USA > Tennessee > The Annals of the Army of Tennessee and early western history, including a chronological summary of battles and engagements in the western armies of the Confederacy > Part 19
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ley; spent balls dropped continually among the men, and occasionally one would crash through a weak point, followed by a cry of pain, an- nouncing that some poor fellow had been hurt. Private -, of the One Hundred and Fifty-fourth, was the liveliest and most careless of :
the party, but a bullet zig-zagged between the rails and sank with an audible thud into his brain ; after a brief spasm of contracting muscles, he was still forever, and a mute look of inquiry into each other's eyes, seems to ask the survivors, " Who will be next?" Gun barrels ex- posed above the rails were struck and stocks splintered. A spring de- tached by a passing bullet was driven through the writer's hat and into the scalp, where it stuck like a nail. After this, his head felt as large as a flour barrel, and too bulky to keep out of the way of hostile bullets. The weather was distressingly hot, and the men had been without fresh water since daylight. At last friendly, benignant night threw her mantle over the scene, and bade peace between the com- batants. Relief guards came from the breastworks, and the battle- whanged skirmishers slipped away to the rear as men from a long im- prisonment. Eight (8) out of eleven (11) in the left post, which was more exposed than the rest, had been killed and wounded.
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EARLY WESTERN HISTORY.
GRAVES OF REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS.
TT is quite probable that the soil of Tennessee contains the bones of as many Revolutionary soldiers as any of the mother States in the South. After the war was over, thousands of them flocked to this State, to locate lands on warrants issued for military services. Most of these remained, some to die from Indian bullets and tomahawks, and the rest as peaceful tillers of the soil, which in course of time received into its bosom a new accession of sacred dust. Some of these bones, mayhap, the plowshare has already upturned, while of many neither stone nor inscription marks the site of their last resting-place.
General Rutherford, for whom one of our fine counties was named, is buried in Sumner co., Tenn., but the particular place is unknown to the writer. He was a man of splendid traits of character, but very plain and unassuming in dress and manner. On public occasions he appeared in the simplest homespun, and the young wondered what old fellow that was to whom the elders paid such marked respect and greeted with such warmth and cordiality. At the battle of Cam- den he was taken prisoner, while desperately fighting to retrieve the fortunes of the day. On this occasion his life was saved by a thick, tight-fitting wool hat, which broke the force of Tarleton's sabres. His head bled freely from a number of wounds, while his weather-beaten tile was ruined forever by the showers of savage cuts it had received.
The writer can trace up the names of over twenty of these old sol- diers who are buried in Lincoln co., Tenn. One of these, Captain John Morgan, commanded a company from North Carolina, and is buried at Mulberry. His widow survived him until 1851, and per- sistently refused a pension from the Government, saying "that it was nothing but a patriotic duty for men to fight the British and the In- dians, and they should n't be paid a cent for it." She was an ardent Whig in politics, and to the day of her death persisted in calling Demo- crats "Tories." She was a sister of Governor Hall, of Tennessee,
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and five of her family-a father, two brothers, a sister and niece-went down in the storm of savage fury which swept over the infant settle- ments on the Cumberland. Her hate of Indians was so strong that when the Cherokees passed her home, on their way west of the Mis- sissippi, she shut herself in the room and refused to appear as long as there was one in the vicinity.
Captain Andrew Caruthers, the maternal, and' Captain William Robinson, the paternal grandfather of Colonel William B. Robinson, of this county, are buried on the farm of the latter, at Coldwater. Captain Caruthers commanded a company in Sevier's Regiment at . King's Mountain, and during the fight lost one of his low-quarted shoes, which gents of that day wore, even in the backwoods settle- ments on the Wautauga. The writer has been honored, by his grand- son, with the gift of the sword he wielded on this eventful day, which, according to Jefferson, was the turning point in the Revolution. It is needless to say that he values, as a priceless treasure, this old blade, which idealizes to him the grandest and most important epoch in the world's political history. A great empire, already playing a prominent part in the affairs of this globe, and destined to continue to do so for ages to come, was firmly established by the events of this day; and King's Mountain will be an eternal monument to the men who con- quered on its summit-victors over kings' crowns and prerogatives, and stern vindicators of the God-given right of self-government.
In the troubles between Sevier and Tipton, Captain Caruthers sided with the latter against his old commander, and was in the battle which took place between the two factions at Tipton's house. He died at his grandson's in 1828.
Captain William Robinson began his rebellious career as a Regulator, and was in the defeat at Alamance, which necessitated his exile from the backwoods of Carolina, and his final settlement, with many other compatriots, at the infant colony on the Wautauga. He commanded a company in Sevier's Regiment at King's Mountain, and, on this oc- casion, probably tasted the sweetest revenge of his life. The bitter memories of Alamance were effaced in the presence of the most im- portant victory ever won by the American armies. The Regulator of Alamance had "exchanged the odium of the outlaw for the glory of the patriot."
The ancestors of Captain Robinson were Scotish Covenanters, and his grandson still has a Bible printed in 1632, which has been in the
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family for more than two hundred and forty years. It is still in a good state of preservation, in spite of the wars through which it has passed. In Scotland its hiding-place was under the bottom of a chair or stool. which was turned upside down when the family were engaged in read. ing, and quickly reversed on the slightest alarm. It crossed the At. lantic with the family, and passed through the trying scenes of the Regulation, the Revolution, the Indian wars in Tennessee, and finally through the late great struggle between the States. Its existence as a book bridges over and connects some of the grandest events in mod- ern times, and its historic associations furnish abundant scope for the musings of the moralist and the philosopher. It recalls the Charleses. Cromwell, and the Stuarts. In the most particular manner it bring- to mind its persecutor, Claverhouse-a name despised by Scotchmen all over the globe, even to this generation-and its defender, Argyle. One hundred years older than George Washington, it came to America, and has now survived wars and changes, and many generations of its keepers.
This family has " The Articles of Confession of the Church of Scotland," published by Benjamin Franklin, at Philadelphia, in 1745: also a chest of obsolete manufacture, which has been in its possession for many generations. It, too, has a story. During the Revolution, a British officer entered the house of Mrs. Robinson, and, observing a number of fresh corn-cobs in the fire-place, demanded some corn. On being refused, he started towards the chest, where she had hid the corn a few minutes before his arrival, and threatened to break it open. Quick as thought she seized a heavy iron fire-shovel, and brandishing it over his head, dared him to make the attempt. He saw fight in her eye if he persisted, and ruffian as he was, he concluded it was safes? to let her alone, which he did, and left the house.
In the May number of the ANNALS we urged that the State of Ten- nessee should have the names of her pioneers, who were killed in bat- tle with the Indians, inscribed upon the interior walls of the Capitol. for preservation and as a matter of useful record. We would extend the plea, and make the list include the names of all who were associ- ated in any honorable capacity with the events of our State history. By this means this building would become monumental in character. and link the past with the present in a way easily understood by all, and full of meaning to future generations.
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SKETCHES OF EDMOND JENNINGS.
C APTAIN EDMOND JENNINGS was born in Bedford co., Va., in the year 1756. His father, Jonathan Jennings, was a fellow- traveler with Colonel Donelson in his wonderful voyage down the Tennessee river in 1780. The adventures of the Jennings family in passing the site of Chattanooga, are thus narrated in Colonel Donel- son's "journal," in Dr. Ramsey's "Annals" :
" March 8th. * * * We have now passed through the 'whirl.' The river widens with a placid and gentle current; and all the com- pany appear to be in safety, except the family of Jonathan Jennings, whose boat ran on a large rock projecting from the northern shore, and immediately at the 'whirl,' where we were compelled to leave them, perhaps to be slaughtered by their merciless enemies. * * " March 9th .-- This morning, about 4 o'clock, we were surprised by the cries of 'help poor Jennings,' at some distance in the rear. He had discovered us by our fires, and came up in the most wretched con- dition. He states that as soon as the Indians discovered his situation, they turned their whole attention to him, and kept up a most galling fire at his boat. He ordered his wife, a son nearly grown, a young man who accompanied them, and his negro man and woman, to throw all his goods into the river, to lighten their boat for the purpose of getting her off, himself returning their fire as well as he could, being a good soldier and an expert marksman. But before they accomplished their object, his son, the young man and the negro, jumped out of the boat and left them. He thinks the young man and the negro were wounded before they left the boat. Mrs. Jennings and the negro woman succeeded in unloading the boat, but chiefly by the exertions of Mrs. Jennings, who got out of the boat and shoved her off, but was near falling a victim to her own intrepidity, on account of the boat starting so suddenly as soon as loosened from the rock. Upon examination, he appears to have made a wonderful escape, for his boat is pierced in numberless places with bullets. It is to be remarked that Mrs. Peyton (his daughter), who was the night before delivered of an infant, which was unfortunately killed in the hurry and confusion con- sequent on such a disaster, assisted them, being frequently exposed then and afterwards to wet and cold, and her health appears to be good at this time, and I think and hope she will do well. Their clothes were much cut with bullets, especially Mrs. Jennings'."
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Coming of such parentage, it will not be surprising to learn that Ed- mond, at the age of eighteen, made his way through the wilderness on the track of General Lewis' forces, and reached the bloody battle-field of Kanawha, or Point Pleasant, just as it was won by the whites.
He afterward sought the adventurous field of Kentucky, and partic- ipated fully in the dangers which shadowed the pathway of her early settlers. He was in the Blue Licks Defeat, and was chased for a long distance by a party of Indians, which he kept at bay by holding his fire. He and a companion, at their last loading, were so closely pressed that they threw away their ramrods, having given up all hope of escape, but were resolved to make their last shots count. They were so exhausted, by their long run, that their gait was reduced to a walk; but, by halting frequently and turning defiantly on their pur- suers when they came too close, they finally baffled them and reached a place of safety.
He was in General Roger Clark's expeditions against the Indians in 1782, which, on its return, disbanded on the site of the present city of Cincinnati. At the breaking up, Captain McCracken, then lying mor- tally wounded, proposed that the survivors should meet on that spot fifty years from that date. When the appointed time approached, the agreement was remembered, and Cincinnati, now become a flourishing city, caused it to be published, far and wide, that she would give the survivors who would appear on that occasion the generous welcome of a grateful heart.
Captain Jennings, after the wars were over, had drifted westward with the game, and was at that time keeping a ferry on a small river in Arkansas. A traveler, who was crossing on his boat, on learning something of his history, told of the coming festival at Cincinnati in honor of the survivors of General Clark's expedition, and suggested that he might be one of them. The aged warrior instantly exclaimed that he was, and announced his intention to attend the meeting. He soon after sold out his ferry, and, mounting an Indian pony, in due time reached his destination. But fifty years had made sad ravages in the ranks of these soldiers, and, owing to the fact that the cholera was in the city at the time, only three of the survivors, according to the Captain's statement, met to greet each other again and receive the plaudits and welcome of their grateful countrymen. Sad to relate, one of these had served a term in the penitentiary.
After this event, the old man spent some time among his old friends
AND EARLY WESTERN HISTORY. 189
in Kentucky ; but, taking umbrage at some imagined insult, he left and came to Sumner co., Tenn., where he received a hearty welcome from Major Blackmore, General Hall, Captain Rogan, and others. Here he spent the remnant of his days, dying in Smith county in 1848, at the age of ninety-two years. . Captain Rogan, who honored him for his genuine worth, and humored, in every way, his prejudices and pe- culiarities, describes him as a character. He was powerfully built, and, at this time, rather stoop-shouldered, with very long arms ; his chin and nose nearly met, and his small gray eyes could look as vicious as ever when his feelings were aroused.
The old man's visit to civilization served to excite only sad memo- ries and wake reproachful comparisons with the men who laid the foundations of all this fair prospect of wealth, peace and ease. He stigmatized present manners as proud and stuck-up, and would often quit the house at which he might be staying in strongly expressed dis- gust at the least exhibition of formality, or even the appearance of finely dressed company. His temper had always been morose and erascible, and sometimes vindictive.
On the disbandment in Kentucky of an expedition against the In- dians, the men separated in squads to their own settlements. Jen- nings was in one of these, and, on the night before separation, a young man practiced a joke on him which excited the mirth of the company. He became very wroth in consequence, and made battle at once, but this was stopped by the interference of friends. The next day the young man dropped out at his road to go home. Soon after Jennings was missing, and it was conjectured at once that he was bent on mischief. A party went rapidly in pursuit, and reached the scene just in time to prevent a bloody affray.
I remember hearing my grandfather tell a characteristic anecdote of Jennings. Major Haywood, on a trip up Duck river in canoes, stood in the bow of a boat and endeavored, by taking bearings, to get a map of the stream. Jennings had the paddle at theo ther end, and occa- sionally his head interfered with the Major's observations. At length Haywood grew petulant, and made some uncomplimentary allusion to his personal appearance, which was by no means prepossessing. Jen- nings instantly caught up his rifle, and his antagonist did the same. Neither could shoot, on account of their intervening comrades, but they raved, cursed and bullied each other like two savage bull-dogs held at bay, nose to nose. Their anger spent itself in words, and at the proper time mutual explanations set the matter at rest.
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THE ANNALS OF THE ARMY OF TENNESSEE
THE SOLDIERS' WAR - BAG.
A Short Furlough .- While the Twenty-fifth Tennessee Infantry was encamped near Wartrace, in the spring of 1863, a farmer from a neighboring county came in with a large goods box filled with " pies an' things." During his stay, he was approached by a soldier whom he had known in civil life, who wanted to make use of his empty box as a means of escape from camp, and pay a short visit home. The old man, not being sure of his duties in the premises, made no promise, but privately referred the matter to Colonel Hughes, who told him he had no power to grant a furlough to the applicant, but if he could get out of camp in the empty box, it would be all right. He charged the old man, however, not to let his friend know that he was cognizant of his attempt to escape. This was done accordingly, and as the wagon, with its unsuspicious looking load, reached Duck river the next morning, it was met amid stream by several mounted guards, who accused the owner of trafficking in whisky to the soldiers. This he stoutly de- nied ; but they told him they must make search, which they proceeded at, once - to do. Mounting the wagon at a given signal, they hoisted the box overboard into the river. As it began to sink, a struggle was heard going on within, and an upheaval of the top disclosed the frightened face of the would-be truant. General Bushrod Johnson and more than half of his brigade lined the bank to witness the denoument, and the shouts of laughter and derision were, for a · while, perfectly bewildering to the poor fellow, who stood up to his waist in water, not knowing which way to go or what to do. His punishment, though mortifying in the extreme, proved salutary in the end, for he made a good sol- dier, and served out his time without once asking for a furlough or privilege of any kind.
"Loved to Hear'em Pop."-As Sherman's advance entered Kingston, Ga., a number of the inhabitants hastily abandoned their homes and made their way toward the Confederate rear guard, which was posted a half mile off on a hill. The scene, at this time, was well calculated to excite terror among the defense- less inhabitants and indignation among the Southern soldiers who were spectators. The screams of the women and children, the bursting in of doors and pillage of houses, and the savage shouts of the invaders, could have been heard for a mile. The skirmishing had become warm, and an artillery duel was in active progress, as some of the fugitives hastened up the hill through the line. Among these, were an old man, his old wife, and a grown-up daughter, on foot. The old gen- tleman seemed to be in an agony of distress and fear, as shells screamed and min- nie bullets whistled back and forth over and around him, as well he might be ; while the young lady shrank to the ground with a cry of terror at the successive discharges of the artillery. But not so with the old lady : with a bundle on her
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back and a defiant step she marched up the hill as bravely as Julius Cesar, with- out flinching or shrinking once. As she passed through the lines, one of the boys asked her if she was not afraid of the shells. " No," she exclaimed, in- dignantly, and with a contemptuous toss of the head, "I love to hear them things pop !"
Rough Surgery .- At the first Battle of Manassas, Bate's Second Tennessee regi- ment held the extreme right of Beauregard's line until one o'clock P.M., when it was ordered, at a double quick, to the scene of conflict on the left. The rear of the column, in order to keep up, had to take advantage of all short cuts. In one of these movements, Billy Martin, of Company K, fell from the top of a fence into a ditch and dislocated his knee. At his urgent request, he was placed in an ambulance and carried on. The column, in passing a certain point, was exposed to the fire of a Federal battery, which exploded a shell in front of the ambu- lance, the horses of which took fright, and, by a sudden sheer, turned it over. Martin was pitched violently to the ground, but, to his surprise and joy, the dis- location was reduced by the fall, and gave him no further trouble of consequence.
Sabre Against Pistol .- On the Sherman march to the sea, there were almost daily conflicts between Wheeler's and Kilpatrick's scouting parties. In one of these, Tom Brown, a mere youth, belonging to Hays' Tennessee. Battalion, Dib- brell's Brigade, came face to face with a big fellow who was riding a small mule. "Surrender, you d -- n rebel !" exclaimed the confident Yank, with his sabre raised over the little fellow's head. "Go to h-1!" returned the youthful rebel, with his pistol presented. Sabre descended and the trigger pulled at the same instant. The Federal sank to the ground, shot through the chest, and the rebel received a cut on the head which made him see stars and bleed freely, but proved trifling in the end.
Gunboat on the Mountain .- Dr. Cowan puts this in the War-Bag : As Forrest's wagon-train was crossing Cumberland mountain on one occasion, a number of the natives collected at a house on the road-side, brought together by some species of telegraphy known only to themselves. They gazed in silence until the black- ·mith's forge appeared in the rear, when an old lady's curiosity got the better of her, and she inquired of Major Rombaut, who happened to be passing at that in- vant, " What sort of a thing is that, mister ?" "That is a gunboat, madam," gravely replied the Major. "Lor, me," she says, " I never thought I'd a lived to see a gunboat on this mountain!" Several of the bystanders indorsed her opinion by a similar admission.
A Youthful Bummer .- A party of General Dibbrell's scouts came upon some of Sherman's "bummers" at a mill in Georgia, who, fearing the consequences of their guilt, endeavored to escape across a rapid, swollen stream, when eight or ten of their number were drowned and the rest were captured. Among the lat- ter was a youth of fifteen, whose haversack was filled with silver-ware he had taken from the neighboring houses. He cried piteously at his anticipated fate, vying that he had enlisted as a substitute for forty acres of land, in order to get a home for his parents, who were very poor. Whether his tale was true or not, i: excited the sympathy of his captors, and he received no injury from them.
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THE ANNALS OF THE ARMY OF TENNESSEE.
EDITORIAL.
WE again urge upon the friends of our history the importance of sustaining the ANNALS in such a substantial way that its success will be established beyond peradventure. This publication has already taken high rank with read- ers North and South, and its value recognised as a historical medium through which to collect and promulgate the record of Confederate achievement. Four numbers have now been submitted to the ordeal of public criticism, and the ver- dict has been uniformly one of approval and praise. We hope every reader will take it upon himself to secure new subscribers, and thus help along the important work. We have furnished a number of specimen copies to persons promising to subscribe, and from such we ask a prompt renfittance of the price of subscrip- tion. We are not able to do a credit business, having to pay cash for printing, &c. If this request is not attended to in a reasonable time, we will be compelled to drop such names from our list.
AT the suggestion of Colonel John P. Nicholson, of Philadelphia, Penn., we have decided to make Volume I. of the ANNALS end with the December number of this year. Volume II. will begin with January, 1879, and by this ar- rangement the series will become uniform with the years. No. I. Vol. I. will be reprinted, on account of its mutilation by excessive trimming, and will be sup- plied to all who will make application. We hope that. both of these arrange- ments will be satisfactory to subscribers.
TERMS .- In localities where we have no special contract with Agents, we will furnish an extra copy of the ANNALS one year, gratis, to any one who will get up a club of ten. Where persons will form a club of more than ten, we will allow them a copy at $1. So per annum. The name, post-office, county and State must be written plainly. Payment must accompany each list. Single copies, Two Del- lars per annum. Address Dr. E. L. Drake, Editor, Fayetteville, Tenn., or A. D. Haynes, Publisher, Nashville, Tenn.
LIST OF AUTHORIZED AGENTS TO RECEIVE SUBSCRIPTIONS TO THE ANNALS.
Buck Payne, Nashville, Tenn. A. M. Moore, Manchester, Tenn. Gwynn & Peyton, Lebanon, Tenn. Capt. W. W. Fergusson, Carthage, Tenn. Dr. W. G. Commons, Booneville, Tenn. J. G. Cisco, Jackson, Tenn. Jordan Brothers, Philadelphia, Pa. D. M. Drake, Paris, Texas.
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