History of Davidson County, Tennessee, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 44

Author: Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford)
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia, J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1013

USA > Tennessee > Davidson County > History of Davidson County, Tennessee, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 44

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175

THE COMPANIES IN THE FIRST TENNESSEE REGIMENT, ETC.

Miss. Soon after it was consolidated with Burnett's Ten- nessce Cavalry Battalion, forming the Second Tennessee (Col. Bartcau).

The new regiment had its first engagement at Courtland, Ala., July 25, 1862, where it made heavy captures in pris- oners. In August it was engaged at Medon's Station, Bol- ivar, and Britton's Lane, Tenn., at the latter place losing severely. In September it was in the attack on Iuka, and shortly after in that on Corinth. At Palo Alto a detach- ment had a smart action with a Kansas regiment, which it defeated. At Birmingham, Miss., April 25, 1863, it de- feated superior numbers and broke up an important expe- dition of the enemy. At Day's Springs, in July, it routed Col. Spencer's Alabama (Union) command, and captured its artillery. In the winter of 1864 it became a part of Forrest's command, with which it remained for the rest of the war, achieving the reputation of being one of the steadiest and most dashing of his regiments. It was en- gaged at Okalona, Pontotoc, and the various affairs of the West Tennessee expedition ending at Paducah, Ky. At Fort Pillow, April 12th, it led the assault, and was among the first to enter the works. At Brice's Cross-Roads it broke the enemy's lines at the first charge, and was never checked during the battle. It fought desperately at Harrisburg, and lost severely. At the Tallahatchie River it had another obstinate conflict on August the 12th, and on the 21st it was part of the column that dashed into Memphis. On Forrest's raid into Middle Tennessee it was warmly engaged at Athens, Sulphur Trestle, and Pulaski. It participated in the capture of the gunboats at Paris Landing, and in the destruction of the transports and stores at Johnson- ville. In Hood's operations in Tennessee it was fully en- gaged, being in action at Murfreesboro', Anthony's Hill, and Sugar Creek, besides a number of smaller affairs. Dur- ing Wilson's raid in 1865 it fought at Sipsey Swamp, Scotts- ville, and other points, and surrendered at Gainesville, May 10th.

COMPANIES IN McCANN'S CAVALRY BAT- TALION.

This was a partisan corps under the command of Maj. J. R. McCann, and was organized to operate within the enemy's lines for the purpose of procuring information of his movements, interrupting his communications, and cre- ating divisions of his force. The companies from David- son were Capt. William J. Bass', Hays Blackman's, Carter's, and Shaw's. The company of Capt. Thomas Perkins, from Williamson, had many men from this county. Some of these companies were in Morgan's brilliant raid into Ken- tucky in the summer of 1862. The battalion led the ad- vance in Wheeler's operations in the rear of Rosecrans in 1862, and in the expedition to the Lower Cumberland in the winter of 1863, where it captured several transports. Shortly afterwards it captured three trains of cars and burnt several bridges in the vicinity of Lavergne. It was engaged in the actions at Snow Hill and McMinnville. On Bragg's retreat from Tennessee it took part in Morgan's daring expedition into Indiana and Ohio. On Gen. Mor- gan's escape from prison it joined him in his last raid into Kentucky, and after his death became part of Duke's

brigade, and was in frequent actions in East Tennessee and Western Virginia. The theatre of its operations being in rear of the enemy's lines, its career was full of danger and stirring excitements. One of its most excellent officers, Capt. William J. Bass, lost his life while on a daring scout in the immediate vicinity of Nashville. In such expedi- tions it was often enabled to render valuable services by furnishing timely information of the enemy's movements.

FIRST BATTALION TENNESSEE HEAVY AR- TILLERY.

Davidson furnished two companies to this splendid corps, namely, the Nelson Artillery, Capt. Anglade, so named in honor of Anson Nelson, Esq., the present treasurer of the city of Nashville, and a company under Capt. Stankinwitz, a gallant old Polish officer, who had served in several revolu- tions in Europe. This battalion was commanded successively by Lieut .- Col. (afterwards Maj .- Gen. ) J. P. McCown, Lieut .- Col. (afterwards Lieut .- Gen.) A. P. Stewart, and Lieut .- Col. Andrew Jackson, the latter of Davidson County. The Nelson Artillery had its first engagement at Columbus, Ky., where it was attacked on several occasions by gunboats. On the evacuation of this place it again came under fire at Island No. 10, where after a protracted defense it was en- trapped and forced to surrender. In the mean time Stankin- witz's company had been taken at Fort Donelson, where it fought Commodore Foote's ironclads with light guns, but did good service. On release from prison both companies were assigned to the defense of Port Hudson, where they rendered brilliant service both on the water and land side during the long siege of that place, lasting from May 27 to July 9, 1863. On the night of the 14th of March these two companies acquitted themselves with great credit in resisting the passage of Farragut's fleet, during which the sloop-of-war " Mississippi" was fired and blown up; only two of his vessels succeeded in passing, the rest being driven back more or less damaged. During the siege these two compa- nies suffered severely in killed and wounded, being under a constant fire of artillery and musketry. Their guns were frequently dismounted, and at length broken to pieces by the pondcrous shot of the naval guns, which were taken ashore and placed in battery at short range. On July 9th the garrison surrendered, having held out five days later than that at Vicksburg. On release from parole the two com- panies were consolidated under Capt. J. A. Fisher, who had commanded the Nelson Artillery almost from the begin- ning of active service, and were placed on duty at Fort Morgan, when they were again fated to undergo the same ordeal of siege and capture which had marked their pre- vious experience. But here, as on other occasions, they bore themselves with such valor and fortitude as to win unstinted praise from those who were witnesses of their conduct. In the great naval fight on Aug. 5, 1864, in Mobile Bay, their guns were served with spirit- and precision, but to no avail towards preventing the passage of Admiral Farragut's fleet. The garrison under Gen. Page surrendered on the 23d of August, and the two companies, including Col. Jackson, were again prisoners of war. However, some fragments were left which were gathered by Lieut. Dan Phillips, of the Nelson Artillery, on his return from prison in the spring,

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HISTORY OF DAVIDSON COUNTY, TENNESSEE.

but not in time to render any further service before the final surrender.

PORTER'S BATTERY.

This company was organized and placed in charge of Capt. Thomas K. Porter, one of the most skillful and effi- cient officers in the service. He was a lieutenant in the United States navy, but had resigned his place when Ten- nessee, his native State, seceded from the Union. Under his excellent management the battery soon became profi- cient in drill and discipline, forming, in fact, a training- school for officers of the very best kind. It fired its first shot on the ill-fated field of Donelson, where it was tried severely, suffered heavily, and acquitted itself with distin- guished honor ; Capt. Porter was terribly wounded, and for a long time disabled from service. On release from prison a part of the company was collected by Lieut. John W. Morton and stationed at Vicksburg for some time. It was thence transferred to the command of Gen. Forrest, and formed the nucleus of the company that afterwards became widely known as Morton's Battery. It was in Forrest's expedition to West Tennessee in the latter part of 1862, and on its return was engaged at Dover. Soon after it was in the decisive battle of Thompson's Station, and a little later a rifle section under Lieut. Tully Brown had a most spirited duel with heavy odds at Town Creek, Ala., while another section, under Lieut. A. M. Gould, went on the Streight raid and was hotly engaged at Day's Gap, on said mountain. After engaging in several affairs in the neigh- borhood of Franklin and on the retreat from Tennessee the battery took part in the battle of Chickamauga, where it was enabled to replace its eight guns with better pieces. Late in this year Morton's Battery went to North Mississippi with Forrest, and entered upon the most brilliant part of its career. Thenceforward it became a body upon which Forrest relied with the greatest confidence, and it partici- pated in most of the scenes of his eventful campaigns.

Passing over its numerous actions in West Tennessee, we will pause to note that at Brice's Cross-Roads, in Mis- sissippi, June 10, 1864, where it opened on the enemy at the distance of sixty yards, and by its impetuous charge and advance with the lines it contributed materially to the issue of the battle. At the battle of Harrisburg, the 13th of July following, this battery fought with great des- peration and suffered severely in men and horses. A sec- tion was in the memorable raid on Memphis in August. On the 23d of September, Morton's Battery played a bril- liant part in the taking of Athens, Ala., as also on the 25th, at Sulphur Trestle, where its fire was terribly de- structive. On return from this expedition it rendered con- spicuous service in the capture of gunboats at Paris Landing, on the Tennessee, and in the destruction of the vast stores at Johnsonville. It soon after joined in Hood's movement into Tennessee, and by its fire reduced several blockhouses and redoubts on the railroad in the vicinity of Nashville. In the attack on Murfreesboro' its guns fought their way into the very heart of the town. On the retreat from Tennessee it rendered most signal service at Anthony's Hill and at Sugar Creek. After engaging in several affairs in opposing Wilson's raid in the spring of 1865, it was in-

cluded in the surrender of Gen. Richard Taylor's forces at Gainesville, Ala., May 10th.

COMPANY A, FIRST TENNESSEE ARTILLERY. RUTLEDGE'S BATTERY.

This company was organized by Capt. Arthur M. Rut- ledge, a graduate of West Point, and mustered into service on the 13th of May, 1861. It remained in the vicinity of Nashville until the 20th of July, when it was ordered to. Manassas, Va., to take part in the impending battle at that place; but the result had been determined by the time it reached Knoxville, where it remained until August 17th, when it was ordered to the neighborhood of Cumberland Gap. Here a detail of twenty men from the battery was sent out under Lieut. Falconnel, and succeeded in breaking up a Federal recruiting-party, capturing Capt. Kelsoe and three of his men. Early in September, a force of the enemy several thousand strong having advanced from Crab Orchard, Ky., Gen. Zollicoffer's brigade, to which the bat- tery was attached, advanced to Cumberland Ford, twelve miles beyond the Gap, and threw up works. The enemy having retired, Zollicoffer's force advanced to Rock Castle or Wild Cat, where the enemy was found strongly posted, and a brisk engagement ensued on October 21st. The place being difficult of access, the guns were dismounted and carried by hand up the mountain to a point whence the enemy's battery was soon silenced. The assault failed, but the enemy retreated during the night. Shortly after, the bat- tery was increased to eight guns by the addition of two rifle pieces. In December it was in action at Waitsboro', Ky., on the Cumberland River, dispersing a camp of the enemy on the opposite bank. On the retreat from Fishing Creek six of the guns were left on account of want of transporta- tion across the river. The remaining section covered the crossing of the army to the south side. At Shiloh the battery was engaged on the 5th, 6th, and 7th of April. In the attack on the 6th, Rutledge's Battery rendered most signal service at a critical moment by going into a breach near Shiloh Church and turning the tide of battle on that part of the field by its obstinate bravery and splendid firing. But this result was achieved at a heavy cost, many of the men being killed and wounded, and nearly all of the guns disabled by the enemy's shot. At the expiration of their term of enlistment most of the men re-entered the service in McClung's Battery, while the rest bore them- selves with credit and good report in various organizations.

BAXTER'S BATTERY.

This battery was formed by a division of Monsarrat's Battery, which had been organized at Nashville early after the breaking out of hostilities. It was in the campaign on the upper Cumberland, under Zollicoffer, but was not en- gaged in action until August, 1862, firing its first shot at Battle Creek. Soon after, it performed a brilliant feat at Stevenson. Capt. Ed. Baxter having resigned, Lieut. Samuel Freeman succeeded to the command. Freeman's Battery was severely engaged on Ensly's farm, November 5th, in a demonstration made by Gen. Forrest on Nashville. In Forrest's expedition to West Tennessee, in the latter part of the year 1862, it was in action at Lexington, Tren-

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MILITARY OPERATIONS IN DAVIDSON IN 1861-65.

ton, Rutherford Station, and Parker's Cross-Roads, where it fought with great daring and vigor. It was with Wheeler in his Cumberland River raid, and took part in the capture of the gunboat " Slidell," and in the attack on Dover. It was next engaged at Thompson's Station, and shortly after at Brentwood. On April 10, 1863, the battery was sud- denly captured by the Fourth United States Regular Cav- alry at Douglass' Church, in the neighborhood of Franklin, and Capt. Freeman and Lieuts. Nathaniel Baxter and Hug- gins taken prisoners. During the retirement of the enemy from the field Capt. Freeman was killed, with a view to prevent his recapture, it is supposed. Lieut. Douglas then commanded the battery until the return of Lieut. Huggins from prison, when the latter was promoted to the captaincy. A section of the battery was engaged at Day's Gap during the Streight raid. On June 6th it was in action at Triune. It fired the opening shots at Chickamauga and was stoutly engaged for three days, losing nearly all of its horses on the 19th, in an obstinate defense of its ground against a heavy attack of infantry. In October the battery was engaged at Charleston and Philadelphia, East Tenn., and in several af- fairs in Sweetwater Valley. In Longstreet's advance on Knoxville it was in action at Campbell's Station and at the siege of the former place ; also at Tazewell, Panther Springs, and Mossy Creck. Joined the Army of Tennessee in March, and was engaged at Dalton, Resaca, Cartersville, Kenesaw Mountain, Chattahoochee River, Peach-Tree Creek, Deca- tur, and in the battle of the 22d of July. A section of the battery, under Lieut. Nathaniel Baxter, was in the pur- suit and capture of Stoneman, near Macon. In Wheeler's raid into Tennessee, in 1864, the battery became divided at Clinch River, and the section under Lieut. Baxter followed Gen. Williams and rendered most important service in the battle of Saltville, Va., October 2d. The other section, under Capt. Huggins, was engaged at Smyrna, Franklin, and Culhoka, and, on its return, near Rome, Ga. In op- posing Sherman's march to the sea it was in action near Macon and at Clinton, and took an active part in the de- fense of Savannah, where its trained gunners rendered very valuable services. In the campaign through South Caro- lina it was several times engaged. It surrendered its guns at Hillsboro', N. C., after a long career of brilliant and use- ful service.

BAKER'S BATTERY.

This company resulted from the division of Monsarratt's Battery, previously mentioned. It was successively known as Baker's, Brown's, and Surgstak's Battery. It first went into regular action at Iuka, Sept. 19 and 20, 1862. It was soon after engaged at Corinth, and on the retreat from this place the guns were so disabled at Davis' Bridge, on the Big Hatchee, that they were left on the field. The battery rendered good service at Chickasaw Bayou, Dec. 28 and 29, 1862. Shortly after it sunk the first tug-boat and barges which attempted to run past Vicksburg. It fought also the " Queen of the West" and the " Indianola," at Warrenton, and was engaged in the attack on the gunboats in Deer Creek. It played its part in the defense of Vicks- burg during the great siege. It reappeared in action at Lookout Mountain, aud was actively engaged at Missionary Ridge, as also in the retreat on Dalton. It was now 23

blended with Barrett's Missouri Battery, and did its full share of arduous service in the Dalton campaign and in Gen. Hood's operations in Tennessee.

MANEY'S BATTERY.

On the organization of this company Capt. Frank Maney was appointed to command. It formed part of the force defending Fort Donelson, and was among the first to be engaged. It occupied a salient in Col. Heiman's line, which received a heavy assault on the 14th of February, and contributed very materially to the repulse, but at a heavy loss. It was actively engaged on the 15th, and on the report of the contemplated surrender most of the men escaped. Capt. Maney was taken prisoner, but shortly afterwards, having made his escape, he organized his com- pany, with several others, into a battalion of sharpshooters, which was attached to Maney's Brigade. This battalion was engaged at Perryville, Murfreesboro', and Chicka- mauga, after which it was consolidated with the Fourth (Thirty-fourth) Tennessee, which in turn was consolidated with the First Tennessee. Its subsequent history is blended with that of these two regiments, which has already been given.

CHAPTER XXXII.

MILITARY OPERATIONS IN DAVIDSON IN 1861-65.

Nashville the Base and Depot of Supplies-Fall of Fort Henry- Johnston's Headquarters at Edgefield-Surrender of Fort Donelson -Effect of the News upon the City-Withdrawal of the Confeder- ate Troops-Arrival of the Federal Army under Gen. Buell-Nash- ville in Possession of the Federals-Attempt of Gen. Breckinridge to Retake it-Great Decisive Battle with Gen. Hood's Army- Plan of the Battle-ground.

FROM the beginning to the end of the civil war David- son County was the site of military camps. At an early date Nashville, by its geographical position, became the base and depot of supply for an extensive region comprised between the upper and lower Cumberland. On the 14th of Sep- tember, 1861, Gen. Albert Sydney Johnston arrived at Nashville to take command of the Western Department. The neutrality of Kentucky having been set at naught a few days before by a simultaneous invasion by forces from each army, he promptly determined to take possession of Bowling Green, which movement was accomplished on the 18th, by Gen. S. B. Buckner, with four thousand men. This force was increased in the course of the year by the addition of about twenty thousand more troops, but was so disposed that it created the belief with the Federal com- manders that it amounted to at least thrice that number. This opinion was also shared by the general public at the South, and induced a sense of security that was to be rudely broken early in the coming year. On the 19th of January, 1862, Gen. F. K. Zollicoffer, with two brigades of infantry, was defeated at Mill Springs, or Fishing Creek, Ky., and the upper Cumberland was in a great measure aban- doned. On the 6th of February, Fort Henry, on the Tennessee River, fell before an attack of gunboats under

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HISTORY OF DAVIDSON COUNTY, TENNESSEE.

Commodore Foote, and on the 13th Fort Donelson was prac- tically invested by a large land and naval force under Gen. U. S. Grant and Commodore Foote. On the same day Gen. Johnston having previously dispatched eight thou- sand troops under Gens. Floyd and Buckner to the assist- ance of Gen. Pillow at Fort Donelson, he retired with the remainder of his army, fourteen thousand strong, from Bowling Green, which was entered immediately by Gen. Buell. Having made his headquarters at Edgefield, oppo- site Nashville, Gen. Johnston awaited the result of opera- tions at Donelson, which he knew would decide his present tenure on Nashville and Middle Tennessee. At midnight on the 15th he received a dispatch from Gen. Pillow an- nouncing a " complete and glorious victory" won that day. The people had already been somewhat reassured by the announcement of the repulse of the Federal fleet on the 13th, and these tidings filled them with the greatest exul- tation. Before daylight he received another dispatch that Gens. Pillow and Floyd had left on steamboats for Nash- ville, and that Donelson would capitulate that morning. The result when communicated to the public produced a revulsion a hundredfold more violent than that of the pre- vious reaction. As the tidings flew from street to street the wildest rumors followed in the wake, and a panic ensued which will long be a memorable event in the annals of Davidson County. In the terror and consternation of the hour the most extravagant and illogical reports found ready credence. It was announced by panic-stricken individuals that the Federal gunboats would reach the city before morning and lay it in ruins, and many citizens left on foot to escape the doom which seemed already foretokened. It was also expected that Buell would arrive in a short time and open his batteries on the place from across the river. Many persons, however, in the ebullition of their feelings, strongly urged that the city should be burned by the au- thorities, and the smoking ruins left as the only trophies of the invaders.

Gen. Johnston early advised the Governor to remove the archives of the State, as it might be necessary to evacuate the city, under which suggestion the Legislature met that day and adjourned to convene in Memphis. The move- ment of troops to the south side of the river tended largely to exaggerate in the public mind, untutored to such scenes, a sense of the threatened danger, but Gen. Johnston in- formed Mayor Cheatham that he would make no stand which would involve the destruction of the city, and under these assurances, coupled with the fact that as the day wore off no enemy had appeared, fears of immediate danger were in a great measure dissipated. During the night the First Missouri Infantry was detailed by Gen. Johnston to patrol the city and prevent any violent disturbances.

A large amount of public stores was removed in the succeeding days, but vast quantities, amounting to millions of dollars in value, were distributed to the inhabitants or de- stroyed, Gen. Johnston having retired with the main force southward to Murfreesboro'. The splendid railroad and suspension bridges across the Cumberland were destroyed on Tuesday night, the first by fire and the latter by cutting the wires, their destruction having been adjudged necessary from a military point of view. Notwithstanding the terri-

ble apprehensions of a speedy hostile approach, it was a week after the surrender of Fort Donelson before the ad- vance of Buell's army reached the river opposite Nashville, and the 25th before the gunboats and transports arrived. Gen. Buell, on establishing his headquarters in Edgefield on Monday evening, notified Mayor Cheatham that he would be pleased to receive him at eleven o'clock A.M., on Tuesday. At the appointed hour he received the mayor and a committee of citizens, designated by the City Council, consisting of Messrs. James Woods, R. C. Foster, Russell Houston, William B. Lewis, John M. Lca, John S. Brien, James Whitworth, N. Hobson, John Hugh Smith, and John M. Bass. The meeting was satisfactory, and on his return the mayor issued a proclamation, assuring the in- habitants that they would be protected in person and prop- erty. Early on the morning of that day the Sixth Ohio' had debarked from one of the transports and proceeded to the capitol, where the flag of the Guthrie Grays was hoisted, and Gen. Nelson took formal possession in the name of the United States. On the 5th of March Gen. Buell issued a proclamation confirming to all peaccable inhabitants their full rights of person and property, and forbidding any mo- lestation therewith by his soldiers.

From this time until the end of the war Nashville re- mained in Federal possession and became one of the most important bases of military operations in the West, on which account it was well fortified and strongly garrisoned. On the return of Buell's army to Kentucky to meet Gen. Bragg's invasion, in the latter part of the summer of 1862, this and Dover were the only posts retained in the limits of Middle Tennessee. During the absence of the main body of the Federal army in Kentucky, several affairs oc- curred in the limits of Davidson County that are worthy of notice. The first of these was the engagement at La- vergne, October 7th. Gen. S. R. Anderson being at that point with some Tennessee militia and newly-raised cavalry, and the Thirty-second Regiment of Alabama infantry, Gen. Negley, in command of the post at Nashville, dispatched a force of three thousand infantry, cavalry, and artillery, under Gen. Palmer, by a night march to attack them. The movement was so well conducted that Gen. Palmer was enabled to attack the Confederate camp from front and rear without warning. The militia and cavalry fled with- out resistance, but the regular infantry made a firm stand, in consequence of which they were surrounded, and over two hundred were killed, wounded, and captured.

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History of Davidson County, Tennessee, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 44

Author: Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford) Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Philadelphia, J.W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1013

Author: Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford)
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia, J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1013