USA > Tennessee > Johnson County > History of the Thirteenth Regiment, Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry, U. S. A. > Part 7
USA > Tennessee > Carter County > History of the Thirteenth Regiment, Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry, U. S. A. > Part 7
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Such was the fiasco known as "The Carter County Re- bellion," which resulted in such distress and suffering to the people, which we will attempt to describe in another chapter.
But allow us to anticipate so far as to say that at a later day many of the very men who "skedadled" at Tay- lor's Ford, and who fled front Leadbetter's veterans at Doe River Cove, lived "to fight another day," and re- turned to drive their persecutors from their native heath, and enjoy again the smiles of fortune and the blessings of peace under their own vine and fig tree, and beneath the folds of the dear old flag they loved so well.
Officers in the Carter County Rebellion.
We have mentioned many of the officers who took part in the "Little Rebellion," here and there in this history, but we have no "records" to refer to ascertain the rank of each one. We give below the names and rank of a num- ber of them as well as we have been able to learn them.
Daniel Stover, Colonel, Carter county force.
J. H. Wagner, Colonel, Johnson county force.
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J. W. M. Grayson, Captain, Johnson county company. John K. Miller, Quarter Master and Commissary. Elijah Simerly, Major, Carter county force.
John Helton, Jr., Captain of Horsemen or Cavalry.
The following were captains of squads or companies from different parts of Carter and Johnson counties :
Jas. I. R. Boyd, W. M. Gourley, Landon Carter, David N. Morton, David Stout, Williams Cass, D. P. Wilcox, C. C. Wilcox.
Lieutenants : B. B. Ferguson, D. B. Jenkins, William Jenkins, Henry C. Pierce.
We will close this chapter with some extracts from letters written by Gen. S. P. Carter immediately after the bridge burning, showing his great sympathy and anxiety for the Union people, and how eloquently he pleaded for their relief; and a letter from Gen. George B. McClellan, , commanding the U. S. army to Gen. Buell, in which he pays the highest tribute to the loyal people of East Tennessee and asks that mere military advantage be sacrificed to the nobler sentiments of jus- tice and humanity that demanded that assistance should be sent to these brave and loyal people.
HEADQUARTES EAST TENNESSEE BRIGADE, CAMP CALVERT, Nov. 16, 1861.
BRIG .- GEN. GEORGE H. THOMAS,
Commanding, &c., Crab Orchard, Ky.
General :- My brother. William, has just arrived from East Ten- nessee and the news he brings I think of so much importance that I will dispatch a special messenger to convey it to you. My brother left Roan county, near Kingston, on Monday night last. He re- ports that on Friday night, 8th inst., of last week, he succeeded in having burned at least six and perhaps eight bridges, viz: Union bridge, in Sullivan county, near the Virginia line; Lick Creek bridge, in Greene county; Strawberry Plains, in Jefferson county, fifteen miles east of Knoxville, and on the East Tennessee and Georgia Railroad; two bridges of the Chickamauga between Cleve- land and Chattanooga, and between Chattanooga and Dalton, Ga. These bridges are certainly destroyed. The Long Island bridge at Bridgeport, Ala., across the Tennessee River, and a bridge be- low Dalton on the Western Atlantic Railroad, are probably des- troyed.
The consternation aniong the secessionists of East Tennessee is very great. The Union men are waiting with longing and anxiety for the appearance of Federal forces on the Cumberland Moun-
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tain, and are all ready to rise up in defense of the Federal Gov- ernment. My brother states that he has it from reliable sources that the rebels have but 15,000 men at Bowling Green, many of them badly armed and poorly organized. The other 15,000 men are distributed at two other points in Southwestern Kentucky.
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General, if it be possible, do urge the Commanding General to give us some additional force and let us advance into East Ten- nessee; now is the time. And such a people as are those who live in East Tennessee deserve and should be relieved and pro- tected. You know the importance of this move and will, I hope, use all your influence to effect it. Our men will go forward with 0* a shout to relieve their native land. * * *
With much respect, I am, dear General, yours very truly, S. P. CARTER,
Act'g Brig .- Gen. Com'd'g East Tennessee Brigade.
CAMP CALVERT, EAST TENNESSEE, Nov. 20, 1861. GEN. GEORGE H. THOMAS,
Commanding, &c., Crab Orchard, Ky.
General :- Recruits are arriving almost daily from East Tennessee. We have no arms to put in their hands .. The Union men coming to us represent the people in East Tennessee as waiting with the utmost anxiety the arrival of the Federal forces. They are all ready to join them and do their part toward the deliverance of their native land. Union camps are already forming in some of the counties, and unless help soon reaches then, as they have little ammunition, they will be scattered or destroyed. *
With the hope of soon seeing you here, respectfully,
Your obedient servant, S. P. CARTER, Brig .- Gen. Commanding.
HEADQUARTERS EAST TENNESSEE BRIGADE, CAMP CALVERT, Nov. 24, 1861.
BRIG .- GEN. GEO. H. THOMAS,
Com'd'g, Danville, Ky.
General :-* * We have arrivals every day from East Ten- nessee. The condition of affairs there is sad beyond descrip- tion and if the loyal people who love and cling to the Government are not soon relieved they are lost.
Respectfully your obedient servant, S. P. CARTER, Acting Brig .- Gen. Com'd'g.
HEADQUARTERS EAST TENNESSEE BRIGADE, CAMP CALVERT, Nov. 25, 1861.
BRIG .- GEN. GEO. H. THOMAS,
Commanding, &c., Danville, Ky.
General :-* *
* * The rebel force at Cumberland Gap is so small, from the best information I can obtain, that I think that
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HISTORY OF THE 13TH REGIMENT
we will meet with little opposition in case it is determined to ad- vance by that pass. Our desires are to get to East Tennessee as soon as possible in order that our loyal friends there may be re- lieved. Many of them have been lying out in the woods to escape their enemies, but as the season advances they will be driven to their houses and be forced into the rebel ranks or carried to prison. Let us up and help them now when it will require so
little to accomplish this desirable end.
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I am, General, respectfully and truly yours, S. P. CARTER, Acting Brig .- Gen. Commanding.
General Carter continued to urge upon Gen. Thomas to move into East Tennessee in numerous appeals, of which the above are samples. His whole sympathy and thoughts seemed to be turned towards the suffering loyal people of his native land.
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, WASHINGTON, D. C., Dec. 3, 1861.
BRIG .- GEN. D. C. BUELL,
Louisville, Ky.
Dear Buell :- I inclose two letters which were referred to me by the President and were intended for your eye. I do so feeling sure you sympathize with me in my intense regard for the noble Union men of Eastern Tennessee; that you will overlook mere matters of form; and that you will devote all your energies to- ward the salvation of men so eminently deserving our protection. I understand your movements and fully concur in their propriety, but I must still urge the occupation of East Tennessee as a duty we owe to our gallant friends there who have not hesitated to espouse our cause.
Please send, then, with the least possible delay, troops enough to protect these men. I still feel sure that the best strategical move in this case will be that dictated by the simple feelings of humanity. We must preserve these noble fellows from harm; everything urges us to do that-faith, interest and loyalty. For the sake of these Eastern Tennesseeans who have taken part with us I would gladly sacrifice mere military advantages; they deserve our protection and at all hazards must have it. I know your nature is noble enough to forget any slurs they may cast upon you. Protect the true men and you have everything to look for- ward to. In no event allow them to be crushed out* * *- You may fully rely on my full support in the movement I have so much at heart-the liberation of Eastern Tennessee. * * If you gain and retain possession of Eastern Tennessee you will have won brighter laurels than I expect to gain
GEO. B. M'CLELLAN, Commanding U. S. Army.
It is difficult to comprehend even at this date how it could be that with the urgent appeals of William B. and
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TENNESSEE VOLUNTEER CAVALRY.
Gen. S. P. Carter, Hon. Horace Maynard, Nelson, Johnson, Brownlow, and all the distinguished lead- ers in East Tennessee; with the sympathy of Gen. Thomas enlisted in this movement, and the approval and sympathy of Gen. McClellan evinced in his manly and patriotic letter we have quoted; and above all, the deep interest taken by President Lincoln in the unfortunate condition of the loyal people of East Tennessee, that they were abandoned to their fate without even a serious ef- fort being made to relieve them. If a military force had been dispatched to East Tennessee, or even the East Ten- nessee troops then in the field and chafing to come to the relief of their friends and families, had been per- mitted to make the effort, if it had been disastrous, it would at least have explained the mystery that has al- ways surrounded the cause of the abandonment of the loyal people of East Tennessee to their fate.
With the information before us we can but lay this failure at the door of Gen. D. C. Buell, who seems to have disregarded the appeals of Gen. Carter, of all the leading loyal men of East Tennessee and of the com- mander-in-chief of the army and President Lincoln him- self, whose great heart went out in deepest sympathy for our suffering people.
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HI STORY OF THE 13TH REGIMENT
CHAPTER IX.
Situation After the Bridge-Burning and Rebellion .- Union Men Arrested and Imprisoned .- Hatred of Southern Press and People Toward Them .- They Flee to the Mountains and to Kentucky .- Their Suffering and Persecution .- Martial Law Declared .- Provost Marshals Appointed .- How Union Men Concealed Themselves.
After the men who had been engaged in the Carter county rebellion had been dispersed by Leadbetter's forces it became a matter of life or death with every Union man of any prominence, whether he was engaged in bridge burning and rebellion or not, was of little consequence. All were suspected and no protestation of innocence was of any avail with the Confederate officers who were now searching for the bridge burners with authority from the highest source, that of Secretary Benjamin, who instruct- ed Col. W. B. Wood, commanding the post at Knoxville, that all the men "who can be identified as having been engaged in bridge burning, are to be tried summarily by drum-head court-martial, and, if found guilty, hanged on the spot in the vicinity of the burned bridges." He further ordered that "all such as have not been so en- gaged be sent with an armed guard to Tuscaloosa, Ala- bama, there to be kept imprisoned as prisoners of war. In no case is any man known to have been up in arms against the Confederate Government to be released on any oath or pledge of allegiance." When once arrested and accused there was little hope of escape, as no testi- mony was accepted but that of their enemies.
The rebel sympathizers wrote letters to the authorities giving names and sending in accusations against the Un- ion men. As showing the sentiment of some of these men we insert some quotations from a letter written by A. G.
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TENNESSEE VOLUNTEER CAVALRY.
Graham, of Jonesboro, Tenn., to President Davis No- vember 12, 1861, and from M. J. Peoples to Secretary Benjamin Graham wrote: "In Carter and John- son counties, northeast of this, the Union strength is not only as formidable but it is as violent as that of any of the northwestern counties of
Virginia. Had they the power not a secessionist would live in this region. The hostile element in these counties is so strong that I give it as my opinion that it will not abate or be conciliated. They look for the es- tablishment of the Federal authority with as much con- fidence as the Jews look for the coming of Messiah, and I feel quite sure when I assert it that no event or circum- stance can change or modify their hope. There are now camped in and about Elizabethton, in Carter county some I200 or 1500 men armed with a motley assortment of guns, in open defiance of the Confederate States of America who are awaiting a movement of the Federal troops from Kentucky to march forward and take possession of the railroad. These men are gathered up from three or five counties in this region, and comprise the hostile Union element of this section, and never will be appeased, conciliated, or quieted under a Southern Confederacy. We can and will disperse them in a few days, but when will they break out again? I am satisfied the only hope for our quiet and repose, and our co-opera- tion without hindrance in the present revolution, is the expatriation, voluntary, or by force, of this hostile ele- ment."
OKALONA, TENN., Nov. 20, 1861.
HON. J. P. BENJAMIN,
Secretary of War, Richmond, Va.
Sir :- In my judgment there is not a Union man in Carter county who was not involved to some extent in the rebellion. Many of them were drawn into it by wicked leaders and some have hastily repented, but many others will seek the first favorable opportunity to repeat the experiment. Under these circumstances what can be done to hold them in check in the future? If a Northern army invades the State at any future day a majority of our population will undoubtedly tear up the railroad, burn the bridges and destroy the lives and property of our Southern men.
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HISTORY OF THE 13TH REGIMENT
If the military commander at this point could have a discretion- ary power which would enable him to inquire into the character of the rebels and give certain ones the option to join the Con- federate service during the war or be sent on for trial for treason I have no doubt the ends of justice would be attained, and much annoyance to the Government avoided. This, perhaps, would be rather a high-handed movement, but the disease is a desperate one and requires severe and energetic treatment. Every Union man in the county either took up arms or was fully advised of the intention of his party to do so, so they are all principals or accessory before the fact. If they are all prosecuted every citizen of East Tennessee must be arraigned before the court or brought up as witnesses. Nearly every rebel in my county could be con- victed if all the Southern-rights citizens were brought up as wit- nesses; but this, perhaps, would look too much like political pro- secutions.
Even now our most quiet and law-abiding citi- zens have been shot down in cold blood from behind coverts by the tories, and proof can be made that they have been tampering with the slaves.
* * * * * The Southern men have all been disarmed and the tories have apparently disbanded in most of the counties, but really gone home to await the approach of an invading army. If we are invaded every Southern man will be taken prisoner or else murdered in the night time.
I am, very respectfully, MADISON T. PEOPLES.
The feelings expressed in these letters are a sample of the feeling that existed towards the Unionists by the ex- treme disunionists throughout East Tennessee. They would gladly have seen their old friends banished for- ever from their homes. They could not believe these men were inspired by any motive of patriotism, but on the contrary were simply outlaws of the worst character and they would have rejoiced to have seen them either hanged, imprisoned or banished from their homes. Such is the spirit aroused by civil war.
The Secessionists in Johnson and Carter counties were greatly alarmed while the "little rebellion" lasted and many of them left their homes, but we cannot remember now that any special violence was done them at this time.
After Leadbetter dispersed the Union forces at Doe River Cove he returned to Johnson City with his main force, sending a detachment down Doe River to Eliza-
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TENNESSEE VOLUNTEER CAVALRY.
bethton, making indiscriminate arrests as it went. This detachment was accompanied by some secession citizens who pointed out to the officers the Union men who had been active in the rebellion, and looked on with seeming pleasure while they were being arrested, abused, and in some instances their property destroyed. Men who were peaceable and had committed no offense ex- cept that they were loyal to the Union; men advanced in years and mere lads were arrested and subjected to the same indignity as those who had been engaged in rebellion. Houses were searched and ransacked, and curses and abusive languages used, even to the women and aged and respected citizens. £ The sanctity of home was violated by course and profane ruffians in search of arms and plunder.
Hundreds of loyal men were compelled to sleep on the ground and hide in the mountains and caves while their homes were being desecrated and their wives and children abused.
While as we have said there were those among the citi- zens who aided and abetted in this work to the credit of humanity, and to many Southern sympathizers, we will say, there were others of them who did many acts of kindness for their Union neighbors at this time, and pre- vented them from being harshly dealt with. This was also remembered at a later day. While as we have seen there was much hatred and vindictiveness in Carter county, it was not so bad there as in many other counties of East Tennessee. There were many men on both sides who did not make the war a personal matter, and there were friendships between men, fighting in opposing arm- ies, that were never broken, and after the war there was less vindictiveness between soldiers than between citizens who had not been in the army on either side.
Nevertheless, at this period to be a Union man was, in the eyes of a good many Confederates, to be a criminal of the deepest dye. Every word and act was miscon- strued into some ulterior design upon the Conferedate Government. Men whose life-long character had been
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HISTORY OF THE 13TH REGIMENT
above reproach were now suspected of the most heinous crimes, and their names blackened with the most oppro- brious epithets. They were arrested without other charges except that they were Union men.
On the IIth of December Gen. Carroll, who was in command of the Confederate forces at Knoxville, issued a proclamation declaring martial law and suspending the writ of habeas corpus. The people were now deprived of free speech that boon so highly prized by all freemen and especially so by the independent mountaineers of East Tennessee. They knew not what to do nor which way to turn. . The rigorous winter common to the high eleva- tion of this mountain region was upon them, but their homes built by the arduous toil of many years to protect themselves and families, and where was erected the fam- ily altar, were now to them a place of danger, to be avoid- ed, or only visited at the dead hour of night to seek a brief interview with their loved ones and steal away again into the almost inaccessible cliffs and ravines of the mountains. Men were heard to say that they had often wondered why the Creator had built these stupendous monuments where little that was useful to man could thrive, but now they saw the mystery of the Divine plan made clear- they were to be the friendly shelter of the race at such times as this, when "Man's inhumanity to man made countless thousands mourn."
These lines might very appropriately have come into the minds of these hunted refugees :
"For the strength of the hills we bless thee, Our God, our father's God! Thou hast made thy children mighty By the touch of the mountain sod. Thou hast fixed our mountain refuge, Where the spoiler's feet ne'er trod; For the strength of the hills we bless thee, Our God, our father's God!"
Many Unionists, and especially the bridge burners, however, escaped to the mountains or concealed them- selves so effectually about their homes or among their friends that they were not discovered.
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TENNESSEE VOLUNTEER CAVALRY.
Col. Daniel Stover, the leader of the "Bridge Burn- ers" and the "Rebellion," with Dan Ellis, Jonas H. Keen, B. F. Treadway, G. O. Collins, Watson Collins and oth- ers, sought safety in the Pond mountains in the eastern part of Carter county. They were far back in the mount- tain some seven miles from any settlement, and their place of hiding was known only to William Lewis, a trusted Union man, who resided on the Watauga river. Their provisions had to be carried to them by some of their number who packed it on their backs this long dis- tance through dense thickets and through deep ravines and over steep rough hills.
Here they constructed rude shanties and provided with a few cooking utensils and blankets these men, who had been accustomed to the comforts and many of the luxur- ies of life, spent many weary weeks expecting all the time to hear of the advance of the Federal army into East Ten- nessee.
Dan. Ellis was their main dependence. Being by na- ture and experience a fine woodsman he made many ex- cursions back into the settlements to learn the latest news and bring back letters from the families. Thus began the experience of Captain Ellis, who afterwards did such ex- cellent service both to the Government and to the Union men in piloting the latter from these counties and from Western North Carolina into the Union lines in Ken- tucky; an extended account of his adventures will be found in another chapter of this history.
Across in the Buck mountains, also in Carter county, was another company of refugees, among whom were Col. N. G. Taylor, Col. J. G. Fellers, Elijah Simerly, Jas. P. Scott, M. L. Cameron, Charles P. and William J. Ton- cray. These refugees spent some time at the home of David Stout, a Union man who lived far back in the mountains.
They were visited by a few trusted friends, bringing them news, clothing and provisions. They were situated very much like the others, but contrived to pass the time more or less pleasantly around their blazing fires, es-
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HISTORY OF THE 13TH REGIMENT
pecially at night, whose friendly shades relieved their fears, yet much uneasiness was felt as they knew their place of concealment was being searched for by armed. men, and if found their lives would probably pay the penalty of their loyalty to the Union.
Other Union men fearing these camps were less safe than even their homes concealed themselves in their at- tics or cellars. One case in point was that of Dr. A. Jobe, who, though strongly opposed to the bridge burn- ing, from which the rebellion resulted, but being a lead- ing Union man from the beginning and knowing that in the excitement of the times his life would be endangered, took refuge in his cellar. He had recently built a new residence close to Elizabethton. He had a cellar under his kitchen with no opening into it except a trap-door in the kitchen floor. Signals were arranged so that calling the names of certain members of his family warned him of the approach of soldiers and others so that he must be very quiet ; the names of other members would indicate that the coast was clear. The colored servant who occu- pied the kitchen usually kept the cradle with the babe in it over the cellar door. The kitchen floor was carpeted so the trap-door could not be seen. When soldiers came to the house, which they frequently did, the servant would rock the cradle industriously and sing lullabys to the infant to drown any noise the occupant of the cellar might make.
In a similar manner Geo. W. Ryan, who had been cap- tured and escaped from prison, was concealed under the residence of W. B. Carter for many weeks until he had an opportunity to escape through the lines to Ken- tucky.
These men and many others spent many weeks in this way, fearing to cough or even draw a deep breath lest they might be discovered and dragged to prison or death.
Thus the dreary winter of 1861-2 moved along. Many Union men to avoid a worse fate joined the Confederate army, hoping to escape to the Federals at a later date;
MAJOR JAS. W. M. GRAYSON. (See page 272.)
MAJOR PATRICK F. DYER. (See page 276.)
CAPT. JAMES M. CAMERON, ASS'T SURGEON. (See page 276.)
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others made their way to Kentucky, while others still hoping for relief remained in hiding.
In February, 1862, Ft. Donalson fell, and following this Nashville also fell into the hands of the Federals. These events afforded some hope and comfort to the wait- ing Union men.
Gov. Harris fled to Memphis with the General Assem- bly, which passed an act to call out the militia of the State from the ages of 18 to 35 years, which the authori- ties began to enforce in East Tennessee. This again presented a source of new danger to the Union men who had thus far escaped.
Gen. Leadbetter had finally issued a conciliatory procla- mation to the Union men which many had accepted so far as to remain at home and be silent. But now, having suffered the loss of free speech and trial by jury, having been insulted, arrested and forced to take the oath of alle- giance to the Southern Confederacy, the appalling alter- native presented itself of again undergoing the hardships of scouting or fight against the flag they adored, or leave their homes, and their all, and above all, their loved ones, to the tender mercies of their enmies, and to what fate they could not tell, and for how long they knew not- perhaps forever.
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