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 26
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Nearer and darker grew the war cloud in 1863. Marching and coun- ter-marching was the order of the day. Wheeler's and Forrest's cavalries dashed in and out of our quiet little Dirttown Valley. Thousands of cav- alry camped on my father's extensive plantation; the commanding officers quartered in our home, and often sat at our table.
In the latter part of the summer of 1863 nearly every family of promi- nence in our neighborhood refugeed. On Sept. 20 and 21, 1863, the thunders of artillery from Chickamauga battle- field startled us, and from then until the capture of Kennesaw mountain the roar of cannon reverberated over this section of Georgia day and night. Then came the lull before the storm. For six long weeks everybody in our neighborhood kept close at home; not a human outside our own family did I see, save my step-brother-in-law as he passed twice a day going to and from his mill.
One bright moonlight night I was awakened by a low, rumbling sound; the sound came nearer and nearer until I recognized the hoof beats of cavalry. In a short time the noise increased and I heard the command, "Halt!" given. Instantly the quiet became intense. I raised up in bed and peered through my window. The whole front grove seemed full of mounted soldiers, whether friend or foe I could not tell. In a few moments a trim, soldierly fellow rapped loudly on the front door. I threw up a win- dow and asked, "Who knocks?" He replied, "I am Capt. Harvey, of Mis- sissippi, and I have been ordered by Gen. Johnston to his rear to tear up the railroad between Chattanooga and Kingston. I am here in command of 100 men. We have ridden 100 miles
out of our way just to forage on Wesley Shropshire's farm."
In the meantime, my father remain- ed in his room listening to the con- versation. His life had been threat- ened often, and for this reason we never allowed him to appear at the front door until some of the family had first reconnoitered. I said to the captain, "Step out into the moonlight and let me see your uniform." He jumped lightly over the bannisters and jocularly remarked, "Are you sat- isfied?" I made him promise on his honor as a soldier and a gentleman that my father should suffer no vio- lence from him or his men. He sol- emnly gave his word, and I then di- rected him to a window in my father's room. He and father had quite a chat; he gave father several Confed- erate newspapers and father presented him with a number of Northern pa- pers that a neighbor had secured in Chattanooga. Father then directed Capt. Harvey where he could find corn and fodder for his horses.
Capt. Harvey and his command re- mained in our neighborhood six weeks or more, raiding the railroads up about Ringgold and Dalton, and capturing many Federal prisoners, many of whom could not speak a word of Eng-
A
REV. G. A. NUNNALLY, Baptist minister who once ran for Governor of Georgia on a liquor prohibition platform.
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lish intelligibly-these were foreign- ers imported by wealthy Northerners as substitutes in the Federal army. The prisoners were taken to Cedar Bluff, Ala., and as a member of Capt. Harvey's command told me, "were lost in the Coosa river."
I can say that Capt. Harvey was a gentleman, and we suffered no violence from him or his command. He was very fond of music and liked to play whist, and was a frequent guest in our house. Thus he whiled away his time with my step-sister and myself. Once when I sang "The Officer's Fu- neral," he leaned his head on the table and sobbed aloud. He begged me to overlook his apparent weakness, for he had a wife and a little boy in Mis- sissippi, and the chances were he would never see them again.
On Sept. 15, 1864, we met a different band of men. These were the "Inde- pendent Scouts." Yes, write the name in blood, drape it with the pall of death, trace it with fire, and then you cannot conceive the full meaning of the term. A horde of these marauders made their camp in our neighborhood, committing the most outrageous atroci- ties on old and feeble men. A gang of perhaps a dozen came to our home, and took everything they could carry away. Before leaving they laid violent
MAX MEYERHARDT, once judge of the City Court and for many years prominent in Masonic and civic affairs of Rome.
hands on my father, swearing he should be hung unless he gave them money, either gold or silver. A rope was thrown over his head, and with an oath one of them started to drag him off to a limb. I threw up my hands and begged for my father's life with all the fervor of a pent-up soul, assuring them he had no specie. The ring-leader looked me steadily in the face and said, "I believe you are tell- ing the truth." I answered, "On my honor as a lady, as sure as there is a God, I am!" The rope was removed from my father's neck, the leader re- marking, "Old man, you owe your life to your daughter; but for her we would have hung you as high as Ha- maan."
On Oct. 10 and 12 Hood's weary horde appeared and passed in hot re- treat. It was ragged, worn, foot-sore and dejected in spirit. Yet they plod- ded on their weary march, some bare- foot, others with raw-hide tied over their bleeding feet. "Lost Cause" was stamped on every face. I knew then the Confederacy was doomed.
On Oct. 14 and 15 the center of Sherman's army passed, following Hood. I think this part was com- manded by Gens. Slocum and Frank Blair. What the "Scouts" left was appropriated by the Federals. Again our home was pillaged from founda- tion to attic. Large army wagons were loaded to the brim with corn, fodder and wheat; cows and hogs were driven off or shot, smoke houses strip- ped, pantries cleaned of every mova- ble article, and such as could not be carried off was broken or damaged. The negroes huddled together in their houses, like sheep among wolves, scared out of their wits and fright- ened almost white.
Father and several neighbors had left a few days before for Blue Moun- tain, Ala., to procure salt, all of this commodity having been exhausted some time before from the smoke houses. My step-mother, a woman of unusual courage, was so prostrated with fear that she took to her bed. Thus I again had to run the household. Capt. Hall, of Kentucky, kept guard over us for four hours, and after he left we were at the mercy of "wagon dogs." Three of these prowlers shut my step-sister, Em White, and myself in a room, swearing they would search us. Em collapsed in a large rocking chair. One of the marauders stood with his back to the door, while another ransacked bureau drawers, wardrobes, turned up the mattress,
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etc. I engaged the third in conversa- tion, holding in my hand a heavy wrought iron poker, with which I oc- casionally poked the fire, but really kept in readiness to give the fellow a whack if he dared lay hands on me. That "dog" never made a movement to touch me, although he said he had "stripped many as damned good- looking women as I was and searched them." One jerked Em from the rocker and pretended that he would strip her. I begged for her and he let her go. They left very much dis- appointed that they found little of value.
Hoop skirts were in vogue then, and so were full skirts. I had several thousand dollars in Confederate money in a bustle around my waist, and my small amount of jewelry and a few keepsakes in huge pockets under my hoops. Em had her jewelry and sil- ver forks and spoons in pockets under her hoop.
After the Federals had passed, des- olation was writ throughout the val- ley. For three weeks a hundred in our family (including slaves) literally lived from hand to mouth. We picked up scraps of potatoes left in the fields, small scattered turnips and meat from
*Judge John W. Maddox declared in a speech early in 1921 at the City Auditorium that all the Yankees left in Chattooga County was a broken-down steer that was not fit to be eaten by man or beast.
** Mr. Lincoln's proclamation was issued in 1863, but news of it evidently hadn't reached Georgia.
the carcasses left by the Yankees and dragged in by the negroes. The new corn left was sufficiently soft to be grated on graters constructed from mutilated tinware .*
Oh, those were strenuous, perilous times. I will say in justice to our faithful slaves that only four left us; they stood by us nobly until my father came in from Rome and announced that Lee had surrendered. My father called them all up and told them they were all free .** He employed some; others "spread wing." None went away empty-handed. Father helped them to the extent of his ability.
When Gen. Lee furled the Stars and Bars, sheathed his sword and shook hands with Gen. Grant, I did the same and on that day I buried every feeling of animosity, never to resurrect the dead past. With thousands of other Southern women I had my baptism of fire and blood that tears cannot efface.
Standing on this mountain-top of three-score and eleven years (she is now well around 80), and looking back through the vista of time, I see how lovingly my Heavenly Father led me
"Sometimes through scenes of deepest gloom,
Sometimes through bowers of Eden bloom."
I exclaim with the Psalmist, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits."
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1
S
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PRESENT-DAY ROMANS IN STRIKING ATTITUDES
1-Rev. J. E. Sammons. 2-E. E. Lindsey. 3-Rev. H. F. Saumenig. 4-W. C. Rash. 5-Rev. E. F. Dempsey. 6-F. W. Copeland. 7 (Top)-Judge Moses Wright, addressing Easter crowd, Myrtle Hill Cemetery, Sunday, March 26, 1921. 8-B. F. Quigg. 9-Mrs. Bessie B. Troutman. 10-Wm. A. Patton. 11-Mrs. Robt. Battey at 90. 12-Young folk in Washington's Birthday fete. 13-Virgil A. Stewart. 14-Miss Lilly Mitchell. 15-Miss Martha Berry. 16-E. P. Treadaway. 17-Miss Marion Moultrie. 18-Burnett Norton. 19-Miss Helen Knox Spain.
CHAPTER VIII. Depredations of the Independent Scouts
V ARIOUS roving bands, or- ganized for good purposes and bad, added substantial- ly to the misery which hov- ered like a spectre over the people at the close of the Civil War. Pri- marily, these bands separated themselves from the main body of the Confederate forces in order to impede the progress of the Union troops (or they were cut off), and to this extent their existence was justified. Parts of the forces of Gen. Johnston and Gen. Hood had been forced steadily back into Georgia by the driving power of Sherman's army, and they never rejoined their regular commands, but carried on a bushwhacking campaign from the hills. As long as opposition to the invaders re- mained their object, they acquitted themselves with bravery and credit, but once the Union army had passed, certain of these bands fell behind and plundered the coun- tryside ; they stole, destroyed and murdered, and for a time the peo- ple were completely at their mer- CV.
These organizations were usu- ally made up of horsemen, 30 to 50 in number. Excellent riders they were, and well heeled. They had a rather definite range, but 110 particular headquarters. When the men became hungry, they would swoop down upon a plan- tation or small house and take what they could find; they were always looking for saddles and riding boots as well as money and food. Sometimes they paid for things appropriated, but this was not often.
Now and then the scout organi - zations clashed with each other to determine which crowd should subsist on a certain section. As a
general rule, however, they were content to prey upon the defense- less.
In the "up counties" near the Tennessee line, perhaps the best- known gang was Gatewood's Scouts, organized and led by John Gatewood, of Tennessee, assisted by his brother, Henry Gatewood, who kept the books and accounts of the company. John Gatewood was illiterate mountaineer whose red hair fell in long fronds down his back, like Daniel Boone and David Crockett ; and when he wished to escape detection in a daring dash, he would cram his locks into the crown of his soft felt hat. He was a man of won- derful physique, tall and angular, with the fire of Vulcan in his eye ; and it used to be said that while galloping on his horse he could shoot a partridge off a rail fence with his pistol in either hand. His reason for taking the saddle inde- pendently against the Union men was that they had killed his oid father in Tennessee, and he was pledged to vengeance. After the Federals had left, however, his men terrorized the country from Gaylesville, Ala., as far northeast as LaFayette, Walker Co., Ga., and touching Alpine, Summerville and Trion, Chattooga County, be- tween. It was undoubtedly Gate- wood's Scouts who visited the Wesley Shropshire plantation in Dirttown Valley, Chattooga Coun- ty, Sept. 15, 1864; but so far as is known they paid only one visit to Rome.
John Gatewood had an Indian who looked after his horse. One day he sent the Indian to a grist mill near Trion, to have some corn ground into mneal. A band of scouts favorable to the Union, led
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by John Long, killed this Indian by way of defying Gatewood. The challenge was accepted, and a pitched battle was fought near the spot at night. Later Long was convicted of killing Blev. Tay- lor in Alabama near Frix's Mill, McLemore's Cove, Chattooga Co., and died in an Alabama peniten- tiary camp near Wetumpka while serving a life sentence.
Gatewood is said to have killed Green Cordle, another independent scout leader and a man of some years, in Walker County, after running him out of a house where he was enjoying a meal. It was Gatewood's policy tu exterminate the other leaders and bands wher- ever he could, but in several in- stances he found strong opposi- tion. His gang gradually broke up and he left Gaylesville on horse- back, riding over Lookout Moun- tain to Texas, where he established himself on a ranch. Maj. John T.
WM. SMITH, one of the four founders of Rome, who contributed much to the young city's growth and progress.
Burns, of Rome, state comptroller general in 1869, who also went to Texas, once ran across Gatewood after the war, and found him en- gaged in peaceful pursuits.
Gatewood's Scouts participated in one of the most spectacular events of the war at Chattanooga, probably early in 1864. They rode boldly into the Northern army camp at night (this time with no less than 100 men) and stampeded and drove away 2,000 cattle and horses which they took to Gayles- ville and sold or turned over to the Confederate army.
The scout band best known to Rome was that of Capt. Jack Col- quitt, a member of a Texas regi- ment who remained behind in 1864 and married a daughter of Jerry Isbell, of Polk County, near Etna and Prior's Station. Its clash with the Prior boys and its daring incursion into Rome in November, 1864, will long be remembered by
the older Romans. Reference has already been made to the gang's murder of Nicholas J. Omberg and its hanging of Judge L. D. Bur- well and Wm. Quinn to make them give up their money and valua- bles; also of its robbery of Mrs. Jno. H. Lumpkin and J. J. Cohen.
Judge Burwell was keeping a quantity of gold (said to have been at least $1,800) for a Jewish mer- chant named Wise, of the firm of Magnus & Wise. He was afflicted with some physical deformity that caused him to bend far forward when he walked, and the scouts told him if he didn't give up the gold they would "straighten him out." He didn't surrender it until the noose began to cut into his neck. They said "We've got Wise's gold; now tell us where yours is, or we'll hang you up again." As it happened, Judge Burwell had entrusted $500 in gold to Mrs. Robt. Battey, who had put it in her stockings. When the scouts
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came to her house the same night, they stole a lot of small things, but did not get the money. They also intended to hang up James Noble, Sr., on Howard Street, but were scared off by the determined attitude of his daughters.
There appear to be two versions as to what brought the Priors into conflict with Colquitt's Scouts, with such disastrous results to the latter. One says that Capt. Jack Colquitt was killed by the Priors in the presence of Ilayden Prior, the father. near Prior's Station, because he had driven off some of the cattle of the family when he stocked the farm of his father-in- law, Jerry Isbell. The other, more generally accepted, is that Col- quitt's men first killed Hayden Prior, better known as "Hayd" Prior, and the sons then took up the feud and accounted for seven of the scouts, including their leader. At any rate, Hayden was shot off his mule between Cave Spring and Prior's Station, and fell face forward into a branch where the animal was drinking. A brother of Capt. Jack Colquitt is supposed to have been in this am- bushing party, as well as the cap- tain himself.
Capt. Colquitt was found one day in 1864 in Cedartown by the brothers, John T. and James M. Prior. He was in a grocery store, and pretty well loaded with mean liquor as well as his brace of pis- tols. The brothers took him by surprise and got his pistols away by covering him with their own. It was apparently their intention to put him under arrest and get him a trial, but he showed fight.
"Gimme a chance with my gun and I'll clean all of yer up, one at a time!" he roared, at the same instant drawing a long Bowie knife out of his right boot.
Quick as lightning Jim Prior shot Colquitt over John's shoul-
der, and the two pumped bullets into his chest until there were eight. John explained as follows to a friend and hunting companion some time later :
"I was so close when I fired my first shot that I saw smoke come out of his mouth."
The men in the store removed a ham and box of baking powder and stretched Capt. Jack Colquitt out on the counter. He wore a red-spotted calico shirt ; the white spots were now dyed deep in the red of his own blood.
The Prior boys went quietly off and were not arrested, nor did they ever answer in court for taking seven scout scalps. They had sworn to exterminate the Colquitt gang as a service to the commu- nity.
John Prior was a man of iron will and nerves in a knotty bundle. He had little beady, black eyes that danced as he talked, and he
JOS. L. BASS, merchant and promoter, who was head of the old dummy line at Rome and a constructive force in many ways.
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A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY
wasn't afraid of the devil. He was loyal to his friends and an impla- cable foe to his enemies. Men who hunted with him said he was the deadest shot for miles around ; he could lay his double-barreled shot- gun on the ground, flush a covey of partridges, pick up his gun and kill two every time. Jim was of more even temper, regular build, but he also took no foolishness from any man, and he contributed bis part toward a genuine pair in those stormy days.
The brothers quit the corn and cotton fields and hunted scouts. A man named Tracy and several oth- er friends joined them at various times. Tracy later went to Texas to live. The Priors came upon Col- quitt's Scouts in camp near Ball Play and Turkeytown, Etowah County, Ala., on the Coosa River ; gave them a surprise at night and put them to flight. The scouts scattered and the Priors found two of them eating at a house by the
road. John killed one as he hopped off the near end of the porch and the other as he left the far end. On their persons were found a number of $20 gold pieces (Wise's money cap- tured in November, 1864, .at Rome) ; when things had quieted down John Prior sent one of these coins to New York and had a cav- alry battle engraved on the ob- verse side, and wore the trinket as a watch charm.
Near Cave Spring the Priors came upon two scouts riding along the road. Surrender was de- manded. One young fellow held up his hands and came in. The other wheeled about, dug his spurs into the flanks of his horse and sped away like a flash. John was carrying the shotgun his father had used so long. As the fugitive turned a sharp curve in the road, he cracked down. It was impos- sible to tell the result, and the
young captive said :
"I believe you missed him."
"We'll see," responded the marksman; "if I missed him, I'll turn you loose !"
The poor devil was dying in the bushes ; his horse kept going. Sev- tral buckshot had entered the man's back, and several the base of the saddle. It is supposed, but not definitely known, that the fellow taken captive met a violent end.
The next victim was a farmer of the neighborhood. John Prior walked up to this man's house and asked his wife where he was. The woman replied that he was plow- ing in the bottom. John went down there and told the farmer to unhitch his horse and send him in a canter to the house; to say his prayers if he wanted to, because he was going to be killed. The man begged for his life; he was re- minded that old man Prior was shown no mercy. A shot in the breast finished him.
The hunter next heard that one of the marked men was living in the West, maybe Arkansas, maybe Texas. He went to the man's residence and executed his design. After living a while out there, Prior returned to Prior's Station, and later removed to the territory of Washington, on the Pacific coast, where he died. Jim died at his Prior Station home.
A farmer named Ritchie, killed on the Carlier Springs road about five miles. east of Rome, was charged up to Colquitt's Scouts. Isom Blevins, a young Texan, was killed at night by a Rome crowd at Flat Rock, where the Southern crosses the N., C. & St. L. (or Rome) Railroad. His boots and spurs were removed and his body was thrown some 50 feet off the bluff into the Etowah River. Sev- eral days days later the body was found lodged against a willow snag at the foot of Myrtle Hill
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cemetery, and was buried on the river bank. A scout, sometimes known as "The Lone Soldier," was waylaid . and killed on the Ala- bama Road between Coosa and Beech Creek, and lies buried on the Rogers place, near the road, about five miles west of Rome. The grave is surmounted by a head- stone, and residents of the neigh- borhood have kept it green for 57 years, and have maintained around it a neat picket fence.
In these fierce depredations Romans were reminded of the lawlessness of the Indian days ; and as if to answer their prayers, a local scout organization was formed by "Little Zach" Har- grove. Many people thought "Lit- tle Zach's" crowd would prove to be as bad as the rest, but Horry Wimpee and others testify that it was organized for protective pur- poses, and did much to drive the camp - followers and deserters away. It was reported that "Little Zach" attracted the attention of John Gatewood, and that Gatewood brushed by Rome with an invita-
tion to fight ; but the result is not known.
The Ku Klux was also active soon after this period, especially around Coosa, so the anxiety of the civilian population, who were bent on making crops and a liv- ing, can well be imagined. One night the Ku Klux called on Prof. Peter M. Sheibley, a Northerner by birth and a non-combatant in the war. When Mr. Sheibley opened his front door, a wooden coffin fell into his arms.
The political views of Judge Jno. W. H. Underwood caused the Ku Klux to play a gruesome joke on this sparkling humorist. A young fellow well disguised by a turned- up coat collar and a turned-down hat walked up to Judge Under- wood after dark and offered him a cordial greeting. The extended hand was left with him, and it was made of wood !
Such incidents added a piquant touch to the lives of Romans, wrung the hearts of many, and brought a strong desire for peace, a helpful understanding and a con- structive program.
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WHEN MAN TAKES HIS PADDLE IN HAND.
Batteau and canoe trips on the rivers of Rome afford endless pleasure. Dr. Hugh I. Bat- tey of Atlanta, native son of Rome, here forgets incisions and bandages. His "voyage" was taken in October, 1920, from Carter's Quarters, Murray County, down to "Head of Coosa," 105 miles, and was made leisurely in three nights and two days. He brought a string of pearls for the Home-coming queen, Miss Penelope Stiles.
Anecdotes and Reminiscences
ROSS-RIDGE FACTIONS FIGHT. -The following item from the Georgia Constitutionalist (Augusta) of Friday, Aug. 21, 1835, will give an idea of the feeling between the factions repre- sented by Ross and Ridge:
More Indians Murdered .- The Cass- ville Pioneer of the 7th inst. says:
"We have just learned of another murder having been committed in this country on the 3d of August, inst. The names of the Indians killed were Mur- phy and Duck. It occurred, we un- derstand, at an Indian dance on the Oostanaula river, where a considerable number of the town or clan had col- lected to enjoy the customary pastime.
"Sometime within the night the In- dians murdered were seen standing conversing in apparent friendship. A few minutes later Murphy exclaimed that he was stabbed, and expired im- mediately.
"Duck was heard to say at the time that there was but one other Ridge man on the ground, and that he would inherit the same fate if he did not leave the place instantly.
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