apr. 27 through May 3, 1863, from Tus- cumbia to Rome (including Day's Gap, Apr. 30, Black Warrior Creek, May 1, and Blount's Farm, May 2) were twelve killed, 69 wounded, 1.466 captured. The captives were the 51st and 73rd Indiana Volun- teers, the 3rd Ohio, the 80th Illi- nois Mounted Infantry and two companies of the First Alabama Cavalry who were mostly desert- ers from the Confederate ar- my .***
Streight's men were worn out from their forced marches and loss of sleep, and when Forrest came up, many were sleeping on their arms, and their commander could make them fight no longer.
In order to get the facts of Wis- dom's ride, Capt. W. P. Lay, of Gadsden, visited Mr. Wisdom at Hoke's Bluff, Ala. Capt. Lay re- lated the story to Walter Harper, who presented it July 29, 1909, in the Gadsden Daily Times-News, a day after Mr. Wisdom died :
* Authority : 20th Century Rome, Tribune In- dustrial Edition, Oct., 1902.
** According to Mrs. Robt. Battey, several young women snipped off long raven locks.
*** Authority : Edward C. Peters, of Rome. Since the total casualties are 1,547 by this esti- mate, there is a discrepancy of 453 men, the number at the start having been 2,000.
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John H. Wisdom, long a citizen of Etowah County, Alabama, and for- merly of Rome, Ga., died at his home at Hoke's Bluff, ten miles east of Gadsden, on July 28, 1909. He was 89 years of age and one of the sub- stantial citizens of the county. He was extremely modest ,and for that reason but little has ever been said or known about the crowning exploit of his life, which saved a city, result- ed in the capture of a host of Federal soldiers and placed him in the class of heroes of the Civil War.
John H. Wisdom and Emma Sanson were jointly responsible for the saving of Rome, Ga., and the capture of Col. Abel D. Streight's raiders by Gen. Nathan B. Forrest, yet neither of these heroes was aware of the part the other was playing at the time.
Shortly after Emma Sanson had di- rected Gen. Forrest over Black War- rior Creek, Mr. Wisdom, then a mail carrier and 43 years old, left his home at Gadsden on a mail trip, and after crossing the Coosa river went several miles beyond. In the afternoon of the same day he returned to Gadsden, to find that the Federals under Col. Streight had been in the town and were proceeding toward Rome. The enemy had cut a hole in the bottom of the ferry boat of which he was the proprietor and had set it loose to drift down the Coosa. Consequently, Mr. Wisdom did not recross the river, but called to a neighbor to tell his family that he had gone to warn Rome of its danger. Still in his trusty buggy, he dashed toward Rome. This was at 3:30 p. m. By changing steeds he made the 67 miles a few minutes be- fore midnight, or a little less than eight hours and a half. Deducting an hour and a half for changes of horses and other delays, he negotiated the hilly, river-crossing journey in about seven hours, or at the rate of 9.6 miles per hour .*
In the early Revolutionary days Paul Revere rode from Boston to Con- cord, Mass., a distance of 18 miles, to warn the citizens of the approach of the British soldiers .** His act has been the subject of song and story for more than 100 years, while the much more difficult and daring feat of John H. Wisdom is known to but a comparative few in Alabama and Georgia.
Following is the story in Mr. Wis- dom's own words, beginning when he returned to the Coosa River at Gads. den on the afternoon of Saturday, May 2,1863 :***
"It occurred to me at once that I could beat them to Rome and sound the alarm. I called across the river that I was going, and whipped my horse toward Rome. This was about 3:30 p. m. I dashed by Hoke's Bluff, Gnatville, Goshen and Spring Garden, and at the last-named place turned into the Rome and Jacksonville stage road, which I had traveled often as driver of a stage from Rome to the Alabama town.
"The first 'lap' of the ride was from the east bank of the river at Gadsden to Gnatville, 22 miles, which I drove in my buggy in a little more than two hours. Here my horse became ex- hausted and I left him and the buggy with the Widow Hanks, **** who offered me a lame pony on my promise to ride it only five miles, to Goshen, where I thought I could get another horse. On account of the pony's condition, I was obliged to leave him at Goshen, where I found Simpson Johnson coming in from his farm. He saddled two horses and let me ride one, and sent his son with me on the other horse to bring both back. I was delayed at Goshen only a short while, but it was not dark and I realized I must lose more time changing steeds.
"We rode the Johnson horses in a swift gallop eleven miles to the home of Rev. Joel Weems, above Spring Garden, Ala., where was delayed some time, but finally managed to get a fresh horse.
"On the next 'lap' I stopped several times, trying to get a new animal. At one place I woke up a farmer and told him what I wanted. He replied gruffly that I couldn't get any of his horses, so I rode eleven miles farther to John Baker's, one mile south of Cave Spring, and after a short delay mounted an- other horse and asked him to keep for the owner the one I had discarded. I was now in Georgia, and Cave Spring loomed ahead, then I raced through Vann's Valley. While going down a long hill in a sweeping gallop, Mr. Baker's horse stumbled and fell, throw- ing me in an ungraceful sprawl ahead of him. I got up quickly, remounted and made off. After proceeding twelve miles, to within six miles of
*The Courier account stated that Wisdom arrived at 2:30 a. m., after a ride of eleven hours.
** Revere was bound for Concord, but was held up about half way, at Lexington, by British soldiers.
*** Mr. Wisdom lived prior to the war in a cottage with his mother at Second Avenue and East Third Street, where B. T. Haynes' home now stands.
**** Her first name was Nancy, it is said.
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Rome, I changed horses for the last time. A gentleman whose name I do not remember loaned me a horse and I lost little time entering on the last 'lap.' This horse carried me safely into Rome, where I arrived at four minutes before midnight, May 2, 1863. I thus made the ride of about 67 miles in slightly less than eight and a half hours, including delays. Lost time amounted to about an hour and a half.
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