History of the Thirteenth Regiment, Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry, U. S. A., Part 30

Author: Scott, Samuel W; Angel, Samuel P., 1840-
Publication date: [c1903]
Publisher: Philadelphia : P. W. Ziegler
Number of Pages: 576


USA > Tennessee > Johnson County > History of the Thirteenth Regiment, Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry, U. S. A. > Part 30
USA > Tennessee > Carter County > History of the Thirteenth Regiment, Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry, U. S. A. > Part 30


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A young man named Noah Cade, who was raised by Jesse White, and who had been captured by them made his escape in the following manner: They were at White's house and had ordered Mrs. Lottie White to pre- pare them something to eat. It was late in the evening and Mrs. White said to the young man in the presence of the officer : "Run up on the hill and bring the cows, I will have to have some milk." He was afraid to leave his guard, and she said : "Don't you hear the bell, go on." The boy started and the officer supposing he would be back in a few minutes with the cows let him go. She managed to speak to him at the back of the house and told him not to return. The officer was highly enraged, but the young man joined the 3d North Carolina (Union) Regiment and made a brave soldier.


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These Indians were taken into every part of Johnson and Carter counties and spread terror and dismay wherever they went, especially among the women who had no protection, and who had heard so many stories of their cruelty. But they were too ignorant to know for what purpose they were being used and later in the war they joined the Federal army and were employed by Col. Kirk to frighten and harass the people who had first em- ployed them. Another instance of evil deeds coming home to haunt and terrify their authors.


The following is a list of the brave men and women who resided in the Crab Orchard during the Civil War, as far as we can obtain them, and performed countless deeds of humanity and heroism and who suffered untold agony and anxiety, suffering and destitution for their country : James Julian and wife, Jesse S. and Lottie White, John Lacy and wife, Jacob and Nancy Perkins, Emaline Cara- way and Hannah Wilson (widows), Hamilton and Ema- line Ray, Andrew Buck and Mrs. Buck, George and Sarah Snyder, John K. and Ann Smith, Russell and Mary Cordell, David and Lorena Stout, Wright and Mary Moreland, Elijah and Lorena Smith, James and Ann Orr, Francis and Jane Hampton, Nathaniel Simerly and wife, Absalom Miller and wife, William and David Simerly, James Holly and wife.


Andrew Buck was taken out and hanged until he was black in the face by Walters to make him tell where his sons were concealed.


DOE RIVER COVE, LITH CIVIL DISTRICT, CAR- TER COUNTY.


The town of Hampton, Tenn., situated six miles south of Elizabethton, Tenn., was known during the Civil War as Doe River Cove. There were many clever and well- to-do people in this neighborhood and all were loyal to the Union as far as we can remember. It was the home of


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Elijah Simerly, who served several terms as Sheriff of the county before the war and figured prominently in the bridge burning and the Carter county rebellion. He was also prominent after the war, being connected with the building of a railroad and other business enterprises. Other true and loyal men in this locality were: L. W. Hampton, Thomas Badgett, Alfred Campbell, Hon. John W. Hyder, Michael Grindstaff, A. J. Campbell, William Campbell, John Justice, Elkana Hoss, George and David Morton, Moses and Nicholas Johnson, Green Walker, Ambrose McIntosh, Melvin Goodwin, Noten, Zachariah and William Campbell, Oliver Hall, Johnson Hampton, Henry Simerly (moved to the IIth District during the war), Joseph and Solomon Turner, Richard Lacy, N. T. Badgett, Ezekiel McIntosh, Fielding McIntosh and David McIntosh, John Simerly, Carter and Z. T. Campbell (the two latter Federal soldiers). These men were all zealous Union men and went through all the dangers, hardships and privations that fell to the lot of loyalists in these coun- ties. They shared their means with liberality with those in need, they risked their lives to protect the helpless and performed the part of brave and loyal men.


The women whose names should be honored for all time, and of whom it may be truthfully said : "There were none more brave, generous and self-sacrificing" were : Mrs. Mary Simerly, Mrs. Sallie Lacy, Mrs. Margaret Hampton, Mrs. Harriet Badgett, Miss Mary Ann Hamp- ton, Mrs. Vina Hyder, Mrs. Nancy James, Mrs. Jane Johnson, Mrs. Martha Walker, Mrs. Mary Johnson, Mrs. Matilda Badgett, Mrs. Sophia Jackson (widow), Mrs. Rachel Justice, Mrs. Adaline Morton, Mrs. Henry Sim- erly, Mrs. Jane Hall, Mrs. Elizabeth West (widow), and Miss Eliza Badgett, Misses Sarah, Matilda and Mary Campbell, Misses Mary, Martha and Emma Hyder, Miss Harriet Turner, Miss Mary Grindstaff, Mrs. Susana Campbell, Miss Caroline Grindstaff.


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ELK MILL, 4TH CIVIL DISTRICT, CARTER COUNTY.


This is the name of a post office on Elk creek in the southeastern part of Carter county. It is in the vicinity of the Pond Mountain. During the Civil War, as now, there were fertile farms along the banks of this stream and in the coves, and the people were reasonably prosper- ous. As in other sections of the county they were loyal to the Union. Being near the mountain and secluded it was the rendezvous for a large number of refugees during the war. It was the scene of a number of adventures and tragedies.


The following are the names of some of the residents of the vicinity of Elk Mill and near Elk Creek during the time of the war : Richard C. White, Washington White, George Shuffield, John L. Stout, James Whitehead, Isaac and Amos Green, John Stout, John Kinnick, James Hately, Granville W. Stout, Columbus Wolf, George Blevins, John Cable, William Lewis, Thomas Whitehead and John C. Shuffield.


The women in this locality whose names we give were called upon to witness some revolting tragedies and to perform many acts of kindness and pass many sleepless nights and toilsome days feeding the helpless wanderers from home, administering to the sick or wounded, secret- ing the hunted and burying the dead. Women and aged men performed these offices of humanity with love and tenderness, regardless of the toil and sacrifice it cost them. While we cannot stop to point out each act of humanity or patriotic and Christian duty, each performed her part nobly. They were Elizabeth Cable, Elizabeth Shuffield, Helen Stout, Katie Whitehead, Mary Green, Julia Green, Elizabeth White, Elizabeth Stout. Emma Hately, Mary Kinnick, Sabry White, Eliza Shuffield and others, no doubt, whose names we have failed to obtain and whom we would be glad to place on record. This section of country was a favorite retreat for men from


CAPT. G. O. COLLINS.


(See page 311.)


LIEUT. ANDREW CAMPBELL. (See page 184.)


LIEUT. A. C. FONDREN. (See page 312.)


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Carter and Johnson counties and from the nearby States of Virginia and North Carolina. Men escaping from Saulsbury prison and recruiting officers and conscripts hard pressed by soldiers and Indians took shelter in the Pond Mountain and depended on these people for sup- plies.


BUFFALO AND GAP CREEK, 5TH, 6TH AND 17TH CIVIL DISTRICTS, CARTER COUNTY.


In these three Civil Districts of Carter county are Gap Creek, Buffalo Creek and Powder Branch. During the war the fertile valleys along these creeks were occupied by prosperous and happy people, noted for intelligence and thrift. Though the Union people were largely in the majority there were secessionists, who, during the war, rendered themselves obnoxious to the great majority, while there were others, notably Alfred W. Taylor's fanı- ily, though heartily in sympathy with the South and three of his sons were officers in the Confederate army, retained the respect and good will of the Union people to a great extent. Col. Robert Love was another secessionist who was highly respected.


When the country became overrun with Confederate soldiers many devices were resorted to to deceive the soldiers and protect Union men. In what was known as the Patton settlement, T. Y. Patton dug a square hole in his yard, covered it with puncheons and made a trap- door to it. Over this he placed brush or branches of trees. Here he concealed refugees for days at a time without any one suspecting their presence. In the same neighborhood John Miller had a large hollow log a short distance from his house where he concealed and fed refugees. On one occasion Wm. M. Gourley and W. F. M. Hyder, both af- terwards officers in the army, were concealed in this log while the snow was on the ground. Miller took them to the log, and in order to obliterate their tracks got a basket of corn and called his hogs, the numerous tracks of the hogs left no trace of the tracks of the men. He fed these men there until the snow melted away.


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S. W. Hyder had a mill on Powder Branch and fed hundreds of scouters. He and his wife were kind-hearted liberal people and true to the Union cause. Decker Hyder and John Hyder ("Blood John") and the older sons of the latter, David Hyder among them, were fearless Union people.


Daniel Krouse owned a mill and he and his wife were devoted Union people and liberal in feeding scouters.


George D. and Samuel W. Williams were wealthy Union citizens and contributed largely of their means to the Union cause and were generous in furnishing provi- sons to the suffering. Nat. T. Williams, known as "Red Nat," was among the leading Union men of the county. He piloted Gen. Burnside and his staff, and explained the location of the country to them when the Federal army made the advance into Upper East Tennessee under that officer in September, 1863. He was in the siege of Knox- ville and rendered important and dangerous service in carrying dispatches for Gen. Burnside.


Pleasant M. Williams, of Gap Creek, was a noted Union man. Both he and his son James assisted in burn - ing the bridge at Zollicoffer. Being a bold, outspoken man he soon became an object of hatred to the rebels. No man in the county suffered more for the Union cause than Mr. Williams. He was shot at, imprisoned and mis- treated in every way. but no amount of persecution ever induced him to yield for a moment or even conceal his sentiments.


He was put in jail at Elizabethton and also at Greene- ville, Tenn., and at Knoxville for a short time. He was then taken to Tuscaloosa, Ala., where he was imprisoned for two months. He was taken from there to Macon, Ga., and from thence to Pensacola, Florida. He was in prison over a year in all. After trying in vain to subdue him by starvation and imprisonment the officer at the prison at last turned him loose saying, "It was cheaper to fight him than to keep him in prison." Mr. Williams was one of those men that never yielded to an enemy. When he reached home he was so emaciated that his hip bones


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had cut through the skin and was entirely helpless, but he recovered and is still living ( 1902) at his old home on Gap Creek at the venerable age of 96 years.


The Davenports, at whose house Williams was shot at, were among the most aggressive Union people, Samuel Davenport being one of the bridge burners.


Besides those we have mentioned we recall the names of Dr. J. S. Snodgrass, George (Ed.) Williams, Robert Williams, Alexander Anderson, P. A. J. Crockett, Joseph Hyder, James P. Taylor ("Preacher"), Henry Saylor, John Q. Williams, David C. Moody, Adam Gourley, Al- ired Gourley, Alexander Douglass, Adam Loudermilk, Kinchen Range, Jacob M. Range, Thomas P. and Louisa J. Clark, Jesse Humphreys ( who had two brave sons in the Federal army), John Humphreys, Sr., (blacksmith ), James L. and Martin N. Taylor, Robert Smalling, W. H. H. Davenport, James Smith and wife, Jacob Loudermilk, Allan Lyle, John and Richard Hughes, O. W. Buck, Francis M. Hyder, James Loudermilk.


Among the loyal women that did their share in cook- ing and providing for the refugees and scouters were : Mrs. Martha Taylor, Mrs. Bettie and Eliza Range, Mrs. Jane Crockett, Mrs. Eliza Humphreys, Mrs. Bettie Wil- liams, Misses Margaret and Mary E. Taylor, Miss Clen- ing Taylor, Mrs. Sallie Range, Mrs. Eliza Douglas, Mrs. Elizabeth Edens.


We might mention an incident here that will cast a ray of sunshine among the clouds and show that all feel- ings of humanity between neighbors of opposite senti- ments had not disappeared.


At the time our forces advanced east as far as Carter's Depot and were fighting Gen. William's command (Oc- tober, 1864,) a number of Union men, among whom were P. A. J. Crockett, Richard Douthat, Thomas C. Johnson, Dr. Snodgrass, D. C. Moody, Henry Saylor and others went up on Bogard's Knob, a high eminence near Carter's Depot, to witness the engagement.


Gen. Williams observing them sent a squad of soldiers and had them arrested as Union spies. When he fell back


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to Zollicoffer he took the prisoners with him. An order was made out to send them to Richmond to work on the fortifications. Major George D. Taylor, who was well- known to all these men, was at that time on Gen. Wil- liams' staff. He told Gen. Williams while these men were all Union men, they were all good men and were not spies, and requested the General to release them, which he did.


We would say in this connection that Major Geo. D. Taylor, and his brothers, William C., Col. Nat. M., and Captain H. H. Taylor, and Col. Robert C. Love, all of this neighborhood, often used their influence with the Confed- erate authorities in behalf of Union men who were in trouble, and who were their friends and neighbors before the War. These men were always held in high esteem by all classes.


TURKEYTOWN.


This part of Carter county now in the 8th and 13th Civil Districts, extends from a point on the Watauga river, two miles east of Elizabethton, to Watauga, form- erly Carter's Depot, on the Southern Railroad. It is bounded on the west by the beautiful and historic Watau- ga river. There has never been a town or village within its boundary except Watauga, built up largely since the war.


The name Turkeytown was applied to a large area ex- tending along the Watauga river on the south side and along the Holston Mountain (part of the way) on the north side for a distance of eight or ten miles east and west, or rather, in an irregular direction with the course of the river. Ever since we can remember it has been di- vided into two precincts known as Upper and Lower Turkeytown. The Southern railroad (East Tennessee and Virginia) over which nearly all the soldiers from the South passed during the war, going into Virginia, passes through Lower Turkeytown. This entire section of coun-


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try was comparatively thickly settled during the war, and the people were very prosperous, much of their lands lying along the river and the remainder being, to a great extent, productive upland. In Lower Turkeytown the people suffered greatly from both armies advancing and retreating alternately along the railroad. Like the entire length of what is now the Southern Railroad, almost every foot of it through East Tennessee was fought over time and again from the beginning to the close of the Civil War, and we regret to say, that the people who had been so loyal and true to the Government were often as badly mistreated and robbed by the Northern troops as by the Southern. Many brave deeds were performed, both by the men and women of this locality, much suffering was endured and many hardships undergone. Nearly all were loyal to the Union. The incident we have related of Mrs. Christina Scott saving a neighbor boy from arrest and very probable death occurred in Lower Turkeytown, and many others of a similiar nature took place. The people, as in other parts of the county, gave freely of what they had to refugees from Johnson county and North Carolina passing through on their way to Kentucky. All we have said of the loyalty and heroism, the kindness and liberality to scouters and refugees and escaping prisoners, may be said with equal truth of the people of the entire Turkeytown country. While we will place on record the names of many of them who were true and loyal and brave we wish to mention the name of one now dead, who, though his sympathies were with the Southern cause and he had sons in the Southern army it has been repeatedly told to us that he often gave of his means to Union men who were suffering and never attempted to point out his neighbors to have them arrested by Southern soldiers as did some others who lived near him. The man to whom we refer is the late Isaac L. Brown. Another Southern sympathizer who retained the good will of the Union people was W. C. Emmert, of Turkeytown.


Among the prominent Union men in Turkeytown dur- ing the war were the following: S. A. Cunningham,


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Harrison Hendrix and S. H. Hendrix, who are mentioned in connection with the bridge burning; A. M. Brown, who was postmaster and railroad, or station agent, at Carter's Depot; Andrew Taylor, who is mentioned in the Chapter of Tragedies : John Murray, James Bishop, Berry Daniels, Samuel Shell, Nathan Demsey, Levi, Henry and Abner Slagle, Zack Foust. Ed. M. Crow, Samuel McCorkle, Pleasant Gibson, Jordan Croy. Landon Taylor, Webb Taylor (a youth), Jeremiah M. Emmert, M. Y. Morton, George Mottern, John and William Lacy, William P. Lacy, Rev. James R. Scott, William and Henry Poland. Samuel Bishop. Henry Morrell, J. A. Barnes, Rev. Rad- ford Ellis and wife, and his sons, Arnold. Solomon and Haynes Ellis, Alfred Shell, Philip Davis, John Smith (who was killed ). Edward Glover, Henry Stout, Andrew Reynolds, Anderson Crumley and Turner Chambers.


S. A. Cunningham. Harrison Hendrix and Andrew Taylor were the leading men in the plot to burn the bridge across the river at Watauga (Carter's Depot), and cut the telegraph wires the night that the bridge was burned at Zollicoffer. The burning the bridge was abandoned on account of the strong guard (McClellan's company ) being stationed there. The telegraph wires were cut. however, Cunningham, himself, climbing one of the poles, the bark, which had not been removed, slipped and Cun- ningham was precipitated to the ground, receiving painful injuries. The other men named were no less active in performing any and every duty assigned them to advance the cause of the Union.


Among the older men then living in Turkeytown, all of whom have passed away, were : Peter Slagle, George Persinger, Solomon and Abram Hart, William Bishop, Jonathan Range, Henry Mottern, Bayless and Reuben Miller, Henry Little.


Among the loyal women of that locality, than whont there were none nobler, truer or braver, among all the noble women of Carter county, were : Mrs. Alice Cunning- ham, Mrs. Christina Scott, Mrs. Stephen Houston (who had three sons in the Federal army), Mrs. Mary Thomp-


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son (widow), Mrs. Catherine Slagle (wife of Henry Slagle who died in prison), Mrs. Massy Slagle, Mrs. Annie Range, Mrs. Sarah Foust. Mrs. Rebecca Crow, Mrs. Susan Vest (widow), Mrs. Lucinda McCorkle, Mrs. Elizabeth Miller, Mrs. Rachel Miller, Hrs. Henry Little, Mrs. Mary Campbell, Mrs. Solomon Hart, Mrs. Abram Hart, Mrs. J. A. Barnes, Mrs. John Murray, Mrs. Ma- tilda Williams (had two sons die in Richmond prison), Mrs. Andrew Taylor ( whose husband was shot and two sons imprisoned for their loyalty ), Mrs. Axie Davis, Mrs. Marinda Glover, Mrs. Elizabeth Stout, Mrs. Mary Chan- bers.


THE NECK AND HORSESHOE.


These are names long ago applied to a section of Carter county lying in the 18th Civil District and extending from near Elizabethton in a southeasterly direction along the south side of the Lynn Mountain to the Watauga river at Siam, and thence up the river past the great bend in the Watauga known as the "Horseshoe." A portion of this country, especially along the river is exceedingly fertile, and in the time of the war contained quite a large popula- tion, a large portion of which was loyal to the Federal Government. The sufferings, hardships. arrests, im- prisonments; the feeding of conscripts and refugees, tragedies and all the direful consequences of civil war, which we have so often tried to describe were visited upon these people in a large measure, and they met the danger and toil with the same heroism that characterized the Union people elsewhere through the two counties. Many suffered death, others imprisonment, some are sleeping in National cemeteries, some in distant States, and nearly all have passed to the "great beyond."


The following are the names of the men and women living in this locality then as far as we can obtain them : Caleb Cox and wife, Isaac and Elizabeth Lewis, David and Celia Hess, Henry Pierce and wife, Joseph P. and Re- becca Vanhuss. Joel N. and Sarah Nave, Thomas C. and


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Elva Crow, Joseph and Tempe Pharr, Jones Allan and wife, John, Elbridge, Robert and Jacob Treadway (brave men), Jackson Allan and wife, Presley Carden and wife (who had sons killed on both sides, one volunteered in the Confederate army and two were conscripted, one was killed at Lick Creek fighting for the Union), John L. Bowers and wife, John Heaton, Elijah D. Harden (bach- elor), Rev. Valentine Bowers, had two sons, Reese and Benjamin, killed near Fish Spring, Tenn., and two others, William C. and Joseph P., who were loyal men. James L. Lewis, now of Watauga Point, was a boy then and lived with his father, Isaac Lewis. We are indebted to him for many of the above names.


LIMESTONE COVE.


This section, lying in the southwest part of Carter county during the Civil War, is now a part of Unicoi county, Tenn. No part of the county was more loyal and no other people suffered more, or were truer to their prin- ciples than the people who then resided in the Limestone Cove.


We have not been able to visit this section of the coun -- try, and can recall now but few of the names of these brave and loyal people.


There were Dr. David Bell and his brother James, Rob- ert and William Morrison, Thomas Wright, Ezekiel Burchfield, William Woodby, William McKinney, Thos. Green, and the O'Briens, the Moseleys, the Bakers, the McInturfs, these and many others, with their brave wives and daughters encountered the perils and hardships that their loyalty to the Union brought upon them, with the same undaunted courage that characterized the loyalists of these counties everywhere.


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STONY CREEK, THE 9TH, IOTH AND 12TH CIVIL DISTRICTS OF CARTER COUNTY.


What is known as Stony Creek in Carter county, Ten- nessee, extends from the county line on top of the Cross Mountain on the east to a point on the Watauga river two miles east of Elizabethton, a distance of about sixteen miles northeast and southwest, and is bounded on the south by the Iron Mountain and on the north by the Hol- ston Mountain. It is rather a rough, hllly country, but has some fertile coves and valleys, fine timber and rich minerals.


The people depended largely on what was called the "iron-works" to afford them employment in digging, hauling and washing ore, chopping wood, burning it into charcoal and hauling it to the forges and furnaces, and other labor connected with the production of iron in its various forms. When the war came they were almost unanimous in their adherence to the Union. As far as we are able to learn there were but four secession families in this entire extent of territory. As in other sections of the county they resisted to the utmost the encroach- ments of the Southern soldiery and refused to fight under or for a strange flag, but paid dearly for their loyalty to the old flag.


We can recount but few of the scenes through which they passed, but these will show the temper of these people, and give an idea of what they all endured.


We will give first the names of some of the men and women who inhabited that region in time of the Civil war-true heroes and heroines they were, as will be seen : Stephen and Lavicy Lewis, Samuel and Ellen Anderson, William and Urie Blevins, Campbell and Matilda Buckles, Samuel and Rachel Forbush, William Creed and wife, Al- fred and Louisa Peters, John and Mary Harden, David and Jane Taylor, Allen and Rebecca Roberts, G. W. and Jane Rasor, Vaught Rasor (bachelor), David and Rachel Elliott, John Grindstaff and wife, Robert White, Frank and Julia White, Benjamin Cole and wife, Parett and Jo- anna Markland, Isaac Garland, Columbus Blevins, David


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Garland, John Richardson and wife, Jacob and Lovina Vandeventer (Vandeventer deceived the rebel authorities and acted as Sheriff, but all the time was known to be loyal by the Union people and befriended them), Harmon and Mary Crumley, James and Mary L. Cass, John K. and Lucretia Ensor, Jonathan Lipps and Nancy (the former lived to be over 100 years old), William Nave, Lewis D. and Lorena Lewis, William and Nancy Peters (Blue Springs), Aquilla and Katie Moore, David and Elizabeth Kitzmiller, William Ferguson and wife, Nicholas and Catherine Miller, Nancy McCloud (widow ; had five sons in Thirteenth Tennessee Cavalry ), William O. and Bar- bara Frasier ( four sons in Federal army), Margaret Tay- lor, Peter B. and Susan Elliott, Andrew J. Boyd and wife. and William O. Frasier, Jr., and his wife, Margaret Frasier. Even after this long list we have doubtless omitted many names of the loyal and brave people who lived on Stony Creek during the Civil War.




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