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 54
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 54
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 54
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 54
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 54
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 54
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 54
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The cavalry of this division moved by way of Little Rock, Fulton, San Antonio and joined Gen. Taylor at Matamoras. Each regiment and company was given an ovation on their departure. The First Regiment,
475
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
consisting of twelve companies, embarked at New Orleans on June 17, and arrived on the Brazos early in July, and were stationed at Camargo till August 29, when the rest of the men were called to assist in the capt- ure of Monterey. The hot weather and climatic causes made a worse havoc in the ranks than Mexican bullets. The regiments were soon sadly depleted before seeing any active service. The First Regiment was attached to Gen. Quitman's brigade and the Second to Gen. Gideon J. Pillow's brigade. The line of march for Monterey was taken up on Sep- tember 7, and on the 19th the army was within five miles of the city. The 20th was employed in preparing for battle. The American forces consisted of about 6,000 troops, the city was defended by about 10,000 Mexicans. The battle was fouhgt on the 21st. The city was strongly fortified and stood at the foot of the Sierra Nevada. The points of defense were Taneria and the Black Fort on the east and Bishop's Palace on the west. The Tennessee troops were to the left on the east. Their eager- ness to measure strength with their enemies was intense. The guns from Fort Taneria greeted them with both musketry and artillery fire and the bloody work began. They were within eighty yards of the works before they fired on the Mexicans, although they were suffering terribly. As the fire of the Americans opened the fire of the Mexicans slackened. A rush was made for the parapets and the flag of the First was the first planted on the battlements of Monterey. Of 350 men in the charge 105 were lost. Among these 26 were killed, 77 were wounded and 2 were missing. From private to colonel every man acted gallantly. The city of Monterey capitulated on the 25th. After the surrender of the city an armistice of four months followed, during which time efforts for peace were made. The truce having ended a large portion of Taylor's men were withdrawn and given to Gen. Scott, who was meditating a descent upon Vera Cruz. The movement began December 14.
In the meantime the two Tennessee regiments had been placed in the brigade of Gen. Pillow. On December 14 the troops started for Tampico, the place of embarkation. They were finally landed at Vera Cruz on March 9, 1847, and approaches were begun. The siege guns opened on the city on the 22d, and continued till the 27th. On the 26th a detachment of six companies of the First and Second Tennessee Regiments was as- signed the duty of assaulting a barricade defending Madeline Bridge. The battalion was led by Col. Haskell. Capt. Foster was the first to leap upon the work. The place was carried with little loss. The city of Vera Cruz and the strong castle of San Juan de Ulloa surrendered on the 29th. Gen. Scott's army began its march toward the City of Mexico April 9, and on the 18th, his progress was disputed at Cerro Gordo. In
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HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
the assault that followed the Tennesseeans were on the left of the line. The assault was vigorous but the Second, entangled in the chapparal in front of the works, suffered terribly. The loss in the two regiments was 79, 8 being from the First and the remainder being from the Second. Gen. Pillow was among the wounded. The army then moved forward to Jalapa. The time of service of the Tennesseeans having expired the remaining portion of the regiments were sent to New Orleans, where they were mustered out. Gen. Scott moved his army on to Pueblo, where he was compelled to await re-enforcements to fill his much depleted ranks. A call was made on Tennessee for two additional regiments, the Third and the Fourth, and a battalion of six companies called the Fourteenth. Capt. B. F. Cheatham was largely instrumental in raising the Third. It was composed of the companies of Capt. Chambliss, from Giles and Mar- shal Counties, Capt. Solomon, of Sumner; Capt. Whitfield, of Hickman; Capts. Trigg and Bradfute, of Davidson; Capt. Collyer, of Franklin; Capt. Douley, of Rutherford and Coffee; Capt .- , of De Kalb; Capt. Anderson, of Coffee, and Capt. Leftnick of Maury and Lewis Counties. Capt. Cheatham was elected colonel of the Third and it was mustered into the service on October 8, 1847. Their place of rendezvous was about two and a half miles from Nashville on the Nolensville pike. The Fourth Regiment was composed of the companies of Capt. H. Dill, of MeMinn; Capt. C. J. Flagg, of Blount; Capt. R. Oliver, of Anderson; Capt. J. B. Collins, of Bradley; Capt. E. Thomason, of Grainger; Capt. J. C. Vaughn, of Mon- roe; Capt. J. J. Reese, of Jefferson; Capt. G. W. Bounds, of Hawkins; Capt. G. W. Kenzie, of Meigs; Capt. McClellan, of Sullivan; Capt. - Waterhouse, of Rhea, and Capts. Parson and Council, of Knox. Capt. Waterhouse, of Rhea, was elected colonel. The remaining forces of the State rendezvoused at Camp Carroll or Carrollton under Col. Trousdale.
These forces were all taken to New Orleans by boat, thence by vessel to Vera Cruz. Here they were formed into a brigade, but did not arrive at the City of Mexico until the work of capture was done. However, Gen. Pillow paid a visit to Tennessee in the summer of 1847, and returned in July and joined Scott's army at Pueblo. He was in the advance upon the City of Mexico and engaged in the battles of Churubusco, Chapulte- pec, Molino del Ray and the seige of the city. . He was one of the com- missioners to negotiate the surrender. Some very distinguished men were developed by this war; among them may be mentioned Govs. Trous- dale and Campbell, and Gens. B. F. Cheatham and Pillow. On settle- ment of the Mexican question the soldiers of Tennessee returned to their homes to enjoy the full measure of praise their valor upon the field had won.
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477
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
CHAPTER XV.
FEDERAL MILITARY HISTORY-CAUSE OF THE LOYALTY OF EAST TENNESSEE -- AR- RAIGNMENT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND OF THE EXECUTIVE BY THIE UNION CONVENTIONS -- THE CONCENTRATION OF THE CONFEDERATE FORCES AT KNOXVILLE-ORGANIZATION OF THE UNIONISTS-THE HELPLESS SITUATION OF LOYAL CITIZENS -- ACTIVE MILITARY OPERATIONS-SELECTED ILLUSTRATIVE CORRESPONDENCE-THE EXECUTION OF THE BRIDGE BURNERS-ARREST OF THE UNION LEADERS-AN OUTLINE OF THE PRINCIPAL MILITARY MOVE- MENTS-BURNSIDES' OCCUPATION-SIEGE OF KNOXVILLE-THE CONCLUDING SKIRMISHES-SKETCHES OF THE REGIMENTS.
N O fact connected with the late civil war, abounding in striking events and gigantic achievements, is more remarkable than the number of troops furnished by Tennessee to the Federal Army. It is scarcely credible that a State with a voting population of only about 140,000, raising nearly 100,000 troops for the Confederate Army, should also have furnished 30,000 men to fight for the Union. It becomes still more remarkable to consider that a very large proportion of this 30,000 came from a division of the State, having a male population between the ages of twenty and fifty, of only 45,000; and that unlike the volunteer from the Northern States, the Union soldier from Tennessee was not tempted to enlist by a munificent State bounty, nor impelled by the force of public opinion, but on the contrary, to do so, he was forced to escape from an enemy's watchful guard at night and, leaving his home and all he held dear to the mercy of a hostile foe, make his way across the bleak and cheerless mountains, to the Union camps in Kentucky.
For an explanation of this remarkable adherence to the Union on the part of the people of East Tennessee, it is necessary to look to the origin of the war. As many as have been its alleged causes, all may be traced to the one prime cause, slavery; all others were the result of or incident to slavery, as has been shown by Dr. Draper, in his history of the war. The difference in climate, soil and physical features between the North and the South, through its effect upon the growth of slavery, was a remote agency in producing strife between the two sections. On the other hand, the dissimilarity in character, occupation and political sentiments of the people was largely the result of their different systems of labor. It is true, the difference in character of the original colonists was a more or less important factor, but its effect was not great.
East Tennessee was settled by the same class of people as that part of the State west of the Cumberland Mountains, and at one time the people
30
I
478
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
of the two sections were homogeneous; but owing to the peculiar topogra- phy of the former, however, slave labor was not very profitable, and com- paratively few slaves were owned-the proportion of the free men be- ing about as one to twenty. The same divergence of interest grew up be- tween East Tennessee and the middle and western divisions of the State, as between the North and South as a whole. Consequently upon all ques- tions of political and domestic economy, East Tennessee was usually identified with the Northern States. Since 1836, as a whole, it had been strongly Whig, and in some sections for many years, a strong aboli- tion sentiment had existed; when therefore, it was proposed to sacrifice the Union to perpetuate slavery, the majority of the people of East Tennessee joined with the freemen of the North, to prevent its consum- mation. They foresaw that should a Confederacy of the slave States be- come established, the person who owned no slaves, as a factor in politics and in society, would be a cipher. It is undoubtedly true that the great · body of the people did not see this result, but their leaders did, and per- haps in no State were the masses more submissive to leadership than in Tennessee.
In addition to this the State, as a whole, had always been intensely patriotic. The readiness with which she had come to the defense of the country, when threatened by an alien or a savage foe, had won for her the name of "The Volunteer State." It was the greatest of Tennesseeans who said: " The Union! It must and shall be preserved." Even the ma- jority of those who joined in the support of the Confederacy, did so, only when they felt it to be their highest duty, and it was with no feigned grief that they left the old " stars and stripes," to rally around a new and strange flag. As has been stated, the preponderance of Union sentiment in Tennessee was in the eastern division of the State, yet at the election in 1860 the majority for the "Union" electors was quite large throughout. the State. Even after the secession of South Carolina and other more Southern States, the entire State remained firmly for the Union, as was shown by a vote of 24,749 for, to 91,803 against calling a convention. But after the attack upon Fort Sumter, and the call for troops by Presi- dent Lincoln, which worked such a change in the sentiment of the people of this State, the stronghold of the Unionists was in East Tennessee. At the election held in June, to vote on the question of separation or no separation, while the total number of votes in the State against that meas- ure was 47,274, 32,962 of them were cast in East Tennessee .*
This result was due in a great measure to the position taken by the political leaders Andrew Johnson, T. A. R. Nelson, William G ..
*See elsewhere for the full returns of these elections.
--
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HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
Brownlow, Horace Maynard, Connolly F. Trigg, William B. Carter and others, who took a determined stand against secession and did all in their power to prevent Tennessee from going out of the Union. To determine the relative amount of influence exerted by each individual would be an impossibility. Mr. Johnson has by many been accorded the credit for the loyalty of East Tennessee, and it was in part due to his influence. He was very popular with the Democracy of the State, and especially of his congressional district, and his powerful pleas for the Union carried, many of his party with him. But with the Whig element he could have had but little influence, since he had advocated the election of Breckin- ridge at the preceding presidential election, and had otherwise rendered himself obnoxious to them. In fact, as has been stated, the Whigs of East Tennessee were naturally attached to the Union, and diametrically opposed to the principles of the extreme Democracy, which had inaug- urated the Rebellion. It, therefore, required only the eloquence and zeal of the old leaders Nelson, Maynard, Brownlow and others to fire them with an enthusiasm for the Union and the " old flag," which not even the hardships of four years of war served to abate. On the 30th of May preceding that election, about 500 delegates, representing nearly every county in East Tennessee, assembled at Knoxville in pursuance of the following call:
The undersigned, a portion of the people of East Tennessee, disapproving the hasty and inconsiderate action of our General Assembly, and sincerely desirous to do, in the midst of the trouble which surrounds us, what will be best for our country, and for all classes of our citizens, respectfully appoint a convention to be held in Knoxville on Thursday, the 30th of May inst .; and we urge every county in East Tennessee to send dele- gates to this convention, that the conservative element of our whole section may be repre- sented, and that wise and judicious counsels may prevail-looking to peace and harmony among ourselves.
F. S. HEISKELL, JOHN J. CRAIG, S. R. ROGERS,
JOHN WILLIAMS, W. H. ROGERS, JOHN BAXTER,
O. P. TEMPLE, W.G. BROWNLOW,
DR. W. ROGERS, JOAN TUNNELL, C. F. TRIGG, [and others. ]
C. H. BAKER,
DAVID BURNETT,
The convention met at Temperance Hall, and was called to order by Connolly F. Trigg, upon whose motion John Baxter was chosen tempo- rary president, and John M. Fleming, temporary secretary. Prayer was offered by Rev. Thomas W. Humes, after which Thomas A. R. Nelson was chosen president, and John M. Fleming, secretary. After addresses by the president and Gen. Thomas D. Arnold, and the appointment of a general committee representing the various counties, the convention adjourned to meet the next morning. On the next day the committee, through their chairman, Col. Trigg, submitted their report which, after considerable debate, was amended and finally adopted. The following
:480
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
pre some of the resolutions, which were preceded by a preamble of con- -siderable length :
We, therefore, the delegates here assembled, representing and reflecting, as we verily believe, the opinions and wishes of a large majority of the people of East Tennessee, do resolve and declare:
First. That the evil which now afflicts our beloved country in our opinion is the legitimate result of the ruinous and heretical doctrine of secession; that the people of East Tennessee have ever been, and we believe still are opposed to it by a very large majority.
Second. That while the country is upon the very threshold of a most ruinous and desolating civil war, it may with truth be said, and we protest before God, that the people (so far as we can see) have done nothing to produce it. * * * * *
Sixth. That the Legislature of the State, without having first obtained the consent of the people, had no authority to enter into a "military league" with the " Confederate States" against the General Government, and by so doing to put the State of Tennessee in hostile array against the government of which it then was and still is a member. Such legislation in advance of the expressed will of the people to change their governmental relations was an act of usurpation, and should be visited with the severest condemnation of the people.
Seventh. That the forming of such "military league," and thus practically assum- ing the attitude of an enemy towards the General Government (this, too, in the absence of any hostile demonstration against the State) has afforded the pretext for raising, arm- ing and equipping a large military force, the expense of which must be enormous, and will have to be paid by the people. And to do this, the taxes, already onerous enough, will necessarily have to be very greatly increased, and probably to an extent beyond the ability to pay.
Eighth. That the General Assembly by passing a law authorizing the volunteers to vote wherever they may be on the day of election, whether in or out of the State, and in offer- ing to the "Confederate States" the capitol of Tennessee, together with other acts, have exercised powers and stretched their authority to an extent not within their constitutional limits, and not justified by the usages of the country.
Ninth. That government being instituted for the common benefit, the doctrine of non-resistance against arbitrary power and oppression is absurd, slavish and destructive of the good and happiness of mankind.
Tenth. That the position which the people of our sister State of Kentucky have assumed in this momentous crisis, commands our highest admiration. Their interests are our interests. Their policy is the true policy, as we believe, of Tennessee and all the bor- der States. And in the spirit of freemen, with an anxious desire to avoid the waste of the blood and the treasure of our State, we appeal to the people of Tennessee, while it is yet in their power, to come up in the majesty of their strength and restore Tennessee to her true position.
Eleventh. We shall await with the utmost anxiety the decision of the people of Ten- nessee on the 8th day of next month*, and sincerely trust that wiser counsels will pervade the great fountain of freedom (the people) than seem to have actuated their constituted agent.
Twelfth. For the promotion of the peace and harmony of the people of East Ten- "nessee, it is deemed expedient that this convention should again assemble, therefore: Resolved, That when this convention adjonrns, it adjourns to meet again at such time and place as the president or vice-president in his absence may determine and publish.
After the adoption of the above resolution an eloquent and effective address was delivered by Andrew Johnson. This convention was com-
*Reference made to the election to be held June 8, 1861.
-
.
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HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
posed of representative men of East Tennessee, men of influence and ability. They foresaw the result of the coming election, but not wishing to anticipate it by any act, made provision for a future meeting. The number of delegates in attendance is evidence of the intense interest in the question before the people; 5,000 copies of the proceedings of the convention were printed and distributed over the State, but it was of lit- tle avail in stemming the tide of secession which swept over Middle and West Tennessee. The leaders in those divisions, with few exceptions, notably among whom was Emerson Etheridge, had been carried away' by it. So strong was the influence that such men as Niell S. Brown, Judge R. L. Caruthers, Felix K. Zollicoffer and many others, who at the previous election had voted against a convention, were now among the strongest advocates of disunion. The election on the Sth of June re- sulted as shown elsewhere, and three days later Judge Nelson issued a call for the East Tennessee Convention to meet on the 17th of that month at Greeneville. Delegates from all of the counties except Rhea assembled at the appointed time, and continued in session four days. Their labors resulted in the preparation of the declaration of grievances, of which the following is an extract, and the adoption of the resolutions succeeding:
We, the people of East Tennessee, again assembled in a convention of our delegates, make the following declaration in addition to that heretofore promulgated by us at Knox- ville on the 30th and 31st of May last. So far as we can learn, the election held in this State on the 8th day of the present month was free, with but few exceptions, in no other part of the State than East Tennessee. In the larger part of Middle and West Tennessee no speeches or discussion in favor of the Union were permitted. Union papers were not allowed to circulate. Measures were taken in some parts of West Tennessee in defiance of the constitution and laws which allow folded tickets, to have the ballots numbered in such a manner as to mark and expose the Union voter.
A disunion paper, The Nashville Gazette, in urging the people to vote an open ticket,
· declared that "a thief takes a pocket-book or effects an entrance into forbidden places by stealthy means; a Tory, in voting, usually adopts pretty much the same mode of pro- cedure." Disunionists in many places had charge of the polls, and Union men when vot- ing were denounced as Lincolnites and abolitionists. The unanimity of the votes in many large counties where but a few weeks ago the Union sentiment was so strong, proves he- yond a doubt that Union men were overawed by the tyranny of the military law, and the still greater tyranny of a corrupt and subsidized press. Volunteers were allowed to vote :. in and out of the State in flagrant violation of the constitution. From the moment the election was over, and before any detailed statement of the vote in the different counties had been published, and before it was possible to ascertain the result, it was exultingly proclaimed that separation had been carried by from fifty to seventy-five thousand votes. This was to prepare the public mind to enable the secessionists to hold possession of the State, though they should be in the minority. The final result is to be announced by a 2 disunion governor, whose existence depends upon the success of secession, and no provis- - ion is made by law for an examination of the votes by disinterested persons, or even for contesting the election. For these and other causes we do not regard the result of the election expressive of the will of the majority of the people of Tennessee.
No effort has been spared to deter the Union men of East Tennessee from the expres- sion of their free thoughts. The penalties of treason have been threatened against them,
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HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
and murder and assassination have been openly encouraged by leading secession journals. As secession has thus been overbearing and intolerant while in the minority in East Ten- nessee; nothing better can be expected of the pretended majority than wild, unconstitu- tional and oppressive legislation, an utter contempt and disregard of law, a determination to force every Union man in the State to swear to the support of a constitution he abhors, to yield his money and property to aid a cause he detests, and to become the object of scorn and derision as well as the victim of intolerable and relentless oppression.
In view of these considerations, and of the fact that the people of East Tennessee have declared their fidelity to the Union by a majority of about 20,000 votes, therefore we do resolve and declare
First. That we do earnestly desire the restoration of peace to our whole country, and most especially that our own section of the State of Tennessee should not be involved in civil war.
Second. That the action of our State Legislature in passing the so-called "Declaration of Independence," and in forming the "Military League" with the Confederate States, and in adopting other acts looking to a separation of the State of Tennessee from the Government of the United States, is unconstitutional and illegal, and, therefore, not bind- ing upon us as loyal citizens.
Third. That in order to avert a conflict with our brethren in other parts of the State, and desiring that every constitutional means shall be resorted to for the preservation of peace, we do, therefore, constitute and appoint O. P. Temple, of Knox; John Netherland, of Hawkins, and James P. McDowell, of Greene, commissioners, whose duty it shall be to prepare a memorial and cause the same to be presented to the General Assembly of Ten- nessee, now in session, asking its consent that the counties composing East Tennessee and such counties in Middle Tennessee as desire to coperate with them, may form and erect a separate State.
Fourth. Desiring in good faith that the General Assembly will grant this our reason- able request, and still claiming the right to determine our own destiny, we do further re- solve that an election be held in all the counties of East Tennessee, and such other coun- ties in Middle Tennessee adjacent thereto as may desire to co-operate with us, for the choice of delegates to represent them in a general convention to be held in the town of Kingston, at such time as the president of this convention, or in case of his absence or in- ability, any one of the vice-presidents, or in like case with them the secretary of this con- vention may designate, and the officer so designating the day for the assembling of said convention shall also fix the time for holding the election herein provided for, and give reasonable notice thereof.
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