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, V.2 > Part 12
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HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
25,000 volunteers had been tendered the governor. On the 20th of May Gen. Pillow at Memphis ordered reprisals taken of Northern prop- erty passing that city on the river, railroads or otherwise, and required all vessels and shipments to be examined with the view of ascertaining the ownership of cargoes, etc. About May 22 Gen. Zollicoffer succeeded in securing, via Chattanooga, several thousand stands of arms from the Confederate Government. Two days later news was received at Mem- phis that 15,000 Federal troops were on the eve of departing down the river from Cairo to capture and sack the former city, which report occasioned great bustle and excitement. By the 25th of May about, 17,000 stands of arms had been received by the State authorities from the Confederate Government. Three days later several six-pound cannons, which had been manufactured by Ellis & Moore, Nashville, were tested and found serviceable. By the 29th there were encamped at Knoxville between twenty-five and thirty companies, and from them Col. Church- well's regiment had been organized. Eight or ten companies had been rendezvoused at Chattanooga and vicinity and were encamped there ready for service. Late in May the county court at Memphis appropri- ated $12 for the wife and $6 for each child, per month, of each volunteer who should enter the Confederate service. At this time Whitfield. Bradley & Co., of Clarksville, were making serviceable cannon. At the election of June 8 Tennessee troops to the number of 737 polled their votes for " separation" at Pensacola, Fla.
Early in June much had been done with the means at hand, to place the State in an attitude of defense. Five or six batteries were posted along the Mississippi River, from Memphis to the Kentucky line, commanding the leading strategic points, and consisting of mortars, columbiads and twenty- four and thirty-two pounders, and were manned by a corps of ten fairly well organized companies of Tennessee artillery, under the command of Cols. J. P. McCown and M. A. Haynes. About 15,000 volunteers were concentrated at Memphis, Jackson and other principal points in West. Tennessee, and were under the command of Maj .- Gen. Gideon J. Pillow. of the provisional army. Considerable action had been taken to pre- pare defenses along or near the northern boundary of the State, to be in readiness for any invasion from the North. The importance of construct- ing fortifications along the Tennessee and the Cumberland Rivers, as well as along the Mississippi, had been seriously considered, and energetic steps had been taken in that direction. The concentration of Federal forces at Cairo, Ill., late in April, had aroused the apprehension of the authorities of the State and of the Confederate Government. that an ad- vance of the enemy was contemplated down the Mississippi. and doubt-
538
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
lessly up the Tennessee and the Cumberland Rivers. It was deemed im- portant to have the militia in such a state of readiness that it could be called into the field at a moment's warning, and Gov. Harris, June 21, issued General Order, No. 1, to that effeet. June 3 Gen. Anderson, in command of the Department of Middle Tennessee, called for 2,000 rifle- men, the companies to furnish their own rifles, and for five companies of cavalry, all to furnish their own double-barreled shot-guns. June 1 the Confederate law which prohibited the exportation of cotton, except through Southern ports, came into operation, and Gen. Pillow, commander at Memphis, ordered that none should be sent North through Tennessee or out of Tennessee. Pursuant to the provisions of the army bill, home guards were organized, and a committee of safety appointed in al- most every county of the State. Early in June the city authorities of Memphis had, at their own expense, purchased commissary, quarter- master and ordnance stores and armament for fortifications along the Mississippi. and an agent was appointed by the Legislature to settle with them for such expense. The strategic importance of the location of Mem- phis was early recognized by the authorities of that city, who received great praise for their prompt action to secure control of the Mississippi. Early in June a force of about 8,000 Mississippians, under the command of Maj .- Gen. Clark, passed northward through West Tennessee, to co- operate with the latter State against the threatened advance southward of the Federals from Cairo.
On the 27th of June the military bill was amended. The bonds to be issued under the act of May 6, were exempted from taxation, and fur- ther an ample provision was made for the organization, equipment and discipline of volunteers and militia. Provision was made for the support of the families of such volunteers as should become insane in the service ; and all moneys or property owing by citizens of the State to citizens of any non-slave-holding State were declared non-collectable during hostil- ities between Tennessee and the Federal Government; that such moneys could be paid into the State treasury and upon the cessation of hostilities should be refunded with interest. It was enacted, June 27, that treasury notes to the amount of $3,000,000, in whole or in part, in lieu of the $3,000,000 of the bonds authorized to be issued under the act of May 6, should be circulated, and that such notes should bear interest not to ex- ceed 6 per centum. July 1, it was made lawful for the banks of the State to receive and pay out the treasury notes of the Confederate Government, and State officers were required to receive such notes in payment of money due the State. Banks were required to increase their circulation, to withold dividends due stockholders in non-slave-holding States while the
539
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
war continued; and it was mado unlawful to pay either interest or principal of the bonds of the State held by citizens in non-slave-holding States un- til the war should cease; or for bank officers to remove the assets of stockholders of non-slave-holding States from Tennessee. These provis- jons were deemed necessary in view of the probable future scarcity of money to carry on civil and military affairs. . The authorities were not unmindful of the trials and tribulations of their Revolutionary fathers, and made care- ful estimates of chances to carry the State safely through the storm of war. June 28 it was enacted that the authorities of Giles County might assess and collect a tax for the manufacture of fire-arms, gunpowder and other munitions of war. June 28 the inspector of the State penitentiary was authorized to borrow of the State bank $10,000, to be used in the purchase of material for making shoes, hats and army accoutrements. June 29 it was "resolved by the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee that the governor be authorized and requested to place at the disposal of the Confederate States the volunteer forces of the State of Tennessee. the same to be mustered into the service of said States subject to the rules and regulations adopted by the Confederate authorities for the govern- ment of the Confederate Army; and that in making the arrangements therefore we shall have in view the placing of the defense of the State under the immediate control an ddirection of the President of the Con- federate States."
Within a few weeks after the formation of militia companies had commenced. the women of the State organized in all the leading cities to secure contributions of all kinds of supplies for camp, field and hospital. By the 19th of June the society at Nashville, comprising 231 ladies, had collected and sent to camp 4,745 pieces of wearing apparel, etc. Organ- izations at Memphis had done nearly as well. During the early months of the war the societies were often reorganized, and the result of their la- bors was highly appreciated by the sweltering militia in the various hot and uncomfortable camps. August 12 the State Soldier's Aid Society was formed at Nashville, with branches throughout Middle Tennesseee. From that date until October 1 the society sent to the various camps over fifty large boxes of supplies of all descriptions, and collected in cash $1.834.20. Nashville. Clarksville, Franklin, Pulaski, Columbia. Mur- freesboro. Springfield, Harpeth and other cities donated the money and supplies. Mrs. F. G. Porter, of Nashville, was president of the State Society. A flourishing society at Memphis accomplished almost as much good as the one at Nashville. August 22 Gov. Harris issued a procla- mation to the women of the State to permanently organize for the cold weather, which had the happy effect of multiplying the societies in all
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HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
directions and supplying necessities to many a poor soldier boy during the cold winter of 1861-62.
On the 6th of July Gov. Harris issued a proclamation calling for 3,000 volunteers to meet the requisition of the Confederate Government on the State of Tennessee. About the middle of July. pursuant to the offer of the Tennessee Legislature, the Confederate Government accepted the transfer of the provisional army of Tennessee to the Confederacy, and issued directions to have the troops received and mustered in. About this time Gens. Gideon J. Pillow, S. R. Anderson and D. S. Donelson were commissioned brigadier-generals in the Confederate States Army. July 12 Dr. S. McKissack, of Maury County, bought $3,000 worth of Confederate Government bonds at par. the first purchase made in the State. Gens. B. F. Cheatham and F. K. Zollicoffer were commissioned brigadier-generals of the Confederate States Army about the 20th of July. About this time Gen. S. R. Anderson succeeded Gen. Caswell in command of the Confederate forces in East Tennessee. Col. Jo Pickett was his chief of staff. The following is the report of the military and financial board to Gov. Harris, bearing date July 18, 1861:
Quartermaster-general's department. $918,775 94
Commissary-general's department 522,456 03
Paymaster-general's department. 399,600 00
Medical department. 8,500 00
Ordnance department. 362,045 91
Contingencies 12,513 03
Total $2.993,990 91
July 26 Gen. Pillow left Memphis with part of the troops designed for the contemplated campaign northward, moving to Randolph, thence to New Madrid, Mo., where he was joined by Gen. Cheatham with a force from Union City. On the 31st of July Gov. Harris issued a gen- eral order that the officers of the provisional army should muster their command for the inspection of representative military men of the Con- federacy authorized to effect the transfer of the troops, and should pre- pare revised rolls of their companies and regiments to be handed to the Confederate inspector, which acts would operate as a transfer of the State forces to the Southern army. By the 7th of August the transfer was completed. This almost stripped the State of its defensive army, whereupon Gov. Harris issued a call for 30.000 volunteers to serve as a "Reserve Corps of Tennessee." On the 1st of August the State voted on the question of the adoption of the permanent constitution of the Confederacy and gave a majority of about 30,000 in its favor. Col. Heiman commanding the troops at Fort Henry on the Tennessee, issued an order to seize all property of the North passing down the river. Au-
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HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
gust 1 Gov. Harris was re-elected over his Union competitor, W. H. Polk, of East Tennessee, by a majority of about 30,000. August 22 Gen. Foster, who had succeeded Gen. Anderson in command of the post at Nashville, ordered that thereafter no person would be permitted to leave Tennessee without a passport. About this time there were several bloody encounters in East Tennessee between Federal and Confederate residents. About the middle of September Gen. Foster resigned his command at Nashville. At this time, also, the Confederate Government called upon Tennessee for 30,000 volunteers.
During the summer and autumn of 1861 great advancement was made in mustering regiments for the field and in preparing arms, ord- nance and equipments. By the 17th of July the factories at Nashville were manufacturing 100,000 percussion caps daily, and two foundries at Memphis were molding strong and serviceable cannons. A little later muskets and cannons, shot and shell, saddles and harness, knapsacks, etc., were manufactured in considerable quantity at Nashville. There were cannon factories at Memphis, Clarksville, Murfreesboro, Lebanon, Pulas- ki, Shelbyville, Franklin and elsewhere, and small-arm factories on a limited scale were scattered throughout the State. The Governor's mes- sage to the Legislature October 7, 1861, summed up the military record of the State: In about two months 30,000 volunteers had been placed on the field, many having been declined; the provisional army had been transferred, July 31, to the Confederacy ; a total of thirty-eight regiments of infantry, seven battalions of cavalry and sixteen artillery companies had been raised; all supplies necessary had been furnished by the "Mili- tary and Financial Board," despite the blockade of the Southern ports and the almost utter lack of sources of supplies at home; factories had been so encouraged that by the 1st of October 250 guns were made weekly in the State and 1,300,000 percussion caps; and lead and powder com- panies, particularly the latter, had done a creditable part in preparing the State for war. The Governor submitted the following report of military expenses prior to October 1:
Quartermaster-general's department. $1,657,706 65
Commissary-general's department.
627,064 87
Paymaster-general's department. 1,104,800 00
Medical department. 24,761 21
Ordnance department 990,291 20
Recruiting service 723 25
Advance on gun, saltpeter and powder contracts, etc. 456,826 0S
Advance to Gen. Pillow for the Missouri campaign. 200,000 00
Contingent expense 31,850 59
Total
$5,094,023 85
34
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HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
All army supplies had been transferred to the Confederate Govern- ment, which assumed the payment of all Tennessee military obligations. Property had depreciated to such an extent as to make it appear neces- sary to raise the rate of taxation, which was accordingly done. In No- vember strong Union forces began to concentrate at Elizabethton, near Bristol, and at Strawberry Plains in East Tennessee, and several skir- mishes occurred. On the 19th of November the Governor issued a procla- mation declaring that there was great danger of an invasion of the State by the Federal forces and calling out the "Reserve Corps" for service in the field. This was in response to the request of Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston, Confederate commander of the Department of Tennessee, whose headquarters were at Memphis, and whose clear discernment of strategic art detected the coming advance of the Federals down the Mississippi and up the Tennessee and the Cumberland Rivers. At this time great difficulty was experienced by the Confederate Government in furnishing its troops with arms. The Governor, though herculean exertions had been made, found it impossible to arm the "Reserve Corps," and accord- ingly, November 2. issued an appeal to the citizens of the State to de- liver to their county clerks "every effective double-barreled shot-gun and sporting rifle which they may have, to be immediately shipped to the arsenal at Nashville, Knoxville or Memphis, where the same will be val- ued by a competent ordnance officer and the value paid to the owner by the Confederate Government. I urge you to give me your aid in the im- portant work of arming our troops, with which we can repel the inva- ders; but if you refuse prepare to take the field, for I am resolved to ex- haust all resources before the foot of the invader shall pollute the soil of Tennessee." But although almost every citizen possessed a fire-arm of some kind, many hesitated, in view of probable personal needs of defense at home within a short time, to transfer their guns, and large numbers did not. During the summer and autumn of 1861 it became apparent to ob- servant Tennesseeans that should the State be invaded by the Federal Army the advance would come via the Mississippi. or the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers, or south from Louisville. Ky., toward Nashville, or through Cumberland Gap into East Tennessee. To be in readiness to repel these advances masses of the provisional army were concentrated at Memphis. Randolph, Union City and elsewhere in West Tennessee: Forts Henry and Donelson were constructed on the Tennessee and the Cumberland Rivers in Stewart County, and could be garrisoned, if neces- sary, on short notice by large forces of infantry, and several regiments were stationed at or near Clarksville; a few thousand troops were lo- cated at Camp Cheatham, in Robertson County, and at Camp Trousdale,
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HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
in Sumner County, to guard the approaches from Louisville or Cincin- nati to Nashville and Middle Tennessee; and a considerable force was concentrated at Knoxville to guard Cumberland Gap or other routes that might pour the enemy upon East Tennessee, and to bind that portion of the State, which had strong Federal following, to the cause of the South. Maj .- Gen. G. J. Pillow, at Memphis, commanded the provisional army of the State. with Maj. - Gen. S. R. Anderson second in command at Nash- ville. Brig .- Gen. B. F. Cheatham was stationed at Union City: Brig .- Gen. John L. T. Sneed at Randolph; Brig .- Gen. R. C. Foster at Camp Cheatham; Brig .- Gen. Felix K. Zollicoffer and later, senior Col. John C. Brown. at Camp Trousdale, and Brig .- Gen. W. R. Caswell and later. Gen. S. R. Anderson at Knoxville. Later, Gen. Zollicoffer assumed com- mand at Knoxville and Gen. Foster at Nashville.
The State seceded June 8. 1861, and as soon as the returns estab- lished the fact of secession beyond doubt, Gov. Harris, although he did not formally transfer the army to the Confederacy until July 31. no longer hesitated to place the forces of the State under the command of officers appointed by the Confederate Government. July 13, under appointment of President Davis, Maj .- Gen. Leonidas Polk took com- mand of the forces along the Mississippi, with headquarters at Mem- phis. About the same time Gideon J. Pillow. Samuel R. Anderson and Daniel S. Donelson. and a few days later B. F. Cheatham and F. K. Zol- licoffer, were commissioned brigadier-generals of the Confederate Army. Gens. Pillow and Cheatham were assigned to commands in West Tennes- see, Gen. Zollicoffer in East Tennessee. and Gen. Anderson was trans- ferred to the field in Virginia. On July 26 Gen. Pillow, under orders from Gen. Polk, moved north from Memphis to Randolph with a considerable force, and a few days later advanced to New Madrid and was joined by Gen. Cheatham from Union City with additional troops. About Septem- ber 1 it was communicated to Gen Polk that Gen. Grant, with a large body of troops at Cairo, intended an advance upon Columbus and other points : whereupon, September 7. he moved a large force, soon afterward increased to nearly 10,000 men, and occupied that city and vicinity. This movement met with a prompt demand from Gov. Magoffin, of Kentucky. for the immediate removal of the Tennessee troops, to which Gen. Polk responded agreeing to do so provided the same requirement was placed upon the Federal troops which, under Gen. Smith September 6. had oc- cupied Paducah and advanced under Gens. Grant, Sherman, McCook. Thomas and others far into Kentucky. This reply of Gen. Polk met the approval of the Confederate Congress, and was sustained by Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston, who, upon the earnest request of Gen. Polk. was ap-
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HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
pointed, September 10, to succeed him in command of Department No. 2. The demand to withdraw was also made upon Gen. Zollicoffer, who, Sep- tember 10, had advanced five or six regiments across the line to Cumber- land Ford, in Kentucky, or on the way, and who, with Gen. Polk, had pro- tested against compliance until the Federal forces, advancing across Ken- tucky, should likewise be withdrawn. The South respected the declared neutrality of Kentucky until bodies of Federal troops were permitted to concentrato within her borders with the manifest intention of invading Tennessee and the territory farther south; but when it became certain that such neutrality was working serious injury to the cause of the South, the State having been occupied from east to west by rapidly accumulat- ing Federal forces, the demands of Gov. Magoffin were rightly dis- regarded, and the Confederate troops were not withdrawn. Soon the ru- mors of war became so alarming that all consideration of the neutrality question was voluntarily abandoned. On September 18, Gen. S. B. Buck- ner with 4,500 troops took possession of Bowling Green, Ky., and im- mediately sent forward a force of 500 to occupy Munfordville. On Oc- tober 11 Maj .- Gen. William J. Hardee assumed command of the force at Bowling Green, which, by October 19, had been increased to 9,956 men. Brig .- Gen. Lloyd Tilghman was placed in command of a small force at Hopkinsville, Ky.
The army of Gen. Zollicoffer, comprising from four to six regiments, (two from Tennessee, but varying greatly from time to time), encoun- tered during its advance into Kentucky in September small bands of Federals, with whom light skirmishing was held with some loss. On the 21st of October, at Rockcastle Hills, Ky., 350 Federal troops were found strongly intrenched in an almost inaccessible position. Two . Tennessee regiments, under Cols. Newman and Cummings, were ordered to assault, which they did with great gallantry; but the enemy having been re-enforced by 250 men and soon afterward by four more companies, the Confederate troops were repulsed with a loss of 11 killed and 42 wounded, after having inflicted upon the enemy a loss of 4 killed, 18 wounded and 21 captured. An attack by night upon the Federal posi- tion was repulsed, owing to heavy re-enforcements which, without the knowledge of the Confederates, had joined the enemy. Gen. Zollicoffer slowly fell back before the superior force before him to Camp Buckner, at Cumberland Ford. He finally moved back and established his head- quarters at Jacksborough, taking care to blockade the mountain roads approaching Knoxville or East Tennessee, and to post at Cumberland Gap, under Col. Churchwell, a force sufficient to hold it against great opposition. He also placed sufficient troops at Knoxville, under Col. W.
5.15
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
B. Wood, to repel any probable movement upon that city by the Union- ists of East Tennessee or by an invasion from abroad. For some time after this the perilous position of Gen. Zollicoffer was well understood by Gen. Johnston and the Confederate Government. Advancing steadily upon East Tennessee from Louisville, under the immediate command of Gen. Thomas, were twice or thrice as many troops, better armed and equipped than Gen. Zollicoffer commanded; and northeast of Knoxville. in East Tennessee, concentrating at several important strategie points were from 2,000 to 5,000 resident Unionists, thoroughly familiar with the country, well armed and resolute. Accordingly, great offorts were made to materially increase the size of this army and to furnish it with effective arms.
On the 25th of October Col. R. D. Allison, with about half of the Twenty-fourth Tennessee Regiment and a squadron of cavalry, moved out of Cave City. Ky., and routed a few hundred of the enemy twenty- five miles distant. Considerable skirmishing occurred about this time north of Bowling Green, Ky. Many valuable railroad bridges were burned in East Tennessee. Late in October great anxiety was felt at Clarksville, Nashville and other points along the Cumberland, that, inas- much as only the incomplete Fort Donelson, near Dover, was prepared to oppose the advance of the enemy by water, Federal gun-boats could move up the river with impunity and reduce all the cities within reach of their guns. November 4 Gen. Johnston ordered Gen. Polk at Colum- bus to detach 5,000 troops from that point under Gen. Pillow, with orders to move at once to Clarksville. Ere long Fort Donelson was strongly equipped with suitable ordnance. November 3 Gen. Johnston requested Gov. Harris to so far annul his call for 30,000 twelve-months' men. except such as were efficiently armed, as to have all troops in camp with- out arms and who would not volunteer for three years or during the war, disbanded and sent home, to which Gov. Harris protested, owing to the demoralizing effect such an order would have upon volunteering. Gen. Johnston accordingly reconsidered the matter and modified his request by granting fifteen days to complete the arming of the volunteers, but soon afterward revoked this and the former order. About 9 o'clock on the morning of the 7th of November a small force under Col. Tappan, which had been stationed across the river from Columbus, Ky., by Gen. Polk to check the inroad of Federal cavalry, was attacked at Belmont, Mo., by 3,114 men under Gen. Grant; but being re-enforced by three regiments under Gen. Pillow, checked the rapid advance of the enemy somewhat and gradually fell back, fighting gallantly and desperately against superior numbers until re-enforced by three more regiments under
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