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 13
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546 1
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
Gen. Cheatham, when, after a furious contest, the enemy was forced back but recovered. and was forced back again and routed, barely escap- ing capture by a flank movement of two other regiments under the im- mediate command of Gen. Polk .* The Confederate troops actually engaged were about equal numerically to those of the Federals, but were divided by the river. Large quantities of field supplies, cast aside and abandoned by the flying enemy, fell into the hands of the victors. The battle was characterized by hot and desperate charges and counter- charges on both sides. The enemy escaped to his boats. Beltzhoover's battery, fought over, lost and recaptured, was used with splendid effect.
On the 6th of November Gen. Polk tendered his resignation, which President Davis refused to accept, giving reasons sufficient to induce Gen. Polk to remain in the service. November 16 his army num- bered 13,866. About the middle of November Col. Forrest. with six companies. of cavalry, was ordered forward to Hopkinsville, Ky. At this time Gen. Tilghman was transferred to the command of Forts Hen- ry and Donelson. So imminent became the danger of an invasion of Ten- nessee at this period that Gen. Pillow made urgent appeals for reenforce- ments, and Gen. Johnston requested Gov. Harris to place in the field every member of the militia that could be armed. and the Confederate Secretary of War authorized Gen. Johnston to call out every armed man he could get from Mississippi, northern Alabama and Kentucky. Late in November Gen. Zollicoffer with his army moved into Kentucky again, and established himself at Mill Springs and Beech Grove. About the middle of December Maj. Gen. G. B. Crittenden assumed command of the eastern district, with headquarters at Knoxville.
The following is the consolidated report of the armies of Gens. Hardee and Zollicoffer, officially prepared December 31, 1861.+
Present for Duty.
Infantry.
Cavalry.
Artillery.
Aggregate
Present.
Aggregate Pres-
ent and Absent.
Hardee's Division.
412
5537
52
19
395
6959
11429
Buckner's Division
407
5972
53
655
37
688
7812
11761
Bowen's Division.
203
3493
3696
Clark's Brigade.
145
1617
38
495
2295
3550
Davis' Brigadet
53
1161
1217
1636
Miscellaneous.
17
257
274
615
Zollicoffer's Division
238
4515
70
1095
10
226.
6154
8451
Totals
1475
22555
213
2:89
66
1309
28407
42248
Officers.
Men.
Officers.
Men.
Officers.
Men.
*War of the Rebellion ; Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Reports of Gens. Polk and Grant.
+On the 7th of January, 1862, Gen. Leonidas Polk's report showed SF) officers and 11,161 men present for duty; aggregate preseut, 12,030; aggregate present and absent, 18,675. fSixty days' Volunteers.
547
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
On the evening of January 18, 1862, Gen. Crittenden with about 4,000 effective troops was at Beech Grove, Ky., on the Cumberland River, oppo- site Mill Springs. Having held a council of war with Gens. Zollicoffer and Carroll and his regimental commanders, whereby it appeared that two large Union forces, one at Somerset, and the other at or near Webb's Cross Roads, under Gen. G. H. Thomas, were intending to unite and to- gether attack the Confederate forces, and whereby it appeared that, owing to heavy rains, Fishing Creek dividing the two forces could not be crossed in less than two days, the council therefore determined without dissent to attack Gen. Thomas early the next morning and, if possible. annihilate him, and then fall upon the other Federal force approaching from Somerset and also effect its ruin. Accordingly about midnight the forward movement was commenced. After a rapid march of nine miles the enemy was encountered in force about 7 o'clock on the morn- ing of the 19th and the battle sharply commenced. Gen. Zollicoffer fell dead upon the field quite early in the action. The gallant Confederates, poorly armed and handled, though fighting stubbornly and holding their ground for several hours, were finally driven back by superior numbers and severely defeated, the defeat ending in much of a rout. Their loss was 125 killed, 309 wounded and 99 missing. They retreated to Gainesborough and then to Camp Fogg, in Tennessee. The Seven- teenth, Nineteenth, Twentieth, Twenty-fifth, Twenty-eighth, and Twenty- ninth Tennessee Regiments participated in this engagement. About noon on the 6th of February, 1862, Fort Henry on the Tennessee, with an armament of sixteen guns and a garrison of 2,985 men,* commanded by Gen. Lloyd Tilghman, was invested by seven Federal gun-boats carrying fifty-five guns and an overwhelming force of infantry, all under Gen. Grant, and in a few hours was surrendered. The Confederate forces escaped to Fort Donelson, except about eighty who were surrendered with Gen. Tilghman and the fort. It was clearly evident at this time that the enemy was advancing all along the line east and west across Kentucky with far superior forces, and as soon as Fort Henry fell, Gen. Johnston, at Bowling Green, perceived that should Fort Donelson also fall, his position would become at once untenable, and the Confederate line would have to be established somewhere south of Nashville, as the Federal gun-boats would have no difficulty in capturing Clarksville, Nash- ville and other points along the rivers Cumberland and Tennessee. As it seemed evident, owing to the superior forces of the Federals, that Fort Donelson would fall sooner or later, Gen. Hardee, with his forces at Bowling Green, was ordered to move south to Nashville and cross the
*Official Report of Col. A. Heiman.
548
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
river. At this time there was intense excitement at Clarksville and Nashville. The enemy had entered the State and Tennessee was sure to become a battle-ground. The Tennessee regiments at Fort Henry were the Tenth, Forty-eighth and Fifty-first, and Gantt's battalion of cav- alry and several small miscellaneous commands, including the batteries.
As soon as possible after the fall of Fort Henry, re-enforcements were hurried to Fort Donelson. Late on the 12th of February a large infan- try force of Fedcrals, assisted by six gun-boats, appeared before the fort and the next morning began a combined attack. Re-enforcements arrived under Gen. Floyd all infantry attacks of the 13th were handsomely re- pulsed. The gun-boats effected no serious damage upon the fort. It turned cold, and intense suffering resulted to the wearied troops. On the afternoon of the 14th the gun-boats were defeated, several disabled and all driven away without injury to the fort. Sharp skirmishes occurred between the infantry, and heavy re-enforcements of the enemy were extended, having in view the complete investment of the fort. Early on the 15th Gen. Pillow, in force, on the left. attacked the enemy's right with great fury, driving it slowly from the field. A sharp at- tack on the right was re-enforced by Gen. B. R. Johnson, and gen- erally the whole Federal line was driven back after stubborn resist- ance, but rallied upon being heavily re-enforced, and with artillery re- newed the attack. The Confederates took the defensive and fell back to their lines. Heavy masses of the Federals threw themselves upon the right flank, encountering desperate resistance, and finally effected a lodgment which could not be moved. Night closed the bloody day. A council of Gens. Pillow, Floyd, Buckner, Johnson, et al, decided to sur- render early the next morning. The command was transferred to Gen. Buckner, who surrendered the next morning nearly 15,000 troops, Gens. Pillow and Floyd and their escort, and Gen. Forrest and his cavalry es- caping. This was a serious loss to the Confederacy and an unnecessary one. The result was a total abandonment of the Confederate line and the establishment of an irregular new one, extending from Columbus. Ky., south through West Tennessee to northern Mississippi; thenee to north- ern Alabama, and thence to northeast Tennessee. Nashville was aban- doned by the troops, the Governor and many others retreating south with the army of Gen. Johnston. Clarksville and Nashville were in a fever of fear and excitement. The large Federal Army moved forward and suc- cessively took possession of those two cities and others farther south in Middle Tennessee, and the Federal line was correspondingly advanced throughout the State. At Murfreesboro Gen. Johnston, with about 11,- 000 men, was joined by Gen. Crittenden, and the fugitives from Donel-
5-19
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
son and other miscellaneous forces, and an army of about 17,000 men was formed capable of offering battle. Gen. Floyd, with 2,500 troops, was sent to Chattanooga. Columbus, Ky., was evacuated March 1, that army moving south to Jackson. Gen. Johnston moved to Decatur, Ala., thence to Corinth, Miss .. where, after great exertion, and with the assist- ance of Gen. Beauregard, he succeeded in organizing a strong army of about 50,000 men. The Confederate line at this time extended from New Madrid, Mo., to Island No. 10; thence to Humboldt, Tenn. ; thence to Corinth, Miss .; thence along the Memphis & Charleston Railroad to East Tennessee.
On the 19th of February Commodore A. H. Foote, of the United States Navy, reached Clarksville with the gun-boats Conestoga and Cairo meeting with no resistance from the small forts in that vicinity, and, after issuing a proclamation, at the instance of Hon. Cave Johnson, Judge Wisdom, the mayor and others, announcing his intention to re- spect the private rights of all citizens peacefully disposed who should not parade their hostile sentiments, and to take possession of all military supplies and stores, none of which must be destroyed, took military posses- sion of the city. Gen. Grant arrived on the 21st. On the 19th Gov. Har- ris issued a proclamation calling out the entire effective military force of the State. He had left Nashville accompanied by the other State officers to save the public archives and property, and to establish a temporary capi- tal within the Confederate lines. He moved to Memphis, but soon after- ward personally took the field. On the 20th, at Memphis, having con- vened the Legislature, he gave in his message his reasons for the tempo- rary removal of the seat of government, the archives and the State prop- erty from Nashville. The defeat of Crittenden at Fishing Creek had flanked Gen. Johnston's line of defense, and no opposing force was left to prevent the army of Gen. Buell from moving upon the capital. The fall of Fort Henry opened the Tennessee up to Alabama to the enemy. and the fall of Fort Donelson left Nashville an easy prey for the large army of Gen. Grant, which was sure to move upon it within a few days. Gen. Johnston, with the small force left him, being utterly unable to holdl the place. He announced that since the act of May 6, 1861, he had raised, organized and put into the field fifty-nine regiments of infantry. one regiment of cavalry, eleven cavalry battalions, and over twenty inde- pendent companies. mostly artillery. Of these the Confederate Govern- mant had armed only about 15,000. The Governor advised the passage of a bill raising, arming and equipping a provisional army of volun- teers. On the 24th of February Gen. Buell and his advance, Mitchell's division, arrived at Edgefield, and in the evening were waited upou by
550
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
the mayor and city authorities of Nashville, to whom assurance of per- sonal safety and uninterrupted business relations were given. On the morning of February 25 seven gun-boats, bearing a considerable force of Federal troops under Brig .- Gen. Nelson, reached Nashville, landed with- out opposition and took possession of the city. News of the surrender of Fort Donelson had reached Nashville Sunday morning, February 17, when the citizens were anticipating reports of a great victory. Scores immediately started for the south; the bridges across the Cumberland were destroyed. the military stores were thrown open to the populace, and panic and chaos for a time reigned. A similar state of affairs had transpired at Clarksville. Time quieted the apprehensions of the citi- zens, though the Federal troops saw few smiling faces. On the 5th of March Gen. G. T. Beauregard assumed command of the Army of the Mississippi, with headquarters at Jackson, Tenn. February 24 Gen. J. K. Jackson was placed in command of the forces at Chattanooga. About this time, or soon afterward, Gen. E. K. Smith was assigned to the com- mand of the Confederate forces of East Tennessee, with headquarters at. Knoxville.
After the fall of Donelson and the evacuation of Middle Tennessee. the Confederate Army concentrated along the railroad from Iuka to Corinth and from Corinth to Bethel, and hurriedly organized. being re- enforced by two divisions from Gen. Polk's command at Columbus, and later by the remainder of the corps, and an entire corps from Alabama and Mississippi under Gen. Bragg. Thus re-enforced and equipped under Gens. Johnston and Beauregard, two of the ablest generals of the war, this magnificent army of heroes (about 60,000 strong) prepared to take the offensive. The army of Gen. Grant had concentrated at Pitts- burgh Landing on the Tennessee, and Buell from Nashville was hasten- ing to re-enforce him. Gen. Johnston determined, if possible, to crush Grant before the arrival of Buell. The advance began on the 3d of April, but, owing to severe rainstorms, the heavy roads and the inexperi- ence of the troops in marching, did not reach the enemy. as was hoped and expected, on the morning of the 5th, and not until late in the after- noon. It was then determined to wait until the following (Sunday) morning to begin the attack. The army was divided into four corps: The first under Gen. Polk on the left : the second under Gen. Bragg in the center; the third, under Gen. Hardee on the right: and the reserve corps, under Gen. J. C. Breckinridge-a total of about 40.000 effective troops. * The attack began at daylight on the morning of the 6th, with all the fury of that fine army. burning with a desire to retrieve the losses of Henry
*Gen. Johnston telegraphed President Davis that the army consisted of about 40,000 efective men.
551
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
and Donelson. The enemy was completely surprised as regards a gen- eral attack, and this fact, combined with the furious impetuosity of the onset under skillful and competent leaders, awarded success to the Con- federate arms in every part of the field. The enemy, though surprised. rallied, and with some exceptions fought with wonderful stubbornness: but the Confederate dash, intrepidity and rapid and adroit maneuvers on the field were irresistible. Large numbers of the enemy fled panic stricken back to the river. After ten hours of desperate fighting every encampment of the enemy was in possession of the Confederate forces. But one position had been held, that at the "Hornet's Nest" by Gen. Prentiss, and that had been surrounded, and the entire division with its commander captured. It was a splendid victory, corresponding with the genius of the General who conceived and inspired it; but in the moment of victory, late in the afternoon, this illustrious soldier was severely wounded, from the effects of which he soon died. His great worth was fully appreciated and his loss bitterly lamented by the entire South. The battle raged on until night closed the bloody scene. The victory was emphatic, but it remained for short, sharp work on the morrow to seal it with certainty. No sooner had the death of Gen. Johnston, which occurred about the middle of the afternoon, been announced to the strug- gling troops, than involuntarily a dispiriting check was thrown upon the entire army. Gen. Beauregard who immediately assumed command, was known to have not only opposed the attack from the start, but to have counseled withdrawal late on the night of the 5th. This fact produced the impression that the new commander would alter the tactics of the advance, if he did not absolutely order it checked, and accordingly, in doubt as to what was to be done, the victorious army throughout its entire length experienced a severe paralytic stroke, and hesitated for about an hour, until orders came from Gen. Beauregard to continue the attack. But the impression of the doubtful designs of the commander still pre- vailed, and served to unnerve the onset, and accordingly the headlong attack which had characterized the Confederate advance during the day and was designed to assure the victorious results within reach, was per- mitted to languish until too late to be remedied. The demoralized Fed- erals were allowed to retire unmolested and to form a new line, while the exhausted Confederates also fell somewhat back, and spent the night in the abandoned camps of the enemy. During the night the enemy was heavily re-enforced, and on the following morning, instead of meeting the demoralized army of Gen. Grant, the weary, but elated Confederates en- countered the fresh and powerful troops of Gen. Buell, and although desperate efforts were made to complete the victory, it was found impos-
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
sible before superior numbers of fresh troops, and the army slowly fell back and finally moved to Corinth. The entire loss of the Confederate Army in this engagement, was 1,728 killed, 8,012 wounded. and 959 missing .* The loss of the enemy was 1, 700 killed, 7,495 wounded, and 3,022 captured.+ The effective force of the Confederates was nearly 40,000 men,¿ while that of the Federals, not counting the army of Gen. Buell, probably slightly exceeded that number.
About the middle of March, 1862, Andrew Johnson, who had been appointe.l military governor of Tennessee by President Lincoln, reached Nashville aud issued an address to the people of the State, and took charge of the State property. From this date forward there was a con- stant conflict between the two governments of Govs. Harris and Johnson. Harris did everything possible for the cause of the South, and Johnson everything possible for the cause of the North. Despite the presence of troops in all portions of the State of either the Federal or Confederate Governments, recruiting continued for both armies. Skirmishes oc- curred almost daily in some portion of the State between citizens, organ- ized or unorganized, or between small squads of either army stationed to guard railroads, supplies or important points. The citizens, Confeder- ate or Federal, were forced through three long, dreary and memora- ble years to realize the horrors of the uninterrupted presence of an armed and powerful force of soldiery, who often took advantage of their power to riot and rob, and to menace and maltreat inoffensive non-com- batants endeavoring to make a living by the arts of peace. Under the conscript law twelve-months' organizations were perpetuated. This worked great hardship upon many volunteers and kindled no little dis- content, which time alone quenched.
On the 14th of March, 1862, nearly two companies of the First East Tennessee (Confederate) Cavalry, stationed at Jacksborough, were sur- prised through the treachery of Union residents and captured by a regi- . ment of Federal troops, which had rapidly crossed the Cumberland Mountains. On the 19th of June, after a spirited and stubborn resistance against numerous attacks through several weeks, Col. J. E. Rains was forced to evacuate Cumberland Gap. January 21, 1862, his force at the Gap consisted of seventy-four officers and 1,523 men present and fit for duty. On the 11th of April Huntsville, Ala., was captured by Gen. O. M. Mitchell, who moved there from Murfreesboro, via Shelbyville and Fayetteville, under the order of Gen. Buell, with about 5.000 men. This
*Official report of Gen. Beauregard, April 11, 1862.
+Official report of the War Department.
¡The official report prepared under den. Beauregard's orders. April 21, showed a total efectiva strength of 35,053 infantry and artillery and 1962 cavalry or a total of 40,335. The official report of this Isthe · prepared by (pen. Bragg in June, showed an effective strength of 33,270 infautry, 1,55; artillery, and 1, == cavalry; total, 37,011. Another account shows 38, 773 effective troops.
555
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
movement, menacing Chattanooga, the rear of the army at Corinth and the heart of the Confederacy, found only two regiments at Chattanooga; and orders were issued by Gen, Beauregard upon Pemberton's command for six regiments to move to that point at once. The enemy seized Stev- enson, Decatur and Bridgeport, and menaced the right flank of John- ston's army at Corinth. At this time Brig-Gen. Danville Leadbetter commanded the forces in and around Chattanooga.
During the month of May the Confederate Army quietly held its position at Corinth until a general attack seemed imminent, when it silently evacuated the place. Several sharp conflicts occurred during the siege. Owing to the unhealthfulness of the locality, the impurity of the water and the bad food and inaction, an army which had been in- creased to a total effective strength of 112,002 was reduced to 52,706 upon its arrival at Tupelo, to which point it retreated. The Army of the West, under Gen. Earl Van Dorn, with a total effective strength of. 17,- 000, had been added to the Army of the Mississippi. So great was the reduction in effective strength that a court of inquiry was appointed by the Confederate Government to investigate and report upon the conduct of the quarter-master's department of the army, but that department was exonerated from all blame. Late in June, 1862, Gen. Braxton Bragg succeeded Gen. Beauregard in command of the army. Island No. 10, on the Mississippi, fell April 7-8. On the 4th of June, Fort Pillow on the Mississippi, twelve miles above Randolph, was evacuated, and Randolph fell soon afterward. Memphis also, after a sharp resistance, was compelled to surrender to the enemy on the 6th. To the demand to surrender, Mayor John Park responded, "In reply I have only to say that as the civil authorities have no means of defense, by the force of circumstances the city is in your hands." The Confederate loss here was 82 killed and wounded, 75 prisoners, and 4 gun-boats sunk. The fall of the city was a most serious loss to the South, as it opened the way to Vicks- burg. Jackson was occupied by the enemy June 7. Strong movements were made against Chattanooga by Mitchell's army. July 13 Murfrees- boro was recaptured from the enemy by Gen. Forrest. He captured 800 prisoners.
On the 12th of May a Union convention was held at Nashville, when action was perfectod to extend the civil authority of the Federal Govern- ment over the State. Tazewell in East Tennessee was taken by the enemy after a sharp battle on the 5th and 6th of August. Soon after this, about August 19, Clarksville was recaptured by Col. Woodward, of the Confederate Army, but in September again fell into the enemy's hands. Numerous small engagements occurred throughout the State,
554
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
with varying successes. Much of the State was reoccupied by Confed- erate forces, which were recruited within the Federal lines and which preyed upon the garrisons left to hold the leading localities. Forrest became famous as a daring and remarkably successful cavalry com- mander and raider. He destroyed enormous amounts of Federal stores. captured thousands of the enemy, and constantly recruited for the Con- federate Army and particularly his own command. Guerrillas without any constituted authority preyed upon Federal or Confederate stores, and in many instances committed acts not justified even by the bloody code of war. This rendered residence in the State humiliating and danger- ous, particularly to women without protectors.
After a short time spent at Tupelo in resting, recruiting and refitting Gen. Bragg moved with bis fine army to Chattanooga, outmarching Gen. Buell, who had apparently started for the same point. Buell returned with his army to Nashville, and Grant assumed command of the Federal forces around Corinth. Bragg now determined to take the offensive and invade Kentucky, expecting by this strategy to either force Buell out of Tennessee or to capture Louisville and possibly invade Indiana and Ohio. He also hoped to arouse a large following in Kentucky, and in- tended to collect enormous quantities of supplies. He left Chattanooga August 28, and marched northward via Pikeville and Sparta. A few days before he began this movement Gen. Kirby Smith, aware of his in- tentions, advanced northward also, via Jacksborough, through Big Creek Gap, living mainly on green corn, and halted near Richmond for the ar- rival of Bragg. His movement flanked the Federal force at Cumberland Gap, which beat a precipitate retreat to the Ohio River. At London his cavalry killed and wounded 30 and captured 111 of the Federals. At Richmond the Federal troops under Gen. Manson, nearly equal to his own, moved forward and attacked him, but were routed and several thousand of them captured. He moved on to Cynthiana. At Munford- ville, with trifling loss, Bragg captured several thousand prisoners. He reached Bardstown September 23. As soon as Buell saw the designs of Bragg he marched rapidly north to protect Louisville, and arrrived there ahead of the latter. Bragg, finding he could not induce Kentucky to join the Confederacy, although he had gone through the ceremony of in- stalling Richard Hawes provisional governor, turned to retrace his steps. meeting with no obstacle for some time to prevent his collecting enor- mous quantities of supplies. At Harrodsburg he formed a junction with Kirby Smith. Finally Buell, under pressure of the War Department. and with an army twice as strong, moved out to attack him. At Perry- ville, October 8, the two armies collided. About 15,000 of Bragg's army
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