USA > Kentucky > Daviess County > History of Daviess County, Kentucky, together with sketches of its cities, villages, and townships, educational religious, civil military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, biographies of representative citizens, and an outline history of Kentucky > Part 16
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Sept. 20-
THE BATTLE AT SUTHERLAND'S HILL.
This was the only battle that occurred within the limits of Daviess County during the " civil war." We will give first a com- plete history of the affair as told by the Federals, and then note the differences from their story as claimed by the other side.
During the night they were searching the enemy, and about breakfast time Saturday morning (Sept. 20) they came up with them on the gravel, or Livermore, road, about a mile and a half south of North Panther Creek, and on the farm of Mr. Sutherland, which is eight to nine miles from Owensboro. The Federals nnm- bered 342, and were commanded by Colonel Wood, of Evansville, and James Holmes, of Owensboro. The battle opened with a run- ning fight three quarters of a mile north of Sutherland's, sixty of Netter's Cavalry driving the rear guard and cannon that distance
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into the lane that goes up to the house. Here the Confederates, about 400 strong (or even more, according to some), were posted, under Colonel Martin and Major Seobee, with one line drawn up in the lane and another over in the meadow, at a right angle to the first, with the cannon, a six-pounder, in front. The Federals, num- bering 340, were commanded by Colonel Wood. Major Townes charged up the lane, exposed to the flanking fire of the battalion and cannon in the field; but his men and horses, being untrained, were thrown into confusion at the first fire of the eannon, and all except about twenty fled. For a few moments then no Federals were in sight of the enemy; but the infantry soon came up, took position along the main road in front of the meadow and corn-field adjoining it. The Confederates advanced to meet them and a des- perate fight ensued, when the enemy retreated a little way and formed in array again; but again were they driven baek, when, for the third time, they endeavored to make a stand, just Beyond the crest of the hill, but in vain; they scattered in every direction, but not pursued by the Federals, all of whom were infantry, except about two dozen.
The Federal loss in this battle was: Killed-Curtis Lamar, Sampson Palmer and Isaac Varner-three; wounded-John Cal- hoon and one other man, seriously, and a half dozen others more slightly. Immediately after the battle Colonel Wood detailed a squad of men to count the Confederates lying upon the field, and their report was thirty-six dead and over thirty wounded. The names of four of the killed and seventeen of the wounded are given in the Owensboro Monitor of Sept. 24, 1862. Some of the slain were buried there. About a thousand Federals remained to hold Owensboro.
The Confederate account concerning the two days' events differs from the foregoing principally in the following particulars: Their forces here were a branch of the regular army, and not guerrillas; they committed no robberies in Owensboro or in the country any- where; they were not quite a hundred strong at the battle at Sutherland's; they retreated simply because their ammunition gave out, and retreated in good order; they lost but one or two killed, one commanding officer not remembering that any one was killed outright, or that any wounded (very few at most) were left upon the battle-field (if any were left, they felt confident they were left among friends, who would take care of the ....
It must be understood, however, that accounts vary on bothi
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sides, some Confederates estimating their loss as high as seventy or eighty (probably counting the prisoners, deserters, ete.i, and the Federals not all agreeing as to every detail.
We add a few minor incidents.
When musket firing commenced at Sutherland's Hill, Colonel Wood shouted out, "Boys, wheel abont that cannon, facing the enemy, " and he himself lighted his eigar with a match, and fired the gun-the first and second rounds with cannister shot, and the third a solid shot, which was so heavy that it broke off the flange and rendered the cannon useless. When the Colonel and John Hicks were marching up the hill, a rifle shot was apparently received, when the Colonel fell as if dead. Hicks remarking that he was killed, the former jumped up and called ont, "No, I ain't; but (pointing to a particular man among the enemy) kill that d-n rebel."
The Confederates rendezvoused afterward at some point on Green River, but were soon driven away again. The Federal forees were coming and going on the next Monday and Tuesday; nearly all the citizens were under" arms for awhile, until the excitement died away.
THE DEATH OF COLONEL NETTER.
The following account of the death of Colonel Netter, furnished us by one of his soldiers, and now one ot the best citizens of Owensboro, is so well worded that we give it verbatim:
On that eventful morning of the 19th of Sept., 1862, under cover of a dense fog, the enemy (800 in all) gained possession of the town to the number of about 400, while an equal number concealed themselves in the wood to the west of our camp, thus placing ns between two forces, either of which was doubly superior to our OWI.
Our Colonel having received nureliable information of the pres- ence of the concealed enemy. at once decided to reconnoiter in that direction and ascertain if the report was true.
While arranging his force -. a flag of trnce was seen approaching from the direction of the town.
Hle motioned for the bearer to come, and advanced a few paces to meet him. where a short conversation ensued. He then returned to us recompanied Is the officer of trace. and with the utmost politeness and a sweetness of tone so characteristic. he address al as as follows.
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" Boys, this officer comes with a flag of truce, from Lieuten- ant Colonel Martin, who with 800 guerrillas has possession of the town, and demands of me an unconditional surrender of all my command and the Government property in my possession. I want you to hear my answer." Then, turning to the messenger, with a graceful motion of the hand, and with a firm voice and tone, he replied: "NEVER, till the last man of us lies low in the dust." Then turning to us, sweetly and gently he inquired, "Boys, does my answer suit you?" Inspired with admiration for, and confi- dence in, our brave and undaunted commander, what could we do but just what we did? and that was to swing our caps in the air and respond with three lusty cheers. The rebel officer, witnessing the impressive scene, shared in onr admiration of the young hero, for he reverently removed his hat and feelingly replied, " Colonel, I cannot but respect you and your brave men," and with a parting salute, he returned to deliver his message. There was no acting in all of their scene; it was serious, sober, honest reality. With the exception of a few words of command, these were the last words ever spoken by the gallant Netter. At the head of his little band of about 200 all told, he marched in the direction of the supposed enemy. He found them there, and in the skirmish which ensued he fell bravely, fighting to make good his words.
Colonel Gabriel Netter was a Frenchman by birth, but a true American by adoption. At the breaking out of the war he was doing a profitable business in Ohio County, this State, but left it to enter the army. He soon exhibited a great degree of good judg- ment as well as bravery, and he was recalled from the field by General Finnell to raise a regiment in this Congressional District. He was devoting his whole time and energy to the work he had in hand, when the day of disaster visited him. He was very pop- ular among his men, as well as among the people of Owensboro. He was a " shining mark " at which death aimed his fatal blow at the beginning of liis power.
WAR DIARY RESUMED.
1862, Sept, 22, President Lincoln issued his emancipation proc- lamation, to take effect, conditionally, Jan. 1, following. This is the epoch of a new era between the political parties, disaffecting Union men who were not Abolitionists, and rendering all Demo- crats, especially the Southern wing, more bitterly opposed to Republican management. 25, Major Holman in command at Owensboro.
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Oct. 6. court-house door barricaded. On the 7th all was gniet again, and the county officers resumed their places. Colonel Shanks' men came from Cloverport and were consolidated with Netter's. Oet. 9, Q. L. Shanks was elected Colonel and A. W. Hol- man Lieutenant-Colonel. Oct.12, Shanks moved the camp down to Bon Harbor, or rather the Barrett farm near there, a healthier loca- tion, and being at a greater distance from town the discipline of the soldiers would be the easier. Named " Camp James F. Robin- son." Oet. 24, people very much excited at rumors of Confeder- ates coming to Hartford; but the rumors proved false. Oct. 30, 300 Confederate prisoners pass down theriver for Vicksburg; exchanged.
November .- Military affairs in this vicinity tolerably quiet all this month.
December .- Confederates were assessed for Union losses, and some money collected; but the plan worked very hard and un- evenly and was soon abandone !. On the 11th, General Boyle ordered Colonel Shanks to refand what he had collected. Dee. 12, Shanks' regiment left for Mumfordsville.
During this month an " additional article of war " was published oy the Government, aiding fugitive slaves; and Colonel John H. MelIenry, one of the best soldiers and commanders the Govern- ment ever had, considered the order unjust, unconstitutional and even disloyal. IIe therefore, as commander of the Seventeenth Kentucky Infantry, issued an order returning slaves to their mas- ters from his camp. IIe was consequently dismissed from his position. IIe has ever since then had the sympathy of the Daviess County public with him.
The year 1862 closed with gloomy prospects of the war ending; and James Weir deliberately reviews the national situation at length in the Monitor.
1863, Jan. 1, the Emancipation Proclamation dampens the ardor of many Unionists. President Lineoln had at the beginning of his term declared his intention not to interfere with slavery.
Jan. 28. Captain Wilson's company left.
Feb. 21, a company from Colonel Foster's regiment from In- diana arrived here. Feb. 22. no packet arriving at Owensboro: the Government had impressed her into military service.
March 3, the Legislature resolved " that we have witnessed with pride the gallant conduct of Colonel John 11. Mellenry, Jr., late commander of the Seventeenth Kentucky Volunteers, and do
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heartily endorse and approve the order made by him in October last-construing it, as we do, to mean that he would expel from his lines, and permit their owners to take in possession, all run- away slaves found within his camp."
Feb. 2, the House of Representatives unanimously passed a spirited report and resolution, arguing the hardship and injustice of the slavery requirement, and asking the President of the United States to rescind the order dismissing Colonel McHenry; but the Senate, after repeated sessions upon the matter, Feb. 25, passed the foregoing resolution.
April .- Guerrillas stealing horses in the county.
May 17, J. P. Thompson surrendered himself to Captain Horn- brook in the morning, and was sent off on the Grey Eagle at ten o'clock in the evening. On the same day, Jo Morris, Graham Hughes, Jo Sebree and others were brought in by the Federals as prisoners.
May 23, flag presentation to Captain Hornbrook, of the Sev- enty-fifth Indiana, who was a very popular man.
June 3, J. R. Grissom, Provost Marshal of this district, ranking as Captain. June 17, town excited over the report that 500 Con- federates were at Hardinsburg. Report proved to be erroneous. About sixty Confederates crossed over into Indiana and were all captured.
July 9, town excited about John Morgan at Brandenburg. 12, Colonel Foster and 400 men left up the river. July 28, flag raised on the court-house lot; speech by Wmn. B. Wall. July 29, Colo- nel Foster issued an order requiring all persons to take the oath of allegiance at the approaching election who are suspected of dis- loyalty; the order was carried out. July 31, martial law declared in this State by General Burnside. No disloyalist to vote or run for office.
Oct. 3, Colonel Starling's regiment, the Thirty-Fifth Kentucky, Federal, mustered into service. Oct. 26, J. H. McHenry is Colo- nel and M. McIntyre Lieutenant-Colonel of the militia.
Nov. 24, Company D, of the Thirty-Fifth Kentucky, stationed here in the court-house yard.
1864 .- During the spring of this year negro enrolling com- menced, and their freedom from slavery encouraged. Joseph Thomas and several others visited a negro military camp near Indianapolis, for the purpose of obtaining indemnity for citizens of Daviess County for the loss of their servants, but they were
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treated in a very ruffianly manner. Directly before their eyes, one negro loaded a gun and called upon his fellows to join him, saying, with reference to Mr. Thomas particularly, "There goes the d-d rascal who has the papers! Shoot him! G-d d-n him!" Captain Snow, a white man there, said he could not control the ruffianly conduct of the dark soldiery, and he guessed Mr. T. would have to take care of himself. Colonel Russel, who was not there, afterward said that if he had been present he would have prevented such insolence.
April 11, Captain Prange and his company left. No soldiers here. April 21, Joseph Thomas received the agency to procure compensation for owners of slaves who had run away and en- listed; but never was a dollar paid for this purpose. April 22, Owensboro citizens expecting guerrillas again to night. Great ex- citement about them. April 22-30, negroes running away in great numbers, crossing the river into Indiana.
May 13, fifty-eight men drafted in Daviess County for the Fed- eral service. May 20, citizens of Owensboro watching to-night for guerrillas again. Federal picket fired upon. May 26, Prange's men quartered on Confederate families. May 27-31, negroes enlisting in great numbers; great excitement. They thronged the Provost Marshal's office so boisterously that vio- lence was feared, and they were taken to the fair-ground in a body and sent back to the office in small squads for enlistment.
May 8 .-- About this time some ten or twelve young men from the vicinity attempted the rash act of making their way to the Confederate army. and among them was James T. Mitchell, sixteen or seventeen years of age. On their way thither they encountered the Home Guards of Ohio County, abont seven miles from Liver- more, when a skirmish ensued, resulting in the killing of this youth and the capture of Captain Vickers, of Forrest's Cavalry, and sev- eral other soldiers, who had a hearing before Captain Grissom on Sunday evening, and were remanded to jail in Owensboro. The remains of young Mitchell were brought here and appropriately buried.
May 20, excitement on account of guerrillas in the county, whose intended depredations were headed off by Captain Grissom calling the Home Guards together and sending out scouting parties.
June 1. seventy-eight negro soldiers sent to Louisville. June 5, Captain Howard, with sixty or seventy men arrived. June 6, 165 negroes left on the Grey Eagle Captain Prange's men killed
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two and wounded two guerrillas. June 13, Prange's company left. Woodward's six-months' men quartered in the court-house. Negroes all left. June 21, no erossing of the river allowed; skiffs all taken out, and boats guarded. June 22, 200 Confederates re- ported in Hawesville and expected here. Those that appeared at Hawesville, however, soon left.
June 18 .- Powers arrived from Hawesville with about a score of negro recruits on board a small steamer, and marched them to the court-house square, intending to quarter them in the court-house with Colonel Woodward's State Guard of white soldiers; but the latter refused to let them in. Both sides were called to arms, and a fight almost ensued. The colored recruits were then quartered in the jail, with nothing to eat, and under locks and bolts for about twenty-four hours.
June 23 .- Early this morning a squad of forty guerrillas came into Owensboro on the Litehfield road, eireled around the cemetery and disappeared out on the Hartford road. Soon afterward a small party of "graybacks, " bearing a flag of trnee, came into town on Frederica street, demanding, in the name of Jones, the surrender of the place, saying that the town was beleaguered by several hundred Confederate troops. Colonel Woodward, who had com- mand of the small force of State troops here, declined to surrender. The " Confederates" then retired in the direction of Calhoon. Their pickets were in front of the residences of Messrs. Weir, John- son and Griilith, and several inen were in the fields near Major Smith's house, while the whole body were very near, having come in on the Hartford road. They elaimed to be 275 strong, and to be of Adam Johnson's regiment and Morgan's command. They said they had been in the Cynthiana fight, and come down through Shelbyville and Bardstown. They left the county withont doing much damage.
After dinner the six-months' troops were disbanded, and no sol- diers left in Owensboro. The guns which they left in the court- house (poor ones) were afterward mostly taken by a guerrilla squad. On the 27th, at night, they took a horse from S. M. Wing. Busi- ness dull; about suspended. The August court ordered to be sus- Bended.
July 3 .- Captain Prange and some 200 men came in, scouting. July 3. two guerrillas in town; stole another horse from Mr. Wing, taking it from a bugzy. Their names were Tanner and Nave, and they were captured by Captain Yarber, about four miles out on the
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Livermore road, and delivered over to the gun-boat, No. 23 (Sil- ver Lake). Mr. Wing was a merchant, and at one time was Pres- ident of the Owensboro branch of the Southern Bank, principal bank at Hopkinsville. July 6, at a negro ball in the upper end of town in the evening, an attendant sent up a rocket, just for fun, and the commander of the gun-boat, suspecting guerrillas, signaled with a cannon and threw a shell up in that direction, which alarmed the citizens generally, making them believe that guerrillas were, in- deed, in town, and that a bombardment had commenced.
KENTUCKY UNDER MARTIAL LAW.
July 11, Captain Wilson brought in " Warren, " a guerrilla, but he was soon released. July 12, sixty inen, under Lieutenant Forrest, of the Fifty-Second Kentucky Volunteers (Federal), came in. July 13, Charles Carlin arrested and sent to Louisville; four men killed near Hine's Mill, in Ohio County. July 16, Forrest's men left. July 22, Powell and Thompson, guerrillas, were shot at Henderson, by order of General Burbridge, in retaliation for the guerrillas killing Colonel Poole, a citizen of that place. By way of rejoinder, Walker Taylor, commander of the guerrillas, issued a proclamation that he would retaliate by killing four.
July 24, guerrillas in the county again; robbed Jesse Potts.
During the last days of July, the gun-boat Silver Lake, or No. 23, stood in the river opposite: Owensboro. The packets, before landing, had to land at her side and put the mails off. No tra eling or shipments of produce were allowed except under permit from Captain Coyle, according to the orders of General Ewing prohibiting disloyal persons from shipping or receiving freight of any kind.
At this time negro recruiting went on rather slowly, but their crossing over into Indiana progressed briskly. On boarding Cap- tain Coyle's gun-boat, he said he could not permit thiem to be taken off against their will. While the people generally wished there were no negroes in the State, they hated to see them go in this way.
August .- In the carly part of this month an Owensboro patrol- inan fired at a colored man and missed him, the ball passing near the gun-boat; whereupon the latter fired 100 musket balls along the bank.
Aug. 4 .- Colonel {Bishop and colored soldiers arrived at 11 P. M. Aug. 6, Circuit Clerk locked up his office, as the colored in-
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fantry had the court-house as quarters. Aug. 8, about 200 negro soldiers came up from Henderson. Aug. 23, 165 more arrived from the same place. Aug. 25, they all left at night. Aug. 15, Captain J. C. Cowin, of the One Hundred and Eightlı Colored Infantry, after a little fighting, captured nine guerrillas at Yelving- ton and brought them to Owensboro, where they were confined in jail.
Aug. 16, Captain Yarber arrested, under order of Colonel Bishop, his men disarined, horses taken from them, and they disbanded. The Captain could show no authority for his proceedings. Aug. 18, Benedict D. Mitchell, the jailer, was shot by mistake by one of the guards, who had orders to shoot any one making his appear- ance in the jail-yard that night. Mr. Mitchell, not knowing that such an order had been given, appeared in the yard about 2 o'- clock in the morning, for the purpose of attending to some neces- sity.
Aug. 27 .-
OWENSBORO CAPTURED.
On the afternoon of Saturday, Ang. 27, as unexpectedly as a flash of lightning from a clear sky, something over twenty guerril- las, under Captain Bennett, dashed into town. They first announced their presence in front of the court-house, by the rapid firing of revolvers, sometimes in the air and sometimes at fleeing citizens and at store and office doors. They accompanied this demonstra- tion with orders for all persons at once to repair to the court-house yard; and these orders were " sanctioned " with the wickedestpro- fanity. They thus advertised themselves to the guerrillas at once. One fellow dashed "horse, foot and dragoon " into Blair, Queen & Co.'s store, driving its customers pell-mnell, into the rear yard. Such a stampede, of all classes of people, from the central part of town toward the ontskirts was never before nor since witnessed in any other place during the war. It was Indicrous as well as ex- citing. It was remarkable with what agility the people shot out of the back doors and windows of the stores and offices and hid themselves in boxes, barrels, privies, dog kennels, deep weeds, etc. We wish we had space to rehearse some of the "hair- breadth escapes," Indicrous "feats of agility " and serio-comical situations that were witnessed on this occasion.
The invaders succeeded in huddling 200 or 300 citizens together into the court-house yard. The commander, "Jake Bennett," pro- posed to burn the court-house, and even the banks if their money
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was not given up, but he was dissuaded from it by R. L. Boyd and other citizens. The robbers entered only one store, and that was the jewelry establishment of Mr. Bradford, in care of Mr. Zulauf, from which they took three gold watches, valued at $700. They also took a few horses from Clint. Griffith, Ridgely Griffith and George Smith.
Burning of the Wharf-bout .- But by far the worst thing they did was to burn Messrs. Ayers & Elders' wharf-boat, with a number of human beings confined upon it. They mistakenly supposed that considerable Government freight was upon it The private prop- erty consumed was estimated at about $6,000. Nine colored sol- diers, said to have been the guard that conducted the Yelvington prisoners to Louisville, were at this boat. They first fired at the guerrillas, and then concealed themselves within, for a time; but it is said that three jumped off, ran up the bank and escaped. Two of them were shot by the murderers and thrown overboard, and the charred remains of one more was found on the boat, the fire being extinguished before the hull was consumed. Three negroes took refuge in the hull, and were cut ont by Mr. Ayres after the maraud- ers had left. They pleaded piteously for their lives and declared they were anxious to return to their owners. Lieutenant Walters, pre- viously of the Third Kentucky Cavalry, was killed during the affray. A lot of Government stores on the levee were fired just before they left, but the most of the property was saved afterward by the citizens. These guerrillas were here but one hour, and they left on the Litch- field road.
Aug. 28, the gun-boat Lou Eaves took away many negroes.
During this month, according to the Monitor, the negro soldiery in Owensboro behaved very well.
Th Court- House .- This was a convenient building for military occupation; and it was wonderful to witness the rapidity with which it was transformed from a civil establishment to a military, and the reverse. When the former change was made, the doors were perforated and disfigured by rude openings to fire muskets through, and were rendered ball-proof from withont by heavy oak timbers nailed on the inner side. The windows, to the height of a man's head, were barricaded with planks a foot apart and the space between filled with dirt, leaving openings to fire through. In this work of fortification, all the benches in the court-house were cut up, and other lumber was used. Even the planks werestripped from the fence around the yard. Some ditching was also done about the
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