USA > Tennessee > Williamson County > History of Tennessee, from the earliest time to the present; together with an historical and a biographical sketch of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Bedford and Marshall counties, besides a valuable fund of notes, reminiscences, observations, etc., etc. Vol. 1 > Part 51
USA > Tennessee > Maury County > History of Tennessee, from the earliest time to the present; together with an historical and a biographical sketch of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Bedford and Marshall counties, besides a valuable fund of notes, reminiscences, observations, etc., etc. Vol. 1 > Part 51
USA > Tennessee > Rutherford County > History of Tennessee, from the earliest time to the present; together with an historical and a biographical sketch of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Bedford and Marshall counties, besides a valuable fund of notes, reminiscences, observations, etc., etc. Vol. 1 > Part 51
USA > Tennessee > Wilson County > History of Tennessee, from the earliest time to the present; together with an historical and a biographical sketch of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Bedford and Marshall counties, besides a valuable fund of notes, reminiscences, observations, etc., etc. Vol. 1 > Part 51
USA > Tennessee > Bedford County > History of Tennessee, from the earliest time to the present; together with an historical and a biographical sketch of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Bedford and Marshall counties, besides a valuable fund of notes, reminiscences, observations, etc., etc. Vol. 1 > Part 51
USA > Tennessee > Marshall County > History of Tennessee, from the earliest time to the present; together with an historical and a biographical sketch of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Bedford and Marshall counties, besides a valuable fund of notes, reminiscences, observations, etc., etc. Vol. 1 > Part 51
USA > Tennessee > History of Tennessee from the earliest time to the present , together with an historical and a biographical sketch of from twenty-five to thirty counties of east Tennessee, besides a valuable fund of notes, original observations, reminiscences, etc., etc. V. 1 > Part 51
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The establishment of East Tennessee College* in the place of Blount College has already been noticed. The trustees of the new institution met in 180S and organized, retaining Carrick as president. His term of service, however, was short, as he died the following year. No immediate steps were taken to supply his place, nor was anything done toward the erection of a new college building, from the fact, doubtless, that the trustees had no available funds and that there was no immediate prospect of realizing a revenue from the land grants. Lotteries were popular institutions in Tennessee at that time, and the Legislature of 1810 author- ized a lottery scheme for the benefit of East Tennessee College, appoint- ing Hugh L. White, Thomas McCorry, James Campbell, Robert Craig- head and John N. Gamble trustees for the purpose. The trustees put forth an advertisement in which they "flatter themselves that the scheme will be satisfactory to all who wish to become adventurers with a view to better their circumstances. When the object to be attained by the lottery is considered, it is believed every individual will be anxious to become an adventurer. It is not designed to retrieve a shattered fortune, nor to convert into cash at an extravagant price property that is
*Condensed from the historical sketch by Col. Moses White.
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of no use, but it is intended to aid the funds of a seminary of education, where youth of the present and succeeding generations may have their minds prepared in such a manner as to make them ornaments to their families and useful to their country as will enable them to understand their rights as citizens, and duties as servants of the people."
This scheme proved a failure. A sufficient number of tickets were not sold, and no drawing occurred. Meanwhile, Hampden Sidney 'Academy had been established for Knox County, and its trustees, by private subscription, had succeeded in raising sufficient funds to justify : effecting an organization. However, it was not until January 1, 1817, that the academy opened its doors for the reception of pupils. In Octo- ber, 1820, the trustees of East Tennessee College decided to put that institution into operation again, and an agreement was entered into whereby the academy and college were united, D. A. Sherman, the principal of the academy, becoming president of the college. He was a graduate of Yale, of the class of 1802, and for several years afterward a tutor in that institution. During his presidency of the college, he was assisted by Daniel E. Watrous, James McBath and David S. Hart, the last named, the first graduate of East Tennessee College, taking his de- gree in 1821. Mr. Sherman, on account of failing health, withdrew from the college in 1825, and Samuel R. Rodgers and James McBath contin- ued the exercises as tutors in charge for one year.
In 1826 the trustees, having obtained permission to select another and more eligible site than the Poplar Spring, purchased of Pleasant M. Miller, for the sum of $600, Barbara Hill, so named, in honor of Barbara Blount, the daughter of William Blount. They proceeded to erect the center college building and three one-story dormitories back of the college, so arranged as to make a square of the campus. The trus- tees then succeeded in securing as president the Rev. Charles Coffin, of Greeneville College, a man of great worth and elegant classical attainments. About this time considerable popular opposition toward colleges was manifested, and those institutions suffered accordingly. Dr. Coffin, how- ever, prosecuted his labors for several years in the face of the greatest difficulties and embarrassments, with unremitting energy and assiduity, but popular prejudice increased. In 1832, worn down with excessive labor and anxious care, he was compelled to resign the presidency, and the next year was succeeded by James H. Piper, of Virginia, an alumnus of the college of the class of 1830. At the end of one year he resigned the presi- deney in despair. It is said that he was the ambitious youth who aspired to carve his name above that of the father of his country, on the natural bridge.
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He was immediately succeeded by Joseph Estabrook, a graduate of Dartmouth. He at once secured a corps of able assistants, and soon suc- ceeded in raising the college from almost total prostration to a respecta- ble rank among the educational institutions of the country. In 1837 the college was organized into regular classes, and the first catalogue was published. By an act of the Legislature in 1840, the name of East Ten- nessee College was changed to that of East Tennessee University, and greater power and more extended privileges were granted. Soon after the sale of a part of the land belonging to the institution enabled the trustees to make some important and long needed improvements. They contracted with Thomas Crutchfield, Esq., of Athens, who had built the main edifice, to erect the two three-story dormitories, and the two houses and appurtenances on the right and left slopes, originally intended to be used as dwellings by the professors, but which an increasing demand for room has required to be appropriated to other purposes. The final set- tlement of the commissioners, James H. Cowan and Drury P. Armstrong, with the contractor, July, 1848, exhibits as the total cost of the improve- ment the sum of $20,965.18.
At this time the college was just entering upon a decline, which was hastened by the resignation of President Estabrook, in 1850. This de- cline was due to the same causes that compelled the suspension of the University of Nashville-the multiplication of colleges and denom- inational schools throughout Tennessee and the entire South. The trustees, appreciating the necessity, called into requisition the great name and extensive personal popularity of the Hon. W. B. Reese, who had a short time before resigned his seat upon the supreme bench. Judge Reese assumed the presidency in the fall of 1850, but even his great learning, industry, and influence were not sufficient to stay the decline; and after having graduated an even dozen students, he resigned at the end of the third year of his presidency. The trustees experienced con- siderable difficulty in securing a satisfactory successor. Rev. George Cook was finally elected and accepted. He was a native of New Hamp- shire, a graduate of Dartmouth, and had been for several years the prin- cipal of a flourishing female seminary in Knoxville. As a majority of the professors had resigned with the president, the vacancies had to be filled, and the formal opening of the university was postponed from the fall of 1853 until the beginning of the summer session of 1854. The cholera prevailed with considerable violence and fatality in Knoxville in the following September, and the fear of its recurrence deterred the stu- dents from returning at the opening of the winter session.
An attempt was then made to organize a medical department, but a 1
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sufficient number of competent physicians could not be obtained to fill the chairs. After this failure an agreement was entered into with the Western Military Institute to consolidate that institution with the uni- versity, but Nashville offered greater inducements, and it went there. President Cook next recommended the establishment of an agricultural department, but before the result of his last proposition was learned. he resigned in despair in 1857. During the following year the exercises of the university were suspended, and another unsuccessful attempt was made to establish a medical department.
On the 20th of March, 1858, the head of Burritt College, Van Buren County, Tenn., was elected, president of the university, and under his charge the university was formally reopened in September following. At the close of his second year he resigned, and the vacancy thus caused was filled by the election of Rev. J. J. Ridley, of Clarksville. Owing to the untiring efforts of the retiring president the next session opened with a largely increased attendance. The first important action taken by the new president was to secure the adoption of a resolution extending gra- tuitous education to candidates for the ministry of all religious denom- inations.
A military department was again organized and rigid discipline adopted in the management of the university. But just as the institu- tion was again in successful operation the civil war came on.' Students enlisted and instructors resigned. In a short time general demoraliza- tion pervaded the whole institution. A portion of the university build- ings was soon demanded by the military. On February 7, 1862, the president unconditionally resigned. The buildings and grounds were used by the Confederates and Federals in turn; and after the close. of the war the United States Government paid to the trustees, in the way of rents and damages, the sum of $15,000.
July 10, 1865, the board of trustees, as a preparatory step toward reorganizing the university and resuming exercises therein, unanimously elected the Rev. Thomas Humes president, who at once addressed him- self to the task before him. The university buildings, in consequence of their having been occupied for several years by the army, were not in a condition to be used for college purposes. Without waiting for the nec- essary repairs to be made, in the spring of 1866 President Humes resumed exercises in the buildings of the Deaf and Dumb Asylum. In September, 1867, the work of instruction was resumed in the college. buildings.
. In accordance with the provisions of an act of Congress, approved July 2, 1862, making endowments for industrial colleges to the several
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States, the Legislature of the State in January, 1869, appropriated, upon certain conditions, the agricultural fund to East Tennessee Univer- sity. In June, 1869, the trustees organized the Tennessee Industrial College, and in September of the same year it went into operation. Its endowment from the United States was invested in 396 State of Tennes- see bonds of $1,000 each, bearing 6 per cent interest, the payment of which for several years was much delayed. Notwithstanding this serious obstacle, the success of the institution was very gratifying. A fine farm situated about three-fourths of a mile from the university was purchased for its use; new buildings were erected, and an excellent chemical labor- atory was provided and equipped. In 1879 the name of East Tennessee University was changed, by an act of the Legislature, to the University of Tennessee. At the same time the governor was authorized to appoint a board of visitors to the university, three from each grand division of the State, and other legislation connecting the university intimately with the public school system of the State. Since that time a full university organization has been adopted. The courses of instruction have been enlarged and multiplied, and the university now offers excellent advan- tages for both general and special study.
The medical department was organized as the Nashville Medical Col- lege in the summer of 1876. It was founded by Drs. Duncan Eve and W. F. Glenn, who drew from the faculty of the medical department of the University of Nashville and Vanderbilt University Drs. Paul F. Eve, T. B. Buchanan, George S. Blackie, W. P. Jones and J. J. Abernethy. The first session of this institution commenced on March 5, 1877, and was attended with brilliant success from the first. In the spring of 1879 a dental department was established, being the first dental school in the South. During the same year an overture was received from the trust- ees of the University of Tennessee to become their medical department, and such an agreement was effected.
The following is the present faculty: Hon. William P. Jones, M. D., president of faculty, professor of mental diseases and public hygiene; Duncan Eve, M. D., dean of the faculty, professor of sur- gery and clinical surgery; William F. Glenn, M. D., professor of physi- ology, genito-urinary and venereal diseases; J. Bunyan Stephens, M. D., professor of obstetrics and clinical midwifery; Deering J. Roberts, M. D., professor of theory and practice of medicine and clinical medicine; Paul F. Eve, M. D., professor of general, descriptive and surgical anat- omy; William D. Haggard, M. D., professor of gynecology and diseases of children; Woodford M. Vertrees, M. D., professor of materia medica and therapeutics . William E. McCampbell, M. D., professor of medical
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chemistry and toxicology; William G. Brien, M. D., LL. D., professor of medical jurisprudence; John G. Sinclair, M. D., professor of diseases of the eye, ear and throat; James Y. Crawford, M. D., D. D. S., professor of prophylactic dentistry and oral surgery; Paul F. Eve, M. D., William E. McCampbell, M. D., demonstrators of anatomy.
At the close of the session of 1882-83 Dr. Humes resigned the pres- idency of the university. The trustees thereupon determined to leave the presidency unfilled for the ensuing year, and gave power to the faculty to elect from their body a chairman clothed with the authority and charged with the duties of a president. So satisfactory was this arrange- ment that it has since been continued. The following are the faculty and officers of the university: Eben Alexander, B. A., chairman of the faculty; Hunter Nicholson, A. M., professor of natural history and ge- ology; Eben Alexander, B. A., professor of ancient languages and litera- ture; Samuel B. Crawford, M. A., professor of military science and com- mandant of cadets; Rodes Massie, A. M., D. L., professor of English and modern languages; John W. Glenn, A. M., professor of agriculture horticulture and botany; William Albert Noys, Ph. D., professor of chemistry and mineralogy; William W. Carson, C. E., M. E., professor of mathematics; William Everett Moses, B. S., adjunct professor of chem- istry; Samuel B. Crawford, M. A., adjunct professor of mathematics; Thomas Oakley Deaderick, M. A., adjunct professor of ancient lan- guages; William Gibbs McAdoo, M. A., adjunct professor of English and history; Lewis Conner Carter, C. E., instructor in applied mathe- matics; John Newton Bogart, M. A., instructor in sub-collegiate classes; William Isaac Thomas, M. A., instructor in modern languages and nat- ural history; Gustav Robert Knabe, Mus. D., instructor in vocal and instrumental music; Hunter Nicholson, A. M., librarian; Robert James Cummings, farm superintendent; Hon. John L. Moses, president of the board of trustees; Robert Craighead, secretary and treasurer. Trustees: Hon. William B. Bate, governor of Tennessee, ex officio; Hon. John Alli- son, secretary of State, ex officio; Hon. Thomas H. Paine, superintend- ent of public instruction, ex officio; Rev. Thomas W. Humes, S. T. D .. Hugh L. McClung, William K. Eckle, Hon. O. P. Temple, Frank A. R. Scott, Robert H. Armstrong, Hon. John Baxter*, B. Frazier, M. D .. Williain Rule, S. H. Smith, M. D., R. P. Eaton, M. D., H. L. W. Mynatt, Charles M. McGhee, Hon. D. A. Nunn, Edward J. Sanford, W. A. Hen- derson, Esq., Hon. J. M. Coulter, Rev. James Park, D. D., James D. Cowan, C. Deaderick, M. D., John M. Boyd, M. D., Hon. John L. Moses, Hon. George Brown, A. Caldwell, Esq., John M. Fleming, Esq., J. W.
*Deceased.
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Gaut, Samuel J. Mckinney, William Morrow, M. D., William B. Reese, Esq., Moses White, Esq., Hon. W. C. Whitthorne, Samuel B. Luttrell, Robert Craighead, James Comfort, Esq., J. B. Killebrew.
By an act of Congress, passed in 1846, extinguishing the title to the unappropriated lands south and west of the congressional reservation line, it was required that $40,000 arising from the sale of said lands be set apart for the endowment of a college to be located at Jackson. According- ly, the institution known as West Tennessee College was chartered in- -. Before the war it was a prosperous and successful institution, under the administration of able and accomplished presidents and professors, and many of the most distinguished citizens of the State claim West Tennes- see College as their alma mater. In 1865, immediately after the close of the war, Dr. William Shelton was elected president of the college, with B. W. Arnold as professor of ancient languages, and B. L. Arnold as professor of mathematics and natural science. Under the administra- tion of Dr. Shelton and his faculty of instruction, West Tennessee Col- lege was built up to a high degree of prosperity, so that it had a larger number of students than at any previous period in its history. In 1869 the entire faculty resigned, and a new faculty was employed, with Rev. E. L. Patton as president. In August, 1874, the buildings, grounds, and endowments of West Tennessee College, estimated at $90,000, were donated to the trustees of the Southwestern Baptist University, on con- dition that an interest bearing endowment of $300,000 be raised for the university within a period of ten years from the time of transfer. A meeting of the Tennessee Baptist Convention was immediately called, the plan accepted, and preliminary steps were taken toward obtaining a charter under the name of the Southwestern Baptist University. On September 14, 1874, the academic department of the new institution was opened, and at the beginning of the next school year the collegiate de- partment was organized. Under the new name and management the university has been eminently prosperous, and now ranks as one of the best institutions in the State.
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CHAPTER XIV.
HISTORY OF THE EARLY WARS-THE MILITARY TRAINING OF THE "VOLUNTEER STATE"-THE TORIES OF EAST TENNESSEE-THE PART BORNE BY THE STATE IN THE REVOLUTION-THE BRILLIANT STRATEGY AND PROWESS OF SEVIER AND SHELBY-ACTIONS AT KING'S MOUNTAIN AND ELSEWHERE-THE WAR OF 1812-JACKSON'S CAMPAIGNS AGAINST THE CREEKS-THE MEMORABLE BATTLE AT NEW ORLEANS-THE SEMINOLE WAR-ITS HARDSHIPS AND LONG CONTIN- UANCE-TENNESSEEANS CONCERNED IN THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE INDEPEND- ENCE OF TEXAS-THE WAR WITH MEXICO-THE VOLUNTEERS-SKETCH OF THE CAMPAIGNS.
A LTHOUGH a peace-loving and law-abiding people, Tennessee has achieved a record in all the wars of the Government or State that is the pride of descendants and the admiration of all beholders. What with the Indian wars, and what with the Revolution, the beginning of the present century finds the inhabitants of the State comparatively a war- like people. The settlers of the mountain region of East Tennessee found it necessary to defend themselves against the Indians at a very early date. Fort Loudon was built by the British, one mile above the mouth of the Tellico River, in 1756. Stimulated by French influence, the Cherokees attacked this fort in 1760, and starved it into surrender on August 8th of that year. The garrison consisted of between 200 and 300 Scotch Highlanders, who surrendered on the promise of Oconos- tota that they should be allowed a safe return to the Carolinas. They were followed, and on the second day were overtaken and cut to pieces, except a few, and a fence built of their bones. Other forts were built, which served the colonists a good purpose during the troublous times of the Revolution, not only against the British Tories, but against the Indians, whom British intrigue stirred up to revolt. The hardy mountaineers of East Tennessee were not numerous, but were in- tensely loyal to the cause of independence, and were the terror of Tories . and British. Owing to danger from the Indians the mountaineers dared not leave home but for a short time. In 1777 a party of forty men went to Boonesborough, Ky., for the,relief of the settlement then besieged by the Indians. The condition of the people became so desperate that Capt. Logan and a select party undertook the perilous journey of 200 miles through an enemy's country to ask relief of the pioneers of Tennes- see. The appeal was not in vain, for in a short time 100 riflemen* were on their way with supplies to relieve the beleaguered garrison. The fall
*Monette.
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of Charleston on May 12, 1780, exposed the whole of the Carolinas and Tennessee to the attacks of the British and the Indians.
On March 19, 1780, John Sevier, colonel of Washington County mil- itia, under a call of Samuel Rutherford, united with John Willson, Will- iam Trimble, James Stinson, John McNabb, Jonathan Tipton and Godfrey Isbell in raising 100 men. The captains of Col. Sevier's regi- ment were McNabb. Sevier, Hoskins. Bean, Brown, Isbell, Trimble, Willson, Gist, Stinson, Davis, Patterson and Williams. A similar call was made upon Isaac Shelby, colonel of Sullivan County, who was then absent surveying lands in Kentucky, but a message brought him hur- riedly home. Fortunately for these commanders their forces were not ready soon enough, in consequence of which they were not in the disastrous defeat at Camden. Many who before this time were pretended friends now became open enemies to the country. It was determined by the British commander, Cornwallis, to carry the war into the Whig settle- ments beyond the Alleghanies and thence conquer and lay waste North Carolina as he had South Carolina, and advance into Virginia.
Col. Sevier soon issued another call for volunteers, and in a few days found himself at the head of 200 men. Col. Shelby, who received word of the impending danger on the 16th of June, was in command of 200 men in the first part of July. The forces of Sevier and Shelby arrived at Col. McDowell's camp at Cherokee Ford on Broad River, about the same time. Col. Moore, who was assembling a large body of Tories, took post at a strong fort built by Gen. Williamson on the Pacolet River. The successes of the British led many disaffected to his standard. The rapid advance of the main force of the British led Col. McDowell to strike a blow at once. Cols. Sevier, Shelby and Clarke were detached with 600 men to attack Moore forthwith. These riflemen took up their line of march at sunset and by daylight had marched twenty miles and had surrounded the fort. Lines were deployed and ready to assault; Col. Shelby sent William Cocke to demand the surrender of the fort. Moore refused and declared he would defend the place to the last ex- tremity. The American lines were drawn closely around the fort and anxiously awaited the order for assault, when a second demand was made. intimating that if they were compelled to assault it might be difficult to restrain the mountaineers from acts of violence. Moore acceded to the terms of surrender on condition that the garrison should be paroled not to serve again during the war. The forces surrendered, consisting of ninety-three Loyalists and a British sergeant-major, who was the drill- master. Besides the men, there was a large supply of arms and other supplies. Col. Ferguson, who commanded the British, determined to
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crush the forces of McDowell. The only hope of the latter was to annoy and cut off straggling forces of the enemy, now amounting to about 6,000 men. Ferguson's plan was to surprise McDowell. Cols. Shelby and Clarke, with 600 men, were attacked at Cedar Springs in August by a large British force. They maintained the fight for half an hour, when Ferguson's whole force arrived and compelled the Americans to with- draw, taking with them twenty prisoners, including two British officers. The American loss was ten or twelve killed and wounded, including Col. Clarke, who received a sabre cut in the neck.
The next stroke of the Americans was at a band of 400 or 500 Tories en- camped on the south side of the Enoree River at Musgrove's mill. about forty miles distant from the Americans. Ferguson's main force lay be- tween the Americans and their prize. Col. McDowell, the American com- mander, detached Cols. Shelby, Clarke and Williams, of South Carolina. to surprise and capture these Tories. They started on the 18th of August. and after a hard night's ride reached the object of their search. In the march they had been compelled to make a detour of several miles to avoid Ferguson's men. About a half mile from the enemy's camp they met a patrol and a skirmish ensued and the enemy gave way. It was now learned that the enemy had received a re-enforcement of 600 regu- lars. The Americans were in a dilemma. To fight these seemed des- perate; to retreat was impossible, being worn as they were. The sound of drums and bugles indicated the advance of the British. Capt. Inman was sent forward to fight the advancing line and retreat at discretion. He met the British gallantly and retreated slowly to within range of the main forces. These maintained their ground for more than an hour; just as the Americans were about to give way Col. Ennes, the British com- mander, was wounded; nearly all of his subalterns had already been killed or wounded. The British gave way. Capt. Inman was killed while gallantly leading his men; only six or seven others were lost. The British regulars fought bravely, but over 200 were captured.
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