USA > Tennessee > Monroe County > Sweetwater > History of Sweetwater Valley > Part 25
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In considering the location of the railroad, the ques- tion is sometimes asked by the more observant; why the road went up the hill (Sweetwater ridge) at Athens just to get to come down again. The question is easily answered. When the railroad was being built Athens (as its name might imply) was by far the most impor- tant town in lower East Tennessee, more so than even Chattanooga. There was a bank there of which Gen- eral Reagan was president. The sentiments of the
town could not be disregarded. The railroad must come to them if it did have to climb a ridge to do so. I am inclined to the opinion that one reason of Gen- eral Reagan's resignation as superintendent of con- struction was that he knew that question of location would come up and being a politician and also a large creditor of the company, he did not wish it even sus- pected that he used his official position to determine the location. Few of late years would hesitate to use official influence for private gain. However the way is not so smooth and easy as it was a few years since.
SECOND MARRIAGE.
On September 3, 1835, General Reagan married his second wife, Myra Ann Lenoir. She was magnificently endowed mentally and morally and had received all the advantages of education which our southern country could bestow. She was the daughter of William Ballard Lenoir of Roane County. She was eminently fitted to be the wife of such a man. She had the noble and beau- tiful impulses of the woman, combined with the sound sense and logical acumen of the sterner sex. When Gen- eral Reagan was absent attending to his varied busi- ness affairs there was no fear in his mind that those at home and on the farm would not be looked after. From the time of their marriage till 1861 everything of theirs
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prospered. The sky of life was cloudless; there were no gloomy days.
The situation at the outbreak of the Civil War briefly told was this: They had 2,000 acres of land in Sweet- water Valley, a considerable portion of this in a high state of cultivation, and in as healthful a location as in this or any other country; there were $75,000 still due him from the East Tennessee & Ga. Railroad Company, and equally that much from individuals, which hereto- fore he had never had a lawsuit to collect any of; he was president of a bank and owned large stock there- in; he was deservedly popular and could have gotten almost any office he desired; they had a family of chil- dren of which any parents ought to have been proud; also he had forty or more negroes who were well fed and clothed, not overworked and apparently satisfied with their lot; thus from a southerner's point of view the condition was ideal.
But what startling and almost unbelievable changes can "man's inhumanity to man" bring about !
The poets sometimes write beautifully of war, ex- pressing sentiments such as :
. "Oh if there be, on this earthly sphere, A boon, an offering heaven holds dear, 'Tis the last libration liberty draws From the heart that bleeds and breaks in her cause."
But had the war of 1861-5 anything to do with liberty? Lincoln solemnly affirmed, time and again, that he was not fighting to free the negroes. It might have been then to free us from the toil and trouble of taking care of the negroes. The white folks did not wish to be lib- erated; however, as Kipling says: "That is, another story."
Some of the things that happened to General Reagan and family were: $75,000 due from the E. T. & Ga. R. R. Co. that were paid in bonds of the Confederate States of America, forced upon General Reagan by the com- pany, became worthless. This debt could' have been collected after the war but the heirs refused to take any steps in that direction. The debts due from indi-
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viduals were nearly all lost through inability or unwill- ingness to pay. The negroes instead of being prop- erty became our masters at the ballot box.
But we will let Mrs. Reagan tell her own story (which explains itself) in letters written at the time. Being a careful, prudent woman the picture was underdrawn rather than overdrawn. The letter that follows was not in any envelope but the two sheets were folded in the old fashioned way. Thus only three pages could be used in the body of the lettter and the other was outside with the address upon it. The letter was sealed with a wafer and a seal. The seal had a rough surface with no mono- gram upon it. Reagan's was at the time of the writing of the letter in the rebel lines while Memphis was held by the Federal forces. The address was: Mrs. Eliza M. Martin, Memphis, Tenn. There was no postage stamp on the letter nor were there any marks to show methods of transportation or date of delivery. There must have been an "underground mail" system. This was called so because carried on without the knowledge of the military. Any one caught carrying these letters was in danger of being executed as a spy.
McMinn County, E. Tenn .. Oct. 28, -'63.
Dear Sister Eliza:
It has been a long time since I have had the pleasure of a letter from you, or had the chance of writing to you. Dr. Green, a resident of your place (Memphis), who is in Cheatham's Division, told me to- day that he would send a letter for me. I will try to give you a few items, though surrounding circumstances are not favorable for writing anything like a connected letter. Cheatham's Division are camped here and it would be hard to imagine the annoyance and confusion. East Tennessee is thronged with soldiers now, both Federal and Con- federate, and Sweetwater Valley seems destined to experience the horrors of war. Several skirmishes have occurred between here and Loudon-more about Philadelphia than any other place. Yesterday week the Rebels surprised Wolford's brigade, which were encamped around W. F. L.'s (Lenoir's) house, completely routing them and taking some four or five hundred prisoners, some sixty vehicles, tents and everything they had there. There were not a great many casual- ties. Since that there have been some cannonading and picket fight- ing. Since that troops of infantry have come in and appearances in- dicate that there will be heavy fighting, or retreating by one side or the other. Two large armies cannot long subsist here with communi- cations cut off. This Valley begins to show the footprints of the armies. We have had both to camp here. The Federals injured us in one stay-taking all of our hay, fodder and oats-wasting prob- ably four times as much as they consumed, as it was a wet time. Much fencing and some other things were burned and a great deal
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of corn wasted, fields turned out and so forth-too tedious to men- tion-hogs, sheep, turkeys and chickens killed-some hogs shot that died afterward. Since the Yankees came we have been closely at home and know certainly but little that is transpiring among our friends. When we hear anything, we do not know how much of it is
true. * * * It is distressing times here and I am afraid it will still be worse. What is to become of us our heavenly Father only knows. Soldiers, bushrangers and robbers! Everything in confusion
and tending to disorganization! We hope our enemies will not re- main much longer, but we cannot tell what the future will reveal. *
(Here follows news of the relatives not of general interest.) * *
Catherine's (widow of A. S. Lenoir) folks were well a short time since. Robbers (bushwhackers) took $1,000 from her and such things as they wanted out of the house. Frank Welcker's (son-in-law of General Reagan by deceased wife) house was robbed of everything, even to the bed that Mrs. Welcker was lying on and the furniture hauled away. W. F. L.'s (Lenoir's) house was visited; guns, blankets and clothing taken. (Done by bushwhackers claiming to be Unionists.) Many others have suffered in the same way. * * Many Southern men have left home. Some have returned; others are waiting for things to become more settled. Many Union men leave home when the Rebels are in the ascendant, and so they have it in turn. * *
* Mr. Reagan's health is bad; worse for the last year than before. * * * Lenoir and James (her sons) have been at home for a few days. They were in the fight at Philadelphia.
James left home when Loudon was evacuated (by Rebels). I have heard from Julia (afterward Mrs. Love), we are all here but her. She is well but anxious to come home. Cousin Thomas Lenoir (of Haywood County, N. C.) thinks she had better remain there until the Yankees are driven out of East Tennessee. We have been talking of sending for her, thinking she would rather be at home and suffer with the balance of us. ** ** * A good many negro men and some women have gone to the Yankees; some four or five of ours. It is getting bedtime and I do not expect to have a chance of writing in the morning, as it keeps me busy to talk to and wait upon the sol- diers. If we never meet again in this world may we meet in a bet- ter.
Affectionately your sister,
M. A. R.
29th, 9 A. M. The Yankees have evacuated Loudon and the division is under marching orders. Will fold this ready for sending. May heaven's choicest blessings rest on you and yours.
M. A. R. (M. A. Reagan).
In continuation of these sketches about the Reagan family I can not see how I can do better than to give the contents of another letter from Mrs. Reagan to her sister, Mrs. Martin, of Memphis, Tenn. The former let- ter was dated October 28, 1863.
This was shortly after the battle of Philadelphia. At that time all the family were at home except her daugh- ter, Julia, afterward Mrs. Love, who was in North Car-
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olina. Lenoir and James A. were soldiers in the rebel
army. They shortly afterward went with Longstreet to the siege of Knoxville. John, then a boy of 15, re- mained at home with his father and mother. Lenoir and James were with Vaughn in the upper East Tennes- see campaign and also in Early's campaign in the Shen- andoah Valley. Lenoir Reagan was wounded near Win- chester, Va., on July 24, 1864, and for many weeks lay at the point of death a prisoner of war. On July 25, General Reagan was arrested at home and taken to Knoxville. All East Tennessee was then in possession of the Federal forces. We will now let Mrs. Reagan tell to her sister, Mrs. Martin, some things that hap- pened :
Dear Sister E .:
At Home, Dec. 5th, 1864.
* * * You will probably have heard before this of the death of Mr. Reagan. He died in Knoxville on the morning of the 15th of October. He was taken there the 25th of July as a hostage for a man of this county, who was carried South last fall. He (Mr. Reagan) was taken there (to Knoxville) on the 25th of July. The last that man's friends heard of him, he was sick in a hospital last winter, and it is believed that he died, and it is also thought that he was held as a prisoner of war as he told the men that arrested him that he was a Federal soldier. It is said that he joined a company but had never been mustered into service. His father's and his father-in-law's families were all acquaintances and friends of Mr. Reagan's, and his wife petitioned that he be permitted to come home on parole; but the Provo Marshal at A. (Athens) thought he had not been sufficiently punished for opinion's sake (they could make no charge against him) and would not fully endorse it. After a new Provo was appointed, another petition was gotten up and signed and sent up a few days before Mr. Reagan's death, which procured an order for his release, and he was to have been sent home on Sunday, the 16th. Instead of his coming home to enjoy the comforts of his own fireside, his life- less remains were sent-to rest a few hour's in his once loved home and then to rest beside our departed son's body till the morning of the resurrection. Mr. Reagan had been a great sufferer for years and could not bear confinement. I made his condition known to the au- thorities soon after his arrest, and my belief that he could not sur- vive a prison life. I entreated them if they could not permit him to come liome, to let him have the liberty of the town and board at a private house. His many friends seemed willing and anxious to do anything they could for his release, but it seems they could not effect it in time. He is done with the troubles of this world, and I have an assuring hope that he has gone where troubles and sorrows will never be permitted to enter. * *
* I did not see him during his imprison- ment. He would not agree for me to go up, as I would be allowed to see him but a few minutes at a time in the presence of a guard, and he did not wish to see me subjected to the treatment I might have to receive, and I was not apprised of his last illness in time to go. He was taken to the hospital four days before his death. The
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disease was said to be jaundice, which his appearance indicated. A kind friend procured a metalic burial case and suitable clothing, and another friend accompanied the remains home.
Excerpts from letters from Mrs. Reagan to Mrs. Mar- tin, her sister, heretofore given, graphically and con- cisely describe some of the events in our valley in the sixties. From these we can form some idea of the hor- rors of war. What happened to the Reagan family could be truthfully written of numerous others in our section. Yet here we did not get the worst of it. There were few if any houses burned and outrages committed by the regular troops on either side, as was the case in Georgia in Sherman's March to Sea or in the Shenan- doah Valley and Manassas plains of Virginia. The mere recital of the dead and wounded in battle shows but a small fraction of the evils of war-Its resultants are debts, demoralization, disease, famine and an en- during crop of personal feuds and national hatreds.
One hundred years ago a war lord was a captive in the isle of Elba. As a person he was supposed to be eliminated from the list of European monarchs. Yet one year later he was the central figure in a war of nations in Belgium, now the theatre of a conflict beside which, the loss of life and property at Waterloo will appear insignificant. No time now for "beauty and chivalry" to gather in Belgium's capital; for the happening there will be of lightning like rapidity. The gatherings there will be all warlike. The pity of it is that that little na- tion had nothing to do with bringing on the conflict and not one of her inhabitants wanted to fight. Whatever the result, she will be ground to powder between the upper and nether millstones. What to her is the "pomp and circumstance of glorious war!" What a spectacle to the heathen of ten million trained soldiers of Chris- tian nations, preaching the Gospel of Peace, using all their ingenuity and energies in destroying each other!
As a writer has said: "It is the twilight of the gods." Our human understanding can but faintly illumine the clouds of providential gloom that now lower on the European horizon. Napoleon had his Waterloo and St. Helena ; William, the "war lord," today the most force- ful (1915) personality on the face of the globe, may
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have his inglorious defeats and his rock bound island captivity.
The following beautiful tribute is taken from an obituary written for the Nashville Christian Advocate by L. L. H. Carlock, D. D .:
"Departed this life, at the residence of her son-in-law, Colonel James R. Love, near Sweetwater, Tenn., on March 8, 1879, Mrs. Mira A. Reagan. in the 69th year of her age. * * *
She had been a member of the Church from early life, at which time she made a profession of religion and joined the M. E. Church, South .. * * *
Her character was perfect in its proportions; not rugged nor erratic, but harmonious, symmetrical and unobtrusive; yielding its fruit not by paroxysms, but regularly and constantly; moulded not after Wes- ley or Fletcher or Watson, but after the pattern shown her "in the mount," where she had communed with Him and grown into His like- ness. For her a personal, present Saviour was the only one who could solve the enigma of life-the Sun of righteousness, the only infallible standard by which to set your timepieces for eternity. * * *
Her religious life was convincing; not demonstrative, but demon- strating."
WILLIAM BALLARD LENOIR REAGAN.
He was the oldest son of General James H. and Mira A. Reagan. He was born in Sweetwater Valley, Mc- Minn County, Tenn., May 31, 1838; died at Terrell, Texas, September 1, 1913.
When a boy he received such education as the public schools afforded at the time and also went a year to Prof. Aldehoff's private school at Kingston, Tenn. When quite a youth he went into a branch bank of the state at Athens, as assistant cashier to David Cleage, who was cashier, and his father the president. He re- mained in that position until the beginning of the Civil War, executing his duties with exactness and fidelity.
He first went into the war as a member of the cornet band of Colonel J. C. Vaughn's 3rd Tennessee regiment, of which G. R. Knabe, afterward of Knoxville, was the leader. However, he did not remain long a member of the band as he wished to be in the thick of the fight. He served first in Colonel Vaughn's regiment in Virginia, and afterward served as first lieutenant and adjutant in
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Colonel John R. Neil's Sixteenth battalion, Tennessee cavalry, Rucker's legion, Pegram's brigade, under Gen- eral Bragg in Kentucky and Tennessee. He was under General Forest in the battle of Chickamauga, and after- ward served in General Vaughn's mounted infantry brigade in the valley of Virginia and Maryland cam- paigns and was in the battles in which his command was engaged up to the time he was wounded near Winches- ter, Va., July 24; 1864, where he lost his leg. Soon after that date he was captured and sent to prison, where he remained until June, 1865.
The General J. C. Vaughn, Chapter No. 1224 of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, at Sweetwater, conferred upon him a cross of honor in January, 1910. Lenoir Reagan had a very minute and accurate recollec- tion of the events of the Civil War in which he was en- gaged, and was fond of talking of them. He related reminiscences in a very interesting manner. It was never his intention to exploit himself and his own part came in frequently, only by implication. In one of his stories he said: "Once I was with the rear guard in coming from Kentucky, near Point Burnside. The Cumberland river was at flood tide and the army was slow in cross- ing. A mile or so from the river, being very weary and having lost much sleep, I lay down in a cabin and told an old darky to wake me up when all the rebel soldiers had passed. Several hours afterward the old negro shook me and said: 'Boss, your men are all gone. If you don't mind, the Yankees will git you.' I got on my horse and galloped to the river. The last boat had got- ten some distance from the shore. I hailed them and told them to come back and take me over. The officer in command said it was impossible to do so, that they would be captured, and ordered the men to proceed. Some of the soldiers on the boat, knowing my voice, dis- regarded the orders of the officer and forced those row- ing the boat to come back and take me aboard, and all got over to safety."
This is told to show the regard and esteem in which he was held by his comrades, who saved him from cap- ture even at the risk of being shot for disobedience of orders.
The late Judge J. M. King, of Knoxville, was one of
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his comrades in prison at Fort Delaware. After his return from prison, Mr. Reagan engaged in farming at the old farm on which he was born. He remained there ยท until a few years ago, when he moved to Texas. He was a member of the J. E. B. Stuart Camp, No. 45, U. C. V., at Terrell, Texas. Members of this camp helped to care for him and relieve his sufferings in his last illness.
Fort Delaware was on an island in the northern part of Delaware Bay, a few miles out from Delaware City. It was used during the Civil War mostly as a prison for captured officers of the Confederate army. The pris- oners were allowed to receive boxes and money from friends inside of the Federal lines. They were also al- lowed to write and receive a certain number of letters of prescribed length and contents. A prisoner could write a letter to friends every two weeks on one side of a sheet furnished by the prison quartermaster. This sheet was not so large as the common letter paper but larger than the ordinary note. Of course all letters were strictly censored and contraband information and recondite meanings were looked for. If they contained any objec- tionable matter they were never delivered or sent. Cipher of any kind was not allowed and only such ab- breviations the meaning of which was plain; as "&" for "and," "tho" for "though,"."recd." for "received." Reagan wrote a very plain, neat hand not smaller than the ordinary business scrip. With this explanation I append in full one of his letters. This letter dated at Fort Delaware May 14, 1865, was post-marked at Del- aware City, May 16, thus giving time for censoring, and arrived at Memphis, Tenn., on the 22nd.
Fort Delaware, Div. 25, May 14, 1865.
Miss Bettie Martin, Memphis, Tenn.
My Dear Cousin:
Yours of the 6th instant came to hand yesterday evening. It was surely a welcome visitor and one that I had been daily expecting. Now that you have recovered from your fever I am glad I had not heard of the attack before, for I would have suffered from constant and painful anxiety, without the power to help ward off the blows of merciless enemy, or even being cognizant of the progress of the struggle. I hope you have fully recovered your health and spirits, though to do the latter will certainly require an extraordinary effort- that is, I feel it an almost impossibility for those with feelings sym-
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pathetic with my own to enjoy their wonted cheerfulness and hope. As to us prisoners being offered our release on the terms granted General Lee and army, is something we had not the least cause to expect. I do not suppose, my dear cousin, there is one among us who intends to live in the States, but what entertains very little hope of getting his release on terms less than what we are made to under- stand will at some time be offered us-that of taking the oath of allegiance to the government we propose to live under. Some few are even fearful that those terms will not be granted. Others, by special application, are leaving daily. As much as I desire to be re- leased, and knowing that so long as I remain here I can be of service to no one, an increasing injury to my health, and a source of uneasi- ness to my best friends, I will never do anything to escape these evils that I consider in the least dishonorable. I will bide my time, trust- ing soon to be released. Give my love to all, and please write at once.
Affectionately your cousin, L. REAGAN.
When the Confederates under General Early evac- uated Winchester, W. Va., Reagan was unable to be moved; consequently he was captured by the Federals. Later on he was transferred to the old Capitol Prison at Washington, D. C. In November, 1864; he was taken to Fort Delaware, from which place the above letter was written. The journey now by rail would be only a mat- ter of hours; then it occupied perhaps a week or more. It was made with a number of other prisoners on a prison ship. The route was down the Potomac River to the Chesapeake Bay; thence down that bay by Fort- ress Monroe through Hampton Roads to the Atlantic; thence up the coast of Virginia to the mouth of Dela- ware Bay; thence north up the bay to the fort, making a journey of many hundreds of miles. The weather at the time was very bleak and stormy. The sufferings of the wounded prisoners were terrible. Reagan had undergone a double amputation at Winchester and was from loss of blood in a very weakened condition. He was exposed to the cold winds on the upper deck with- out sufficient clothing. The officer in charge of the pris- oners was asked to allow him to be moved to a more comfortable place or to furnish covering for him. His refusal was very brutal and positive. A companion, who was almost unknown to Reagan, then took off his own coat and spread it over him, thereby as he (Reagan) thinks saving his life. Owing to this kindly act he him- self took pneumonia which terminated fatally. So it
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often happens that war and suffering bring out the best as well as the worst qualities in humanity. Con- ditions were not much improved on arrival at the prison. One might think from reading some of the prisoners' letters that the stay there was rather pleasant than otherwise and that they were in no hurry to get away; but that was far from being the case. No criticism of guards or officers was allowed in any correspondence. Complaints of bad treatment to occasional inspectors only intensified the rigors of their prison life. The food' furnished by the government often did not reach them. It was "grafted" and sold. Money and boxes sent prisoners by friends were partially or wholly appro- priated. They had no remedy. Fort Delaware from accounts of those who were there was one of the worst of the Federal prisons. The guards were short term men or foreigners who could scarcely speak English so as to be understood, and thought they would be com- mended for cruel treatment of prisoners.
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