USA > Tennessee > Johnson County > History of the Thirteenth Regiment, Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry, U. S. A. > Part 11
USA > Tennessee > Carter County > History of the Thirteenth Regiment, Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry, U. S. A. > Part 11
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On the 15th we had our first mounted drill. The soldiers were somewhat awkward, the officers as well as the men, and many amusing, though not serious accidents resulted.
April Ist the boys played all sorts of pranks on each other, and the day was not far advanced until everybody knew it was "All Fools" day.
Things passed along with the usual routine of duty and drill until the 7th of April, some time in the night, after taps had been sounded and the men had "turned in," the cry was heard : "Ellis has come." All turned out and Dan. was besieged for news and "letters from home." Many were gladdened by letters from dear ones, while others were disappointed, or received sad tidings from home.
"Dan." was the guest of honor while he remained. All had a good word for the quiet, genial, but daring woods- man and pilot. Ellis always brought recruits from Carter and Johnson counties,-and they, too, received an ova- tion from the boys of the Regiment.
Upon Ellis' returning to East Tennessee he was al- ways loaded with letters and packages for the folks at home.
While at Nashville, the Field and Staff of the Regi- ment was completed by the addition of Majors E. N.
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Underwood and J. H. Wagner, who were assigned to the Second and Third Battalions, respectively ; all officers and recruits, who had not already mustered, were now mustered into service.
At Nashville there were many cases of small-pox dur- ing our stay, the "Black Mariah," as the small-pox ambu- lance was called, came to our camp almost daily to con- vey patients to the hospital. The measles, too, was a dreaded disease and almost as fatal as small-pox.
Believing that a removal from the city would be more healthy and better for the Regiment, we were ordered to Camp Catlett, on General Harding's farm, 9 miles from Nashville, on the North Western railroad, April 13th, 1864. We reached this place in good order, and found a delightful place to camp near Gen. Harding's large park which had contained a fine collection of animals-buffalo, deer, and other game. There was still some of them left, but the park had been greatly depleted. The men were pleased with the new camp. They had grown tired of city life very soon ; most of them were mountaineers, and as it was now Spring-time in this mild Middle Tennessee climate, the grass was green, the foliage putting out, and the birds were heralding the approach of summer with their songs. The men enjoyed country life much better than being in the city and engaged in hunting and catch- ing ground hogs, or woodchucks, and dug them out of their burrows, some times instead of getting a ground hog for their toil in digging, their nostrils were greeted with the disgusting stench of a pole-cat. But the men were now in much better health and spirits.
BRIGADE ORGANIZED.
The Brigade, composed of the 8th, 9th and 13th Ten- nessee Volunteer Cavalry, U. S. A., and Batteries E and G. of the Ist Tennessee Light Artillery, U. S. A., and known as the "Third Brigade, Governor's Guards," was now organized, and Col. John K. Miller assigned to its command. He named the following staff officers : Dr. Jas. H. Hobbs. Surgeon: Adjutant, B. P. Stacy, A. A. G.,
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Lt. James H. Conkling, A. Q. M., Lt. Joel H. Williams, A. C. S., Lt. George A. Miller, Aid-de-Camp, and Capt. George E. Gresham, Provost Marshal.
Lieut. S. W. Scott, of Company G, was detailed as Acting Adjutant of the Thirteenth in place of Adjutant Stacy.
The Regiment remained at this camp from April 13th to May 3d. The time was spent in drill, sabre exercise, camp duty and grazing horses. Officers and men were frequently detailed to guard forage that was being trans- ported down the Cumberland river to Nashville, and for other purposes.
On the 25th of April we drew sabres and carbines, and about the same time our horses were turned over to some other regiment. Our men did not like to part with their horses as this was an indication that we were not to be or- dered to East Tennessee soon, as we had hoped, and ex- pected to be. Our sabre exercises, which we now had daily, were awkward and amusing. Most of our men could have handled pitchforks more gracefully and to better advantage. Some of them were armed with the latter in the Carter county rebellion.
On Sunday, May Ist, we had the first Brigade inspec- tion, and on the 3d we struck tents, and were loaded on the cars for Gallatin, Tenn. Like all soldiers, we became restless. and were all glad to make a move of any kind.
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CHAPTER XVI.
At Gallatin .- Lieut .- Col. Butler Resigns .- W. H. Ingerton Appointed Lieut .- Col .- Proves to be a Most Efficient Officer. Drill and Discipline .- Dan Ellis Again Visits the Regiment. Brings Recruits and Letters From Home .- Accounts of Dis- tress in East Tennessee .- 4th of July at Gallatin .- Gov. John- son in Camp .- Regiment Again Paid Off .- Life in Camp. Brigade Detached for Special Service in East Tennessee .- Designated "Third Brigade, Governor's Guard."-Gen. Gil- Jem .- He is Assigned to Command of the Forces in E. Tenn. Gov. Johnson's Order -.- Brigade Ordered to E. Tenn.
At Gallatin we went into camp west of the Louisville and Nashville railroad, where we remained a short time and then moved into a beautiful sugar grove near by.
Gallatin had the appearance of having been a good town, and of having had a prosperous business before the war, and it was surrounded by fine farming lands. Both town and country now bore evidences of the rav- ages and blight of war.
Sumner county produced some of the ablest men of Tennessee in the ante-bellum days. Hon. Bailey Peyton, one of the last Whig candidates for Governor of Tennes- see, resided in this county and was a visitor in our camps.
The town was garrisoned by the First Tennessee Light Artillery, Capt. Benj. Nicklin, commanding the post, and Lieut. J. B. Miller, of Company H, our Regiment, was detailed for duty in his office.
May 4th, the day after we reached Gallatin, was ex- ceedingly hot, even for this climate, and our men who were accustomed to the mountain breezes could hardly endure this torrid weather. They were somewhat like the soldiers out in Arizona. It is said that a company of regulars were stationed on the Gila river, and the weather was so hot they had to go into the river during
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the day to keep from burning up. They were Spiritual- ists, and one of their number having died, they held a seance and called up their dead comrade. He answered promptly and told them "to send him his blankets,-it's cold down here to what it is in Arizona." Our men did not express themselves just that way but it meant about the same. We leave our readers to guess what they said.
We presume the object in bringing the Regiment to this place was to guard the L. &. N. railroad, and later to inount it from some fine horses that were still left in Sumner county.
Company G was detached and sent to South Tunnel, a few miles north of Gallatin, on the L. & N. railroad. There was a stockade and look-out there. The company found nice quarters that had been provided with con- veniences by a regiment of German Pennsylvanians that had previously occupied the place.
On the 5th of May there was a collision, about day- light, between a freight, or mixed train, going north, and a train carrying the roth Indiana Cavalry to the front. It was a head-end collision and occurred just at the mouth of the Tunnel, resulting in a general wreck in which a number of the soldiers were killed and wounded. The engineer of one of the trains jumped from his en- gine and ran through a field. He was fired at by the soldiers who suspected he was a rebel sympathizer and had caused the collision on purpose.
There were many pretty girls at Gallatin, but they were at first disposed to ignore the "blue coats," but soon became quite friendly, and it was not long until "Every laddie had his lassie." Strawberries and ice cream were plentiful and the boys took their best girls to the ice cream parlors and they were soon on excellent terms.
There was a "Contraband Camp" at Gallatin and it looked as if all the colored people in the country had gathered there. The Northern soldiers, who had pre- ceded us at this place, had made the "colored man and brother" think he was the whole thing. When we first went there our men had to give the pavement to these
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"Contrabands," who did not seeni to think they had any- thing to do but parade the sidewalks. Our men soon concluded they needed good strong walking sticks. Pro- vided with these the colored gentry soon found it con- venient to vacate the walk in ample time when he saw a "Thirteenth" soldier approaching. These mountaineers had known the colored man only as a slave and had lost little sleep over him in any way; they were not fighting to free the slave but to restore the Union. He might be free for all they cared, but his place was not in front ; he must "go way back and sit down," and not be "sassy."
May 6th Dan Ellis came to us again with 100 recruits. Another big time reading letters from home, but many of them were sad. Things had been growing from bad to worse in Carter and Johnson counties. The Confed- erate soldiers were absorbing what little the people had to live on.
How changed the scene now in Carter and Johnson from the happy condition we have described before the war! The men had been driven from home: the farms neglected, the horses stolen or taken out of the country; the farming implements worn out and no way to replace them. The burden now fell largely on the heroic women, the old men and childen. Even if the brave women should take up the plow and hoe, as they often did, they had no assurance the results of their labor would not be appro- priated by the heartless soldiery. The women did all it was possible to do, still dividing their scanty stores with those more unfortunate than themselves. It is difficult now to conceive how they got through the dreadful year of 1863. It is true that the soldiers sent back some money to their families, but in many cases their houses were robbed and this taken from them; besides everything was so scarce and so exorbitantly high that a small amount of money did not count for much. All were now poor alike, those who had been accustomed to the luxuries of life were almost on a level with the poorest class. Know- ing that this condition of things existed at home our men were much depressed, and were eager for orders to go to
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the relief of their families. It was said that many, brood- ing over the condition of their families, died of home- sickness, with no symptoms of any malady or disease.
On May 16th all our recruits were mustered into ser- vice, and May 21st Lieut. Col. R. R. Butler having re- signed on the 11th of May, Lieut. Col. W. H. Ingerton, who had been appointed to fill the vacancy, arrived at Gallatin and issued an order assuming command of the Regiment.
Col. Ingerton had been a Lieutenant in the 4th Regular U. S. Cavalry, and served on the staff of Gen. W. Sooy Smith in his Mississippi campaign. He was a model officer and had had many years' experience in the Regu- lar Army, and in the field, since the beginning of the civil war. He was a thorough disciplinarian, the man of all others needed to make the Regiment one of the best in the service. But there was, at that time, a great preju- dice in the minds of our officers and men against serving under a regular army officer; and especially having him promoted over our own native officers that we had known all our lives. Much feeling was aroused in the Regi- ment, and violence was threatened if Ingerton remained. Col. Ingerton kept cool and told the officers they had the material for a fine Regiment; that he had been in the army for a number of years and flattered himself he could be useful to the officers and men. He said he did not desire to remain with them if it was not satisfactory, and made a proposition to the officers that he would re- main a month, and if at the end of that time he was not satisfactory to them he would resign. Some few of the officers, among whom were Major Doughty, who was himself in line of promotion to the Lt. Colonelcy, believed we needed an experienced commanding officer now that we were about to take the field, and favored the retention of Ingerton. He at once addressed himself to drilling and disciplining the Regiment ; all recognized his ability and nothing further was ever heard of his resigning.
Col. Ingerton soon won the confidence of officers and men : and though he was untiring in drill and discipline.
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and some times harsh in dealing with negligent, or inef- ficent officers and men, he won the admiration and af- fection of the Regiment.
The month of May, and up to the 13th of June, was spent in the sugar grove. Many of the men were sick and in the hospital. The sickness was attributed to the un- healthy location, it being low ground and densely shaded by the sugar trees. It was decided to move the camp to a place about one mile east of town. Here we had a nice camp on rolling ground so that it was easily drained. Col. Ingerton had the frame of an old building covered with tarpaulins and called it "West Point." He had the Army Regulations and Tactics placed in the hands of the officers and they were required to study them and make daily recitations. Drill and sabre practice was constantly going on, with dress-parades in the evening and inspec- tion every Sunday.
Every Sunday morning the men were formed in front of their companies; Col. Ingerton, in uniform and white gloves, passed down each line, received his gun from each soldier, passed his hand along the barrel and lock, glanced at his glove, and if soiled the gun was tossed back to the soldier with some force and he was ordered to his quar- ters to spend an hour cleaning it. When the soldier's gun did not soil the Colonel's gloves he pitched it back to hin gently, with a kind word or encouraging smile, and passed on down the line. The Colonel being a regular army man, and accustomed to the strictest discipline, had no patience with those who failed to keep themselves tidy, their arms in good condition, or violated military rules, -whether officers or men. At guard mount every morn- ing. four extra guards were detailed and the Adjutant was instructed to select two of the neatest, tidiest soldiers among the guards and give one of theni a pass for 24 hours, and appoint the other one orderly for the day, in- stead of putting them on guard duty. The two who pre- sented the most untidy appearance and had the dirtiest arms were ordered to the disagreeable duty of cleaning the horse-lines. This method materially improved the
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appearance of the men-especially at guard-mount. While here two soldiers who had been caught stealing were marched through the camp with the word "Thief" in large letters pinned on each of their backs. Other minor offenses were punished by the offenders being "tied up by the thumb;" or inade to dig holes to bury dead horses. One negro who had committed some heinous offense was punished in this way : The guard made him lie down on his back, tied ropes around his wrists and ankles, and stretching his legs and hands as far apart as possible, staked him to the ground where he had to remain two hours, with the hot sun broiling down in his face. This looked cruel, but the crime was unmentionable.
Rebel guerrillas were frequently seen, and heard of, in the vicinity of Gallatin, and it was not safe for one or two soldiers to venture far into the country alone. Some of our men were fired on and one or two wounded, and various depredations were committed. Major Doughty was sent out with a detachment with orders if any guerrillas were found with arms not to make any re- port when he returned.
We give below a summary of the Major's report-the first and only one he ever made of this trip as far as we know.
DIPLOMACY VS. FORCE.
Many thrilling incidents might be given where, during the Civil War, the diplomacy of Tennesseeans did much towards overcoming obstacles that the pursuasive influ- ence of physical force could never reach.
During the spring of 1864, while our Brigade was en- camped at Gallatin, Tennessee, there was a band of guer- rillas along the Louisville & Nashville railroad, known as "Harpers' Gang," ostensibly commanded by. one Ellis Harper (now Col. Harper, a respected citizen of Car- thage). The principle pastime of this band seemed to be to wreck and rob trains on the railroad, regardless of who was killed, whether friends or foes, and carrying their booty back into the interior, where they had ter-
---
SCOUT DANIEL ELLIS. (See Chapter XXIX.)
CAPT. ISAAC A. TAYLOR. (See page 284.)
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rorized the people into complete acknowledgment of their absolute sovereignty; in fact their sway had reached for many miles around in all directions.
General Payne, who had preceded us in command at Gallatin, had issued proclamations and ultimatums, and sent them out broadcast until it had become an "old song." Capt. Nicklin commanding a battery at Galla- tin, thought he could go out and "shell the woods," and thus scare everybody into submission. Accordingly, with a regular outfit of warlike paraphernalia, he made the start, but had not gone far before he found out he had probably "bit off more than he could chew." and instead of checking the enemy, he did not even take time to "check" himself, until he was safe inside of the Fort. As a matter of fact his brilliant campaign ended in a com- plete rout with the "Gang" close at his heels.
Finally the wrecking of trains and consequent killing of soldiers on the railroad became so notorious that Gov- ernor Johnson sent Adjutant General Gillem to Gallatin, with orders to have that county cleared of guerrillas, "no odds what means were used to do it," and if his Tennes- see troops could not do it, he would have to "call on the War Department to send troops that could." After a lengthy conference between General Gillem and Col. Mil- ler, commanding the Brigade, and the Regimental com- manders, finally the task was left to Col. Ingerton, com- manding the 13th, who at once sent for Major Doughty, commanding the Ist Battalion, who was taken into the conference, and after being made acquainted with all the facts, was ordered to take "whatever force he deemed necessary," and to "never come back until the country was cleared and some assurance of safety that could be relied upon" for the passing trains, as this railroad was the only means of communication between Louisville and Nashville.
Accordingly Major Doughty selected about eighty men (or rather he selected the officers, and each officer selected his own men). His orders from Gen. Gillem, through Col. Ingerton, were to "clean the country," and if neces-
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sary to "burn their strongholds and otherwise destroy their power" before he returned, and "not to come back until it was done."
Not far from where they had just wrecked a train, and caused the death of sixteen Union soldiers, Major Doughty came to a little town in the interior, where they had just left; in fact it was impossible to come up with them except by accident, as every man, woman and child was on the lookout and ready to send news flying on the first sign of our approach. At this place he gained posi- tive knowledge that here they had made their headquar- ters, as a number of their friends and relatives lived in and around the village, many of whom were wealthy and influential citizens. In fact they had made this their place of general rendezvous, as well as a distributing point from which to send out their "plunder." One of the "Gang" was captured near this place, but was so badly wounded that it was impossible to carry him further, and yet not so bad but that he might soon recover and rejoin his more fortunate comrades at the same old business. So it was thought best to make an example of at least one to give others warning of what might be expected : so he was "hung on the spot."
Now here is where Diplomacy came in, where Force had failed. Calling all the older citizens of the town to- gether, including doctors, preachers, and the prominent men generally, Major Doughty told them in plain United States language what his orders were, and further supplemented his explanation with the information that the "business simply had to stop," if it took a division of men to do it, and that while under his orders, he was expected to lay waste their town and country, and take every man he found to Gallatin; yet he was confident, from his knowledge of their influence, and their direct intimacy with these men, they could stop it if they would; if not, and he failed to accomplish what he was sent to do, that the next man that came would simply "clean out the cane-brake."
After a prolonged conference with each other (in pri-
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vate) they agreed to his proposition, and pledged not only their word and honor, but their lives and property, that such a thing should never occur again, and it never did.
In leaving the town, Major Doughty, after paying for everything his men and horses had eaten, as a parting order, enjoined these men to bury the man that was hung decently ; also to make up $500.00 and give to the man's widow, and to see that she was well cared for until the war was over, which, it was learned afterwards, they did to the letter. This ended one of the most troublesome ob- stacles that was probably ever overcome with the loss of only one life. Major Doughty to this day considers this one of the greatest victories won by Tennessee soldiers.
R. H. M. Donnelly, of Company D, then Captain, was along with this expedition and took a hand in the pro- ceedings as he always did when there was an enemy in sight, whether the enemy was a guerrilla or plain "John- nie Reb."
The Regiment was paid off the 22d of June, and the usual number of fakirs and peddlers made their appear- ance to relieve the soldiers of their money. Col. Inger- ton, learning that a Dr. Greene was in camp filing the enamel off the soldiers' teeth under the pretense of clean- ing them, and charging them a big price for ruining them, ordered him out of camp.
A Jew peddler also came in and sold the men several hundred dollars' worth of worthless jewelry. The Col- onel, learning this after the Jew had gone, sent Lt. B. A. Miller and another officer to follow him, and if found, bring him back to camp. In the meantime the Orderly Sergeant of each company was directed to gather up the jewelry and make out a list of the amount paid for it. Lieut. Miller found the Jew at the hotel eating dinner, and when he came out arrested him, brought him back to camp, and made him take back the jewelry and pay back the money. The Jew was then released but said he had been robbed, and indulged in some ugly talk. He was again arrested and placed in charge of a corporal
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and guard, armed with a pick and shovel, and put to dig- ging a hole in the ground. The sun was at its zenith and poured its rays down on the toiling Jew unmercifully. Unused to manual labor his hands were blistered and his clothing soon saturated with perspiration. After two hours labor he was released. His tongue was silent but his countenance betrayed " a pent up Utica." We heard no more of Jews or fakirs in the Regiment.
On the 25th of June Charles P. Toncray, one of the leading loyalists of Carter county, who had been a dele- gate to the Greeneville convention, visited the Regiment. "Charley," as he was familiarly known, was a genial gentleman, well known in the Regiment, and was given a hearty welcome by the Carter and Johnson boys. Mr. Toncray, though he did not join the army, was a staunch Union man and a loyal friend to the soldiers and their families, and perhaps did more for the cause than he could have done in the army. He afterwards spent much time with the Regiment and was always regarded as one of the "boys." Being "foot-loose" he could keep an eye on the progress of events in Carter and Johnson counties, and do much valuable and kindly service for the soldiers. His two brothers, William J. and Capt. A. R. P. Ton- cray did good service in their respective regiments, the 2d and 10th Tennessee Infantry. We were the honored guests of Mr. Toncray and his most amiable wife during their temporary residence in Knoxville in 1864. We are pleased to note they are still living and enjoying life at their comfortable home at "Toncray's Spring," near Elizabethton, Tenn.
On the 26th of June Dan. Ellis visited us again, bring- ing recruits and letters. It is needless to say he always received an ovation. The President himself would not have been so warmly welcomed. It meant news from the dear ones at home, though the news was often sad, yet silence and suspense was almost unendurable. We think it was at this time that Capt. Landon Carter received the news of the death of his wife. It was sad, indeed, to witness his grief. He was silent, but the tears streamed
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