USA > Tennessee > History of Tennessee, its people and its institutions > Part 20
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373. Strategic Movements .- After the evacuation of Middle Ten- nessee, Gen. A. S. Johnston concentrated the Confederate army at Corinth, Mississippi, reaching there, in person, March 24th. General Buell had occupied Nashville, February 24th, the day after the retreat of the rear-guard under Forrest, and no obstacle interposed to the com- plete occupation of Middle Tennessee. A strong Federal force was speedily concentrated at Pittsburg Landing. General Grant arrived there March 17th, and assumed command.
374. Shiloh .- General Johnston, being informed that the Federal authorities were planning to accumulate, at Pittsburg Landing, an over- whelming force to attack Corinth, and that General Buell and others were on their way with reinforcements, determined to make an imme- diate attack on General Grant, before his reinforcements could arrive. The Federal army was encamped on the south side of Tennessee River. near Shiloh Church, not far north of the southern boundary of Tennes- see. General Johnston began the attack Sunday morning, April 6th, with a force, differently estimated at 40,000 to 50,000 men. He stated it, himself, to be 40,000. The force of General Grant is. likewise, dif- ferently estimated, from 32,722 to 41,153. On the first day, the Con- federates won a brilliant victory, and had driven the Federal forces back towards the river, under the protection of their gunboats, when General Johnston was killed, about two o'clock P. M. Much confusion was
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HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
caused by his fall, and the consequent failure of orders to continue the attack. General Beauregard succeeded to the command, and considered the hour too late to renew the attack. During the night, General Buell arrived with about 20,000 men, Gen. Lew Wallace with about 6.500. and other troops amounting to about 1,400. These reinforcements, of about 27,900 fresh men, were sufficient to turn the tide of battle. Early the next morning, General Grant attacked with all his forces. The Confederates were driven back, and retreated to Corinth." This battle was fiercely contested, and the losses on both sides were heavy. The Confederate loss in killed, wounded, and missing, was 10,699, about one-
FEDERAL CEMETERY AT SHILOH.
fourth of the army. The Federal loss, as given in official records, was 13.573.3
375. Corinth .- A few days after the Battle of Shiloh, General Halleck arrived in person at Pittsburg Landing and assumed command of the combined armies of Grant and Buell, April 11th. He ordered General Pope, who was then engaged in besieging Fort Pillow, to leave two regiments to continue the siege, and to report, with the rest of his army, to Pittsburg Landing. All other available troops were concen-
3 Confederate Military History, Vol. VIII, Chapter III; Campaigns of the Civil War, Vol. II, Chapters V, VI. and VII; Ibid., Supplementary Volume, pp. 97, 213; Official Records, Vol. X, Series I, pp. 108, 112, 113, 396, 398, 399; Rise and Fall of the Confederate States, by Jefferson Davis, Vol. II, Chapters XVII, XVIII, and XIX.
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TENNESSEE THE BATTLEGROUND.
trated at this point, and in the latter part of April, Halleck, with an army exceeding 100,000 men, began the movement to dislodge Beaure- gard from Corinth. Beauregard, also largely reinforced, held his position at Corinth, and threw forward outposts towards the front. Halleck, advancing slowly and cautiously, had approached close to Cor- inth, when General Beauregard evacuated the place, May 30th, and retreated South.+
376. Memphis Evacuated .- It was now impossible to hold West Tennessee. June Ist Fort Pillow was abandoned. June 6th, Com- modore Davis, who had succeeded Commodore Foote, in command of the Mississippi fleet, destroyed the Confederate flotilla which attempted to defend Memphis, and the Federal forces occupied the city. Thus, by a strange decree of fate, Middle and West Tennessee, which were strongly Confederate in sympathy, came under the control of the Fed- eral authorities, and East Tennessee, which was strongly Union in sympathy, remained in possession of the Confederates. While such a condition was painful to all sections, it served to demonstrate the frank and firm character of the people of Tennessee. But few instances were found of apostasy or treachery. The mass of the people, on either side, resenting what they considered the oppression of their enemies, remained true to their convictions, and outspoken adherents of the cause which they espoused. Confederate soldiers marched by their homes, and followed their colors on the retreat to the South, while East Tennessee Unionists abandoned home and fled to join the Federal army.
377 .. The State Government .- We have, heretofore, followed the State government to the close of the Thirty-third General Assembly. The first session of the Thirty-fourth General Assembly convened at the Capitol October 7, 1861, and adjourned from December 21 to January 20, 1862. February 15, 1862, in consequence of the fall of Fort Don- elson, the Legislature adjourned to Memphis, where it met February 20th. After passing acts to authorize the State Banks to remove their locations, in case of invasion, and other acts to enable the governor to provide for emergencies, the Legislature adjourned sine die, March 20th. The regular elections had been held, August 1, 1861, previous to the evacuation of the State. Isham G. Harris was reelected governor. with a Legislature strongly Confederate in sympathy. Representatives were also elected to the Provisional Confederate Congress. Landon C. Haynes and Gustavus A. Henry were elected Senators to the Confed-
' Campaigns of the Civil War, Vol. II, Chapter V.
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HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
erate Senate, and served to the end of the war. November 6, 1861, regular elections were held for Representatives to the First Permanent Confederate Congress, and for Presidential Electors. After the evacua- tion of the State, civil government was paralyzed, and subsequent elec- tions were held irregularly, and for the most part by the soldiers in the Confederate camps. In 1863, Robert L. Caruthers was elected gov- ernor, but failed to qualify as such, and Isham G. Harris continued nominally in office. In the same year, eleven Representatives were elected to the Confederate Congress.3
378. Military Government .- February 22, 1862, General Grant issued an order suspending civil government in Tennessee and declaring martial law. March 3d, President Lincoln appointed Andrew Johnson Brigadier General and Military Governor of Tennessee. Thus, the whole of Tennessee was placed under military government, Middle and West Tennessee by the United States, and East Tennessee by the Con- federate States. Governor Johnson arrived at Nashville and assumed command as Military Governor, March 12, 1862. He, at once, entered upon a vigorous policy, intended to crush resistance and restore Ten- nessee to the Union. This policy was severe against those who persisted in sympathy with the Confederacy, and conciliatory to those who were willing to desert the Confederate cause. He required test oaths from public officers and suspected persons, fined citizens suspected of Confed- erate sympathy. Beginning in Nashville, he required all members of the city council, teachers, ministers of the gospel, and influential citizens, to take the test oath. Those who refused were arrested for treason. Some were imprisoned and others sent South. A Union convention was held in the city, which passed Union resolutions, and issued a public address. As a test of public sentiment, the governor ordered an election for Judge of the Criminal Court. The Union candidate was defeated by the popular vote, whereupon Governor Johnson arrested and imprisoned the successful candidate.
379. The Raids .- The conditions in Tennessee afforded the opportunity for a species of warfare which was peculiarly suited to the genius of the Confederate soldier, and has no parallel in any other war. In the fine-stock-raising States of Tennessee and Kentucky, the citizens were nearly all expert horsemen, and were provided with an abundant
6 Miller's Manual, pp. 44, 45, 46, 169, 174. 177, 178; Loyal Mountaineers, pp. 126-129; American Historical Magazine, Vol. I, No. 4, p. 310 (Article of R. L. McDonnold, October Number, 1896).
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TENNESSEE THE BATTLEGROUND.
supply of the finest horses in the world. As a result, the cavalry service, or, more properly, the mounted infantry service, was very pop- ular. Daring leaders, like Morgan and Forrest, found it easy to attract recruits to their standards. The main body of the Federal troops had been concentrated under Halleck and Grant for the large operations in the South. Tennessee was held by small garrisons, stationed at a few important towns. With a brilliancy and dash which has never been surpassed, the Confederate raiders suddenly broke into Tennessee and Kentucky, captured garrisons, disconcerted the matured plans of Fed- eral generals, and of the Military Governor, and reanimated the droop- ing spirits of their Confederate friends.
380. Morgan .- Early in May, Col. John H. Morgan entered Middle Tennessee, and after performing brilliant exploits at Pulaski and other points along the Nashville and Decatur Railroad, moved around the vicinity of Nashville, and rested at Lebanon, where he was attacked and defeated. Moving into Kentucky, he made a successful attack at Cave City, and then retired to Chattanooga to recuperate, preparatory to his famous Kentucky raid.
381. Forrest .- Col. Nathan Bedford Forrest, moving by a secret and rapid march from Chattanooga, with a force of 1,300 mounted men, reached Murfreesboro on the morning of July 13th, about five o'clock. The town was defended by a garrison of more than 1.765 men, under command of General Crittenden. After sharp fighting, the entire garrison was captured, together with four pieces of artillery, 600 horses and mules, and a large quantity of stores and supplies. A number of citizens who were held in arrest on account of their "sympathy with . the rebellion," six of whom were under sentence of death, were set free. After brilliant exploits and narrow escapes, he eluded General Nelson, who attempted to encompass him with a large force. September 3d. he joined the main body of General Bragg's army, then at Sparta, .on its way to invade Kentucky.6
382. Morgan .- While Forrest was engaged in Middle Tennessee, Morgan was operating in Kentucky and in Tennessee north of Nash- ville. General Bragg was at that time preparing to move his army into Kentucky, and ordered Morgan to destroy the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, so as to impede the movements of General Buell. Having
" Campaigns of Lieutenant-General N. B. Forrest, by Jordan and Pryor, Chapter V .; also. former references, Campaigns of the Civil War, Vol. VII, Chapter IV; Wyeth's History of Forrest, etc.
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HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
returned from his brilliant raid into Kentucky, he began operations in Tennessee, captured Gallatin, with two hundred prisoners, destroyed the railroad bridge and the tunnel near that place, and captured Colonel Boone, at Hartsville. He defeated Gen. R. W. Johnson, who had been sent against him, with a force of cavalry, infantry, and artillery. Gen- eral Johnson, with a portion of his command, surrendered as prisoners of war.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
KENTUCKY CAMPAIGN.
383. Condition of East Tennessee .- East Tennessee had all the while been occupied by Confederate troops, and held under military control. Although the large majority of the population were Union in sympathy, there was a respectable minority who warmly espoused the Confederate cause. This division of sentiment led to much strife and many acts of violence between the opposing parties. The Union men were restive under Confederate control, and complained bitterly that they were subjected to injustice and oppression. They solicited the Federal authorities to occupy the country, yet, so far, no such attempt had been made. General Zollicoffer and General Crittenden had suc- cessively commanded the Department. In the spring of 1862, Gen. E. Kirby Smith was assigned to this command, with headquarters at Knoxville. The possession of East Tennessee, at this juncture of affairs, afforded the opportunity for the invasion of Kentucky.
384. Bragg Occupies Chattanooga .- After the evacuation of Corinthi, May 30, 1862, the Confederate army was divided. Gen. Braxton Bragg, June 17th, was assigned to the command of the Army of Tennessee, and moved from Tupelo to occupy Chattanooga; General Buell was, also, moving from Corinth with the same purpose in view, and the further purpose of invading East Tennessee. Bragg won the race, and, upon reaching Chattanooga, began preparations for assuming the offensive.
385. Advance of Gen. E. Kirby Smith .- August 16th, General Smith entered Kentucky, and moved northward. On the 30th, he gained a brilliant victory at Richmond over a superior force, commanded by General Manson, and subsequently by General Nelson. He then sent General Heth forward to threaten Cincinnati, while he accumulated
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KENTUCKY CAMPAIGN.
army supplies and awaited the arrival of General Bragg, to whom he reported, October 4th.
386. Bragg's Kentucky Campaign .- General Bragg marched to Glasgow, Kentucky, which place he reached September 13th. Mun- fordsville was captured on the 17th, with 4,267 prisoners, ten pieces of artillery, and a large amount of munitions of war.
So far, Bragg's movements had been brilliant and successful. Buell had been completely deceived and outflanked, and was following on behind, having been outstripped in the race. From this point to the close of the campaign, the strategy of General Bragg has been blamed by some military critics and defended by others. After several days of maneuvering, he left the main route to Louisville, and permitted General Buell to pass.
General Buell, after receiving reinforcements and supplies at Louis- ville, marched out to offer battle. A brilliant, but indecisive. battle was fought at Perryville, October 8th, in which the losses of General Buell are stated, in the statistical records, as 4,348. The Confederate loss has been variously estimated from 2,500 to 7.000. The most reliable estimate places it at 3,212. After this battle, General Bragg withdrew from Kentucky at leisure, bringing with him large stores of supplies.
387. Forrest Returns to Tennessee .- General Forrest had been employed during the Kentucky campaign in harrassing Buell's army.1 A few days before the Battle of Perryville, he was relieved from com- mand of his brigade, and ordered to Middle Tennessee, for the purpose of recruiting and organizing cavalry troops, of which he was to assume command, and to take possession of the most eligible position from which he could annoy the Federal forces at Nashville, and secure a rallying point for the concentration of an army. Leaving Bardstown, Ky., September 27th, he travelled on horseback, and reached Murfreesboro October Ist.
388. The Condition in Middle Tennessee .- General Negley, with a small force, held Nashville. The Confederate Congress had recently
Under this law, a number of independ- passed the partisan ranger law.
ent battalions and companies were recruited. These several inde- pendent organizations, by concert of action among their leaders, b ::: under no general command, established camps on the various turnpikes leading out of Nashville, and effectually blockaded the city. Ahot
1 Smith's History of Kentucky. pp. 631-650; Rise and Fall of the Confed- erate States, Vol. II, pp. 382-384; Confederate Military History. Vol. VII. Chanter IV; Campaigns of the Civil War, Vol. VIII, Chapters V and VI; Official Records, Vol. XVI, Part II.
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HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
1,700 of these partisan rangers had assembled at Lavergne, fifteen miles from Nashville. October 7th, a few days after the arrival of General Forrest at Murfreesboro, this assemblage was attacked, and nearly surrounded, by a force sent by General Negley from Nashville, consisting of 400 cavalry and 2,600 infantry. Panic-stricken, the Con- federates fled from the camp, making almost no resistance. A few of the number were captured. This precipitate flight received the name
of the "Lavergne Races." General Forrest came to the rescue, and pursued the Federal force to Nashville.
389. Organization .- From the experience of the "Lavergne Races," the independent "partisan rangers" had learned the value of organization. They were inspired by the advent of their natural leader. Nearly all of them enlisted as regular cavalry, and thus, the nucleus of an army was ready at Forrest's hands. Before November Ist, a force of 3,500 cavalry was organized at Murfreesboro. Those who had taken part in the "Lavergne Races," now possessed with the spirit of veterans, were ever afterwards the bone and sinew of "Forrest's Cav- alry."
390. Nashville Threatened .- General Breckinridge arrived at Murfreesboro, and assumed command, October 28th, bringing with him the advance of Bragg's army, about 3,000 infantry: Forrest, at once, advanced to Lavergne with his cavalry force. The brigade of General Hanson, consisting of 3,000 infantry and two batteries, was added to his command. Having obtained the consent of General Breckinridge. Forrest moved from Lavergne, November 6th, for the purpose of capturing Nashville. He approached the city, and had actually driven in the pickets, and formed his lines for the assault, when he received orders from General Breckinridge, under peremptory instructions from General Bragg, forbidding the attack. Deeply disappointed, he with- drew his forces, under protest.
CHAPTER XXXV.
CONTEST. FOR TENNESSEE.
391. Concentration at Murfreesboro .- The army of Tennessee, having returned from Kentucky, was concentrated at Murfreesboro, at which place General Bragg established his headquarters. December 2, 1862. The line extended east to Triune, and west to Readyville. For-
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CONTEST FOR TENNESSEE.
rest was sent on an expedition to West Tennessee, and Morgan to Kentucky. Gen. Joseph Wheeler was made Chief of Cavalry, and commanded the outpost at Lavergne. Meanwhile, General Buell had been relieved from the command of the Army of the Cumberland, and his successor, Gen. William S. Rosecrans, concentrated the Federal forces at Nashville. December 26th, General Rosecrans advanced from Nashville to attack Bragg at Murfreesboro. The advanced posts were driven from Lavergne, and the two armies were face to face on the 30th day of December.
392. Battle of Murfreesboro .- On the last day of the year 1862, December 31, the battle began, and was fiercely waged for three days. This battle was remarkable for its vicissitudes, and was one of the most closely contested battles of the war. At the end of the struggle, both sides claimed the victory. The report of General Bragg states his force present for duty on the first day of the battle, 37,712, and his total loss in killed, wounded, and missing, 10,266, a loss of 27} per cent, and three pieces of artillery. He estimates the enemy's force at 70,000 men on the field, with reinforcements approaching. He reports that he had captured 6,273 prisoners, by actual count, with thirty pieces of artillery, 6,000 stands of small arms, and a large amount of property, besides destroying over Soo of the enemy's wagons and much valuable property.1 General Rosecrans reports his effective force as 46,940; number engaged in the battle, 43,400, and estimates the enemy's force
at 62,490. In his first report, he estimates his own loss at 11,578. In a subsequent revised statement, he gives his loss as 9,532 killed and wounded. and 3,717 prisoners, making a total of 13,249. If General Bragg's counted list of 6,273 prisoners be correct, it would make the loss of Rosecrans 15,805, a loss of 363 per cent.2
393. Wheeler's Raids .- A remarkable feature of the battle was the cavalry raids of Generals Wheeler and Wharton. Four of these raids were made. . In one of them, General Wheeler passed entirely around the Federal army. A number of wagons and a large amount of prop- erty were destroyed. horses and mules were captured, many prisoners were taken, and Rosecrans' communications were. for a time, inter- rupted. General Wheeler hoped to capture the Federal ammunition train. In this, however, he was foiled by the precautions of General Gates P. Thruston (then captain), who was in command of the train,
1 Official Records, Series I, Vol. XX. Part I, pp. 663-674.
2 Official Records. Series I, Vol. XX, Part I, pp. 188-217.
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HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
and, in disobedience of orders, changed the location or his train from Lavergne to a point six miles nearer Murfreesboro. If this train had been captured, the retreat of the Federal army would have been necessary.
394. The Line of Duck River .- General Bragg retreated to Shelbyville, and established his line along Duck River, the left extending to Columbia, guarding the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. Rose- crans remained quietly at Murfreesboro for six months, making ex- tensive preparations for the forward movement which he was planning. His right extended to Franklin, on the Louisville and Nashville Railroad.
The only activity was on the line of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, where the Confederate left wing, under Van Dorn and Forrest, confronted the Federal right under Gordon Granger. Forrest had been sent on an expedition to West Tennessee, a short time before the Battle of Murfreesboro.
After brilliant exploits performed at Lexington, Jackson, Trenton, Union City, Parker's Cross Roads, and other places, and accompanying General Wheeler on two expeditions to Cumberland River, he returned to Middle Tennessee and took position at Columbia, on the left flank of the army. Soon afterwards, Gen. Earl Van Dorn arrived with a force of 4,500 men, and assumed command at Columbia.
395. Cavalry Battles .- March 5th, Van Dorn and Forrest met at Thompson's Station a Federal force under Colonel Coburn, numbering about three thousand men. After a spirited engagement, Colonel Coburn surrendered the infantry portion of his command, 2,200 men, including the wounded, while the cavalry escaped. The Confederate loss was thirty-five killed, 140 wounded.3
March 25th, Forrest passed in rear of Franklin, and captured the garrison of Brentwood, taking 759 prisoners.
396. The Streight Raid .- April 23d, Forrest was ordered to North Alabama to assist General Roddy, who was falling back before the superior force of General Dodge. While engaged in this service, he learned that Colonel Streight, with a force of about two thousand men, was moving to the South to capture Rome, Georgia, for the pur- pose of destroying valuable Confederate works at that place. Moving rapidly, he overtook Streight at Sand Mountain, and immediately
3 Campaigns of Civil War, Vol. VII, pp. 141-143. Accounts of this battle
differ. This seems the fairest account.
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CONTEST FOR TENNESSEE.
attacked him, capturing his camp. Streight retreated up Sand Mountain Gap, where he repulsed an attack, and continued his march for Rome, followed by Forrest.
After an exciting chase of four days, interspersed with running fights, Colonel Streight surrendered, May 3d, near Rome, his whole force of 1,466 men, which was increased a few hours later by the surren- der of another detachment, making the total number of prisoners about 1,700. The entire force present with Forrest at the surrender was only 500 men. This was admitted by all military men to be one of the most brilliant feats of the war.
397. Evacuation of Middle Tennessee .- In June, 1863, General Rosecrans moved forward, with a large and well appointed army, to force Bragg from Middle Tennessee. Bragg made a show of resist- ance, but after some fighting, evacuated Middle Tennessee. July 7th, the Confederate army was concentrated at Chattanooga. General . Buckner held Knoxville and East Tennessee until September 2, 1863. when, upon the approach of a strong Federal force, under command of Gen. A. E. Burnside, he withdrew from Upper East Tennessee, and joined Bragg near Chattanooga. General Longstreet was detached from the Army of Virginia, with more than five thousand men of his corps, and was coming by railroad to reinforce Bragg.
In the meantime, General Rosecrans was marching to the attack, with an army of 70,000 men. He had crossed the Tennessee River at Bridgeport, and was moving to the Confederate rear. General Bragg evacuated Chattanooga September 8th, and fell back to Lafayette, Ga., to form a junction with General Longstreet, whose forces were ap- proaching from the South.
398. Chickamauga .- The greatest battle of the West was fought September 19th and 20th, mainly on Georgia soil, near the Tennessee line, and for the possession of Tennessee. General Bragg attacked the Federal army along the line of Chickamauga Creek. The main body of the army was the flower of the Tennessee troops. Inspired by the hope of regaining their homes, they fought with a valor that has never been surpassed on any field.
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