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 8
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The Fourth Union Regiment of Tennessee Cavalry was organized from East Tennessee refugees, at Cumberland Gap, in July, 1862. and entered the field under the command of Lieut .- Col. J. M. Thornburgh. After leaving that place it followed the course of the other regiments of Gen. Morgan's command, and reached Nashville January 26, 1563. At that place and Murfreesboro, it did post and scout service during the remainder of the year. It then went with Gen. Smith on his expedition into Mississippi, returning to Nashville March 18, 1864. On June 19
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it was ordered to Decatur, Ala., andin July marched with Gen. Rousseau on his raid through Alabama, reaching Marietta, Ga., on the 23d of that month. It then accompanied Gen. MeCook on a raid south and west of Atlanta, in which it lost nearly all its horses and arms in crossing the Chattahoochie River. On the 10th of August it returned to Decatur, Ala., and was assigned to post and scout duty under Gen. Granger until the 19th of that month, when it was ordered to Nashville. On Novem- ber 27, it advanced to meet Gen. Hood, and participated in nearly all the battles of that campaign. It was then ordered to the Gulf Department and accompanied Gen. Canby through the Mobile campaign, after which it went to Baton Rouge. It arrived at Nashville June 12, 1865. Com- pany C, was detached from December, 1863, to April, 1864, for duty at the headquarters of the Twelfth Army Corps at Tullahoma. The other companies served without intermission with the regiment.
The Fifth Union Regiment of Tennessee Cavalry was recruited and organized in Middle Tennessee by Col. William B. Stokes acting under authority from Gov. Johnson, in July, 1862. It was made up at Nash- ville principally, the recruits coming in from various counties in squads. It was first known as the First Middle Tennessee Cavalry, but was sub- sequently changed to the Fifth Tennessee. The regiment was in various battles and skirmishes during the latter part of 1862, actively partici- pating in the battle of Stone River from first to last, closing the fight on the Manchester pike on Monday evening, January 5, 1863. From that time until the close of the war the regiment was employed mainly in detachments, in the eastern part of Middle Tennessee. One battalion was stationed at Shelbyville for some time, and did good service in a number of battles and skirmishes, for which it received high compliments from its superior officers. The other portion of the regiment under Col. Stokes was stationed at Carthage, and had frequent skirmishes; since. among other duties, it was required to carry the mail from that point to Gallatin. A portion of the regiment was in the battle of Lookout Mountain under command of Capt. Cain and Lieut. Carter. A post, also, was at Chickamauga and Chattanooga under Lieuts. Robinson and Nel- son. The regiment was subsequently ordered to Sparta, Tenn .. to break up the guerrilla bands which infested that region. The guerrilla chiefs, Hughes, Bledsoe and Ferguson declared a war of extermination against Col. Stokes' command, and then began a series of skirmishes and battles in which no quarter was given on either side. After completely subdu- ing the guerrillas the regiment was ordered to Nashville, where, under the command of Lieut .- Col. William J. Clift, it participated in the bat- tles in front of that city. Upon the removal of the regiment to Nashville
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Col. Stokes was assigned to the command of the forces at Carthage, where he remained until honorably discharged in April, 1865.
The Sixth Union Regiment of Tennessee Cavalry was partially recruited and organized at Bethel, W. Va., and was mustered into service November 13, 1862. under the command of Fielding Hurst. It entered upon arduous scouting duty in that region, and did valuable service in destroying guerrilla bands. It was subsequently ordered West, and. upon the retreat of Gen. Price from Corinth, it went in pursuit, captur- ing 250 prisoners without the loss of a man. While on this campaign it was also engaged with the enemy at Salem and Wyatt, Miss. It returned to West Tennessee in June, 1863, and was there employed in scouting and skirmishing until the following spring. when it entered upon a campaign in north Mississippi and Arkansas. November 26 it went to Nashville to participate in the memorable battle in front of that place. where it acquitted itself with credit. During its existence it mus- tered nearly 1.600 enlisted men.
The Seventh Union Regiment of Tennessee Cavalry was recruited in Carroll County aud vicinity, and was mustered into service November 1 t. 1862, under the command of Lieut. - Col. I. R. Hawkins, of Huntingdon. Nothing could be obtained, of the movements of this regiment except that it was captured March 24, 1864.
The Eighth Union Regiment of Tennessee Cavalry was raised and commanded by Col. S. K. N. Patton, of Washington County, Tenn. It was composed of two fractions of regiments known as the Eighth and Tenth East Tennessee Cavalry. The Eighth Regiment was begun in Kentucky in June, 1863, under Lieut .- Col. Thomas J. Capps, and was first known as the Fifth Regiment East Tennessee Cavalry. It saw some active service in the field. in both Kentucky and Tennessee under Gen. Burnside; was at the surrender of Cumberland Gap; took an active part in the fights at Blountsville and Rheatown; was beseiged in Knoxville, and rendered material aid in defending that post. The Tenth Regiment had its origin in East Tennessee in September, 1863, by authority granted to Col. S. K. N. Patton by Gen. Burnsides. It saw some active service in East Tennessee under Gens. Shackleford and Wilcox, Cols. Casement and Harney during the fall of that year. In December, 1963. it was sent to Camp Nelson, Ky., in charge of prisoners. February 6, 1864, these two fractions were consolidated by order of Gov. Johnson. Col. Patton completed the regiment, and assumed command of it at Columbia in the April following. It remained there and at Franklin guarding the railroad until June 19, when it was ordered to Gallatin. where it remained doing similar duty until September. It was then or-
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dered to East Tennessee, where it joined command with the Ninth and Thirteenth Regiments, and during the remainder of the year was alinost continuously engaged in marching and fighting. On March 21, 1865. such portions of the command as were mounted, joined Gen. Stoneman on his raid into Virginia, the Carolinas and Georgia. The command was finally reunited, and went into camp at Lenoir's Station in June, 1565. It was mustered out of service at Knoxville, September 11, 1865.
The Ninth Union Regiment of Tennessee Cavalry was organized at Camp Nelson from East Tennessee refugees in the early part of 1863. with Joseph H. Parsons, of Knox County, as colonel. It assisted in the capture of Cumberland Gap, after which it escorted the prisoners to Lexington, Ky. Returning to Knoxville, it remained there until after the siege of that place. It was then detailed to escort prisoners to Camp Nelson, from which place it was ordered to Nashville, where it arrived in January and remained until about May 1. It was stationed at Gallatin from that time until August, when it was constituted a portion of the brigade known as the "Governor's Guards." under the command of Gen. Gillem, which then entered upon a campaign in East Tennessee. It par- ticipated with great gallantry in all the battles of that campaign, and at Bull's Gap a large portion of the regiment was taken prisoners. A large part of the Eleventh Cavalry having also been captured it was consoli- dated with the remainder of the Ninth. On March 21, 1865, it entered upon the raid through Virginia, North and South Carolina and Georgia under Gen. Stoneman. It returned to Tennessee in May, and was mus- tered out at Knoxville in September. 1865.
The organization of the Tenth Union Regiment of Tennessee Cav- alry was begun at Nashville under the supervision of Col. G. W. Bridges. Companies A, B, C, D, E, H and I were organized during the fall of 1863 and in the winter of 1864, and after having been organized into a regiment, were attached to the command of Col. George Spalding, Sec- ond Brigade, Fourth Division of Cavalry. During the summer and fall of 1864 it was engaged in arduous duty in Tennessee. About the close of the year it was sent to northern Alabama to watch the movements of Hood's army, and had an engagement with a largely superior force at Florence. Overpowered by numbers it was compelled to fall back to Nashville, where it was transferred to Gen. Hatch's command, and par- ticipated in the numerous engagements attending Hood's raid into Ten- nessee. On the first day's battle before Nashville it lost seventy in offi- cers and men. The leader, Maj. William P. Story, was badly wounded, and the command devolved upon Maj. James T. Abernathy. At the close of the campaign the regiment was sent to New Orleans, where it remained
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FROM PHOTO BY THUSS KOELLEIN & GIERS NASHVILLE
WILLIAM G. BROWNLOW
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until June 10, 1865. Companies F' and G of this regiment were not or- ganized until February, 1865. Company K was organized in June, 1865. Company L was never fully organized. It numbered fifty-one men, and was stationed as a guard on the Nashville & Northwestern Railroad Sixty-three men comprising Company M. were mustered into service in October, 1864, under William H. Hampton as first lieutenant. They served during the campaign against Hood as provost guard and escort company. Company A was detached from its regiment on April 26. 1864, and assigned to duty at Springfield, Tenn., where it remained until August, after which it was with Gen. Gillem in his campaign in East Tennessee.
The recruiting for the Eleventh Union Regiment of Tennessee Cay- alry was begun at Camp Nelson, Ky., where the greater part of five companies was raised. August 16, 1863, Isham Young, Reuben Davis and J. H. Johnson, the last two of whom had already organized the above companies, were commissioned by Gov. Johnson to raise a regiment of cavalry to be designated the Eleventh Tennessee Cavalry, and by Oc- tober 21 all the companies except Company MI, which numbered only forty-six men, had been filled and organized. On that date Col. Young received his commission, and the organization of the regiment, then at Knoxville, was completed, with R. A. Davis, lieutenant-colonel; James H. Johnson, first major; Alexander D. Rhea, second major, and Edward Black, third major. The regiment remained at Knoxville until after the siege, when it was ordered to upper East Tennessee. There five compan- ies, under Maj. Black, were sent to Morristown, and the remaining five companies, under the command of Lieut .- Col. Davis, were stationed at Cumberland Gap. They did scout duty along the Virginia line until February, 1864, when nearly the entire command was captured. The remainder of the regiment remained in East Tennessee until consolidated with the Ninth Regiment.
The Twelfth Union Regiment of Tennessee Cavalry was organized by companies, the first of which was mustered into service August 24, 1863. February 22, 1864, six companies had been mustered, and George Spalding was commissioned lieutenant-colonel. The regiment was then assigned to Gen. Gillem's division, and was placed on guard duty on the Nashville & Northwestern Railroad, where it remained until April, 1864 During the remainder of the year the regiment was in active service al- most continuously. It was one of the most efficient regiments in oppos- ing Wheeler on his raid through Middle Tennessee, and had several se- vere engagements with portions of his command. In the latter part of September it marched to contest the approach of Gen. Forrest, with
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whom it was several times engaged with considerable loss. It was also active in the campaign against Hood, participating in the battles at Law- renceburg, Campbellsville, Spring Hill, Franklin and Nashville. From Nashville the regiment was in- the advance in pursuit of Hood, and fired the last shot at the enemy as he crossed the Tennessee River at Bain- bridge. February 8, 1865, the regiment went into camp at Eastport, Miss .. where it remained until May 11. It was then transferred from the Second to the First Brigade under the command of Byt. Brig .- Gen. George Spald- ing, who had been commissioned colonel upon the completion of the regiment, August 16, 1864, and ordered to St. Louis. It was there re- mounted and refitted and sent to Fort Leavenworth, at which place, after having performed some escort and scout duty through northern Kansas and southern Nebraska, it was mustered out October 7. It returned to Nashville, and was there finally paid and discharged October 24, 1865.
The Thirteenth Union Regiment of Tennessee Cavalry was organized by Col. John K. Miller, of Carter County, at Strawberry Plains, Tenn., in September, 1863. It was not fully equipped, however, until it reached Camp Nelson, Kentucky, in the month of December. It was there mounted, and soon after ordered to Nashville, where it remained until the spring of 1864. It was then ordered to Gallatin, where it did post duty until August 4, when it was attached to what was known as the "Brigade of Governor Guards," commanded by Gen. Gillem. With this command it operated in East Tennessee against the Confederate cavalry under Gens. Morgan, Vaughn and Breckinridge; and under Lieut-Col. William H. Ingerton acted a conspicuous part in the killing of Morgan and the rout and capture of his force at Greeneville, Tenn. Morgan was killed by Andrew Campbell, of Company G, of this regiment. This regiment formed a part of the command under Gens. Stoneman and Gil- lem, which did such signal service in southwestern Virginia in Decem- ber, 1864, and was also with the former general on his raid in the spring of 1865, participating with credit in the engagement at Salisbury, N. C. In June, 1865, it returned to Knoxville, moved from there to Lenoir's Station, then to Sweetwater, and finally back to Knoxville, where it was mustered out September 5, 1865.
Bradford's battalion of Union Tennessee Cavalry was raised by Maj. W. F. Bradford in December, 1863, and January, 1864. It consisted of four companies organized at Union City, Tenn., and was at first incor- rectly designated the Thirteenth Cavalry. It remained at Union City until February 3, 1864, when it was ordered to Fort Pillow, where it arrived on the Sth. Recruiting at that point did not progress very rap- idly, and it was not until April 1 that the fifth company was ready for
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muster into the United States service. Before this was done, however, the fort was captured, and it together with the other four companies was nearly annihilated. With the capture of Fort Pillow the history of this battalion terminates. Hardly a nucleus of the command remained after the massacre. Only three commissioned officers were left, and two of them died soon after. A little detachment of men, who at the time of the fight were absent from the several companies on duty, were on August 18, 1864, consolidated in one company designated as Company A of the Fourteenth Tennessee Cavalry. This company on February 14, 1865, was consolidated with the Sixth Tennessee Cavalry, and was known as Company E.
The First Union Regiment of Tennessee Mounted Infantry was organ- ized by Lieut .- Col. Abraham E. Garrett in the early part of 1864, although a portion of the companies were not completed until the end of the year. The regiment served principally in the northeastern part of Middle Tennessee, where it had frequent and severe encounters with guerrillas.
The Second Union Regiment of Tennessee Mounted Infantry was recruited principally in the vicinity of Wayne, Hardin, and Perry Coun- ties. Company A was mustered October 2, 1863, and by February 1, 1864, the date of the organization of the regiment, seven companies had been completed. Two more companies were added in April, and Com- pany K in June. John Murphy was commissioned lieutenant-colonel in February, and promoted to colonel upon the completion of the regiment.
The Third Union Regiment of Tennessee Mounted Infantry was a three months' regiment, and was never fully organized.
The recruiting of the Fourth Union Regiment of Tennessee Mounted Infantry was begun in August, 1864, and the last company was mustered into service the February following. Its members were principally from the eastern portion of Middle Tennessee. It was placed under the com- mand of Joseph H. Blackburn, who was commissioned lieutenant-colonel November 26, 1864.
The Fifth Union Regiment of Tennessee Mounted Infantry was recruited and organized in the fall of 1864, at Cleveland, Tenn., by Col. Spencer B. Boyd, and Lieut .- Col. Stephen Beard. He was chiefly engaged in scouting through lower East Tennessee, northern Georgia, western North Carolina and northern Alabama. It had frequent encoun- ters with Gatewood's and other guerrillas, one of which occurred at Spring Place, Ga., and another at Ducktown, Polk Co., Tenn. The regi- ment was mustered out at Nashville in July, 1865.
The Sixth Union Regiment of Tennessee Mounted Infantry was or-
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ganized in Hamilton County, October 24, 1861, with George A. Gowin as lieutenant-colonel; William H. Bean, major; Eli T. Sawyers, adjutant, and William Rogers, quartermaster. It was employed for some time by Gen. Steadman, in scouting the Cumberland Mountains in Tennessee and northern Georgia, after the guerrilla bands which infested that re- gion, and had several severe engagements with the bushwhackers. In March, 1865, the regiment was turned over to the commander of the de- partment, and was soon after placed under Gen. Judah, commanding at Decatur, Ga., where it continued its scouting until the surrender of the Confederate Army. It was then ordered to Resaca. On June 18. 1865, it was ordered to Nashville, and on the 30th of that month was mustered out.
The Seventh Union Regiment of Tennessee Mounted Infantry was recruited during the latter part of 1864 in Anderson, Knox, Campbell, McMinn, Meigs and Monroe Counties. It was organized at Athens, Tenn., in the spring of 1865, with the following field and staff officers: James T. Shelley, colonel; James J. Dail, lieutenant-colonel; Oliver M. Dodson, major; George W. Ross, quartermaster; James R. Gettys, ad- jutant; Enoch Collins, assistant surgeon; Rufus Thompson, sergeant- major; John T. Rider, quartermaster-sergeant; James H. Baker, com- missary-sergeant; T. L. Farrell, hospital steward. During the greater portion of its service it was stationed at Athens, and was actively em- ployed in hunting guerillas, with whom it had frequent engagements.
The Eighth Union Regiment of Tennessee Mounted Infantry was not organized until April, 1865. It was recruited in the vicinity of Macon and Smith Counties, and was under the command of Lieut-Col. William J. Cleveland. Having been organized so late the regiment saw but little service.
Five Batteries of Light Artillery were also organized, but after the most persistent effort little could be learned concerning their movements. All were recruited and organized during 1863 and the early part of 1864. A few men were also recruited for Battery F, but the company was not completed, and they were transferred to Battery A, in April. 1864.
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CHAPTER XVI.
CONFEDERATE MILITARY HISTORY-VIEWS ON THE QUESTIONS OF STATE SOV- EREIGNTY AND SECESSION -- THE REFUSAL TO HOLD A STATE CONVENTION- THE GREAT LACK OF MUNITIONS OF WAR-THE CONSIDERATION OF THE QUESTION OF COERCION-THE EXCITEMENT ATTENDING THE SURRENDER OF FORT SUMTER-THE REFUSAL TO FURNISH FEDERAL TROOPS -- THE EXTRA- ORDINARY CELERITY OF DEFENSIVE MEASURES-GOV. HARRIS AND THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY-THE ORGANIZATION OF THE MILITIA-THE ACT OF SECESSION-THE PROVISIONAL ARMY BILL -- THE MILITARY LEAGUE -- THE ADOPTION OF THE CONFEDERATE PROVISIONAL CONSTITUTION-MILITARY APPOINTMENTS-THE JUNE ELECTION -- THE MANUFACTURE OF ORDNANCE, ETC .- SOLDIERS' AID SOCIETIES-THE TRANSFER OF THE STATE FORCES TO THE CONFEDERATE SERVICE-SKETCH OF THE FIELD CAMPAIGNS-THE NEU- TRALITY QUESTION-FEDERAL INVASION OF THE STATE-COMPULSORY EVAC- UATION-OFFICIAL ARMY MUSTER ROLLS-THE HORRORS AND HARDSHIPS OF INTERNECINE WAR- GENERAL MOVEMENTS OF THE GREAT ARMIES - SKETCH OF THE PRINCIPAL ENGAGEMENTS-OUTLINE OF REGIMENTAL SERV- ICE-CLOSE OF THE WAR.
A MAJORITY of the people of Tennessee, prior to the fall of Fort Sumter and the call of President Lincoln for 75,000 volunteers, was warmly in favor of maintaining the Union of the States so long as it could be done without infringing the sovereign rights of any State. It had for years been the settled conviction of many Tennesseeans that the individual States of the Union were sovereign under the constitution and would not, so long as their rights were not invaded, take any steps to sever their connection with their sister States; but they claimed the right, as a nec- essary consequence of the doctrine of State sovereignty,* to withdraw peaceably and establish a separate and independent government, when- ever it was demonstrated that their rights, liberties or institutions were in danger of limitation or abrogation. But notwithstanding these views, and notwithstanding the bitter hostility of the abolitionists of the North to the institution of slavery, the citizens of Tennessee looked with moist- ened eyes at the "Stars and Stripes," and remembered the ties of many bloody battles of the past in a common cause which bound the .. Volun- teer State" to the Federal Government. The utterances for maintaining the Union were widespread and sincere. As soon, however, as the South- ern States began to enact ordinances of secession, and the severe views of the North in newspapers and public assemblies on the subject of coer- cion became known, many expressed the opinion that the only course for
*"I have for many years advocated, as an essential attribute of State Sovereignty, the right of a State to secede from the Union."-Speech of Jefferson Davis upon leaving the United States Senate.
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Tennessee to pursue was to sever her relations with the Union, and, as & means of security, enter into a league with the Confederate Government. Others opposed this course except as a last resort, while still others, particularly in East Tennessee, discountenanced every movement toward secession. Tennessee thus became a sea over which surged the wild waves of tumultuous emotions and conflicting opinions.
As early as February 27, 1860, the governor of Tennessee transmitted to the Legislature a special message, enclosing resolutions from the States of South Carolina and Mississippi, proposing a conference among the Southern States for the purpose of taking into consideration the relation of these States to the Federal Government. In the discussion of this proposal, the greatest divergence of opinion was developed in the Gen- eral Assembly. The ideas of the times on State relations were under- going a revolution. In November, 1860. Tennessee gave John Bell, the constitutional Union candidate for the Presidency, a plurality of 4,657 votes, which result was regarded as showing in a measure, the strength of the party which favored the Union. In December. 1860, Gov. Harris called a special session of the General Assembly to be held at Nashville, commencing January 7, 1861. In his message. among other important statements, the Governor said: "Previous to the adoption of the Federal Constitution, each State was a separate and independent Government -- a complete sovereignty within itself-and in the compact of union, each re- served all the rights and powers incident to sovereignty, except such as were expressly delegated by the constitution to the General Government, or such as were clearly incident and necessary to the exercise of some ex- pressly delegated power." After reciting at length the grievances of the South over the questions of slavery, state sovereignty, etc., he recom- mended the passage of an act calling for an election to determine whether delegates chosen at such election should meet in convention at the State capital, to ascertain the attitude of the State toward the Federal Govern- ment. As it was instinctively felt, if not positively understood, that the convention might follow the example of South Carolina and enact an ordi- nance of secession, it came to be recognized by tacit admission that those who should vote "convention," would favor disunion and vice versa, and. therefore, intense interest was felt in the result. The discussion of the question whether such a convention should be held, was conducted with fiery energy in the Legislature. On the 9th of January a resolution introduced against holding such a convention was lost by a vote of sixty-six to five. On the 19th of January, a bill was passed calling for an election to be held February 9, 1861, to determine whether such a convention should be held, and to select the necessary dele-
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