Encyclopedia of Mississippi History Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions and Persons, Vol. II, Part 27

Author: Dunbar Rowland
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Madison, Wis. : S.A. Brant
Number of Pages: 1020

USA > Mississippi > Encyclopedia of Mississippi History Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions and Persons, Vol. II > Part 27

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Under the act of congress approved May 13, 1846, "one regiment of infantry or riflemen" was the quota of the State.

The governor's call for ten companies was published according- ly, June 1. By this time some of the volunteer companies had dis- banded, and hundreds had gone to join the Louisiana troops orga- nized under the requisitions of Taylor and Gaines. The Missis- sippian of June 10 gave the following list of companies tendered to the governor: Vicksburg Southrons, Capt. Willis; State Fenci- bles, Capt. McManus; Raymond Fencibles, Capt. Downing; Yazoo Volunteers, Capt. Sharp; Carroll Volunteers, Capt. Howard; Natchez Volunteers, Capt. Poore; Tombigbee Volunteers, Capt. McClung; Marshall Volunteers, Capt. A. B. Bradford; Pontotoc Volunteers, Capt. J. D. Bradford; Lexington Volunteers, Capt. Amyx; Grenada Hornets, Capt. Judson; Woodville Volunteers, Capt. Cooper; DeSoto Volunteers, Capt. Labauve; Vicksburg Volunteers, Capt. Crump; Lafayette Guards, Capt. Delay; Law- rence Volunteers, Capt. Williams; Quitman Volunteers, Capt. Parkinson; Copiah Volunteers, Capt. Daniel; Tippah Volunteers, Capt. Jackson ; Attala Guards, Capt. McWillie. The first five com- panies had been mustered in at Vicksburg; but the Woodville com- pany took the place of that from Claiborne, and the Vicksburg Volunteers the place of the Natchez Fencibles. Four of the com- panies were at the rendezvous at Vicksburg June 7. Citizens of the State in the absence of any provision on the part of the gov- ernment, put $30,000 at the governor's disposal to pay the ex- pense of transporting and subsisting the volunteers.

The companies of the Rifle regiment were all at Vicksburg by the middle of June, when officers were elected. (See Miss. Rifles.) Thence they took boat to New Orleans and were joined by their colonel, Jefferson Davis. While the regiment ramained at New Orleans, encamped on low, unhealthy ground, many were taken sick ; some died, and a considerable number were sent home. The regiment sailed on the steamship Alabama July 26. and landed at the Brazos, seven miles from Point Isabel, where they encamped and remained until August 2.

July 1, John A. Quitman was commissioned as one of the briga- dier generals of volunteers, and joined the troops at the mouth of the Rio Grande. Taylor was preparing for an advance to Monterey, the nearest Mexican stronghold, and organized two divisions of volunteers-First, of the Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana brigades. under Gen. William O. Butler, and the Second. of the Illinois and Missouri brigade, the Tennessee brigade. and the Third brigade, under Gen. Robert Pattison. The Third brigade of the Second division, included the three regiments from Mississippi, Alabama

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and Georgia, and the Baltimore and Washington battalion. Gen. Quitman was in command of this brigade. Quitman's brigade brought up the rear in the march out of Camargo, August 19. The assault upon Monterey (q. v.) began September 21. Quitman's brigade attacked the work called the Teneria. The enemy's fire swept away a third of the regular troops that preceded them. "Quitman's brigade, though suffering most severely, particularly in the Tennessee regiment, continued to move on, and finally car- ried the work, as well as a strong building in its rear. . In this spirited charge Lieut .- Col. A. K. McClung was severely wounded and the horse of General Quitman was killed." Next day Quitman occupied the Teneria, supported by Ridgeley's and Bragg's batteries. On the morning of the 23d Davis attacked a triangular redoubt near by, and this began a fight from house to house, in which Quitman's brigade joined, reinforced by Texans. In five hours the troops had penetrated to within a square of the grand plaza. Next day the city was surrendered.

Taylor had made this movement in response to popular clamor, and was not prepared to advance any further. His army went into camp. (See Memoir by Mrs. Davis, I, 293-301.)

Col. Davis returned home for a visit, leaving Maj. A. B. Bradford in command of the regiment. December 14 the army began the march to Saltillo. Gen. Scott had arrived in Mexico and ordered Taylor to cooperate in a campaign from Vera Cruz. The troops marched 260 miles, to Victoria, under the command of Quitman. Scott ordered them into his army, allowing Taylor to retain Bragg's and Washington's batteries, and any one regiment he might choose. His choice was the Mississippi Rifles. They returned to camp at Agua Nueva, 18 miles from Saltillo, and were joined by some new regiments from Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois and Arkansas, under Gen. Wool. Santa Anna resolved to crush this force, and ad- vanced with a body of Mexicans largely outnumbering the Ameri- cans. This brought on the battle of Buena Vista (q. v.) February 23, 1847, in which Col. Davis and his regiment were particularly distinguished.

The period of enlistment having expired, the First regiment returned to the coast, and sailed May 29, 1847, from the Brazos for New Orleans, where they arrived June 9, in company with a Kentucky regiment. "When the regiment went to the war its numbers aggregated, officers and men, 926. It brought back to New Orleans but 376, showing a loss in battle and from disease of 550 men." The returning soldiers were welcomed at New Orleans with great enthusiasm and addressed, on behalf of the city, by S. S. Prentiss.

The glory of the war was subsequently all with the army of in- vasion under Scott, whose advance was made possible by the vic- tory at Buena Vista. Quitman (q. v.) was conspicuous in Scott's campaign, and many Mississippians rendered honorable service.

Gov. Brown's proclamation calling for the Second regiment of infantry, was issued November 27, 1846, and Vicksburg was desig-

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nated as the place of rendezvous. The time for which the men were to enlist was "during the war," and this was discouraging.

December 24, 1846, Gov. Brown wrote to Secretary Marcy: "On the 12th instant I wrote. you expressing fears that we should find some difficulty in getting up the regiment called from this State. On the 18th I sent you a printed copy of an order accepting seven companies then offered and expressing my confidence that the re- maining three companies necessary to complete the regiment would be ready very soon. It now gives me great pleasure to say that the regiment is complete, and will be ready to leave Vicks- burg for the seat of war by the 8th or 10th of January. The regi- ment is of the very best material, and will do as good service as any in the world. It contains judges, generals, legislators, lawyers, doctors, farmers, mechanics, and gentlemen of every description. I doubt if the Great Captain, even, ever led a more chivalrous regiment to battle. Allow me to express an earnest hope that the regiment may be taken to that point where there is the hardest fight- ing. I risk nothing in saying that it will prove an over match for any three regiments of infantry in the Mexican army."

The Second regiment was composed of the Lowndes Guards, Capt. A. K. Blythe; the Marshall Relief Guards, Capt. J. H. Kil- patrick ; Choctaw Volunteers, Capt. E. Elder ; Monroe Volunteers, Capt. J. M. Acker; Tippah Guards, Capt. A. M. Jackson; Lauder- dale Volunteers, Capt. W. J. Daniels; Thomas Hinds Guards (Jefferson county), Capt. Charles Clark, Union' Grays, (Attala county), Capt. A. McWillie; Panola Boys, Capt. A. A. Overton; Union Company (Lawrence and Covington counties). They were ordered to rendezvous at Vicksburg Jan. 1 to 5, 1847. (Vicksburg Whig.) Reuben Davis was elected colonel, Capt. Fitzpatrick lieu- tenant-colonel and Ezra R. Price major. The staff officers were: Beverly Matthews, adjutant; William Barksdale, commissary ; Charles M. Price, quartermaster; Thomas N. Love, surgeon; D. A. Kinchloe, assistant surgeon. (Goodspeed.)

The Second regiment went to New Orleans in January, and after a stay there in which it suffered much from sickness, sailed for the Mexican coast. It reached the mouth of the Rio Grande the day of the battle of Buena Vista, and ascended to Matamoras, where Col. Davis took command, relieving Col. Drake, of Indiana, who marched his regiment to the front. A letter from the seat of war said: "The Second Mississippi riflemen left Matamoras on the 14th (March) for Monterey. This regiment has suffered awfully. Originally consisting of 850 men, it now numbers 650. They have lost 135 by death, and 50 are now sick. The rest are eager for a fight." In June the death list was 167. 134 had been discharged, 38 deserted. Capt. Clark returned to Mississippi in July to enlist recruits. The Second was advanced later to Saltillo and Buena Vista, while Scott advanced on the capital. Though the men were nearly all vaccinated, they suffered from varioloid, and the few un- vaccinated had the most virulent smallpox. They were also rav- aged by the Mexican diarrhoea. The colonel and lieutenant-col-

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onel, when nearly dead, resigned, and Captain Clark was elected colonel and Lieut. John A. Wilcox lieutenant-colonel. Afterward, until the close of the war, the regiment was encamped near the beautiful city of Calderito, near Monterey.

While Clark was calling for 500 recruits, and the yellow fever was raging frightfully at New Orleans, the third requisition came from the president, for a battalion of five companies. Accordingly, the governor called for a battalion of five companies of riflemen, July 29, 1847. Although several companies had been organized, partly composed of men from Col. Davis, regiment, disbanded, only one reported by August 24, to meet the requisition. The volunteers desired to be mounted, and to have the election of their own officers. The one company first enrolled was the Chickasaw Heroes, Capt. W. M. Keyes. October 11, the governor sent out an urgent appeal for men to come in singly or any way to fill up the requisition, and urged that Mississippi should not be the first to refuse to respond to the calls for troops. The battalion did not start for Mexico until January, 1848. The treaty of peace was signed February 2. The expense of organizing troops for this war were paid by the United States, upon the warrants of the State officials. When the enlistment of the First regiment expired, the president ordered that their arms and accoutrements remain the property of the State. After the close of the war, in the fall of 1848, the United States army was for some time encamped at East Pascagoula, Miss.

Mhoon Valley, a post-hamlet in the southeastern part of Clay county, on the Southern Ry., 6 miles west of Westpoint, the county seat. Population in 1900, 25.

Michigan City, an incorporated post-village in the northeastern part of Benton county, on the line of the Illinois Central R. R., about 20 miles northeast of Holly Springs, and 6 miles southwest of Grand Junction, Tenn., the nearest banking town. It has two churches, a flour mill, and a lumber mill. Population in 1900, 70.

Mico, a post-village in the extreme northern part of Jones county. on the Mobile, Jackson & Kansas City R. R., 8 miles north of Laurel, the nearest telegraph, express and banking town. Popula- tion in 1900, 150.

Middleton. An old town of Carroll county, situated about 2 miles west of Winona, in what is now Montgomery county. It originated in a little log-cabin store, owned by Ireton C. Devane, who supplied the wants of the Indians and pioneers who passed that way along the trails that crossed there. The first public road in Carroll county-from Carrollton, the county seat of Carroll county, to Greensboro, the old county seat of Choctaw county-ran by way of Devane's store. Gradually a little settlement grew up about the store, which was named Middleton from its location, half way be- tween Carrollton and the old settlement of Shongalo, a little west of the present town of Vaiden. Small & Davidson were managers of the second business enterprise of the place, and soon after Mike Hill and Alfred Drake established a store here. At the height of its

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prosperity, Middleton had some eight or ten stores, and the prin- cipal merchants, in addition to those mentioned, were Baker, - Townsend, Jas. Bryant, - Hemingway, W. H. Witty, J. J. Gee, and Alexander Ray. Early in the 30's Ephraim Walls was granted a license "to keep a tavern and to sell vinous and spirituous liquors at Middleton." . His successors were a Mr. Newton, and later Mrs. Bridges. Its physicians were Drs. Lipscomb, Satterwaite, W. W. Liddell, Dandridge, J. W. Holman, Allen W. Gary, H. B. Atkins, B. F. Ward, and Montgomery. Messrs. Gould and Carpen- ter were lawyers here. Rev. A. Newton and Rev. - Holly, Presbyterian pastors ; Morris, Latimer, Echols and Henry Pittman, Baptists, and Rev. James Waldon, Presiding Elder of the Methodist church, were the ministers in charge of the three churches at Mid- dleton. Mr. Brown was the first Campbellite or Christian preacher in this section, but the sect had no church at Middleton. The town and neighborhood were rapidly settled after the conclusion of the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit in 1830. Some of the earliest settlers were John Gary, and his sons, Marvel, West, and Allen ; Warren Wadlington, the Herrings, Samuel Jenkins, William Bar- row. W. Y. Collins, John E. Palmer, the Townsend brothers, Geo. A. Hogsett, John Huffman, - Harrison, Yelvington, N. McFatter, - Scrivner, - Graves, Chas. Davis, - Joyner,

Campbell, - Reeves, James Jones, Andrew Woods, the Young brothers, James Pentecost, John and Geo. McLean, the Whiteheads, James Collins, Jos. Eubanks, - Goza, Harvey Mer- rett, - Webb, Jack Turner, Hugh and Louis Davis, John P. Thompson, Mary Baskin, Ned Inman, Mrs. Dubard, the Doyles, Culpepper, John Tulord, and W. H. Curtis.

Middleton supported two excellent colleges, one for young women and one for young men. Miss Murtah taught the first school, which afterwards became the female college presided over by Dr. White. The male college was a Baptist institution, of which A. S. Bailey was the president. A vigorous effort was made to locate the State University at this point, which was defeated by the bitter opposition of the two colleges. The business and population of the old town gradually moved to Winona, two miles distant, after the building of the Illinois Central railroad through this section. (See Riley's Extinct Towns and Villages).

Middleton, a postoffice of Clarke county, 11 miles northeast of Quitman, the county seat.

Midnight, a postoffice in the northwestern part of Yazoo county, about 20 miles northwest of Yazoo city. Population in 1900, 55; the population in 1906 is estimated at 100. It has several general stores, a cotton gin, lumber yard, churches and good schools.

Mileston, a post-hamlet of Holmes county, on the Illinois Central R. R., 14 miles west of Lexington, the county seat. Population in 1900, 40.

Military Road, Old. See Roads.

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Militia, State. After Mississippi became a State in 1817, a more elaborate militia system was adopted, which will be indicated by the following roster from Marschalk's almanac for 1819:

Commander-in-Chief, the Governor.

Adjutant-general, Josiah H. McComas; quartermaster-general, John Richards; aides-de-camp, Lieut .- Cols. Joseph Sessions and Thomas M. Gildart.

First Division, Maj .- Gen. Thomas Hinds; aides, Majs. James C. Wilkins and Robert Cocks.

First Brigade, Brig .- Gen. Parmenas Briscoe, Colonels, Willis B. Vick, Warren county ; Joseph Nicholls, Claiborne; John A. David- son, Jefferson.

Second Brigade, Brig .- Gen. John Wood; aide, Capt. Bailey E. Chaney ; inspector, John H. Robinson. Colonels, James Foster, Adams county ; John T. Witherspoon, Franklin; Eli Garner, Law- rence.

Second Division, Maj .- Gen. James Patton ; aides, Majs. John B. Elliott and Albert G. Ruffin.

First Brigade, Brig .- Gen. David Dickson; aide, Capt. John Lowrey ; inspector, James Jones. Colonels, John S. Lewis, Wil- kinson county ; Daniel McGaughey, Amite; David Cleveland, Pike.

Second Brigade, Brig .- Gen. George H. Nixon; Colonels, James McGowan, Marion and Hancock counties; Josiah Watts, Wayne; William Stark, Greene and Jackson.

Gen. Hinds resigned in 1819 after his defeat for governor, and Samuel L. Winston was elected by the legislature of 1820. Upon his resignation, in 1832, Arthur Fox was appointed.

John Joor was elected in 1826 to succeed Patton.

Governor Brandon reported to the secretary of war, James Bar- bour, in 1826, that having no inspector-general it was impossible to ascertain the militia enrollment. The volunteer companies, numbering about one in twenty of those subject to militia duty, were much the most efficient. They were given the arms furnished by the United States, and were preferred in rank. Commissions in the militia were not sought after, and the officers were mostly men unqualified for actual military service. The militia had quar- terly company musters, one battalion and one regimental muster annually.

The militia laws were revised in 1829 by Chancellor John A. Quitman, and in the same year Scott's infantry tactics were in- troduced.

The five major-generals in 1840 were A. P. Cunningham. John A. Quitman, Hugh W. Dunlap, E. L. Acee and Willis W. Cherry.

As late as 1848 there was no State armory, and Governor Brown estimated that since the admission of the State nearly $100,000 worth of arms, received from the United States, had been lost or ruined by neglect.

The militia was showing new life in 1840, especially in a consid- erable number of volunteer companies. Cooper's tactics were in-

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troduced. The most famous volunteer companies were at Vicks- burg and Natchez, which were social as well as military in char- acter. John A. Quitman was the famous captain of the Natchez Fencibles. In 1839 the Vicksburg Volunteers and Southrons were entertained at Natchez by the Hussars, Fencibles, Guards and Light Artillery. Col. A. L. Bingaman presided at the banquet. The first toast was "Our Country-esto perpetua," followed by Yankee Doodle and three guns.

Then came the Mexican war of 1846-48, which absorbed the mil- itary ambition of the people. After that, in Governor Quitman's administration, there was an earnest effort to promote the general organization of volunteer companies, and this was the occasion of discussion in congress. (See Army of Mississippi.)

After the war of 1861-65, the militia continued to be embarrassed by political complications, also by racial conflicts.

After the meeting of the constitutional convention of 1865, Gov- ernor Sharkey issued a proclamation calling upon the people to organize under the militia laws for the suppression of crime, at least to the extent of one company of cavalry and one of infantry in each county, and particularly urged the young men who had been in the Confederate service to respond to this duty. Although President Johnson had, at an earlier date, verbally authorized Gov- ernor Sharkey to take such action, Gen. Osterhaus, commanding the Jackson district, prohibited it, and the remonstrance of Carl Schurz, then visiting the State, persuaded the president to advise Sharkey to call upon the United States troops to suppress disorder, and refrain from organizing militia until further progress had been made in re-establishing the State government. To Schurz the pres- ident expressed his belief that such an organization as Sharkey proposed would not be dangerous, at least might be safely tried while the troops were there, as the people must sometime be trusted and the army withdrawn. Slocum went too far, in this delicate situation, and without consulting the president, issued his Order No. 22, prohibiting any militia organization; declaring that most of the crimes were against Northern men, army couriers and negroes, and thereafter, when such crimes were reported a military force would be sent out sufficient to disarm every inhabi- tant within ten miles of the locality of the disorder. Between Sharkey, Schurz and Slocum, the president was compelled to coun- termand the general's order, over which there was much jubilation. "The organization of the militia accordingly proceeded, and was not interfered with until 1867, when it was disbanded in pursuance of the reconstruction acts which abolished all militia organizations in the Southern States." (Garner, "Reconstruction," 99-103.)

The legislature of December, 1865, passed an elaborate act for the re-organization of the militia, with five divisions and major- generals, and 10 to 30 brigades and brigadier-generals, and regi- ments and colonels accordingly, also a full staff, headed by the ad- jutant-general. Special provision was made for the duties of

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officers in case of insurrection. A State military fund was created. The uniform of the militia was to be "cadet gray."

The constitution of 1869 put the appointment of all officers, ex- cept "non-com's" into the hands of the governor, and reduced the general officers to one major-general for the State, and one briga- dier-general for each congressional district, each district to consti- tute a division.

A law creating a State militia was adopted in the code of 1871. It provided that the tax collector should enroll the names of all men subject to military duty, and transmit a copy of the same to the adjutant-general, the rolls to be evidence of the enrollment of the militia. It provided that the militia should be organized into companies and regiments, subject to the call of the governor, ac- cording to the army regulations of the United States. Also that the regiments of each congressional district should be organized into a division.

In 1822, W. W. Dedrick was adjutant-general. E. Stafford was major-general and the brigadiers were Milton J. Alcorn, Isaac W. Randall, Joseph T. Smith, Charles E. Furlong, E. J. Castello. Rosters appear in the reports of three companies organized of the First regiment, negro, in llinds county, and of three volunteer companies, the Columbus National Guards, Columbus Rifles and Noxubee Rifles. A tabulated statement showed volunteer com- panies throughout the State-171 of infantry, 31 of cavalry and 7 of artillery, with 125,000 men enrolled.

The militia was liberally aided by the United States government, the appropriations available in 1873 being nearly $45,000. There were 21 active militia organizations reported in 1873. At the be- ginning of 1874 there were 118,219 militia enrolled, the companies being distributed over the State, and some were armed with Springfield rifles. (See Ames Adm.)

After the political revolution in 1875, the Gatling Gun bill was repealed and the militia was paralyzed by the reduction of the pay of officers when on duty to five cents a day. But volunteer compa- nies were encouraged.

The Aberdeen Guards, of Aberdeen ; the Autry Rifles, of Holly Springs; the DeSoto Blues, of Hernando: the Prairie Rifles, of Okolona ; the Oktibbeha Rescues, of Starkville; the Lee County Guards, of Baldwin; the Rankin Guards, of Brandon; the Noxu- bee Rifles, of Macon ; Tunica Guards, of Austin ; Lamer Rifles, of Oxford; Adam's Light infantry, of Natchez; and the Senatobia Invincibles, of Senatobia, all volunteer companies, were chartered by the legislature in 1877. The law made them companies of minute men, subject to the call of the Governor. It provided that the companies might form battalions and elect officers. Its bene- fits were also extended to the Columbus Riflemen, and Columbus Light Artillery, previously incorporated. An act March 6, 1880, chartered the Walthall Guards of Grenada.

Other companies were organized and chartered. but Governor Stone reported in 1882 that many of them had disbanded or had become disorganized.

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Governor Lowry in 1886 noted a revival of interest in the militia -"a number of well equipped and splendidly drilled rifle compa- nies, some of which will enter the competitive drills to be holden during the year." Enough new companies were formed to ex- haust the appropriations of the United States government for arms and ammunition, by 1888.

William Henry was appointed adjutant-general in 1886, and re- ported 1,370 men uniformed and active members of the companies, entitling them to aid of over $8,000 from the United States. In the spring of 1886 several companies of the National Guard en- camped at Vicksburg and drilled in competition as a feature of the Vicksburg fair. There was then organized, May 14th, "The Active and Uniformed Military Association of the State of Mississippi," with Maj .- Gen. B. S. Ricks as president, for the encouragement of a thorough military system. In 1882 congress had appropriated to each coast State which had a permanent camp ground for an annual encampment of at least six days, $5,000 each for artillery instruction. The citizens of Pass Christian donated about 100 acres of land fronting on the beach, earthworks were thrown up and cannon and mortars mounted. The first annual encampment was held there August 3-10, 1887, three Mississippi companies at- tending-the Capital Light Guards, Columbus Riflemen and Natchez Rifles, with two companies of U. S. artillery and four companies from Louisiana. "Fort Henry," was deeded to the State on condition that it should revert if not used in any consecutive three years. On account of the failure of legislative provision for encampments, the title soon reverted. The Mississippi National Guard in 1888 included 24 separate companies, 11 attached or bat- talion companies, and two artillery companies. In that year it was recognized by act of legislature, amended in 1890. Benjamin S. Ricks was major-general of militia, and the brigadiers were W. N. Munroe, Columbus; G. Y. Freeman, Jackson ; E. F. Goddis, Flora. The National Guard organization was First battalion, Maj. C. Lee Lincoln, Columbus; First battalion artillery, Lieut .- Col. E. W. Morrill. Moss Point ; First battalion cadets, Maj. G. W. McClain, Starkville.

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Encyclopedia of Mississippi History Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions and Persons, Vol. II, Part 27

Author: Dunbar Rowland Publication date: 1907 Publisher: Madison, Wis. : S.A. Brant Number of Pages: 1020

Author: Dunbar Rowland
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Madison, Wis. : S.A. Brant
Number of Pages: 1020