JlftHffiiRB^B

-^

:LO

[in i\r>

iCD

CO

ritttti; :t-.- :.

• ^ . i-
5j	jji:i:i: ;-
	mm	i^ ^i-'
	^^^^^^^^Hfl
	^^^^^^^^^^H
	^^^^^^^^^^B
	^^^^^H	HHk'
	^^^^^^^^1	^^^^g
	^^^^H	^^K:
	^^^^H	^^B
	^^^^^^1	^H
	^^^^^^1	^^^K;
	^~^
	. r : : : :.•.:.;.
	■■E'
■
1
I
I
1	Hi		JBl
■
1		m
1			I

IIIBJIP^^^^^M^B; •^^^fW^^^^^^^^^^^Hi :

.3

Digitized by the Internet Archive

in 2007 with funding from

IVIicrosoft Corporation

http://www.archive.org/details/confederateoperaOOheaduoft

CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS IN CANADA AND NEW YORK

John W. Headley 1900

^Ji^liDERATE OPHRATIONS

In Canada and Nkw York

JOHN Ws'^MF.ADLEY

NEW VORK AND WASHINGTON THE NEALE PUBLISHING COMPANY

1906

^

fif

Confederate Operations In Canada and New York

BY

a^

JOHN Wl%EADLEY

Illustrated by Portraits

fif

NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON

THE NEALE PUBLISHING COMPANY 1906

COPYRIGHT, 1906, BY THE NEALE PUBLISHING COMPANY

*^\^

TO THE MEMORY

OF THE

Defenseless non-combatant people of the South who suffered the untold horrors of

merciless warfare ^DESOLATION^ DESTITUTION,

IMPRISONMENT OR DEATH ; OF THE PERSECUTED PEOPLE OF THE NoRTH WHOSE SENSE OF JUSTICE AND HUMANITY REVOLTED AT A CRUSADE FOR THE

CAUSE OF John Brown, and of Horace Greeley, Gerrit Smith and Cornelius Vanderbilt, this volume is reverently dedicated by the

AUTHOR.

ILLUSTRATIONS

Facing Page.

John W. Headley, 1900 Frontispiece

Major-General John H. Morgan, 1864 i94

Thomas H. Hines, 1864 218

John B. Castleman, 1864 220

Jacob Thompson, 1864 222

John Yates Beall, 1864 242

Bennett H. Young, 1864 256

Clement Claiborne Clay, 1867 258

Robert M. Martin, 1866 274

John W. Headley, 1865 276

Young Confederate widow who was a messenger for the St. Albans Raiders in getting the proper papers from the Confederate Government 2)1^

Rev. Stephen F. Cameron. 378

Charles C. Hemming, 1902 ...' 456

Capt. Thomas H. Hines, 1884 458

Col. Bennett H. Young, 1906 460

John B. Castleman, 1898 462

CONTENTS

Chapter I

Election of Abraham Lincoln precipitates secession — Southern Con- federacy organized. Jefferson Davis chosen President — Mr. Lincoln inaugurated — Attempt to reinforce Fort Sumter — Fall of Fort Sumter — Beginning of the war — Situation in Missouri, Maryland, and Kentucky — President Lincoln declares martial law 19

Chapter II

Battle of Bull Run — Armies invade Kentucky — Author enlists — Mili- tary operations in Kentucky 28

Chapter III

Battle and surrender of Fort Donelson— Grant absent during the battle — Forrest refuses to surrender and escapes and is followed by over half his regiment 35

Chapter IV

Evacuation of Tennessee by Confederates — Battle of Shiloh — Cam- paign in Virginia — Buell in North Alabama — Bragg at Chatta- nooga— Forrest and Morgan in Buell's rear — Bragg and Kirby Smith invade Kentucky 44

Chapter V Battle of Perryville — Bragg and Smith evacuate Kentucky 55

Chapter VI

Breckinridge at Murfreesboro — Forrest at Franklin — Johnson and Martin in western Kentucky — ^John W. Foster levies on citizens to reimburse Union men 61

Chapter Vli

Bragg's army at Murfreesboro — Secret service for General Bragg — Purchases at Lafayette, Kentucky — Surprise, flight, and narrow escape — Battle at Murfreesboro — Discontent in the army and feeling against General Bragg — Col. R. C. Tyler wounded — Death of Tyler — Bragg and his generals 68

X CONTENTS

Chapter VIII

Situation changed in "neutral zone" — Secret negotiations with the Federal commander at Clarksville — Surprised at Mrs. Batson's — Capture and escape — Another narrow escape — Escape of Bowers from prison at Clarksville y6

Chapter IX

Captured at Louisa Furnace — Capture of officers of Lee's army — Escape from prison and captivity in Nashville — Notes on Rosecrans's army — Departure from Nashville on a pass — Escape of other prisoners 84

Chapter X

Situation after return from captivity — Forrest at Palmyra — Wheeler at Fort Donelson — Plain talk of Forrest to Wheeler — Report to Forrest and Bragg of Rosecrans's army — Van Dorn over Forrest and others, on the left, and Wheeler over Morgan and others, on the right of Bragg's army — Morgan's raid to Kentucky in December, 1862 — Infantry armies being exhausted in drawn battles and in camp — Spirit of vengeance — Colonel Streight marches out from Palmyra and encamps on Yellow Creek 96

Chapter XI

Famous raid of Col. Abel D. Streight through Alabama to Georgia — Famous pursuit and capture by Gen. N. B, Forrest — Ovation to Forrest at Rome, Georgia — Federal prisoners attest the kindness of Forrest 106

Chapter XII

Conduct of the invaders — Devastation of the country in Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi — Cruelty to non-combatant sympa- thizers with the South 1 13

Chapter XIII

Organization to raid western Kentucky and recruit a regiment —

Fight and defeat at Dixon— Return to Tennessee 122

Chapter XIV

Bragg's retreat from Shelbyville to Chattanooga— Wheeler's fight and escape at Shelbyville — Morgan starts on Ohio raid — Federal commanders lose Morgan in Kentucky, except those on his trail — Morgan crosses into Indiana, passes near Cincinnati — Morgan surrenders, and with his officers is confined in Ohio Peniten- tiary 131

CONTENTS

XI

Chapter XV

Col. Robert M. Martin — Record in Morgan's cavalry — Morgan's men under Martin open and close battle of Chickamauga — Forrest loses his division 139

Chapter XVI

Martin's expedition to Kentucky — Exciting adventures — Skirmish with an old friend — Surprised and routed near Greenville — Loss of horses and equipments — Rendezvous in Henry County, Tennessee — Expedition on foot to Golden Pond — Recapture of horses, and home-guards paroled 146

j Chapter XVII

Journey to Kentucky, then around Nashville and into Alabama — Narrow escapes — Luxurious homes of an Alabama valley — Johnston succeeds Bragg 161

Chapter XVIII

Mission for General Morgan to vicinity of Nashville — Miss Mary Overall secures information in Nashville — Death of Dee Jobe — Wounded Union soldier dies and is buried, by enemies, in family graveyard — Safe arrival at Rome, Georgia 168

Chapter XIX

Raid of Kilpatrick and Dahlgren to capture Richmond, release Federal prisoners, pillage and burn the city, and kill President Davis and his Cabinet — Vengeful views of the Confederate soldiers at this period over the devastation of their country 175

Chapter XX

Morgan at Abingdon — General Jenkins wounded and his command routed — Martin leads a charge — Morgan defeats enemy near Wytheville — His last raid to Kentucky — Captures garrison at Mt. Sterling — Martin's command surprised by Burbridge — Defense and escape with severe loss — Fight and capture of garrison at Cynthiana — Morgan defeated by Burbridge — Escape to Virginia 186

Chapter XXI

Morgan re-establishes headquarters at Abingdon — Reorganizing his command— Officers recuperate — Richmond authorities aroused against Morgan — Skirmish of Major Cantrill with scouts — Detached by Secretary of War 201

XII CONTENTS

Chapter XXII

Departure for Canada — Death of General Morgan — Forrest in Mis- sissippi— ^Journey from Corinth to Toronto 211

Chapter XXIII

Capt. Thomas H. Hines — Purposes of mission to Canada — Col, Jacob

Thompson's mission — Coalition with leaders of Sons of Liberty

— Concentration~aT'Democratic National Convention in Chicago

r^^^^ruitless endeavor to release Confederate prisoners at Camp

UDouglas and Springfield 217

Chapter XXIV

Plan for capture of gunboat Michigan on Lake Erie and release of prisoners on Johnson's Island — Captain Cole and Acting Master Beall undertake the adventure — Lieutenant Young sent with funds to Buffalo— 7Cole, at the moment of success, is betrayed and arrested and imprisoned at Sandusky City — Thompson and Clay to the rescue — Cole finally recognized as prisoner of war....23i

Chapter XXV

I Capt. John Yates Beall — His home in Virginia — Early career in the

1 Confederacy with Bennett G. Burley — Capture of steamer

i Philo Parsons on Lake Erie — Capture of Island Queen —

i Attempt to release prisoners on Johnson's Island — Mutiny of

men when signals failed to appear — Compelled to return and

destroy vessels — Men disperse in Canada — Arrest of Burley —

Confederate steamer Georgiana on Lake Erie 241

Chapter XXVI

Lieutenant Young's raid upon St. Albans, Vermont — Retreat and pursuit— Capture by Americans in Canada — Rescued by a British officer — Sympathy for prisoners in Canada — Extradition demanded — Preparations for defense 256

Chapter XXVII

Plans for revolution at Chicago and New York City — Attempts to be made to burn Cincinnati, Philadelphia, and Boston — Plans in New York City 264

Chapter XXVIII

\ Confederates attempt to burn business section of New York City — ''■ Escape to Canada 274

CONTENTS XIII

Chapter XXIX

Noitliwestern Confederacy vanishes — Plans exposed at Chicago — Arrest of leaders^^GetjefaTreport of Thompson upon all opera- tionSiTzFai lure -Conceded— Judge Buckner S. Morris and Col. Vincent Marmaduke acquitted — R, T. Semmes and Charles Walsh sentenced to penitentiary — Col. George St, Leger Grenfel sentenced to be hung 284

Chapter XXX

Expedition to Buffalo and Dunkirk, New York, to rescue Confed- erate generals on train — Proclamations of General Dix — Efforts to capture the express car — Capture of Captain Beall and George S. Anderson at_jSjisfiension Bridge...r.. 301

Chapter XXXI

Situation in Canada and in the Confederacy — Sherman's march

through Georgia and occupation of Savannah 308

Chapter XXXII

Trials of Confederates in progress — Lieut, S. B. Davis captured — Bennett G. Burley ordered to be extradited to United States — Colonel Thompson writes to Confederate minister in England — British Government interferes and saves Burley — Ashbrook and Kennedy depart for the Confederacy — Lieutenant Davis sentenced to be hung — Colonel Thompson appeals to President Lincoln and Secretary of War Stanton on merits of the case — Successful proceedings in behalf of Davis — Capture, trial and execution of Kennedy 321

Chapter XXXIII

Operations of General Sherman in South Carolina, and General

Hunter in Virginia — General Early retaliates in Pennsylvania....332

Chapter XXXIV

Trial of John Yates £ea]l by military commission' — Character as a Confederate officer esfablished— Hrs ~ acts _. authorized and approved by the Confederate Government — Ai-guments~ of counsel 340

Chapter XXXV

Efforts of the friends of Beall, with President Lincoln, for his pardon — Beall hung on Governor's Island — Buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Brooklyn 357

XIV CONTENTS

Chapter XXXVI

Trial of Lieutenant Young and his men at Montreal — Complete vin- dication 370

Chapter XXXVII

Arrangements to leave Canada for Richmond — Plan for the next cam- paign— Last ditch in the Northern States — Colonel Thompson remains in Canada to assist in the trials of Confederates 382

Chapter XXXVIII

The trouble of reaching Richmond — Situation in Kentucky, West

Virginia, and Tennessee 390

Chapter XXXIX

Departure from Canada — Journey to Cincinnati — Arrival and sojourn

in Louisville — Preparations for journey to Virginia 396

Chapter XL

Plans and efforts to capture Vice-President-elect Andrew Johnson at

the Louisville Hotel 402

Chapter XLI

Capture horses of Major Julius Fosses in Louisville — Escape from

the city — ^Journey to Abingdon, Virginia 411

Chapter XLII

Journey to Richmond — Richmond and Petersburg evacuated — Gov- ernment flees to the South — Retreat of Lee and surrender at Appomattox — Detained at Lynchburg — Escape to the West and South — Terms of peace 425

Chapter XLIII

Peace cartel repudiated by President Johnson — Surrender of Johnstoin and his army — President Davis and Cabinet retire through South Carolina — Five cavalry brigades guard the retreat — Last council of war — Proposal of General Breckinridge for conduct of President Davis to Mexico — General Duke's account of the last conference of President Davis with the generals of cavalry — Departure of President Davis from Washington, Georgia 432

CONTENTS XV

Chapter XLIV

President Davis made prisoner — Parole of Confederates at Wash- ington, Georgia — President Johnson's Amnesty Proclamation — Martin and Headley in excepted class — Arrest of Headley, his escape, and subsequent pardon by the President — Troubles in Middle Tennessee — Arrest of Martin — He is put in irons and in prison at Fort Lafayette „ 438

Chapter XLV

Robert M. Martin pardoned — Many sentences remitted — Parole of C. C. Clay, Jr. — Jefferson Davis delivered to United States Court at Richmond — Released on bail-bond — Ovation to Mr. Davis in the South — Nolle prosequi entered — Finally settles in Mississippi to spend his last years — Visit to birthplace in Kentucky — Subsequent lives of Confederate officers who served in Canada 451

Chapter XLVI

The truth — The premises — Summary of conduct of the war — Impar- tial testimony and views of Federal commanders — Confederate success in battle — Troops engaged — Cause and result of the war 464

Chapter XLVII Conduct of Southern authorities and soldiers 473

I

I

INTRODUCTION

There is little consolation in relating the particulars of the hostile operations along the northern borders of the United States, by Confederate soldiers from Canada, who were.assigned to this service by the authorities of the Confederate States in 1864.

And yet the authentic narrative of this desperate warfare •which recalls and includes the cruel phases of the deplorable conflict may be due to the survivors and the dead of the North and the South who were military foes, and may serve as a lesson and a guide to the present and future generations of our reunited country in determining the price of peace and the pretexts for war.

All references that pertain to the conduct of the Federal Government and soldiers toward non-combatants are derived entirely from verified authority and the official records of the War Department of the United States. But little account of the engagements between the great armies is attempted. And it is deemed sufficient to submit the summaries of Generals Buell and Grant, the commanders of the two Federal armies at the battle of Shiloh, concerning the results of battles, the forces engaged, the morale of soldiers, and the cause of the war.

The military operations in the Department of Tennessee are noted partially from personal knowledge, but those west of the Mississippi River, being of like character under like con- ditions, are omitted. And besides, the commanders in both these Departments of the Confederacy appear to have missed oppor- tunities alike at the critical period — 1862-3, whilst Gen. Robert E. Lee was never driven, by generalship or numbers, from Vir- ginia, but upon her bosom ended his struggle and breathed his last sigh as a soldier of the Southern Confederacy.

John W. Headley. Louisville, Kentucky, 1906.

CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS IN CANADA AND NEW YORK

CHAPTER I

Election of Abraham Lincoln precipitates secession — Southern Confederacy organized, Jefferson Davis chosen President — Mr. Lincoln inaugurated — Attempt to reinforce Fort Sumter — Fall of Fort Sumter — Beginning of the war — Situation in Missouri, Maryland and Kentucky — President Lincoln declares martial law.

The sectional animosities engendered by the agitation in the Northern States for the abolition of African slavery reached a climax upon the election of Abraham Lincoln to the Presidency of the United States in November, i860. The Southern people construed this event to mean the free- dom of their negroes. Indeed, the passions of the triumph- ant party in the Northern States and their purposes were no longer concealed.

The period of reason appeared to have passed and the question was at once agitated in the South of withdrawing from the Union and of organizing a new government on the same basis as that of the United States, and accordingly South Carolina initiated the movement by an Act of Seces- sion from the Union, December 14, i860. Other States followed, and a provisional new government was formed by delegates from South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Ala- bama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas, who assembled in convention at Montgomery, Alabama. Jefferson Davis was chosen President, and Alexander H. Stephens, of Georgia, Vice-President, on the 9th of February, 1861.

20 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

In his inaugural address, February i8, 1861, Mr. Davis set forth the objects and purposes of the new General Gov- ernment, which was called ''The Confederate States of America." In part he said :

Our present condition, achieved in a manner unprecedented in the history of nations, illustrates the American idea that governments rest upon the consent of the governed, and that it is the right of the people to alter or abolish governments whenever they become destructive of the ends for which they were established.

Through many years of controversy with our late associates, the Northern States, we have vainly endeavored to secure tran- quillity, and to obtain respect for the rights to which we were entitled. As a necessity, not a choice, we have resorted to the remedy of separation; and henceforth our energies must be directed to the conduct of our own affairs, and the perpetuity of the Confederacy which we have formed.

If a just perception of mutual interest shall permit us peace- ably to pursue our separate career, my most earnest desire will have been fulfilled ; but if this is denied us, and the integrity of our territory and jurisdiction be assailed, it will but remain for us, with firm resolve, to appeal to arms, and invoke the blessings of Providence on a just cause.

We have changed the constituent parts, but not the system of our Government. The Constitution formed by our fathers is that of these Confederate States, in their exposition of it; and, in the judicial construction it has received, we have a light which reveals its true meaning.

President Lincoln, in his inaugural address on March 4, 1861, said:

Apprehension seems to exist among the people of the Southern States that, by the accession of a Republican Administration, their property and their peace and personal security are to be endangered. There has never been any cause for such apprehensions.

Indeed, the most ample evidence to the contrary has all the while existed and been open to their inspection. It is found in

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 21

nearly all the public speeches of him who addresses you. I do but quote from one of those speeches when I declare that I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institu- tion of slavery in the States where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so. Those who nominated and elected me did so with full knowledge that I had made this and many similar declarations, and had never recanted them. And more than this, they placed in the platform for my acceptance, and as a law to themselves and to me, the clear and emphatic resolution which I now read:

''Resolved, That the maintenance inviolate of the rights of the States, and especially the right of each State to order and control its own domestic institutions according to its own judg- ment exclusively, is essential to that balance of power on which the perfection and endurance of our political fabric depend, and we denounce the lawless invasion by armed force of the soil of any State or Territory, no matter under what pretext, as among the gravest crimes."

However, President Lincoln at once began the prepara- tions for reinforcing Fort Sumter. Eleven vessels were fitted up and loaded with several thousand troops, arms, and supplies. They were instructed to reinforce Major Anderson at Fort Sumter, peaceably if they could, but by force if they must. Just before they arrived, General Beau- regard, in command at Charleston, reduced the Fort, and the garrison surrendered, upon honorable terms, April 13, 1861, without the loss of life on either side.

On the 15th of April, 1861, two days after the fall of Fort Sumter, President Lincoln issued a proclamation, calling for seventy-five thousand troops, in which he said :

I appeal to all loyal citizens to favor, facilitate and aid this effort to maintain the honor, the integrity, and the existence of our National Union, and the perpetuity of popular govern- ment, and to redress wrongs already long endured.

And I hereby command the persons composing the combina- tions aforesaid to disperse and retire peaceably to their respec- tive abodes within twenty days from this date.

22 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

The States of Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas and North Carolina at once proceeded to enter the Confederacy.

The Provisional Government organized at Montgomery was merged into a permanent Government, with no special changes except the removal of the capital to Richmond, Virginia.

It was with rivalry that the volunteers in the Southern States were organized and rushed into the conflict. And likewise in the Northern States. Indeed, active preparations were being made from the day of the inauguration of the new Presidents.

Gen. John C. Fremont was one of the first generals ap- pointed by President Lincoln, and was assigned to the com- mand of the Department of the West, in which Ohio and Kentucky were included. His headquarters was established at St. Louis.

The State Administration, including the militia, was openly arrayed against the Union in Missouri. General Fre- mont was confronted from the start by a condition of revolt against his authority, and his military jurisdiction in the State was practically limited to St. Louis for some time.

General Fremont says when he parted from the President in Washington to assume his command in the West that Mr. Lincoln said :

I have given you carte blanche. You must use your own judgment and do the best you can. I doubt if the States will ever come back.

General Fremont, therefore, within a few months deemed it advisable to issue a proclamation declaring martial law, from which the following extracts are quoted:

St. Louis, August 30, 1861. *******

All persons who shall be taken with arms in their hands within these lines shall be tried by court-martial, and if found guilty will be shot.

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK

23

The property, real and personal, of all persons, in the State of Missouri, who shall take up arms against the United States, or who shall be directly proven to have taken an active part with their enemies in the field, is declared confiscated to the public use, and their slaves, if they have any, are hereby declared free men.

All persons who shall be proven to have destroyed, after the publication of this order, railroad tracks, bridges, or telegraphs, shall suffer the extreme penalty of the law.

All persons engaged in treasonable correspondence, in giving or procuring aid to the enemies of the United States, in foment- ing tumults, in disturbing the public tranquillity by creating and circulating false reports or incendiary documents, are in their own interest warned that they are exposing themselves to sudden and severe punishment.

All persons who have been led away from their allegiance, are required to return to their homes forthwith; any such absence, without sufficient cause, will be held to be presumptive evidence against them.

The object of this declaration is to place in the hands of the military authorities the power to give instantaneous effect to existing laws, and to supply such deficiencies as the conditions of war demand.

*******

Gen. Jeff. Thompson, then in command of the Missouri militia forces about St. Louis, at once issued the following proclamation of retaliation:

Headquarters First Military District Mo.

St. Louis^ August 31, 1861. To All Whom It May Concern:

Whereas, Ma j. -Gen. John C. Fremont, commanding the minions of Abraham Lincoln in the State of Missouri, has seen fit to declare martial law throughout the whole State, and has threatened to shoot any citizen-soldier found in arms within certain limits; also, to confiscate the property and free the negroes belonging to the members of the Missouri State Guard :

Therefore, know ye, that I, M. Jeff. Thompson, Brigadier- General of the First Military District of Missouri, having not only the military authority of brigadier-general, but certain police powers granted by Acting-Governor Thomas C. Rey- nolds, and confirmed afterward by Governor Jackson, do most solemnly promise that for every member of the Missouri State

24 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

Guard, or soldier of our allies, the armies of the Confederate States, who shall be put to death in pursuance of the said order of General Fremont, I will hang, draw, and quarter a minion of said Abraham Lincoln.

While I am anxious that this unfortunate war shall be con- ducted, if possible, upon the most liberal principles of civilized warfare, and every order that I have issued has been with that object — ^yet, if this rule is to be adopted (and it must first be done by our enemies), I intend to exceed General Fremont in his excesses, and will make all tories that come within my reach rue the day that a different policy was adopted by their leaders.

Already mills, barns, warehouses, and other private property have been waste fully and wantonly destroyed by the enemy in this district, while we have taken nothing except articles contraband or absolutely necessary. Should these things be repeated, I will retaliate ten-fold, so help me God.

M. Jeff. Thompson, Brigadier-General Commanding.

President Lincoln wrote :

(private). Washington, D. C, September 2, 1861.

My Dear Sir : Two points in your proclamation of August 30th give me some anxiety :

First. Should you shoot a man according to the proclama- tion, the Confederates would very certainly shoot our best man in their hands, in retaliation ; and so, man for man, indefinitely. It is, therefore, my order that you allow no man to be shot under the proclamation without first having my approbation or consent.

Second. I think there is great danger that the closing par- agraph, in relation to the confiscation of property, and the liber- ating of slaves of traitorous owners, will alarm our Southern Union friends, and turn them against us; perhaps ruin our rather fair prospect for Kentucky.

Allow me, therefore, to ask that you will, as of your own motion, modify that paragraph so as to conform to the first and fourth sections of the Act of Congress entitled, "An Act to Confiscate Property Used for Insurrectionary Purposes," approved August 6, 1861, a copy of which Act I herewith send you.

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 25

This letter is written in a spirit of caution, and not of censure, I send it by a special messenger, so that it may certainly and speedily reach you.

Yours very truly,

A. Lincoln. Major-General Fremont.

General Fremont replied to President Lincoln's sugges- tions, in a long letter, from which I make extracts :

Headquarters Western Department.

St. Louis, September 8, 1861. My Dear Sir : Your letter of the second, by special messen- ger, I know to have been written before you had received my letter, and before my telegraphic dispatches and rapid devel- opments of critical conditions here had informed you of affairs in this quarter.

* * ^ 5{S * * *

This is as much a movement in the war, as a battle, and, in going into these, I shall have to act according to my judgment of the ground before me, as I did on this occasion. *******

If I were to retract of my own accord, it would imply that I myself thought it wrong, and that I had acted without the reflection which the gravity of the point demanded. But I did not. I acted with full deliberation, and upon the certain conviction that it was a measure right and necessary, and I think so still.

In regard to the other point of the proclamation to which you refer, I desire to say that I do not think the enemy can either misconstrue or urge anything against it, or undertake to make unusual retaliation. The shooting of men who shall rise in arms against an army in the military occupation of a country, is merely a necessary measure of defense, and entirely according to the usages of civilized warfare. The article does not at all refer to prisoners of war and certainly our enemies have no grounds for requiring that we should waive in their benefit any of the ordinary advantages which the usages of war allow us.

As promptitude is itself an advantage in war, I have also to ask that you will permit me to carry out upon the spot the pro- visions of the proclamation in this respect.

I am, with respect and regard.

Very truly yours,

J. C. Fremont.

The President.

26 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

President Lincoln rejoined, as follows :

Washington, September ii, 1861.

Sir : Yours of the 8th, in answer to mine of the 2nd instant, is just received. Assuming that you, upon the ground, could better judge of the necessities of your position than I could at this distance, on seeing your proclamation of August Z^th^ I perceived no general objection to it.

The particular clause, however, in relation to the confiscation of property and the liberation of slaves, appeared to me to be objectionable in its non-conformity to the Act of Congress, passed the 6th of last August, upon the same subjects; and hence I wrote you expressing my wish that that clause should be modified accordingly.

Your answer, just received, expresses the preference, on your part, that I should make an open order for the modification, which I very cheerfully do.

It is therefore ordered, that the said clause of said procla- mation be so modified, held and construed to conform to, and not to transcend, the provisions on the same subject contained in the Act of Congress entitled, "An Act to Confiscate Property Used for Insurrectionary Purposes," approved August 6th, 1 86 1, and that said Act be published at length with this order.

Your obedient servant,

A. Lincoln.

Major-General John C. Fremont.

Practically the same conditions existed in Maryland and Kentucky.

The legislatures of both States were assembled to consider the Act of Secession. In Maryland there was little doubt that the Act would be passed.

On the same day that Mr. Lincoln wrote to General Fremont, the following order was issued to Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks :

War Department, September 11, 1861. General : The passage of an Act of Secession by the Legis- lature of Maryland must be prevented. If necessary, all or any part of the members must be arrested. Exercise your own judgment as to the time and manner but do the work effectually. Very respectfully your obedient servant, Simon Cameron,

Secretary of War.

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK

27

The General Assembly of Kentucky had adopted a resolu- tion declaring "that Kentucky should maintain a strict neu- trality during the contest between the North and the South." This was the position of the Union men of the Legislature. A Union mass meeting, held in Louisville and attended by persons from all parts of the State, issued an address affirm- ing the same position.

A regiment of infantry recruited, armed, and equipped at Louisville by Col. Blanton Duncan, with Thomas H. Taylor, lieutenant-colonel, had already volunteered and en- listed under General Beauregard in Virginia.

Meantime, President Lincoln had issued his proclamation declaring martial law, and citizens were arrested for dis- loyalty in all the border States. They were requested to take an oath of allegiance to the United States or were committed to prison.

CHAPTER II

Battle of Bull Run — Armies invade Kentucky — Author enlists — Military operations in Kentucky.

During this period the ports of the Confederacy had been blockaded by the warships of the United States. The Con- federate States had been recognized as belligerents by the Governments of Great Britain and France, and the hostile armies had been engaged in actual warfare in Virginia and Missouri. But the army of the Confederacy was at Manassas under General Beauregard and in the Shenandoah Valley under Gen. Joseph E. Johnston. General McDowell ad- vanced his army from Washington and on the 21st of July attacked Beauregard. General Johnston arrived on the field with his troops in the afternoon, when the battle resulted in the defeat and rout of McDowell's army. The stampede con- tinued to Washington City without pursuit by the Confed- erates. General McDowell reported to the War Department as follows :

Fairfax Court House, July 21, 1861.

The men have thrown away their haversacks in the battle and left them behind ; they are without food, have eaten noth- ing since breakfast. We are without artillery ammunition. The larger part of the men are a confused mob — entirely demor- alized. It was the opinion of all the commanders that no stand could be made this side of the Potomac. We will, however, make the attempt at Fairfax Court House. From a prisoner we learned that 20,000 from Johnston joined last night and they march on us to-night.

Irwin McDowell.

Again General McDowell dispatche3 :

Fairfax Court House, July 22, 1861. Many of the volunteers did not wait for authority to proceed to the Potomac, but left on their own decision. They are now

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 29

pouring through this place in a state of utter disorganization. They could not be prepared for action by to-morrow morning even if they were willing. I learn from prisoners that we are to be pressed here to-night and to-morrow morning, as the enemy's force is very large and they are elated. I think we heard cannon on our rear-guard. I think now, as all my commanders thought at Centerville, there is no alternative but to fall back to the Potomac, and I shall proceed to do so with as much regularity as possible.

Irwin McDowell.

This event electrified the heart of the South and aroused the war spirit in the border States to such a degree that the drastic measures of the Federal authorities recorded in the preceding-chapter were doubtless deemed essential to prevent the regular secession of Missouri, Maryland and Kentucky. Meanwhile, there had been organization on the northern and southern borders of Kentucky, and volunteers were enlist- ing on both sides.

Finally the Union army moved into Kentucky and ad- vanced to Munfordsville under Brig.-Gen. W. T. Sherman, with Brig.-Gen. George H. Thomas on the left at Lebanon and Columbia, while on the right, posts were established at Owensboro, Calhoun, Henderson and Paducah, and also at Cairo, Illinois, under Brig.-Gen. U. S. Grant — the whole under Gen. Henry W. Halleck at St. Louis, he having suc- ceeded General Fremont.

The Confederate army under command of Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston promptly advanced from Nashville to Bowl- ing Green with Brig.-Gen. Felix Zollicoffer on the right toward Cumberland Gap, while on the left, troops were posted at Hopkinsville, Fort Henry and Fort Donelson, Tennessee, and also at Columbus, Kentucky, under Brig.-Gen. Leonidas Polk.

It will be observed that these opposing forces extended along a line from the Mississippi River to Cumberland Gap, a distance of perhaps 300 miles.

The presence of both armies created intense excitement in Kentucky. Neighbors and members of the same families

30 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

became aroused against each other. Volunteers singly or in squads from every neighborhood rushed to both armies, and were soon organized into companies, regiments and brigades.

At this juncture I left my home in Hopkins County to join the Confederates at Hopkinsville. I found Brig.-Gen. James L. Alcorn of Mississippi in command. The First Mississippi Infantry was here under Col. John T. Simonton and Lieuten- ant-Colonel Davidson. There were two companies of cavalry under Capt. Ned Merriweather and Capt. Gowan Bell, nearly all the men recruited from Christian County. But in another camp were about one hundred cavalry under Capt. James K. Huey of Smithland.

Most of these men were from Hopkins and Webster counties, and many of them my neighbors, some being rela- tions, and I located with them at once. The company was sworn in under Captain Huey by General Alcorn on October 21, 1 86 1, for one year.

I had been restless all the summer because I could not conveniently leave to volunteer, having been detained on ac- count of my father's business, being his reliance in a store at Nebo, his home being four miles distant, on a farm. I had been afraid the independence of the Confederacy would be acknowledged and the war ended before I could get in it. I was now satisfied at last.

About this time an encampment was located at Saratoga Springs in Lyon County, where W. D. Wilcox and Benjamin D. Terry had recruited about 150 cavalry for the Confed- eracy, with a good prospect of a battalion or regiment.

But a transport, accompanied by a gunboat, came up the Cumberland River from Smithland with a command of Federals under Major Phillips. They were landed after mid- night within five miles of Saratoga Springs. At daybreak they attacked the encampment. The sleeping men were not only surprised but unarmed, excepting a few who had double- barreled shotguns and some with pistols. There was conster- nation for a few moments after the first volley of the enemy was fired, but a dash was instantly made to escape, led by

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 31

Captains Terry and Wilcox. The casualties of the South- erners were three killed and eight wounded. The remainder and a number of horses were captured. Captain Wilcox was wounded, but he and Captain Terry reached Hopkinsville safely with a hundred of the men. I saw them on their arrival, and though fatigued they were in the best of spirits. The command was at once enlisted for three years, or the war, and organized in one company. W. D. Wilcox was elected captain and Benjamin D. Terry first lieutenant. This was perhaps the first hostile encounter and the first loss of life in Kentucky.

The members of all these cavalry companies furnished their own horses and generally their own shotguns and other equipments.

Early in November a battalion of cavalry arrived from Fort Henry under command of Lieut.-Col. N. B. Forrest and Maj. D. C. Kelly, and encamped on the other side of the town.

A short while after the arrival of Forrest at Hopkinsville he started with about three hundred men toward Henderson, Lieutenant Wallace with some twenty of Huey's company being of the number. At Marion Forrest learned that a prominent friend of the South had been arrested and sent away to prison on the information of Jonathan Belt, an enthusiastic Union man. With a detachment, Forrest went to arrest Belt and hold him as a hostage. As they proceeded on the way, Forrest and Dr. Van Wyck, surgeon of the regi- ment, rode in front. When they reached Belt's house he was inside, and, firing upon the advance, he killed Dr. Van Wyck. Belt then ran out through the back of his premises and escaped.

There was now a quiet time for several weeks at Hop- kinsville, when all the troops went into winter quarters. This, however, was a monotonous existence for the class of men composing our company. Perhaps half of them had left a wife and children behind and all of them comfortable

32 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

homes. Some were wealthy for that country, but in the en- thusiasm of the moment had rushed into the war for Southern independence.

The regiment of Colonel Forrest had now been joined by two additional companies from Alabama, commanded by Captains Davis and McDonald, and one company from Tennessee, commanded by Captain Starnes. It was now composed of ten companies, with a total strength of eight hundred men.

Early in Christmas week Colonel Forrest was sent with about three hundred men, including thirty men from the company of Captain Merri weather, in the direction of Cal- houn. In Muhlenburg County, Forrest heard a cavalry com- mand of the enemy, estimated at four hundred, was on the road between Greenville and Sacramento. He overtook them near the latter place and found them formed across the road in line of battle. Forrest now halted and prepared for action. He sent Captain Starnes with about forty men to the left and Major Kelly with a similar number to the right to attack both flanks. At the same moment Forrest moved his main line forward with sabers drawn, and charged the enemy's front. The attack was simultaneous and the enemy did not wait to meet the assault. Their line broke up in confusion and stampeded through the town of Sacramento, with the Confederates yelling and pressing the pursuit, Forrest, Merri- weather and Starnes being in the lead. They soon began to overtake and slay those in the rear who did not surrender.

Some two miles beyond Sacramento the Federal com- mander rallied a portion of his command, after passing through a lane that ran over a ridge that crossed a farm. As Forrest and his followers reached the top of the ridge in the lane and found the enemy forming some two hundred yards distant, at the end of the lane, they did not halt or wait for all the command to come up, but Forrest dashed forward at the head of his foremost men, formed in column of fours, and went headlong into the enemy with sabers and pistols, forcing a hand-to-hand combat. Captain Merri-

I

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 33

weather at Forrest's side fell dead with a ball through the head. Forrest being surrounded by his desperate foes, slew Captain Bacon with his saber, who fell from his horse. But Forrest's men rushed to his aid, and one named Terry fell dead at the hands of Captain Davis of the Federal force. Forrest dashed at the Captain with such force that their horses collided and both went down. Davis was disabled and surrendered. Forrest was up and remounted instantly. But there was nothing more to do. Captain Starnes and others who composed the advance had made common cause with Forrest.

All who rallied around Bacon and Davis for this desperate struggle with Forrest and his men had been killed, wounded or captured. And here the conflict ended. The Confed- erates had three men wounded. The struggle had not lasted over fifteen minutes. Though an insignificant affair it was regarded at the time as the most sensational and romantic fight of the war, and the daring and intrepidity of Forrest in this, his first battle, brought himi instant fame.

Early in January, 1862, Gen. George B. Crittenden suc- ceeded Gen. Felix Zollicoffer in command of the little army on the Upper Cumberland encamped at Mill Spring.

Gen. George H. Thomas advanced his coltimn from Le- banon and through Columbia to a point within ten miles of Crittenden. Crittenden moved forward and attacked. A desperate engagement ensued, which finally resulted in the defeat of Crittenden, who retreated to his entrenched camp at Mill Spring. But upon the approach of Thomas with a superior force the Confederates evacuated their position and their retreat became a rout. General Zollicoffer was among the killed. The Confederate command was practically scat- tered for the time being, leaving the Federals in possession of that part of Kentucky.

During this period General Alcorn was relieved and was succeeded at Hopkinsville by Gen. Charles Clark of Missis- sippi. General Sherman had been relieved of his command in Kentucky and succeeded by Gen. Don Carlos Buell.

34 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

The other operations in this section during- the past three months had not been of great importance excepting the battle of Belmont, Missouri, on the Mississippi River. Brig.- Gen. U. S. Grant, in command at Cairo, Illinois, had con- veyed his forces on steamboats down the river and disem- barked on the Missouri side several miles above Columbus, Kentucky. He then moved down to make a demonstration against the Confederate position across the river, but Maj.- Gen. Leonidas Polk managed to get his forces ferried over and attacked Grant at Belmont. After a spirited battle Grant retreated to his boats and returned to Cairo.

CHAPTER III

Battle and surrender of Fort Donelson — Grant absent during the battle — Forrest refuses to surrender and escapes and is followed by over half his regiment.

We were surprised by the announcement that General Grant in command of an expedition up the Tennessee River had surrounded and captured Gen. Lloyd Tilghman and one hundred men at Fort Henry on the 6th of February, 1862. The only comfort we got out of the disaster was the escape of the greater part of the garrison. We realized that the Federal army was seventy-five miles in our rear. The fall of Fort Henry opened the way for the Federals up the river to Mississippi and Alabama. The next morning early we marched through Hopkinsville and out the turnpike leading to Clarksville, Tennessee. The company was disbanded to go in squads through the country to find accommodations and report next morning at Clarksville. We Itf^ed at Clarks- ville that a Confederate army was assembl!^ at Dover to defend Fort Donelson, which was located two miles below the town on the Cumberland River. We arrived at the ferry landing opposite Dover about an hour before night. It w^as after dark when we got across and went into camp with Forrest.

Colonel Forrest went out the Fort Henry road the next afternoon to reconnoiter. After going about three miles we were marching through a short lane, when a single shot was fired. The head of the command pushed forward and the order was passed back down the line to form fours and close up ranks. The regiment rode in a gallop for half a mile or more. The whole command in front seemed to be breaking ranks in some confusion and when we got up it was found

36 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

that a Federal cavalryman had been captured by Wm. Davis, of our company, and he too had fired the first shot, being- at the head of the advance guard when it met the Federal scouts. We went out again the next morning on the Fort Henry road and had gone about a mile when there were several shots at the head of the column and a halt. Colonel Forrest hurried from the right along the front of the line, and as he halted at our company on the left and was talking to Captain Huey, Major Kelly galloped up and reported something to Forrest. I was designated to take six men and go forward. Forrest directed me to deploy the men fifty yards apart, going in the center myself along the road, with three men off in the woods on each side, and when we came upon the enemy to fire and fall back after observing closely all the troops in sight. We proceeded for half a mile without seeing or hearing of the enemy, when we were called back.

Forrest seemed very busy along the line, and in a few minutes dismounted a part of it. He then galloped to Captain Huey and ordered him to follow with his company. We filed around to the right through the woods and went a hundred yards, halting and forming a line fronting a little hill. Forrest went back to the regiment but returned present- ly with M^BKelly and two companions. They hurried by, passing in t^Trear of our line, halting about a hundred yards to our right on higher ground, and began to form in line. Forrest then came back, ordered Captain Huey to take the hill in front of us, and galloped on to the other part of the regiment he had left in the original position.

Captain Huey had about got ready, when suddenly a vol- ley was poured from the hill, about seventy-five yards dis- tant, into our ranks. I heard something strike with a dull spat on my left. Tiller Younger was next to me, and said he was shot through the left arm. When I turned and looked up, I saw that the whole company had given way in some confusion. I called to the men to come up in line and they rallied quick as a flash, every man to his place. The con- fusion had all been caused by the frightened horses. Captain

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 37

Huey had just got the Hne dressed, when Major Kelly' charged the hill with his two companies and went within fifty yards of the Federals, who fired two volleys into his ranks and then opened on him with a piece of artillery, when he fell back in disorder, but quickly rallied and maintained his position. His charge saved our company from the same experience. A number of his men were wounded and sev- eral horses killed. Before our company did anything For- rest withdrew the whole command, which marched back with- in our lines.

The Federals brought several pieces of artillery in sight, half a mile from our trenches, and began to throw shells into our works. It was a straggling fire, however, and met with no response from our artillery. But the booming of the enemy's cannon served to rouse all our forces.

It was now settled that Grant's army was arriving and taking position in our front. Next morning, the 13th, we expected a battle in earnest. The enemy opened with ar- tillery early and continued a desultory cannonade. Several feeble attempts were made by infantry on our works, and one by at least a brigade, which was repulsed after renewed assaults, with considerable loss to the enem^^nd some in our trenches. ^W

On the 14th the armies remained quiet. The enemy's fleet of gunboats, however, attacked the Fort in the afternoon, but was badly crippled and retired down the river.

It appears that General Grant left his army about daylight on the 15th to visit Commander Foote (who was wounded and desired a conference) on his gunboat about seven miles below and did not return until about three o'clock in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, Gen. Gideon S. Pillow moved our army out of our works from the right center all round on the left and attacked Grant's right wing. Captain Huey's company was detailed as an escort for Gen. John B. Floyd, who was in chief command, but we viewed the battle from a safe position. It was an exciting scene to witness the contest for hours not more than half a mile away.

38 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

About two o'clock in the afternoon the enemy retreated toward the Tennessee River, according to our information on the field, and our army returned to the trenches. Late in the afternoon the enemy, by an assault with a division, gained a foothold on Fort Donelson hill, but was checked and partially dislodged by General Buckner. Colonel For- rest and all the cavalry except Captain Huey's company had been in the thickest of the battle.

General Grant says :

After these mishaps to the fleet I concluded to make the investment of Fort Donelson as perfect as possible, and partially fortify, and await repairs to the gunboats.

On the morning of the 15th, before it was yet broad day, a messenger from Flag-officer Foote handed me a note, expressing a desire to see me on the flag-ship, and saying that he had been injured the day before so much that he could not come himself to me. I at once made my preparations for starting.

When I reached the fleet I found the flag-ship was anchored out in the stream. A small boat, however, awaited my arrival and I was soon on board with the flag-officer.

I saw the absolute necessity of his gunboats going into hos- pital and did i^^now but I should be forced to the alternative of going thr<]|Hra siege. But the enemy relieved me from this necessity.

When I left the National line to visit Flag-officer Foote I had no idea that there would be an engagement on land unless I brought it on myself.

From the 12th to the 14th we had but 15,000 men of all arms and no gunboats. Now we had been reinforced by a fleet of six naval vessels, a large division of troops under Gen. L. Wallace, and 2,500 men brought over from Fort Henry belonging to the division of C. F. Smith. The enemy, however, had taken the initiative. Just as I landed I met Captain Hillyer, of my staff, white with fear, not for his personal safety, but for the safety of the National troops. He said the enemy had come out of his lines in full force and attacked and scattered McClernand's division, which was in full retreat.

The attack had been made on the National right. I was some four or five miles north of our left. The line was about three miles long.

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK

39

The enemy had come out in full force to cut his way out and make his escape. McCIernand's division had to bear the brunt of the attack of this combined force.

The division broke and a portion fled, but most of the men, as they were not pursued, only fell back out of the range of the fire of the enemy.

At all events, the enemy fell back within his entrenchments and was there when I got on the field. I saw men standing in knots talking in the most excited manner. No officer seemed to be giving any directions. The soldiers had their muskets, but no ammunition, while there were tons of it close at hand.

I was awakened in the night by confusion in our tent and horses tramping the frozen snow outside. I was told that Floyd, Pillow, and Buckner were going to surrender the army at sunrise next morning. It was said that Forrest was sent for and told that an overwhelming force had been extended on the line from the river above Dover, around to Hickman Creek, below Fort Donelson, and no alternative remained but a surrender. Forrest notified them that he would take his men and cut through Grant's lines. He had notified all the captains of the companies that every member of the regiment could remain and surrender or follow him and take the chances of escape. When I got outside and saddled my horse all were gone. >

I rode in the dark to find the company. There was so much talking and calling in all directions, I wandered around for several minutes before I could locate it. I hurried on and heard the voice of Captain Huey, but before I got to him I observed a column of cavalry approaching, and rode to see where it was going". Forrest was at the head. I asked him if it was true that he was going out. *T am going to try," he said. "When will you start. Colonel ?" I asked. "I am going now," he answered. I hurried to find the company, I met several and told them I was going with Forrest. I found the company breaking ranks in confusion. Forrest's column had passed on. It was a little cloudy and so dark we must get with him then or get left. I got Isaac M. Bowers, who said he roused me as he left the tent. We caught up with Forrest at once.

40 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

After we had gone about a mile there was a halt. An order was whispered along down the line that there must be absolute quiet and to close up ranks. We rested here a little while and again moved forward slowly. No lights were in view anywhere in the direction of the enemy and yet I judged we must be nearing their line, from the distance we had come, and besides we seemed to be moving very cautiously. Presently there was a strange noise toward the head of the column. It could soon be understood that the horses in front were in water, and it was not long till we came to it. It was in woods and dark as pitch, but in we went, following the noise ahead of us. The deepest place I struck was about half way up my saddle skirts. When we reached the other side the command was going forward in a trot and we closed up promptly. Day was just breaking. I observed Major Kelly and a citizen on the roadside after we came out of the water, at a little distance on the right. They had halted at the intersection of the road from Cumberland City to Dover. There were only forty-two of our company, including Captain Huey, that had followed Forrest. Forrest had only about half of his regiment.

Colonel Forrest tells the true story of the battle and his opinion of the surrender was the opinion of the soldiers. He says in his official report :

During the night I was called into council with the generals commanding, when it was determined to bring on the attack the next day by again passing our entrenchments and attacking the enemy's right.

In the early gray of the morning I moved to the attack, the cavalry on the left and in the advance. I found the enemy prepared to receive us, and were again engaged with the sharp- shooters till our infantry were formed for the attack, the first gun from the enemy killing a horse in my regiment. General B. R. Johnson, commanding the left, which now moved to the front. An obstinate fight of two hours ended in the retreat of the enemy. The undergrowth was so thick I could scarcely press my horse through it. Finding that the flank of the enemy

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 41

in retreat was exposed across an open field to my front and left, I immediately led my cavalry to the field, but found the ground a marsh, and we were unable to pass it.

The enemy formed in the edge of a second field to our front and right, and flanking the left of our advancing line of infantry. We could not move to flank them, but by maneuvering to their front and right doubtless prevented their attempting a flank movement on our infantry. Finding that our advancing line of infantry would cut them off, while the cavalry prevented their flanking us, they commenced a retreat, accompanied by their cavalry, which we could now see in the distance, but not par- ticipating during the day in the fight. Our infantry had now driven them near a mile, they doggedly disputing the whole ground, leaving dead and wounded scattered through the woods and fields up to the ravine. The enemy, leaving their third position for the first time, retreated in great haste, advancing by a road through a ravine. I here passed our line of infantry with my command moving in the center.

I charged the enemy's battery of six guns, which had kept several of our regiments in check for several hours, killing and slaughtering a great many of our men. I captured the battery, killing most of the men and horses. I then immediately moved on the flank of the enemy, obstinately maintaining their position. They finally gave way, our infantry and cavalry both charging them at the same time, committing great slaughter. Moving still farther to our right, I found a regiment of our infantry in confusion, which I relieved by charging the enemy to their front. Here sixty-four of the enemy were found in forty yards square. General Pillow, coming up, ordered me to charge the enemy in a ravine. I charged by squadrons, filing the first company of each squadron to the right, and the second to the left, on reach- ing the ravine, firing and falling in the rear of the third squad- ron until the three squadrons had charged. We here completely routed the enemy, leaving some two hundred dead in the hol- low, accomplishing what three different regiments had failed to do. Seeing the enemy's battery to our right about to turn on us, I now ordered a charge on this battery, from which we drove the enemy, capturing two guns. Following down the ravine, captured the third, which they were endeavoring to carry off, gunners and drivers retreating up the hill. In this charge I killed about fifty sharpshooters, who were supporting the guns. I ordered forward a number of scouts, who, returning, informed me that the enemy, with three guns and three regiments of infantry, were moving up by the road from Fort Henry, We

42 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

had driven the enemy back without a reverse from the left of our entrenchments in the center, having opened three different roads by which we might have retired if the generals had, as was deemed best in the council the night before, ordered the retreat of the army. Informing General Pillow of the position the enemy had taken, he ordered two new regiments and one of the regiments in the field, with one piece of artillery, to attack the enemy.

The fight here ended about 2.30 p. m. without any change in our relative positions. We were employed the remainder of the evening in gathering up arms, and assisting in getting off the wounded. I was three times over the battlefield, and late in the evening was two miles up the river on the road to the ford. There were none of the enemy in sight when dark came on. SATURDAY NIGHT OUR TROOPS SLEPT, FLUSHED WITH VICTORY, AND CONFIDENT THEY COULD DRIVE THE ENEMY TO THE TENNESSEE RIVER THE NEXT MORNING.

About 12 o'clock at night I was called in council with the gen- erals, who had under discussion the surrender of the fort. They reported that the enemy had received 11,000 reinforcements since the fight. They supposed the enemy had returned to the positions they had occupied the day before.

I returned to my quarters and sent out two men, who, going by a road up the bank of the river, returned without seeing any of the enemy, only fires, which I believed to he the old camp- fires, and so stated to the generals; the wind, being very high, had fanned them into a blaze.

When I returned General Buckner stated he could not hold his position. Generals Floyd and Pillow gave up the responsi- bility of the command to him, and I told them that I neither could nor would surrender my command. General Pillow then said I could cut my way out if I chose to do so, and he and General Floyd agreed to come out with me. I got my com- mand 'ready and reported at headquarters. General Floyd informed me that General Pillow had left, and that he would go by boat.

I moved out by the road we had gone out the morning before. When about a mile out crossed a deep slough from the river, saddle-skirt deep, and filed into the sand road to Cumberland Iron Works. I ordered Major Kelly and Adjutant Schuyler to remain at the point where we entered this road with one company, where the enemy's cavalry would attack if they attempted to follow us. They remained until day was dawning.

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK

43

Over 500 cavalry had passed, a company of artillery horses had followed, and a number of men from different regiments, passing over hard frozen ground. More than two hours had been occupied in passing. Not a gun had been fired at us. No enemy had been seen or heard.

The enemy could not have reinvested their former position without traveling a considerable distance and camped upon the dead and dying, as there had been great slaughter upon that portion of the field, and I am clearly of the opinion that two- thirds of our army could have marched out without loss, and that, had we continued the fight the next day, we should have gained a glorious victory, as our troops were in fine spirits, believing we had whipped them, and the roads through which we came were open as late as 8 o'clock Sunday morning, as many of my men, who came out afterwards, report. *******

N. B. Forrest, Colonel, Commanding Forrest's Regiment of Cavalry.

CHAPTER IV

Evacuation of Tennessee by Confederates — Battle of Shiloh — Campaign in Virginia — Buell in North Alabama — Bragg at Chattanooga — Forrest and Morgan in Buell's rear — Bragg and Kirby Smith invade Kentucky.

At Nashville there v^as confusion and demoralization. Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston was here and his army was arriving from Bowling Green. The soldiers were indignant and somewhat disheartened on account of the ridiculous sur- render of the sleeping army at Fort Donelson. Forrest and the 500 who followed him, to cut through Grant's lines if necessary, were the heroes of the hour. Everybody wanted to see Forrest. I saw Floyd and Pillow here and they looked ''pretty cheap."

The next morning Captain Huey moved our company out the Murfreesboro pike a few miles. The roll call showed 42 present. Our lieutenants had been left at Fort Donelson and Captain Huey held an election. I was elected first lieu- tenant. The company being without baggage and camping utensils was disbanded to secure accommodations and report at Hunts ville, Alabama, on the 25th.

At Huntsville we met Captain Huey, and going down the valley were attached permanently to the First Kentucky Cavalry. Col. Ben Hardin Helm and Lieut-Col. Thomas G. Woodward were the commanders. Col. Helm's wife was a sister of Mrs. Abraham Lincoln.

The regiment was encamped near Tuscumbia, guarding the railroad bridge at Florence and watching the advance of Buell from Nashville. Meanwhile, the army of General Johnston had concentrated at Corinth, confronting General Grant's main body of troops at Pittsburg Landing.

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 45

There was great excitement in the regiment when the news was received that Johnston's army had started from Corinth to attack Grant. By going to the water's edge at Tuscumbia Landing, not far from camp, we could distinctly hear the cannonade during the battle, which was sixty miles distant by the river. The news of the victory of our army the first day caused great rejoicing throughout the regiment, and an eagerness to go to the field. But it looked as if we were fated to disappointment in our anxiety for actual ex- perience in battle. The result of the second day's conflict and the retreat of Beauregard, together with the death of Gen- eral Johnston, were dispiriting, and yet we felt that our army got the best of the battle and was safe.

Buell had arrived with thirty thousand troops after the close of the first day's engagement and saved Grant's army.

The army of General Beauregard finally abandoned Corinth, and was recuperated and reorganized just south of Tupelo, Mississippi, where it remained until June. In the mean time, Colonel Helm had the Florence bridge burned and broke camp, marching down the valley to Buzzard Roost. All the regiment left with Helm except Captain Huey's com- pany. It was detailed for outpost duty below Tuscumbia, the enemy being at Decatur.

Finally, in May, Brig.-Gen. John Adams came up the val- ley with a regiment of Texas Rangers commanded by Col. John A. Wharton, and with the First Kentucky Cavalry just in the rear. He crossed the Tennessee River at Lamb's Ferry, and proceeding across the country attacked a garrison stationed at Hughey's Bridge on the Nashville and Deca- tur Railroad. Here Huey's company had its first fight.

The enemy was barricaded in a large log barn or stable, near the bridge, which was inclosed by a rail fence with stakes and riders. The command dismounted and sur^ rounded the enemy. This was a bloody fight for more than an hour. Finally we charged the barn on three sides. As I straddled the top rail of the fence going over, Ida Younger, at my side, was shot in the forehead and fell outside,

46 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

dead. At this moment the First Kentucky arrived at full speed, and Captain Noel at the head of his company, mounted, came through the gate. They at once received the enemy's fire and Captain Noel was among the killed. The garrison now surrendered when we were within a few steps of the barn.

Adams returned now to the Tennessee River, but found the way blocked by the enemy's infantry and artillery. He then turned and ran the gauntlet of the garrisons and went into camp at the foot of the mountains beyond Decherd. But the second day the enemy approached in pursuit. We made an all-night ride across the mountains to Swedens Cove, but to our surprise at about lo o'clock in the forenoon we discovered that we were nearly surrounded. Adams and his staff were cut off, but escaped by a mountain path. The command was stampeded for several miles and then leisurely proceeded across the Sequatchie Valley ten miles, and continuing across the mountain arrived before morning at Chattanooga.

It occurred to Captain Huey's company that we now had some actual experience in the war. We had been in a hot fight at close range; we had been marched without sleep to the* point of starvation, and had been surprised and stampeded, disgracefully, and all this within five days' time. But we were not discouraged. We enjoyed everything that happened.

Our encampment above Chattanooga, a few miles, was comfortable and prolonged, but without noteworthy inci- dent. We had nothing to do but think of the war. It was a bitter memory to recall the action of the generals in command at Fort Donelson and the death of Albert Sidney Johnston. And all the news from Middle Tennessee and Kentucky was distressing.

But having communication with Knoxville and Atlanta we were still rejoicing over the news from Stonewall Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley.

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 47

Since this campaign of Jackson is omitted (along with the first and second battles of Manassas) from the "sum- mary" of the battles of the war by General Buell which is quoted in Chapter 49, it may be pardonable to sketch it here.

The operations of the armies in Virginia under Stonewall Jackson, Robert E. Lee and Joseph E. Johnston had been active and had defeated several armies since the first great victory of Bull Run.

In March, 1862, Stonewall Jackson was near Winchester, with about 5,000 men of all arms to hold the enemy in that section. General Shields with over 8,000 men attacked Jackson a few miles south of Winchester at Kernstown. After a sanguinary battle which lasted till night, Jackson retreated up the Valley. General Ewell's division was sent to reinforce Jackson, which increased the force to about 15,000 of all arms before the first of May.

At this time General Fremont on the west was concen- trating about 30,000 men at Franklin. He had advanced General Milroy with about 5,000 men to a point within forty miles of Staunton, which was Jackson's base. General Banks with 20,000 men, including the force of Shields, had established his base at Strasburg, seventy miles down the Valley from Staunton. General McDowell with about 35,000 men occupied points immediately east of the Blue Ridge, where he was in position to enter the Valley by any of the gaps and march upon Staunton or could march to the assistance of McClellan on the Chickahominy.

Jackson with his 15,000 men, located at Port Republic in the early part of May, was thus confronted by three armies aggregating over 80,000 men. Johnston had con- centrated about 70,000 men in front of Richmond to contest the advance of McClellan's army of over 100,000 men.

Jackson suddenly marched through a gap of the Blue Ridge, and loading his army on the cars went to Staunton. He immediately marched northwest and fell upon Milroy and Schenck, within twenty-five miles of Staunton, whom he defeated and sent flying back on Fremont at Franklin, forty

48 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

miles west. Meanwhile, Jackson had left Gen. Turner Ash- by with his cavalry to annoy the enemy in the Valley. Jack- son now fell back toward Harrisonburg in the Valley. He reached New Market within three days.

He promptly moved, May 23d, upon the forces of General Banks at Front Royal, which he surprised and routed. This placed Jackson in the rear of Banks, at Strasburg, who did not wait, but began at once a retreat to Winchester. Jack- son struck his flank at Newtown, May 24th, routing the forces and capturing a large number of prisoners, 9,000 stands of arms, camp equipage, and a great quantity of provi- sions, ammunition and other army supplies. Jackson chased Banks through Winchester, where there was an en- gagement, but Banks went on and crossed the Potomac into Maryland. A Federal force of 7,000 or 8,000 were fortified at Harper's Ferry, and Jackson threatened it with assault long enough for the property captured at Winchester and Newtown to be removed to Staunton.

Fremont was now marching with about 15,000 men to- ward Harrisonburg, seventy miles in Jackson's rear, on. the Valley road to Staunton. Jackson sent Gen. John D. Im- boden with Ashby's cavalry and some artillery to block the gap and hold Fremont back. It forced Fremont around to another gap, but when he got into the Valley and reached Strasburg, Jackson had just passed, and went on to Har- risonburg, closely pursued by Fremont. On May 31st John- ston moved out and attacked McClellan's advance, and the two days' battle of Seven Pines or Fair Oaks was fought, in which General Johnston was wounded, though achieving success. Meanwhile, the Washington authorities were in a state of terror, and General Shields was sent by McDowell with a large force to the assistance of Fremont. Jackson now sent cavalry detachments, which burned all the bridges on the Shenandoah River, below Port Republic, to prevent Shields from crossing. The water was now too deep to ford. He then retreated toward Port Republic with Fremont at his heels.

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 49

At Cross Keys, six miles from Harrisonburg, Jackson turned suddenly and gave battle, defeating Fremont, who retreated. Jackson left Ewell here, on the battlefield, with a force to confront Fremont if he returned. Gen. Turner Ashby was killed in this battle, June 8th. Jackson summoned Imboden with his force of artillery and cavalry to Port Re- public and marched his force to that place. The enemy, from McDowell's army, had approached from the east and was encamped near the town on the Lewis farm. Early next morning Jackson met them at the bridge and drove the advance back to the encampment. The battle was at once opened and resulted in a victory for Jackson. The routed enemy was pursued beyond the defile in the mountain by forces under General Imboden. Fremont had heard the noise of the battle and hurried forward from Harrison- burg, but Ewell falling back had rejoined Jackson and burned the bridge over the river behind him. When Fremont arrived on the other side the victory had already been won by Jackson and the; river could not be crossed.

The battle of Port Republic was fought on the 9th of June. Thus, beginning with Milroy on the 8th of May, Jackson had within one month defeated and scattered all the forces sent against him.

Fremont did not advance, and Jackson, on June 17th, leaving Generals Imboden and Robertson with a small force and a battery, passed from the Valley with his troops, and marching steadily he reached Ashland on the 25th.

On the next morning, June 26th, General Lee's army, with Jackson's troops composing his left wing, moved against McClellan and opened the Seven Days' battles, re- sulting in the discomfiture and retreat of McClellan's army to Harrison's Landing on the James River. Meanwhile, just before these engagements began. Gen. J. E. B. Stuart, the peer of Forrest and Morgan, with his division of cavalry, had passed around the right flank of McClellan and scattered everything in his path until he made the complete circuit of McClellan's army, crossing the Chickahominy below and

50 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

reaching Lee's army in safety. It was upon the strength of Stuart's observations that Lee decided to attack im- mediately.

There was little occurring in Mississippi, though we un- derstood our army was being reorganized and strengthened under Gen. Braxton Bragg.

The information was received that General Buell was advancing from Corinth up the Tennessee River in June. And to our relief the troops from Mississippi began to arrive by railroad at Chattanooga, and in fact an army was formed here under General Bragg.

I was sent across the river with fifteen men to establish a picket post at Suck Creek, five miles from Chattanooga. There was just room here for the big road between the river and the foot of the mountain. Just a little distance beyond the creek the road ascended the mountain. It was twenty miles across to the Sequatchie Valley, where Buell's ad- vance was now reported. Soon after I located at Suck Creek to send scouts daily across the mountain, Colonel For- rest arrived at Chattanooga with his escort company under Captain Bill Forrest. He at once organized a brigade com- posed as follows: Colonel Wharton's Texas Rangers, Colonel Woodward's First Kentucky, a Georgia regiment under Colonel Lawton, and a Georgia battalion under Colonel Morrison.

About the loth of July General Bragg sent Forrest to Middle Tennessee to attack Buell's line of communications. At McMinnville Major Smith, with two companies under Captains Taylor and Waltham, joined Forrest, and his force now numbered fifteen hundred men. On the 12th, without artillery, Forrest marched from McMinnville, and at day- break on the 13th he captured the outposts without firing a gun and entered Murfreesboro. A superior force under Gen. T. T. Crittenden was assailed in detail and captured, Crittenden being taken at a hotel. The official report says Forrest captured *'two brigadier-generals, staff and field officers ; burned $200,000 worth of stores ; captured sufficient

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 5l

Stores with those burned to amount to $500,000 ; 60 wagons, 300 mules, 150 to 200 horses, and a field battery of four pieces." He then returned to McMinnville on account of the large number of prisoners to be guarded.

About the same time Col. John H. Morgan, who now had a regiment, left Knoxville and crossed the mountains to Sparta, then crossed the Cumberland River and began at Tompkins vi lie, Kentucky, to capture garrisons. He rode all over central Kentucky, reaching within sixty miles of Ohio. He drew after him in pursuit 8,000 to 10,000 of the enemy's cavalry gathered from all parts of Kentucky.

In his official report Colonel Morgan says:

I left Knoxville on the 4th day of this month (July) with about nine hundred men and returned to Livingston (Tenn.) on the 28th with nearly twelve hundred, having been absent just twenty-four days, during which time I have traveled over a thousand miles, captured seventeen towns, destroyed all the government supplies and arms in them, dispersed about fifteen hundred home guards, and paroled nearly twelve hundred regular troops. I lost in killed, wounded, and missing of the number that I carried into Kentucky about ninety.

It is important to observe the effect of the operations of Forrest and Morgan upon the situation of Buell's army. It is well stated by General Buell himself as follows :

Headquarters, Army of the Ohio.

In Camp, Huntsville, Ala., July 21st, 1862. General Orders, No. 32 :

On the 13th inst. the army at Murfreesboro, under command of Brig.-Gen. T. T. Crittenden, late colonel of the Sixth Indiana Regiment, * * * was captured at that place by a force of the enemy's cavalry variously estimated from 1,800 to 3,500. It appears from the best information that can be obtained, that Brig.-Gen. Crittenden and Colonel Duffield, of the Ninth Mich- igan, with the six companies of that regiment and all of the cavalry, were surprised and captured early in the morning in the houses and streets of the town, or in their camp near by, with but slight resistance and without any timely warning of the presence of the enemy. The rest of the force, consisting

52 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

of the Third Minnesota and the artillery under Colonel Lester, left its camp and took another position, which it maintained with but few casualties against the feeble attacks of the enemy until about three o'clock, when it was surrendered and marched into captivity.

Take it in all its features, few more disgraceful examples of neglect of duty and lack of good conduct can be found in the history of wars. It fully merits the extreme penalty which the law provides for such misconduct. The force was more than sufficient to repel the attack effectually. The mortification which the army will feel at the result is poorly compensated by the exertion made by some — perhaps many — of the officers to retrieve the disgrace of the surprise. The action fit to be adopted with reference to those who are blamable, especially the officers highest in command, cannot be determined without further investigation.

}|: ^ ^ :{: ^ ^ ^

James B. Fry, Colonel and Chief of Staff. By command of Maj.-Gen. Buell.

General Buell says further:

The road from Nashville to Stevenson was completed on the 1 2th of July, and a train was started the next morning with supplies for the depot at Stevenson. My attention had been attracted to the importance of McMinnville as an outpost. It was at the foot of the mountain on the direct mountain road between Nashville and Chattanooga, and was the terminus of a branch railroad, twenty miles east of the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad. I had just organized a new brigade at Murfreesboro to occupy McMinnville. On the morning of the 13th, Forrest, with a large body of cavalry, surprised the brigade, killed and wounded some and captured the rest, dam- aged the railroad seriously, and produced alarm in Nashville where the force was not large.

This was the first appearance of any large body of the enemy in our rear south of the Cumberland, though Morgan was at the same time engaged in a formidable raid in Kentucky. Nel- son was immediately ordered to occupy Murfreesboro and Mc- Minnville with his division, himself and one brigade going by railroad. He had just reached Murfreesboro with a portion

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 53

of his troops when Forrest, on the i8th, appeared again on the railroad between him and Nashville, captured guards, and destroyed two more bridges.

3)C 3|C 3fC ^ ^ 3|C 3fC

Our communications south of the Cumberland had been made secure by the distribution of the troops, but to the north the depredations were prosecuted with increased vigor. Our cav- alry was totally insufficient to cope with these incursions, which, it must be said, were seldom resisted by the infantry guards with vigilance and resolution. On the loth of August, Morgan again appeared on the railroad north of Nashville, captured the guard of about 150 men at Gallatin, effectually disabled the tun- nel north of that place, and destroyed several bridges toward Nashville. Our communication with Louisville, on which we were dependent for supplies, was thus, for the present, effectu- ally severed. Work was immediately commenced to repair the damage, but the constantly recurring presence of the enemy's cavalry interfered so effectually as to require a large increase of force from the front or the rear for the defense.

On the 1 8th a guard of a regiment belonging to Grant's com- mand was captured without a show of resistance at Clarksville,* where a considerable quantity of supplies had been deposited for transshipment in consequence of suspension of navigation by low water in the Cumberland.

Upon hearing of Morgan's appearance again on the Cumber- land, north of Nashville, General R. W. Johnson, a spirited cavalry officer, under whose command I had assembled all the cavalry that was available, moved promptly in pursuit, and with his inferior force attacked Morgan vigorously near Hartsville. Johnson was defeated with a loss of 80 killed and wounded and 75 prisoners, himself among the latter. The rest escaped and made their way as stragglers or in small bodies to Nashville.

We were now reduced to ten days' rations. Our railroad com- munication north of Nashville had been broken for twenty days, and no effort was being made at Louisville to reopen it.

The last week in August Major Clare, of General Hardee's staff, came over from Chattanooga to my post. He directed me to break up camp and accompany him across the moun- tain to find out if Buell's army was still at Battle Creek and

♦Captured by Col. Adam R. Johnson.

54 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

Jasper. We reached the Sequatchie Valley about sunset and learned positively that no change had occurred in the posi- tion of the enemy. Major Clare left me here with Rolla Humphrey to remain another day, while he returned with the rest of my men.

I secured all the information possible the next day, and starting about dark across the mountain, reached Chatta- nooga at sunrise. Here to my surprise I found that Bragg's army, about 28,000 troops, had crossed the river and marched over the Walden Ridge toward Nashville, and that Kirby Smith had already entered Kentucky from Knoxville with about 20,000 men. Bragg had finished crossing on the 30th.

I at once started on the trail of Bragg's army. I was joined by Dr. J. B. Cowan, medical director on Forrest's staff. He had been left in Mississippi. We traveled to- gether to Burkesville, Kentucky, where he stopped to go another route. I found the army at Bardstown and rejoined my company. Captain Huey had not lost a man on the expedition.

Bragg had taken Forrest's brigade and Wheeler was now in command of all the cavalry.

CHAPTER V Battle of Perryville — Bragg and Smith evacuate Kentucky.

General Wheeler had guarded the front during the ex- pedition and now reported the advance of Buell's army from Louisville.

On the 2d of October the army began to move and marched on the Springfield pike at an early hour in the morning. We passed through Springfield and on to Perryville, where we camped. After some delay here next day we took the pike to Harrodsburg and went into camp just beyond in a large woodland along a small creek. We were now going directly toward Lexington from Perryville and the army was happy. It was rumored in camp that Bragg and Kirby Smith would unite their forces and a great battle would follow.

I moved around among the infantry awhile to talk with some of those who had fought at Shiloh. I happened upon a mess composed of several officers and privates from Louisiana. Maj. J. E. Austin was in the party. He told me he commanded the 14th Louisiana battalion of sharpshooters. The interview was cut short, however. An order came to get ready to march. It was then 10 o'clock at night. I hurried back to my own company.

We passed through Harrodsburg about 12 or i o'clock, and to my surprise were in sight of Perryville again by sun- up. We halted and our company dismounted and rested on the roadside while eating a lunch and napping. I learned that our cavalry, under Colonel Wheeler, had been fighting the enemy beyond Perryville on the Springfield road in the afternoon before. And this morning there was more or less firing in that direction. It was obvious that our infantry

56 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

was being formed over on the right of the pike in line of battle. The artillery was also leaving the pike on that side. Captain Huey came up the pike from the direction of Perry- ville and notified the company that we had been detailed as an escort for Gen. Patton Anderson, who was command- ing a division, and that a battle was imminent. There was disgust in the company over the arrangement.

I went to Captain Huey and told him that I wanted to go and get with Major Austin's sharpshooters and go into the battle. He objected until I insisted that I did not want it said that I had been in the army a year without having fought in a battle. I reminded him that our one year ex- pired in two weeks. I dropped in the rear as the company moved off toward Perryville. I then worked along, through different commands, inquiring for the headquarters of Gen. Dan W. Adams. When I found him he pointed out the locality where I would find Major Austin. The Major was delighted to see me. I told him the circumstances that caused me to come to him. I proposed that he ride my horse and let me go as a sharpshooter. He promptly in- stalled me in his mess. I was furnished with the rifle and ammunition of one of his men who was too ill for duty.

About noon General Adams sent for Major Austin. On his return the battalion was ordered under arms and in line. I surveyed the surrounding commands and saw there was a general formation. I could not see any of the enemy in sight, and a sharp firing to the left was the only indication that any was near. The battalion was soon ready and Major Austin mounted my horse and marched forward two or three hundred yards through a timbered pasture in which there was considerable brush and a good many stumps. We were then halted. I also observed other battalions or parts of regiments were going forward like ours. We were de- ployed about twenty yards apart so that our line covered the front of General Adams's brigade. Major Austin ordered the line forward. In a few minutes the enemy's cannon opened up and was soon firing all along the line.

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 57

We were now getting close enough to see that the Fed- eral line extended away to the right with a gap to the left. When we were within about four hundred yards of their line of battle, the enemy's sharpshooters opened fire on us from behind trees and stumps, and all along the front of their line, which was a long distance in both directions, but we moved on as though nothing had happened. The sharpshooters of the enemy continued their fire while we were halted, but our line was close behind us now, and suddenly the brass bands broke loose and filled the woods full of music, the troops began to cheer and the enemy's artillery began to roar. Major Austin ordered our line to move and with a yell we went forward. The sharp- shooters fired at us once more and then ran. We were halted to fire, and after one shot the battalion was formed in line within a hundred yards of the creek. The fight was already raging to the right and away to the left and the whole army was cheering. We then went forward. As we neared the creek the enemy's infantry line opened fire on us. Major Austin ordered us to go double-quick to a rock fence. The creek had some water in it but was easily crossed and we went to the fence under fire. A perfect storm of bullets was rained on us, or rather on the fence.

Our own artillery was now pouring a continuous storm of shot and shell on the enemy's infantry line and the battle was hot from end to end. Major Austin, galloping to our left, ordered us to double-quick straight down to the left and right-face to the enemy. Then he yelled "Charge!" It was a clean spot of ground outside of the farm between the creek and the enemy. We went yelling about half way, aiming to flank the enemy at a large bam. Major Austin was right along on my horse. I did not see how he escaped. The fire in front of us and from both flanks was too hot and Major Austin ordered us back behind the rock fence. A number of our men fell in the five minutes we were out there. But in a moment General Adams, with

58 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

four regiments, crossed the creek to the left, and we were ordered to go out to the same spot again, and did, when Adams brought his Hne even with us.

Meanwhile, the large barn across the orchard had been set on fire by the shells from our cannon. We went for- ward in Adams's line, all walking and firing as we went. The enemy broke on the left of the barn from us and General Adams pushed his men forward. We pressed the enemy back. Their line was still standing from the barn on to the dwelling-house, but our whole line was right up against them. Major Austin turned us to the right, in the rear of the line behind the orchard, and the enemy gave way in a disorderly retreat, as did the line down to our left. We were in a cornfield, but the cornstalks were cut and shocked. A ridge ran about the middle, parallel with the creek or front. There was about the same slope from the crest of the ridge to the rear as to the creek. We got to the top of the ridge about the time the enemy got over the back fence of the field and squatted behind it. Many of them went on that the officers could not rally. We were about seventy-five yards from the fence in the open, General Adams's whole brigade being in line. We had been firing all the time at thirty to fifty yards' range, but the losses were all on their side after we passed the barn.

General Adams now ordered us to lie down and shoot. He and Major Austin were riding up and down our line while we exchanged volley after volley with the enemy. But our whole army was driving the enemy to the right and left and General Adams ordered a charge. Austin rode with us bareheaded and waving his hat. He was a charmed target. The enemy gave way in disorder, going down for fifty yards and then up a hill in a clean woods pas- ture. They were in a drove now like a flock of sheep, and we could not miss such a dense crowd. The poor fellows fell like leaves from trees in the fall of the year. It seemed to me that half of them were left on the ground in that pas- ture. We were now veered to the right and helped drive a

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 59

force posted behind a fence. This ended in our favor, and as we pressed forward the right of our battalion rested on a lane. I with others went along this lane in line, but now everything in front of us seemed to be routed. Reinforce- ments came up on the other side and we ran into another fight in a skirt of woods. Here we won again, capturing a lot of cannon and some prisoners.

The battle, in the mean while, was a perfect storm, the sound of musketry never ceasing and the roar of cannon rolling without a break. And the yelling was continuous along the line of our army. We had passed through camps and over the dead and dying. Loose horses were running in all directions and wounded men were crying for help. There were halts and moves forward, but not as hard or hot fight- ing, except near another house on the lane, after the first two hours, as the enemy continued to give way, leaving a waste of everything behind that a soldier carries in battle. The sun had gone down and there was a lull all along the line. Our battalion had got somewhat mixed with other men in crossing or going around lots and I got separated from the main part, but six or eight were with me. When the order came to fall back we were in rather thick woods and I could not see Major Austin anywhere. We went on back with the line, which began to straggle along. Every one was hungry and thirsty. It must have been a mile or more, over the horrible battlefield, to the creek.

It was understood that the battle would be renewed the following morning. Major Austin waked me late in the night and told me we were ordered to march. We reached the Harrodsburg turnpike, a mile from Perryville, soon after daylight. There was considerable skirmishing beyond Perryville some distance toward Springfield and Danville.

The formation of brigades and divisions began to indicate a battle on different ground. However, we broke ranks later in the day and resumed the march to Harrodsburg. Taking leave of Major Austin and his friends I mounted my horse and made my way along the pike to rejoin my company.

60 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

I camped along with different commands where I could get forage for my horse, and did not overtake Captain Huey's company for several days. We retreated through Lancaster, Crab Orchard, Mt. Vernon, London, Barboursville and Pine- ville. There was a pause for battle at Crab Orchard, but the retreat was continued without anything of special in- terest, moving leisurely along over the mountain at Cumber- land Gap. The troops were weary and disappointed, and there was no cheering when generals passed along the col- umn. They could not understand why Bragg and Smith with about 50,000 men had marched into Kentucky and were marching out again.

CHAPTER VI

Breckinridge at Murfreesboro — Forrest at Franklin — ^Johnson and Martin in western Kentucky — John W. Foster levies on citizens to reimburse Union men.

We were in camp at Knoxville two days before the ar- rangement was made to muster the company of Captain Huey out of the service. There were none who wanted to reorganize and reenlist to continue the experience of the past year. All wanted to get with Morgan.

Our exalted ideas in the beginning, of generals command- ing armies, had changed. The commanders at Fort Don- elson, Beauregard at Shiloh, and Bragg and Smith in Ken- tucky had taxed our patience. Forrest and Morgan had been the campaigners. Morgan had been the first man in history to raid far in the rear of the enemy's great armies and successfully defy overwhelming numbers.

The infantry soldiers felt that they had never gotten the worst of a battle and could not understand how Buell with 60,000, including fresh drafted men, could frighten Bragg and Smith out of Kentucky when they had nearly 50,000 men.

I agreed with both soldiers and citizens at this time, that our cause was lost, by poor generalship in the West, unless the independence of the Confederate States should be acknowledged by England and France.

I started from Knoxville with Isaac M. Bowers as my companion. We had agreed to go through to our homes in western Kentucky for a new outfit, see our families, and then get with Adam Johnson's regiment or go to Morgan.

We found Gen. John C. Breckinridge with a division at Murfreesboro. At Franklin we found Forrest with a bri-

62 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

gade of cavalry. At Charlotte we reached the danger line. We proceeded to the home of Mrs. Batson on Barton's Creek and got a guide to go through the "coalings" for miles, to reach Palmyra, where we crossed the Cumberland. It was necessary now to travel paths and wagon-ways to avoid the cavalry of the enemy which scouted from the county-seats. But we reached our homes in safety. Our parents lived six miles apart in Hopkins County. However, the family could not keep my return a secret, on which I depended for safety. The citizens of this whole county were divided into friends and enemies, and the feeling was bitter. Every man and woman was either "Secesh" or "Lincolnite." There had been exciting times in all this section since early spring until October.

Adam R. Johnson and Robert M. Martin, two scouts, for General Floyd at Fort Donelson, and for General Breckinridge at Shiloh, came into this section and began to recruit soldiers and organize a command. Martin was a young merchant at Carlow, four miles from Dixon, the county-seat of Webster County, on the road from Dixon to Henderson. Johnson was a native of Henderson but had lived in Texas several years immediately preceding the war.

When they had recruited twenty-seven men they went about boldly, and were chased by Federal cavalry from one county to another, but always managed to escape. Being hotly pressed, Johnson and Martin managed to slip across Green River above Spottsville, in Henderson County. They learned that there was a force of infantry at Newburg, Indi- ana, just above the mouth of Green River, and with their force of twenty-seven men were piloted through the wooded bottom-lands of the Ohio River on the Kentucky side to a point opposite Newburg. They mounted a piece of stove pipe two joints long on the hind part of a wagon and put it in position to fire on Newburg. The twenty-seven men were openly displayed around the artillery, moving back and forth from the open space into the woods to make the im- pression that a strong force was at hand. Johnson and

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 63

Martin, and Amphletis Owen took a skiff with an oarsman and crossed over to Newburg with a flag" of truce. The Federal garrison gathered at the wharf, when the party- landed, to see what on earth could be the matter. Johnson asked for the commander, who presented himself. They then notified him that Col. Adam R. Johnson was across the river with artillery and a large force and demanded the surrender of the garrison, otherwise he would shell and destroy the town of Newburg. A great many citizens had gathered in the crowd and were panic-stricken over the prospect. After parleying for some time the terms of sur- render were agreed to, being largely influenced by prominent citizens to save the town, and the ferry-boat was carried over to bring the men across to take charge of the arms.

Meanwhile, Johnson, Martin, and Owen guarded the stack of arms and equipments of every description. The ferry soon returned with the men, and the boat'being loaded with every- thing Johnson and Martin wanted, the remainder of the spoils were destroyed. The captain and his men were paroled, when Johnson, Martin, and Owen, taking friendly leave, entered their skiff and were rowed to the Kentucky shore. They got a light wagon and before the next day had dawned were far up Green River in its wildest woods, where the surplus was secreted, and the Httle band was soon on the other side of the river, loaded with all they could carry.

The fame of this exploit spread rapidly, and the restless Southern spirits were hunting everywhere for Johnson and Martin to join their command. Within a short time their force had grown to several hundred, and companies were being secretly organized in several counties to enlist with the proposed regiment. In a brief period a regiment was actually organized, with Adam R. Johnson as colonel and Robert M. Martin, lieutenant-colonel, and practically occu- pied the counties of Hopkins, Muhlenburg, McLean, Daviess, Henderson, Union, Webster, and Christian, at will, outside the county-seats, where Federal garrisons were in force too strong to capture.

64 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

During the summer Johnson and Martin attacked and captured many garrisons and scouting commands. It was their tactics to surprise the enemy and never be surprised. Colonel Johnson was awakened one night by a messenger with the news that Col. James M. Shackelford, commanding a force of Federal cavalry, had left Madisonville to attack the camp. Johnson at once mounted his command and de- parted.

Colonel Shackelford reached the point early in the fore- noon and found a deserted camp. He rested here to feed his horses, and in a little while the Rebel citizens began to slip across the waters of Wiers Creek flats, to Johnson's camp on Walnut Hill, loaded with breakfast for Johnson's men. One by one they were unloaded and pointed to a spot selected for prisoners. Up to the time Shackelford was ready to move he had caught about twenty of these patriotic Southerners in his net.

The next day Colonel Johnson's regiment was thirty-five miles away, beyond Morganfield, and at daybreak the follow- ing morning surrounded and captured the garrison at Union- town, on the Ohio River.

Colonel Shackelford heard of this event and went in pur- suit. When he reached the locality Colonel Johnson had retired to a secluded dense woods around Geiger's Lake in Union County. Shackelford moved with his command upon the Confederate rendezvous and an engagement ensued in which Colonel Shackelford was shot in the heel. Johnson escaped with his command in good order and without loss, eluding immediate pursuit. Colonel Johnson attacked the garrison at Clarksville, Tennessee, capturing Colonel Mason and his regiment, with an immense quantity of army sup- plies stored there for shipment by railroad to General Grant at Oxford, Mississippi.

With reference to this affair General Grant says :

On the 22d, Col. Rodney Mason surrendered Clarksville with six companies of his regiment.

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 65

When he was summoned to surrender by a band of guerrillas, his constitutional weakness came over him. He inquired the number of men the enemy had, and receiving a response indi- cating a force greater than his own he said if he could be satisfied of that fact he would surrender. Arrangements were made for him to count the guerrillas, and having satisfied him- self that the enemy had the greater force he surrendered and informed his subordinate at Donelson of the fact, advising him to do the same. The guerrillas paroled their prisoners and moved upon Donelson, but the officer in command at that point marched out to meet them and drove them away.

The daring and successful operation of this force, for six months, 250 miles in the rear of Grant's army in north Mis- sissippi, and of Buell's at and east of Huntsville, Alabama, kept alive the spirits of the friends of the South and terror- ized the Union element all over this section of Kentucky between the Cumberland and Green rivers and west of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad to the Ohio River. It was the first anyhow, and perhaps the only regiment that ever boldly occupied territory far in the rear of the Federal armies.

After the battle of Perryville Col. John H. Morgan swept down toward western Kentucky as far as Hopkinsville. Colonel Johnson now followed on out to Middle Tennessee after the retreat of Bragg's army from Kentucky, and attached his regiment to Morgan's forces and commanded one of the brigades on the Ohio raid in 1863.

The Federals were now in undisputed possession and vis- ited retribution upon the "Secesh" citizens. Colonel John W. Foster* of Evansville, Indiana, with an Indiana regi- ment occupied Madisonville and notified all Southern sym- pathizers in the county of any standing to report at his head- quarters. These were required to pay an assessment of $100 to $500 on the spot or go to prison. My father and next younger brother, only sixteen years old, were required to go. My father was assessed $200 for himself and $100 for my

♦Resided at Washington, D. C, 1905. He was Secretary of State in President Harrison's Cabinet, having been Minister to Mexico and Russia.

66 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

brother and both required to take a non-combatant's oath. The receipt for the money recited that it was collected to re- imburse Union men who had lost horses or provisions by the depredations of guerrillas. The Union men were boldly riding around with the squads of cavalry to summon citizens to Foster's headquarters at Madisonville.

This was the condition of affairs I found to exist, and I could not remain. I sent a message to Bowers. After be- ing equipped with clothing-, etc., I rode my father's best horse away to the South again. I started at sunset through the woods, reaching the house of Wm. Mills, an enthusi- astic friend, and spent the night. The next day I crossed Tradewater at White's Mill and reached Allen Baker's, where I found Bowers. We started after supper and traveled all night by our now familiar route to a point near Palmyra. We learned, however, that a garrison of Federals was now stationed at Palmyra. We were directed to the right and arrived at the house of Squire Fletcher a while before sun- down. Fletcher went with us by a blind path around Mrs. Outlaw's place to the river bank, and shouted across to a man named Murray who lived in a cabin surrounded by timber on the opposite bank. Murray came over with his skiff. We stripped our horses and put our luggage in the skiff. Then getting in we led our horses into the water by halters and pushed out, swimming our horses on the upper side.

At the house of Mr. Dickson, in Charlotte, we met our old friend John B. Walker of Madisonville, Kentucky, who was a refugee. His wife and two daughters, Mary and Blanche, were with him for a brief visit.

We left Charlotte the next day and stopped a while in the afternoon at Franklin. Forrest's command still occupied the same position, but he was commanding a brigade of four regiments now, and one or two smaller commands, besides a battery. And this fine brigade had been recruited since Forrest returned from Kentucky, two months before, one each by Col. James W. Starnes, Col. George G. Dibrell, and

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 67

Col. J. B. Biffle of Tennessee, and one from Alabama, by Col. A. A. Russell, which included four companies of Foi- rest's original regiment, that had been with him at Sacra- mento, Donelson, and Shiloh.

We were greatly tempted to enlist here with Forrest, but concluded to go and enter the Kentucky command of Mor- gan, which we learned was now on the other side of Mur- freesboro, to which point we then proceeded.

CHAPTER VII

Bragg's army at Murfreesboro — Secret service for General Bragg — Purchases at Lafayette, Kentucky — Surprise, flight, and narrow escape — Battle at Murfreesboro — Discontent in the army and feeling against General Bragg — Col. R. C. Tyler wounded — Death of Tyler — Bragg and his generals.

At Murfreesboro we found all the commotion incident to a great army. The army of General Bragg had been concen- trated here. Among our old acquaintances Bowers met Maj. James M. Hawkins, commissary on the staff of Maj.- Gen. Frank Cheatham. In the afternoon, when we were about ready to start in the direction of Morgan, Major Hawkins met us and I was introduced. He told Bowers he had just come from Col. Robert C. Tyler of Nashville, who was provost-general of the army, and wanted to know how it would suit us to enter the secret service for General Bragg and scout in the direction of Clarksville. After dis- cussing the question for a while we went with Hawkins to see Colonel Tyler. It was finally agreed that we would undertake the service, it being understood that we should continue to represent ourselves as discharged soldiers from Kentucky, as a matter of protection in case of capture. And to further conceal our character we should endeavor to bring out contraband goods of any kind that would be useful, and Hawkins would help us sell them at headquarters and otherwise so as to pay expenses.

At this period it was almost impossible to purchase a pocket-knife, tooth-brush, comb, suspenders, handkerchief, or any of the real necessary articles used by the soldiers or people. There was no such thing as tea or coffee. Sub- stitutes for coffee were made of sweet potatoes, rye, and wheat. Colonel Tyler issued each of us a pass "B}' order

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 69

of General Bragg," attested by himself as provost-general. We were thus authorized to pass through the lines of Bragg's army at will. It was agreed that Hawkins should receive one-third of the net profits of the articles we might bring out.

Our general instructions from Colonel Tyler were that we should go as near Nashville as possible, on both sides of the Cumberland River, below the city, and all important news should be reported to Forrest or the commander of the post at Franklin, who would forward our report promptly to Bragg or Tyler, except when we should have supplies to bring through. Tyler proposed to notify Forrest of our mission and gave us a note to him, that was to be then de- stroyed, so that no writings would exist on the subject that might implicate us in the event of falling into the enemy's hands.

We hurried on to Franklin and had the good luck to find General Forrest in town. He was now a brigadier-general. He read the note from Tyler and tore it up. We briefly told him our business and promised to keep him posted as we passed back and forth, then hastened on through Char- lotte to Mrs. Batson's. Here we learned from reliable citi- zens that the Federal company which had been stationed at Palmyra had gone to Clarksville, which left the river without a garrison between Clarksville and Dover. Scout- ing bodies of cavalry had made several trips to this locality from Clarksville within a week, arresting a number of ref- ugees and soldiers. And another from Dover had been along Yellow Creek some eight miles away.

Bowers and I went through the "coalings" to Palmyra, and finding the situation clear we concluded to go across and on to Lafayette, Kentucky, where we could perhaps find a supply of such articles as we wished to buy. We made the trip, reaching the town just after dark. It had been learned that Horace Kelly carried a large stock of goods and was a strong Union man. So we introduced ourselves as Union men, from Stewart County, Tennessee, and ten miles from Dover. He cheerfully sold us anything we wanted. We

70 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

invested $175 in silk handkerchiefs, suspenders, gents' hose, pocket-knives, pins, needles, combs, buttons, etc., each filling a two and a half bushel cotton sack. These we put across our saddles like a turn of corn was carried to mill in old times. We crossed over at Palmyra, and hurrying through the "coalings" arrived safely at Mrs. Batson's. Somewhat weary from the journey we concluded to rest a day. Misses Rebecca Abernathy and Dora Watkins were here when we arrived but soon departed. However, Mrs. Batson invited them to meet one or two others and spend the following day at her house, we agreeing and proposing to remain to meet the company.

The next forenoon we were in the parlor awaiting the expected company, when Mrs. Batson appeared at the door, saying, "Yonder comes the Yankees." Bowers and I ran out into the hall and saw a company coming in a gallop up the lane in front about one hundred yards from the house. We went bareheaded out the back door and into the orchard and a little up hill across it to the woods. The distance from the back gate of the yard was near two hundred yards. When we were half way Bowers was perhaps ten steps ahead of me, as he could run the fastest. I was nearly out of breath. I heard the enemy behind, and looking back saw they were on each side of the house, throwing down the fence to get inside the orchard. When I got on the fence to go over. Bowers was out in the woods going like a deer, and the enemy shouting "Halt!" was coming at full speed not more than one hundred yards behind me now and gaining fast. The woods appeared naked and I felt that there was no escape. Just outside the fence wild weeds had grown up between it and the woods, and going through this strip six or eight steps I ducked and ran to the right about thirty feet and then crawled back to the fence, where I lay as close as possible alongside the bottom rail. The pursuers made a gap in the fence where we got over and rushed forward into the woods. They were gone a long time, and when I heard them returning it appeared they were coming

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 71

direct to my location. But they struck the fence I judged about seventy-five feet on the other side of me from the gap. There they made another gap into the orchard and went on back to the house. One or two rode along on the opposite side of the fence from me. They could hardly have seen me if they had looked down, as the rails from their view-point obstructed the cracks, while I peeped up into their faces not more than ten feet away.

I could not determine whether they had Bowers or not, as part of their force went back on the outside around be- yond the negro cabins. I saw several of them go out into the stable lot, and presently they came out with our horses, saddled. After searching the house and getting our saddle- bags, but not our sacks of goods, they fell into ranks and rode off to the left toward the Clarksville road. Just as they passed the orchard they shouted, "Good-by, boys!" This indicated that Bowers also was safe. There were about forty in the company. I got up and looked all around but saw nothing of Bowers. Presently I heard his signal, a peculiar whistle, and went to him. He was in the top of a large fallen tree, where he had concealed himself under the piles of dead leaves on the ground, though several of the cavalrymen had ridden within a few feet of him.

We secured horses and saddles in the neighborhood at rea- sonable prices and hurried through to Murfreesboro, and quickly disposing of our merchandise we returned to Mrs. Batson's without incident. A man named Dickerson had a somewhat run-down country store on Barton's Creek two miles distant. It was found that he had a stock of canned pine-apples, cove oysters, sardines, pepper, spice and ginger not ground ; a lot of hammers, hinges and other hardware ; a few hats and other useful articles, in the army. We bought a two-horse wagon load, with Confederate mone}^, and hired a man to haul the load to Murfreesboro for $50 in Confederate money. Bowers went to Charlotte to hear from Nashville, only thirty miles away, and learned that a battle was being fought at Murfreesboro. Some one had brought the news from

72 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

Franklin to Charlotte. He went on far enough to learn that the battle lasted two days and that Bragg was falling back. We then turned our team and went to Columbia, from where we sent our teamster home.

At Columbia we found that Forrest's brigade was en- camped near by and just returned from his famous raid into West Tennessee. The Federals now occupied Franklin, Triune and Murfreesboro, while Bragg's army was located at Tullahoma, with his advance posted north of Shelbyville. We hired a team from Mr. Miles Mays and hurried forward through Farmington to Shelbyville. We secured board for a few days at the residence of Dr. Blakemore, until we could dispose of our load, which, with the aid of Major Hawkins, was readily done at a large profit.

We learned that the battle of Murfreesboro was the same old story, of winning the victory and then a retreat. It was Shiloh and Perry ville over again. The spirit of the army was unbroken, but there was a universal clamor for the removal of Bragg.

Major Hawkins advised us that the army would hold the line of Shelbyville and it was agreed that we should return to the "neutral zone" and endeavor to get in communica- tion with Nashville, on the other side, through citizens who might go inside the lines.

We were sorry to learn from Major Hawkins that our friend Col. Robert C. Tyler, commanding his Tennessee regiment, in the battle, was seriously wounded and a leg had been amputated. It was never our pleasure to meet him again, though he recovered and was made a brigadier-gen- eral. He was killed in one of the last fights of the war at West Point, Georgia.*

*"About one hundred and forty-five old war-worn soldiers were at the hospital at West Point, Ga., on the i6th of April, 1865, totally uncon- scious of General Lee's surrender on the 9th inst. General Tyler, of Tennessee, who had lost a leg at Murfreesboro, was also there sick. About a dozen of Waller's Charleston, South Carolina, battery, and fourteen of the Coupee, Louisiana, battery were also there. When the report came that Colonel Griffin, with two regiments of Wilson's Federal cavalry, a battery, and two thousand men, was marching on them, Gen-

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 73

The following authentic correspondence is given as show- ing that the discontent in the Army of Tennessee and of the citizens was recognized and definitely stated to General Bragg by the brigade and division commanders of his army.

Headquarters Army of Tennessee.

TuLLAHOMA, Tenn., January ii, 1863.

General : Finding myself assailed in private and public, by the press, in private circles by officers and citizens, for the movement from Murfreesboro, which was resisted by me for some time after advised by my corps and division commanders, and only adopted after hearing of the enemy's reinforcements by large numbers from Kentucky, it becomes necessary for me to save my fair name, if I cannot stop the deluge of abuse which will destroy my usefulness and demoralize this army. It has come to my knowledge that many of these accusations and insinuations are from staff-officers of my generals, who persistently assert that the movement was made against the opinion and advice of their chiefs, and while the enemy was in full retreat. False or true, the soldiers have no means of judging me rightly or getting the facts, and the effect on them will be the same — a loss of confidence and a consequent demor- alization of the whole army. It is only through my generals that I can establish the facts as they exist. Unanimous as you were in council in verbally advising a retrograde movement, I can not doubt but that you will cheerfully attest the same in writing. I desire that you will consult your subordinate com- manders and be candid with me, as I have always endeavor d to prove myself with you. If I have misunderstood your advice and acted against your opinions, let me know it in justice to yourselves. If, on the contrary, I am the victim of unjust accusations, say so, and unite with me in staying the malignant slanders being propagated by men who have felt the sting of discipline.

General Smith has been called to Richmond, it is supposed, with a view to supersede me. I shall retire without a regret

I

eral Tyler got out on his crutches and commanded all the old soldiers present, who could stand up, to fall in line of battle. He threw up some hasty breastworks, and divided the ammunition among the men, which amounted to forty-three rounds apiece. The enemy charged and were repulsed. General Tyler hobbled on his crutches along his lines, encour- aging his men to stand their ground and never surrender. He took no thought of himself. Seven of his men were killed. The enemy repeated their charge and were driven back again, and commenced firing from a

74 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

if I find I have lost the good opinion of my generals, upon whom I have ever relied as upon a foundation of rock.

Your early attention is most desirable, and urgently solicited. Most respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

Braxton Bragg,

General C. S. A.

I enclose copies of a joint note, received about 2 o'clock a. m., from Major-Generals Cheatham and Withers, on the night before we retired from Murfreesboro, with Lieutenant-General Polk's indorsement and my own verbal reply to Lieutenant Richmond, General Polk's aide-de-camp.

B. B. Lieut.-General Hardee,

Commanding Hardee's Corps.

TuLLAHOMA, Tenn., 1 2th January, 1863. General: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note of yesterday, in which, after informing me of the assaults to which you are subjected, you invoke a response in regard to the propriety of the recent retreat from Murfrees- boro, and request me to consult my subordinate commanders in reference to the topics to which you refer.

;fc »|c ^ ^ ^ H( ^

You also request me to consult my subordinate commanders, stating that General Smith has been called to Richmond with the view, it was supposed, to supersede you — and that you will retire without regret if you have lost the good opinion of your generals, upon whom you have ever relied as upon a foundation of rock. I have conferred with Major-General Breckinridge and Major-General Cleburne in regard to this matter, and I feel that frankness compels me to say that the general officers whose judgment you have invoked are unanimous in the opinion that a change in the command of this army is necessary. In this opinion I concur. I feel assured that this opinion is consid- erately formed, and with the highest respect for the purity of

distance. First Sergeant Hearn, the only man there of the First Louisi- ana Infantry Regulars, C. S. A., who was then sick and wounded in the leg, had his arm shot off. A Minie ball struck the noble old General Tyler, who was standing a few paces in the rear of the Sergeant, and passed through the center of the forehead, killing hirn instantly. Then Captain Gonzales, of Pensacola, fell. Colonel Gillespie then took com- mand and fought with this little remnant of the Confederacy till their ammunition gave out, and the Federals, finding, there was no return to their fire, charged over the works and their brave defenders. They

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 75

your motives, your energy and your personal character; but they are convinced, as you must feel, that the peril of the country is superior to all considerations. You state that the staff officers of your generals, joining in the public and private clamor, have within your knowledge persistently asserted that the retreat was made against the opinion and advice of their chiefs. I have made inquiries of the gentlemen associated with me, and they informed me that such statements have not been made or circulated by them. I have the honor. General, to assure you of my continued respect and consideration, and to remain. Your obedient servant,

W. J. Hardee,

Lieutenant-General.

Official.

T. B. Roy, Chief of Staff.

Indorsed : Letter to General Bragg.

then heard for the first time, from their captors, that they were fighting after the war was over. Their loss was about twenty killed and wounded ; the enemy's about forty-five.

"The Federals, on finding who they were fighting, took good care of the wounded and returned the sick to the hospital. There was not a man among them who had not borne the hardships of four years of war, and had faced death in many shapes. This was only a little skirmish ; nobody has ever thought it worth while to mention it till now, some twenty years after. This tale is told by one of the old boys." (F. L. Richardson, in Southern Bivouac, 1885.)

CHAPTER VIII

Situation changed in "neutral zone" — Secret negotiations with the Federal commander at Clarksville — Surprised at Mrs. Batson's — Capture and escape — Another narrow escape — Escape of Bowers from prison at Clarksville.

On the way to Columbia we overtook Captain Bill Forrest, at Farmington, near Duck River, who had been north of it with his scouts, as far as Triune, He said the Federals were encamped at Nolensville on the pike to Nashville. At Co- lumbia we found that the entire command of General Forrest was encamped, with the Federal advance posted at Franklin.

We found the situation somewhat changed when we arrived in the neighborhood of Charlotte. Several scouting commands from Clarksville had been scouring the country, one of them coming to Charlotte. A number of Confeder- ates, at home on furlough, were hiding in the secluded places of every neighborhood. And there were a few parties of "Partisan Rangers" organized, that had been annoying the garrison at Dover. One of them was under command of a Captain Ray, of McLean County, Kentucky, and made its rendezvous on Yellow Creek, some fifteen miles from Char- lotte. And the Confederate conscript officers had been at work in the "neutral zone." These different attractions had been receiving attention from the Federal commanders at Dover and Clarksville.

In our absence Mr. Walker had been down to Mr. Rus- sell's, near Palmyra. Russell as a Union man had been twice to Clarksville and had managed to get into the confidence of the commander of the garrison and post. He thought he could arrange with him to bring a supply of articles down the river or by wagon to Palmyra, that were even contraband of war. We went to Russell's and he heartily entered into

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 77

an arrangement to bring out a lot of articles from Clarks- ville, but he wanted a partnership. We agreed to his prop- osition. We arranged with Russell to secure information for us at Clarksville. We had paid $3,000 in Confederate money for $1,000 in Tennessee good money, at Columbia, then went back to Mrs. Batson's to wait until Russell re- turned from Clarksville.

Misses Abernathy and Watkins happened here again. I was playing chess with Miss Abernathy in the parlor, the rest engaged otherwise. "Yonder's the Yankees !" some one said, looking out toward the front. There they were sure enough, dismounting at the front gate about sixty feet dis- tant. Bowers stepped out in the hall, and all the others except Miss Abernathy. She was greatly distressed on my account. I quietly admonished her to keep quiet a moment. I surveyed the room. There was a large old-fashioned ma- hogany press, a fine piece of furniture, against the wall behind the door leading out into the hall. The piano, a couple of divans, and parlor chairs completed the articles of furniture in the room. I motioned Miss Abernathy to say nothing, then got down and crawled under the press, push- ing back against the wall. I then told her to leave the door open and go in the hall. The soldiers were talking at the hall door to Mr. Walker and the others by this time, and asked for Bowers and Headley. I slipped my pass from Bragg under the edge of the carpet. Mrs. Batson told the captain that we were there but that we had gone out from the parlor. They came in and searched the house from top to bottom. Some of them aggravated the ladies, who quar- reled with them all the time.

Several soldiers walked to the parlor door, looked in, and seeing it was practically vacant, passed on. I heard them up-stairs going from room to room, and finally they cheered. They had found Bowers in a dark garret over the dining- room, where Mrs. Batson had put him through a small door, that connected with it, from the hall up-stairs. They had fun over Bowers when he came down. He was jolly, and

78 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

put the ladies in good humor while the soldiers were still looking for me. They got candles and went into the cellar under me and prowled around among barrels and boxes, for some time, until they were satisfied I was not in the house. Some of them went out to the negro cabins and searched there. They filled the house and hall and seemed to be a good-natured lot. They finally gave me up and the captain ordered them to mount, our horses having been brought out also. One of the soldiers straggled into the parlor, and after looking at the chess-men a moment walked to the very large mirror on the mantel and looked at himself. The mirror leaned forward at the top and I could see his face as plainly as he could see it. And in a moment he saw mine. He turned around quick and shouted, "Here he is!" The other soldiers had all started out and some were on their horses. I felt pretty cheap, but I got out before the others came in. I at once made it a good joke and got on good terms with the crowd. The ladies tried to enjoy the per- formance after we appeared so comfortable in our trouble.

There were about sixty men in the command. It went from Mrs. Batson's to the Barton's Creek neighborhood, and chased and captured several others they had orders to capture. It rained during the afternoon and we all got quite cold and wet, though the soldiers wore gum coats.

I was riding in the ranks with Monroe Adams, who, as I remember, was from Casey County, Kentucky. They were all Kentuckians, the garrison at Clarksville being a Kentucky regiment.

I saw we were now headed for Clarksville after leaving Mrs. Batson's, and night soon came on. The rain continued and most of the men began to wish they were in Clarksville. We had twelve miles to ride and all settled down to a dreary trip. I kept my guard, Adams, cheered up for an hour or so, when he too got stupid. It was very dark and very muddy. We passed through a long lane and then entered a woods. I could not see anything but the road dimly. After going perhaps a hundred yards the idea occurred to me, and

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 79

I turned my horse into the woods and urged him forward with both feet jogging his sides. There was confusion in the ranks instantly and a gun fired. I did not hear any bul- let, but the noise frightened my horse. I suppose he thought it was in front, for he stopped suddenly and I went on over the horn of the saddle to his neck, but I got back quick and crowded him into the woods. I pushed through the bushes for fifty yards perhaps and stopped. The column of soldiers had been halted and every one was trying to find out what •was the matter. I sat on my horse and listened. The commander was some time discovering that a man had escaped, and then the trouble was to locate or identify the other prisoners. He lectured Adams severely and then re- ferring to me, said, "Let him go." He ordered all the soldiers who were guards to lead the horses of the prisoners. I calculated that they could accomplish nothing by coming into the woods.

The command resumed the journey, and as the sound of their marching began to die away I came into the road and started my horse on the back track. I did not know the road, but the horse went right back to Mrs. Batson's by two o'clock that night. She and Mr. Walker insisted that I would be safe till morning, when she would give me breakfast at sunrise and I could then go to Sim Talley's, her son-in-law, and sleep all day. I had already fed my horse before I waked any one in the house. I had a change here and with dry clothes on I slept well till waked at dawn. I had my breakfast before all the family got up. As I came out of the dining-room and into the front hall to get my hat I saw about twenty-five Federal cavalry coming up the front lane at full speed not over one hundred yards from the house. I crouched close to the wall and went out the back door without saying a word to any one. It was but about twenty steps to the back yard gate into the orchard and then only a few steps farther on the right was a log hen-house. I noticed the door stood open and that there were no boards on the cracks. I knew I could not cross the orchard, and

80 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

going into the hen-house climbed up and stood on the top log over the door, my head reaching to the comb of the roof at the gable end.

The soldiers were all round the yard on horseback within two or three minutes. One of them halted between the hen- house and the yard fence and sat there on his horse. I could see from his knee downward by stooping with a hand- hold above. Most of the men were searching the house. They were mad this trip and abused the family to some ex- tent for harboring rebels. But Mrs. Batson argued with the captain that we did not belong to the army. He said we must come to Clarksville and take the oath or leave this country. They searched the negro cabins and made some trouble down there trying to make the negroes tell where I was hid. They did not know. I heard one soldier say that one of the negro men coming from the house had met them in the lane and told them I was up-stairs asleep then and I must be hid on the premises somewhere. But finally the whole command mounted and rode away toward the Clarksville road.

I held my position for at least three hours until a hen came off her nest and cackled, when Mrs. Batson came out there to look for eggs. I told her to put my hat and overcoat in the back yard at a certain spot. Walker had taken care of these things for me. I got down and went through the yard, taking my hat and coat quickly and ran off to the right across the front woodland.

Mr. Walker arranged to board at the house of Mr. Wat- kins, which was an elegant home. And a few days after- wards I went there. He went through to Russell's and found that he had been successful in a measure. We ar- ranged with Mr. Watkins for his wagon and a negro man to drive, whom we could trust. We intended to get the load from Russell's as soon afterwards as the roads would freeze, it being too muddy then. I did not stay about the house of Mr. Watkins all the time, but found a place on the hill- side where I had a view of all the roads that approached the

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 81

dwelling through the coalings, and kept up a good camp-fire. One forenoon I observed a lone horseman coming, a quarter of a mile away. I soon recognized the familiar form of Ike Bowers. I went near the road and called him. He sat down and told me his experience. I will give it substan- tially, as I remember, he told the story :

"After you ran into the woods on the road,'* he said, "I felt that I must escape too. I thought of a good many plans and finally decided, as the guard was carrying my bridle reins, that I would slip back over my saddle behind it, and holding to the saddle skirt let myself off easy behind my horse and run into the woods. In a bunch of woods I got behind the saddle all right and was ready to go in a second, when my guard said, 'Whoa, there, get back.' And then he jerked the long skirt of my overcoat. He said he had been holding it all the time as he had an idea I would try some trick of that kind. I gave it up then and bided my time. All the prisoners in the crowd were registered at head- quarters in Clarksville and then sent to prison. This was in a lawyer's office up-stairs. We entered an open stairway from the pavement and at the top on the right were two large rooms with a connecting door.

*T learned that David Scott, our old friend from Madi- sonville, kept the leading hotel in town. I wrote him a note to come and see me. He came promptly and I arranged for three meals a day for myself and the other eight pris- oners. A servant came with the loaded waiter at the regular time and I fared well. The guard stood down-stairs at the entrance and one in the back of the hall up-stairs. These I observed were changed at six o'clock every evening. I decided on a plan to escape. The servant brought the sup- per at five o'clock every day. I had him to leave it yester- day evening because I was not then hungry, telling him he could take the dishes in the morning. At the same time I gave him a quarter. As soon as the sentinels were relieved at six o'clock and new men on watch I blackened my face and hands with charcoal from the fireplace and arranged my

82 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

clothes so as to look like a darky. We had already eaten the supper. I picked up the waiter and went down and out. The guard asked me where I was from. I told him I came from the hotel with supper for the prisoners up-stairs." (Bowers could imitate a darky's talk perfectly.) "I then went to the vacant market-house, where I put the waiter down and walked off. I came out of town between the roads all right, but got lost outside and wandered around in the country nearly all night, finally getting to the river only four miles from Clarksville. But I found a friend, Samuel Stewart, who put me across in a canoe fifteen miles from here. I walked to the first house, a cabin, and found the man had this white horse, which had fallen overboard and come ashore from a passing transport. I bought him for $50 in Tennessee money, with the saddle and bridle in- cluded in the bargain, but it was the enemy's property and if I had. been armed I would not have paid anything for the horse."

The sudden reappearance of Bowers enabled us to pro- ceed with our affairs. We lost no time in going to Russell's with a wagon and were ready for what appeared to be our last trip to Shelbyville, as we doubted if General Bragg's army would be enabled to hold its position in Middle Tennessee.

We found Mr. Russell had just been to Clarksville again, not to obtain further supplies, immediately, but with refer- ence to other matters. However, it happened that his pre- vious close relations with the commander brought the oppor- tunity for a confidential conference, which resulted in an arrangement for unexpected facilities to handle contraband articles to the South. It was agreed that a friend of Russell in Clarksville might order from Cincinnati a shipment of merchandise by steamer to Clarksville, with a permit to deliver the consignment to Russell at Palmyra, before reach- ing Clarksville. The shipment was to be marked to Clarks- ville but consigned to Palmyra in the bill of lading. We at

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 83

once departed with the wagon-load already at Palmyra, in a vacant store-room, but agreeing to secure current money and make the order without delay.

At Charlotte it was determined that Mr. Walker should remain there with most of our Confederate money and en- deavor to make exchange for greenbacks or Tennessee bills. He arranged to board with a citizen named Trotter, near town, while we went on to Shelbyville as before.

Forrest was still near Columbia and there seemed to be no particular change at Shelbyville when we arrived. Major Hawkins was delighted with the Clarksville arrangement, and hastily placing our load at a fair profit we left for Charlotte. It was deemed best for Bowers to push on and help Walker and Russell, while I moved leisurely with the team. We stopped the first night with Mr. Hill, at the crossing of a creek, seven miles from Columbia. We went on to Columbia, and as our wagon was delayed Bowers left me there. I called on General Forrest and told him of our arrangement through Russell and the colonel in Clarks- ville and the chance of capturing the place and then making a demonstration on the north side of the river against Nash- ville and the communications of Rosecrans. He highly appreciated the information. I told him we had reported the situation to General Bragg at Shelbyville, through Major Hawkins.

CHAPTER IX

Captured at Louisa Furnace — Capture of officers of Lee's army — Escape from prison and captivity in Nashville — Notes on Rosecrans's army — Departure from Nashville on a pass — Escape of other prisoners.

I was two days in reaching Charlotte, and sending the team on home I went out to Mr. Trotter's. He had ex- changed $i,ooo in Tennessee bills, with Mr. Walker, for $3,000 in Confederate money. Walker and Bowers had gone to Mr. Watkins's. I went on there, arriving about dark. I found that Walker and Bowers had gone to Mr. Russell's. Here I met Will Baxter, a brother of Mrs. Wat- kins, Robert Mockbee, her nephew, and Captain Hick John- son, on furlough from Lee's army in Virginia. Johnson was the son of Hon. Cave Johnson, who was Postmaster- General in the Cabinet of President James K. Polk, and was a cousin of Baxter and Mrs. Watkins. The home of these young men was in Clarksville, but they had not considered it safe to venture beyond this point. Two sisters. Misses Bettie and Nannie Garland, had come out from Clarksville to meet their friends.

We did not retire till after ten o'clock and it was only twelve o'clock when Mockbee shook me and said ths yard was full of Yankees. I asked the others what they intended to do. Captain Johnson said there was nothing to do but surrender. I then arranged with them to say they never saw me before and knew nothing about me, and that I came there after supper. They lighted a candle and began to dress. I cut a small slit in the under side of the bed-tick and pushed my pass from Bragg inside without attracting the attention of the others. They were about dressed when the Federals

\

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 85

came up. I stayed in bed perfectly unconcerned. The officers in charge questioned the others and got a straight story of their character and the reason of their presence. They were soon ready to go. The officer then asked John- son, "Who is that other man ?" Johnson answered as I had suggested. I then raised a Httle and said, "Good-evening." He spoke, asked my name, where I Hved, and what I was doing there. I told him my name was Williams, that I was from near the cotton mills on Duck River below Waverly; that the conscript officers were scouring the country to take every one to the Southern army ; that I hid out for two weeks until it looked as if I could not stay there any longer and I was now on my way to Shawneetown, Illinois, where I expected to do something until the trouble was over in my section. He looked at my clothing and was satisfied, but several others came up and joined the captain's party and one of them recognized me as the prisoner who ran out of ranks on the way to Clarksville, two weeks before. He called Monroe Adams, who was below, and who identified me without hesitation. It was another joke on me, but the captain told me if I tried to escape this time I would be killed, and he gave orders accordingly.

The command had several other prisoners, and rode around the neighborhood toward Palmyra for others. We stopped at an iron furnace about three o'clock and were kept sitting there in a room until morning.

At Clarksville we were registered at headquarters and sent to the same prison rooms where Bowers had been con- fined. A great number of friends came promptly to see Johnson, Baxter and Mockbee, and they were furnished every luxury in abundance. As I was taken into their mess I had no occasion to notify my friends, of whom I had several in Clarksville.

The next day we were taken down to the river and on board a steamer for Nashville. A crowd of citizens gathered on the wharf as we went down, and Lafayette Wilson, a friend from Madisonville, Kentucky, recognized me, and

86 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

coming to greet me walked down to the boat. He touched me on the hand as we walked along, my guard being on the other side. I looked and he was trying to put a ten-dollar bill, of greenback money, in my hand. I thanked him in a whisper, telling him I did not need it.

It was late in the afternoon when we started from Clarks- ville and it was sixty miles up the river to Nashville. I had a great many plans to escape from the boat in the night, but none seemed feasible. The best one, I thought, was to take a plank and jump overboard, but I was afraid I would freeze before I could paddle the plank ashore with my hands. When we reached Nashville the next morning we were marched to the State Capitol, where we were registered at headquarters after ten o'clock, and then marched down to the market square and sent up into the third story of the market-house building, which was used as a temporary prison. This was a three-story brick building. There were two rooms and a wide hall between on each floor. A wind- ing stair ran up in the hall with iron railing and banisters. The two rooms on the third floor were used for the pris- oners and about twenty guards were stationed in the hall. Prisoners were brought in every hour, in squads, and both rooms were crowded. Rosecrans's army was here and at Murfreesboro, and of course a few prisoners on both sides were taken every day. I learned from a guard that the pris- oners were sent North every morning at eight o'clock. I noticed a rather rude restaurant on the first floor as we were brought up. I asked the guard about it and he told me any of us could go down there under guard and buy a meal. This was good news, as the sleeping and cooking were going to be horrible in our prison rooms. I suggested to Baxter that we go down and get a hot dinner. We selected the youngest guard in the bunch, a boy about nineteen years old, to go with us. We made the guard eat with us, which he appreciated, and when we spoke of coming down for supper, he asked us to let him come with us and that arrangement was made.

I

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 87

We could see from our windows that citizens and soldiers crowded the pavements and army wagons crowded the streets. And it seemed a poor prospect for making our escape even from the prison, and still worse for getting out of Nashville. I told Baxter in the afternoon we would go late to supper on the idea that we were not hungry yet, and after dark would try to bribe our guard to let us go in the crowd, while he could slip back, and this was agreed to. We put every small article of our baggage in our overcoat pockets and inside of our other clothing.

At dark we went down and at the bottom of the stairs I turned to Baxter, as if it made no difference to the guard, and told him that the restaurant in the building was a sloppy place to eat and that we would go across the street to a nice restaurant. I had seen the sign from a window. Baxter agreed, but the guard said he was not allowed to take us over there. He stood by it for a long time through fear, only on his own account, for disobeying orders. I pleaded with him that in such a crowd we would not be noticed and they would never know up-stairs, but he had taken us to the river bank where he had a right to go with us. He finally consented. We went to a restaurant about the middle of the block between the market square and the Commercial Hotel. While there was a crowd along the pavement there were very few in the restaurant. We sat at a table which stood against the. wall, making room for three. The guard sat next to the door, Baxter next to his right, and I on the back side facing the guard and the front door. The cashier's desk was across by the opposite wall and ten feet nearer the front door than our table. I took the lead and ordered a nice supper. While we waited for it Baxter drew a half pint bottle of whiskey a friend had given him at Clarks- ville, and we all made a toddy. We had a good time eating our supper and talking about the war.

An idea of escape occurred to me, and I finished my meal first and carelessly got up, saying I would settle with the cashier and we would be ready to go when they were through

88 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

eating. I walked on without any more ceremony, getting out my money as I went. I stood for my change with my face turned to the back of the restaurant so the guard would not be uneasy. Taking my change I fumbled with it, turn- ing toward our table. The guard was looking at me, so I took a step slowly while putting my money away. At this moment the guard put his fork to his mouth, bowing his head slightly, which took his eyes from me. I turned and walked to the front door so as not to attract the attention of passers-by. I looked back and the guard had grabbed his gun, which stood against the wall, and was rising hur- riedly, but I was out and in the crowd the same as any other person. I knew the guard could not leave Baxter to follow me, and felt safe after going a few steps as no one noticed me. Several details of soldiers were passing in both directions, but I passed on in the crowd as though I lived in Nashville. I went several squares toward Broad street and observed that I was getting into the residence part of town. I believed any old citizen would be a friend and I wanted to find one without delay. I went into the first sub- stantial home where there was a light. When the servant answered the door-bell I got a glimpse inside and observed a number of Federal officers in the parlor. I asked the servant if Mr. Wilson lived there. She said, "No, sir," and told me who did ; but I begged pardon, saying I was mistaken in the house, and excused myself.

A little farther on I came to a small family grocery on the corner. I walked in, and buying a cigar sat down with the proprietor to smoke, which he said was agreeable. I soon learned that he was an old resident and a strong Southern sympathizer. He did not care who knew it. I assured myself fully and then told him the story of my escape. He told me of the large encampments all around the city on both sides of the river. I felt that it was much better for me to go out between picket posts and risk their shots in the dark if I could find any woods. He directed me how to go, to the left of the Charlotte pike, where I would

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 89

probably have the best chance to evade the pickets. I fol- lowed his directions for fully a mile and the woodland he had described was in my front. As I approached a fence, at the edge of it I discovered tents on the other side among the trees. I stopped, but had been heard by a sentinel not more than forty feet on the inside of the fence. He shouted "Halt!" It was pretty dark, but I could see my way a few yards. I stooped and ran on tip-toe, swerving to the right, so that I would not be in the range if he shot where he heard me. It was my calculation that he would do that if he shot at all. However, I presume he concluded he was mis- taken as I heard nothing more.

My new friend in the grocery had told me every one caught on the streets after ten o'clock was arrested. I judged it to be half past eight now, and concluded it would be better to abandon the idea of going out that night. The houses were very scattering in the neighborhood and mostly cottages, where I thought best not to apply for accommo- dations. When I got on Broad street I found it was after nine o'clock. I met an old darky, from whom I learned the location of the cemetery on the Nolensville pike inside the city. He said houses extended to the grounds. I went out that way briskly without seeing a light in any dwelling on the street, and began to regret that I had not tried to arrange with my grocery friend for lodging. I looked for his place again in my wanderings but failed to find it.

At the entrance to the cemetery I stopped to look in all directions for a light. I was going into the cemetery and sit up all night among the cedars, because I did not believe I would be disturbed in there. But I saw a light and went to it. I entered the yard gate and saw a two-story dwelling with a hall and room in front. The light was in the front room. When I looked in at the window I saw a lady sitting at the hearth knitting and a man in bed reading by a lamp on a table near by. I sounded the door-bell and the lady came to the door with the lamp in her hand. I bowed, and apologized for being late, but just wanted to speak to her

90 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

husband a minute. She appeared a Httle frightened and said he had retired. In a sort of pleading manner I sug- gested that I would not think of having him get up and would just go in only for a minute. She balked along and showed plainly that she did not want me to come in. I asked her what time it was and tried to relieve her of any apprehension.

We were at the entrance to the door of their bed-room by this time, when her husband spoke up to inquire who was coming in. His wife quickly said she did not know. I laughingly said, *'It's a friend; you'll be surprised to see me." His wife stopped in the middle of the room so the light would shine on my face to let her husband see if he could recognize me. I then candidly explained that I had come in for some information only because they had a light burning and I did not think it would be considered an intrusion. I felt that I did not want a gentleman to get up and dress to talk with me a few minutes. I then said frankly that I was a Confederate and told him how I had escaped and the predicament in which I was placed. His wife instantly declared that her husband had taken the oath and could not afford to violate it. I finally got a hearing and told so fair a story that the husband, Mr. Metcalf, said he didn't care if I was a Rebel or a Yankee or neither, if I simply wanted lodging and breakfast and proposed to pay for the accommodation he had a right to entertain me and would do it. After his wife became satisfied she got inter- ested in my story, and when we retired it was midnight. I was put in their best room up-stairs. Mr. Thomas Metcalf was the name of my host. He became thoroughly satis- fied that night, and when he left me it was agreed that I should be known to the cook, a negro woman, as the cousin of Mrs. Metcalf. The next morning ever}^thing was easy. It was agreed that I should stay there until I got tired unless I had a chance to leave the city. As there were no children in the family I felt perfectly safe.

\

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 91

Mr. Metcalf came home in the afternoon from his business, and had told a friend, who was a grocer, of my case, and after supper we went down town and spent an hour or so in the counting-room of the estabhshment. I arranged to go the next night to the store of a clothing merchant, who was a friend, where I could fit myself out as a citizen, in the style of a young man. I had been wearing my hair rather long and cropped around the edge. This I had shingled to change my appearance in every respect as much as possible. I then went about the city freely, having no fears except from Kentucky soldiers from my own locality, who might recognize me on sight. But I carried my discharge from the army for such an emergency.

I soon realized that there was no possible way of escape from Nashville except to get a pass northward. There were over 50,000 soldiers in the army of General Rose- crans, from Nashville to Murfreesboro. The Confederate cavalry under Forrest, Morgan and Wheeler had threatened the east and west picket posts of the city so continually that three different posts were stationed on every road lead- ing to the country, with camp sentinels between the roads. During the next three weeks I visited in the neighborhood, with Mr. and Mrs. Metcalf, attending several social parties, and made very pleasant acquaintances. However, during the first week, I got an introduction to a Captain Rhodes, of Michigan, who understood from me that I was from Bourbon County, Kentucky, and was visiting relatives in the city and some in the Seventeenth Kentucky Cavalry. We did not talk politics, but he was led to infer that I was a Union man. I managed to impress the fact that I would need a pass when I got ready to go home and he very promptly volunteered to say that he would arrange that for me. I now cultivated this gentleman, who was a good man. I was introduced by him to other officers and in a general way, without exciting suspicion, I learned the names of all the brigadiers and major-generals in Rosecrans's army, not only those at Nashville, but at Murfreesboro, Triune,

92 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

Lavergne, Brentwood, and Franklin. I managed to meet men from nearly all the commands by "raking up" acquaint- ances in a casual way and by a little liberality at times with cigars and refreshments. I knew the number of brigades with this information, and while I did not make any notes there was little else on my mind and I remembered all.

There were funerals every day in the cemetery opposite Metcalfs (my home), and I attended several of these to form casual acquaintances among the soldiers and learn their commands. I frequented all the hotels, where I had gen- erals pointed out to me by soldiers. Here I first saw Gov- ernor Andrew Johnson. I was now possessed of informa- tion on which a safe estimate could be made, within a few thousand, of the strength and location of the army, and I was ready to g(5 out, but I could not afford to show any special anxiety, though I felt confident now I would have no trouble to use Captain Rhodes.

I was afraid to apply too soon after his offer for fear he might possibly become suspicious. About the third time I met him, after I was ready, the matter came up and I told him when I wanted to start. He cheerfully went with me and introduced me to his personal friend, the provost-mar- shal, who issued the pass without hesitation. My name was Wilham C. Sims during this sojourn in Nashville.

Before going I bought a gross of good pocket-knives, of small size, that were put up one dozen in a package. These I distributed in my pockets and boot-legs. I managed also to conceal two dozen silk handkerchiefs in my clothes. I passed through two sets of pickets beyond the bridge on my way out on the Louisville pike. Just beyond Edgefield I turned off to the left on the White's Creek pike. After going about one mile from the pike I met an old gentleman on horseback. His name was Squire White. He lived on White's Creek near by, five miles from Nashville. He eyed me pretty closely and said I looked like a Rebel. I could tell by his look that he hoped I was one. When I concluded it was safe to tell him so it made me a friend. I went to his

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 93

home to dinner. He directed me to a man two miles ahead whom I could get to take me to Cumberland River without traveling any public road. I found the place and before sundown I was on the bank of Cumberland River, fifteen miles below Nashville. I was soon rowed across in a skiff and spent the night at the home of Mr. Robertson. The next morning he sent me to Charlotte, his son-in-law going with me to bring back the horse I rode. At Charlotte I found a company of about one hundred Confederate cavalry, from Forrest's command at Columbia, on a scout.

I learned afterwards from Mrs. Watkins, at Louisa Furnace, that Baxter went with the guard back to the prison room after failing in an effort to bribe him for liberty. But the next night Johnson, Baxter, and Mockbee succeeded in making their escape, and Mrs. Watkins gave me the par- ticulars. I have them now from an authentic source after a lapse of thirty-eight years. I submit a correspondence that gives the story just as I heard it at the time :

Memphis, Tenn., July 2d, 1901. Mr. John W. Headley,

Louisville, Ky. Dear Sir : I inquired at Kentucky Headquarters during the late reunion of Confederate Veterans here for one Mr. Headley, who was captured with Major J. Hick. Johnson, Lieutenant William Baxter and myself, in March, 1863, at the home of Mr. S. D. Watkins, on the south side of Cumberland River, twelve miles from Clarksville, Tennessee, in Montgomery County, and your address was ^iven me as the only person of the name known to those with whom I talked. If you are the same person as the one I speak of, please write me here for the next ten days and after that at Cornwells, S. C. Or if you know of the party of whom I speak, please write me as to his whereabouts, if still living. The Headley I knew was at that time quite a young man but exceedingly bright and attractive in his manners, and. I think, engaged in a blockade secret service for the Confed- erates, going in and out through the lines frequentlv. Although it is only a matter of good feeling I cherish for one whom I

94 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

shared a short term of prison life with, I would be greatly pleased to hear from him, and especially to know that he is alive and prospering.

By answering this at your convenience you will oblige.

Yours very truly,

R. T. MOCKBEE.

Memphis^ Tenn., July 29th, 1901. Mr. John W. Headley,

Lyndon, Jefferson County, Ky.

Dear Friend: I was more than delighted to receive your letter of 226. inst., directed to me at Cornwells, S. C, where I expected to be some time ago when I wrote you, but have been detained here on account of Mr. Baxter, my son-in-law, and family making a visit to Middle Tennessee, and he wished me to stay and overlook his business during their absence.

And now, my dear friend, let me express to you my sincere pleasure and gratification at knowing that you are one and the same person as my comrade and fellow-prisoner, and especially that the world has used you well, and that you have been blessed with good health during all the years since those eventful days when we were together as prisoners at Clarksville and Nashville. I suppose in the lapse of years your memory has failed to keep what really occurred as to William Baxter, Major Johnson and myself after your escape. About the third night after you got away we all three went down to the "restaurant," accompanied by a poor "green" Yankee boy as our guard, and, after having our supper, in which our guard shared, we went out as if we were going back up-stairs into the prison. When we reached the entrance at the foot of the stairway we halted (as had been prearranged) and Major Johnson said, "Boys, we ought to have a bottle of brandy for to-night," and, turning to the guard, said, "Here, you take this money and go over to the saloon across the square and get us a bottle of brandy and bring it up. We will go on up-stairs. Just put your gun behind the door there until you come back." And the poor simpleton did just as he was told, in the mean time Johnson having given him a five-dollar bill. He walked out into the dark and Baxter and I followed him just as soon as we thought it safe. Major Johnson stopped to pull off his Confederate overcoat, which he threw behind the door, and took the Yank's gun to guard Baxter and me, after we got outside. In the mean time, Baxter and I had gotten out in the dark and went around the market-house on the side next to the river, and when Johnson came out with his gun he went the

(

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 95

Other way and so missed us entirely, and putting the gun down he hurriedly made his way to his sister's, Mrs. Hickman, the mother of John P. Hickman, the present secretary of our Tennessee Confederate Association. And she secured a pass from the provost-marshal, took him over the river in a buggy, dressed as a lady, to a sister's, Mrs. Dortch, where he had such a good time he stayed too long, and an old negro servant went in and reported him and the Yankees sent a squad of cavalry out and took him in, putting him in a cell in the penitentiary, until he was sent North.

Baxter and I, after getting safely away, secured us a com- plete outfit of the latest style citizen's clothes from a friendly Jew and each of us carried a well-stuffed valise. After going to a barber shop and getting clean shaved and trimmed up we sallied forth and joined a procession of people who had just come on the train from Louisville, and went with the largest crowd to the Sewanee House, then one of the leading hotels of the city. There we registered, Baxter as Charles H. Haynes, and I as John C. Smith, of Louisville, Ky., secured a room and a bottle of brandy, to help keep our nerves quiet, and spent the night. We went down to breakfast the next morning and the room was filled with Yankee officers, at least a hundred at breakfast. Afterwards we went out in the city to try to find some avenue of escape into the country, but failed completely and had to remain two days and until the third night. We suc- ceeded in getting a skiff and went down the river to Hagwood's Landing, where we stopped within ten miles of Mr. Watkins's, where we had been captured. I remained in that section for several weeks getting information, and also some recruits for my regiment in Virginia. I, like you, had orders from the War Department at Richmond, countersig^ned by General Lee, and slipped them between the feather bed and mattress, and quietly told Mrs. Watkins where to find them. I got back to Richmond just as the battle of Chancellorsville was being fought, and was with my command until Appomattox, with the exception of about two months' sickness, in 1864.

* * * * H! * *

I am,

Very truly, your friend,

Robert T. Mockbee.

CHAPTER X

Situation after return from captivity — Forrest at Palmyra — Wheeler at Fort Donelson — Plain talk of Forrest to Wheeler — Report to Forrest and Bragg of Rosecrans's army — Van Dorn over Forrest and others, on the left, and Wheeler over Morgan and others, on the right, of Bragg's army — Morgan's raid to Kentucky in December, 1862 — Infantry armies being exhausted in drawn battles and in camp — Spirit of vengeance — Colonel Streight marches out from Palmyra and encamps on Yellow Creek.

At Charlotte I found Ike Bowers on the day of my arrival from the Nashville captivity. He and Walker had duly received the shipment from Cincinnati to Russell at Palmyra. Teams had been furnished by Mr. Watkins, of Louisa Fur- nace, and the trip was made to Shelby ville. Major Hawkins and Bowers had promptly disposed of the stock. I received $3,318 in Confederate money as my share of the profits from the beginning.

I learned now that Forrest had acted on my informa- tion in February, and moving along our route had passed through the coalings to Palmyra with his command. Bowers had fallen in with him and acted as guide through to Rus- sell's. There, Forrest, being fully advised of the situation at Clarksville, was waiting to capture a passing transport and cross over the river, then to reach Clarksville within a few hours and capture the garrison. He would then pass between Ashland and Springfield, and striking the railroad and burning all the bridges he could destroy, and the "Mor- gan" tunnel, near Gallatin, north of Nashville, and then make his way to a crossing of the river above Hartsville or Burkes- ville, if necessary. But General Wheeler overtook Forrest at Palmyra, and, assuming command, went down to cap-

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 97

ture Dover. Bowers told me it looked to Forrest and all his men that Wheeler had followed to assume command and get the credit of a victory or a raid somewhere. Forrest and Morgan had made such brilliant successes of their December raids that Wheeler seemed anxious to "catch up." This ex- pedition now turned down the river and went twenty miles to the attack of Fort Donelson. It will be interesting to quote extracts from a graphic and authentic account of the engagement and the result from "Wyeth's Life of Forrest/* as follows :

Near Palmyra, Forrest, who had masked his guns and ambushed his men, and was all ready for a bout with any passing craft, was overtaken by the chief of cavalry, who brought with him a portion of Wharton's brigade. General Wheeler having concluded that the Federals had become apprised of the Confederate position along the river, and would not, for the present, send any more boats on that stream, and having nothing else in hand, determined upon an expedition for the capture of the Federal garrison at Dover. In his official report he says : "After maturely considering the matter, we concluded that nothing could be lost by an attack upon the garrison at Dover, and from the information that we had there was good reason to believe that this post could easily be captured."

In the "Campaigns of General Forrest," which was edited under his personal supervision, it is stated that some difference of opinion existed as to the propriety of this attack upon the fort at Dover, and that General Forrest submitted to his chief that he was not only poorly supplied with ammunition, but that the effort did not promise results commensurate with the losses that an assault upon such a formidable position would entail, and earnestly advised that the effort be abandoned. The premonition of disaster weighed upon Forrest so heavily that on the morning of the engagement he spoke of the matter in strict confidence to his chief-of-staff, Major Charles W. Anderson, and to Dr. Ben Wood of Hopkinsville, Kentucky, then a surgeon connected with his command. He said : "I have a special request to make of you in regard to the proposed attack on Fort Donelson. I have protested against this move, but my protest has been disregarded, and I intend to do my whole duty, and I want my men to do the same. I have spoken to none but

98 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

you on this subject, and I do not wish that any one should know of the objections I have made. I have this request to make : If I am killed in this fight, you will see that justice is done me by officially stating that I protested against the attack, and that I am not willing to be held responsible for any disaster that may result." (From a personal communication from Major Charles W. Anderson, living at Florence, Tennessee, in 1898.) Gen- eral Wheeler believed, however, that by a simultaneous and quick rush from two sides the garrison could be overcome with trifling loss, and immediately ordered the advance.

s|c * * * * :|c *

General Wheeler says : "J"st as I left General Forrest, he, thinking the enemy were leaving the place, and being anxious to run in quickly, remounted his men and charged on horseback. The fire from the enemy was so strong that he was repulsed and obliged to retire."

The discomfited troopers were again formed for assault, this time on foot, and, simultaneously with the advance by Wharton's column, they rushed forward, Forrest again on horseback at the head of his dismounted detachment. * 'S' * They pressed forward with courage to the breastworks, but were unable to gain a footing within the fort. Forrest's horse was shot down, being the second animal killed under him that day, and the General was badly shaken up in falling. A number of men were killed within a few feet of the breastworks. *******

On the left, Wharton's command easily drove the Federals into their works, capturing a few prisoners and one fine twelve- pounder brass rifled cannon, which was brought from the field. The stubborn resistance made by the garrison had, however, succeeded in holding off their assailants until near nightfall, when, as General Wheeler states, his troops had a secure position not more than ninety yards from the main rifle-pits of the garri- son. Before making a third assault a conference was held, and it was decided that there was not enough ammunition left in the entire command to justify a further attack. It was also learned at this crisis that reinforcements for the garrison were arriving, and had already fired upon the Confederate outposts. Before retreating a detachment was sent to the river landing near the fort, and there set fire to a boat loaded with supplies, which was soon destroyed. As they retired, other details were made to gather up all the wounded who could be carried away on horseback or in wagons, and to bring off the captured

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 99

gun and other property, among which was a generous supply

of blankets found in the Federal quarters, which were greatly

needed, as the weather was intensely cold.

* He * * * * *

Major Charles W. Anderson says: "It was late when I reached headquarters at Yellow Creek Furnace. Arriving there, I asked for General Forrest. The General, recognizing my voice, came to the door, and as I was too near frozen to dis- mount, he came out and helped me down and into the house. Without any ceremony he went to the only bed in the room, jerked the covering from two officers who were occupying it, and brusquely ordered them to get out. My boots were pulled off, I was rolled up in blankets and put in the vacated bed. General Wharton was sitting on the side of the fireplace oppo- site General Wheeler, who was dictating hjs report to one of his staff. Forrest had resumed his place, lying down on his water-proof coat in front of the fire, his head on a turned-down chair and his feet well on the hearth. General Wharton said : 'When the signal was given, my men moved forward, but were met with such a severe fire that, with the Fourth Georgia and Malone's battalion, they gave way. As we fell back I noticed the garrison from our side of the fort rush across to the other side to take part against General Forrest's attack, and, as his com- mand caught the fire of the entire garrison, he must have suffered severely.' Forrest interrupted him, saying in an excited and angry tone, 'I have no fault to find with my men. In both charges they did their duty as they have always done.' At this moment General Wheeler remarked, 'General Forrest, my report does ample justice to yourself and to your men.' Forrest replied, 'General Wheeler, I advised against this attack, and said all a subordinate officer should have said against it, and nothing you can say now or do will bring back my brave men lying dead or wounded and freezing around that fort to-night. I mean no disrespect to you ; you can have my sword if you demand it ; but there is one thing I do want you to put in that report to General Bragg — ^tell him that I will be in my coffin before I will fight again under your command.* Neither the soldier nor the man in 'Fighting Joe Wheeler' was ever more in evidence than on this occasion. He both knew and appre- ciated Forrest, admired his wonderful genius, and loved him devotedly. He proved this in many ways in after years. More- over, he knew that when the tempest was raging in this wild and rugged nature he could appeal to it more by gentle word and manner than by the strict rules of military discipline. 'For-

100 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

rest/ he said quietly and with great feeling, 'I cannot take your saber, and I regret exceedingly your determination. As the commanding officer I take all the blame and responsibility for this failure/ "

The losses at Dover on the part of the Confederates were very heavy for the number of the troops engaged. In Wharton's command 17 were killed, 60 wounded, and 8 missing.* Forrest, who had not quite 1,000 men in the engagement, lost in killed, wounded, and captured 200 ; and among these Col. Frank Mc- Nairy, of his staff, was killed ; Col. D. W. Holman, of Napier's battalion, wounded, and three captains of this command wounded and captured. The Federal commander, Colonel Lowe, on February 4th reported that 135 Confederate dead had been found, and that they then held 50 prisoners. Major C. W. Anderson says the lost officers in Starnes's Fourth Tennessee was so great that he was ordered to command a detachment of this regiment, and led it in the last charge. Colonel Harding, in his official report, gives his loss as 13 killed, 51 wounded, and 46 prisoners. On the morning of February 4th the Confeder- ates resumed their march in the direction of Columbia. Being informed of the approach of a column of infantry and cavalry under General Jefferson C. Davis, they were compelled to make a wide detour in the direction of Centerville toward Duck River, and there succeeded in crossing this stream. On the 17th they were once more in camp at Columbia.

I left Bowers at Mr. Trotter's, riding Bowers's horse, agreeing to remain until my return from Shelbyville, where I proceeded with haste to send a full report of the situation, in and around Nashville, to General Bragg. In passing through to Shelbyville I forwarded a copy to General For- rest, who was then encamped above Columbia. I learned here that General Van Dorn was now commanding the cavalry forces on the left wing of Bragg's army. It was en- camped from Columbia toward Spring Hill and consisted of five brigades with a strength of some 6,000 men. For- rest was commanding a division of two brigades.

♦Official Records, Vol. xxiii, part i, p. 41.

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 101

General Wheeler was now commanding the cavalry forces on the center and right flank of the army, including a division commanded by General Morgan.

There had been sanguinary battles here about Spring Hill and the Confederates had gained decisive victories over all the forces sent against them.

At Shelbyville I stopped at Dr. Blakemore's for three days. I arranged with Major Hawkins to take my report and send it forward to General Bragg at Tullahoma. Here I met a number of General Morgan's command and learned the particulars of his December raid into Kentucky.

General Duke says:

The results of this expedition were the destruction of the railroads, which has been described, the capture of eighteen hundred and seventy-seven prisoners, of a large number of stores, arms, and government property of every description. Our loss was only twenty-six in killed and wounded (only two killed) and sixty-four missing.

It seemed to me that Morgan and Forrest had inaugurated the only effective warfare that had been of material advan- tage to the Confederacy, between the Mississippi River and the mountains. It seemed strange that Bragg and the gov- ernment would not back them in every way possible and encourage all other similar commands of cavalry to actually live in the rear of the Federal armies and even cross the Ohio River into every State from Iowa to Pennsylvania. I had heard Capt. William Forrest say at Columbia that his brother, General Forrest, had often remarked that it could be done successfully.

I felt sure of the fact that the infantry armies would give out if we must rely on them to take and hold the country from the Mississippi River to the mountains. It was only neces- sary to instance our experience at Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Perryville, Corinth, and Murfreesboro in order to under-

1D2 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

Stand that our volunteer armies were already practically exhausted for any aggressive warfare. Our losses in killed, wounded, and prisoners in these battles had been about equal to those of the enemy, and now the Federals would not ex- change prisoners. They wanted to keep ours and did not need their own. The enemy had over two men to our one in the field in this department. But half of them at least were required to guard the railroad bridges, trestles, and posts in Kentucky and Tennessee against the raids of Mor- gan, Forrest, and other smaller cavalry commands. We knew that Colonels Johnson and Martin had operated, with never over six hundred men, between Clarksville and Hen- derson, Kentucky, for six months, when the nearest Con- federate lines were at Corinth and Chattanooga, and had defied thousands of the enemy, who were still stationed all over that section of Kentucky to intimidate the citizens and prevent Confederate organizations by a reign of terror. These ideas were not original with me. They could be heard in every camp and were freely spoken out by soldiers and by citizens. No man was ever heard to condemn the Decem- ber raids of Forrest into West Tennessee or of Morgan into Kentucky. And notably no man was ever heard to applaud the march of Bragg to Kentucky and back again. He and Kirby Smith had demonstrated that 50,000 Con- federates, all volunteers, and the flower of Southern man- hood, could not stay in Kentucky over one month. It was believed they were not doing any good now in Middle Ten- nessee. The Federals could stand equal losses of infantry and were glad to fight our armies on those terms. But Bragg somehow had learned no lesson from the experience of six months 6efore when Forrest with 1,500 men and Morgan with 900 men had, by one month's work, reduced Buell's army of over 50,000 men to ten days' rations with starva- tion staring them in the face. They were doing this while Bragg with about 30,000 men rested in safety at Chatta- nooga.

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 103

Nearly every soldier thought Bragg ought now to go to Chattanooga at once and let Forrest and Morgan with divisions, while Duke, Wharton, Armstrong, and Johnson, each with a brigade, roam all over Kentucky and Tennessee with the 15,000 cavalry now doing nothing around the army except to watch the front and flanks of Bragg. They were willing for him to keep General Wheeler. It was believed by the soldiers that these veteran raiders with their veteran and daring troops would not only terrorize everything they did not capture in the rear of Rosecrans, but would recruit ten thousand men in the two States before the summer was over. Some suggested that the infantry and artillery could fortify and hold the mountain gaps, from Huntsville to West Virginia, while the cavalry harassed every army that might attempt to break over. And many thought horses ought to be brought out to mount Bragg's infantry and let it have a chance to win. But from my observation and the opinion of all the other soldiers I ever talked to on the subject, Bragg was the pet of the President, and would be kept in control until our backbone was broken. The time had already ar- rived when no man would volunteer to enlist in the infantry to serve under Bragg or any one else and no recruits could be had except by conscription. Morgan had enlisted or secured as many recruits on the Kentucky campaign as Bragg and Kirby Smith combined. Every man who wanted to devote his services and his life if necessary to the Southern cause was ready for active, determined warfare. It made no dif- ference about the weather or hardships so there was a chance to get the best of the enemy. But the slavish monotony of life in a big army, that could not now expect to gain victories in the West, was already abhorred and believed to be a fatal mistake. And then there was a spirit of vengeance being bred in the Southern breast by the atrocities of the invaders in the Southern States and by commanders of posts in Ken- tucky.

In hearty sympathy with this universal feeling, I was with- out a settled plan. Bowers entertained the same views when

104 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

I rejoined him near Charlotte. We concluded to leave the vicinity of Charlotte and watch developments for a short time. I bought a splendid bay mare from Mr. Nix, a black- smith, three miles from Charlotte, for three hundred and twenty-five dollars in Confederate money, and we went west about fifteen miles to a good neighborhood on Yellow Creek.

We started back to Charlotte, where we thought more could be observed with less risk. We had not gone far until we learned that a large force of Federal cavalry was cross- ing the Cumberland River at Palmyra that morning, only twelve miles distant. We halted at a safe place until we could learn the direction the column would take. We did not have to wait long.

The enemy, marching from Palmyra, suddenly appeared on Yellow Creek in the afternoon. We were in the highway when refugees reported the advance within a mile. The little wooded hills that bordered the creek bottoms furnished a secluded rendezvous and we stationed ourselves with sev- eral citizens about half a mile from the highway along the creek, on a projecting hill, where we could have an extended view. The column soon approached with detachments on each flank that galloped about from house to house and gathered up stock, especially mules and horses ; but the news went ahead of the column and the people stampeded with their animals. They did not come nearer than a few hundred yards of our hiding-place, where we sat mounted with vi- dettes on our flanks and a good line of retreat. But the Fed- erals made a sweep of everything they could use. We esti- mated the force at about 2,500, though the command was too much scattered to be counted. After it had passed we ventured out at sundown and learned that the force was under command of Colonel Streight and had encamped three miles up the creek.

We camped in the neighborhood with others, getting supper at the house of a brother-in-law of Colonel Lock- hart of Dover, who was commanding a Tennessee regiment in the South, and met his wife here. After a casual glimpse

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 105

of the enemy's camp we departed for Charlotte at midnight and reached Columbia the next evening, where we reported to General Forrest. He ordered a company of scouts on the march at once toward Centerville. But we inferred that he expected to follow with a stronger force. He said it would not be necessary for us to report to General Bragg, as he would send a courier post-haste.

CHAPTER XI

Famous raid of Col. Abel D. Streight through Alabama to Georgia — Famous pursuit and capture by Gen. N. B. Forrest — Ovation to Forrest at Rome, Georgia — Federal prisoners attest the kindness of Forrest.

We went out to the house of Mr. Miles H. Mays, our friend, and remained a week or more, hoping General For- rest would be sent after Streight and we would go along. But it finally appeared that Forrest's scouts had lost Streight' s track where he embarked on transports at Fort Henry and went up the Tennessee River. But, besides, For- rest had no orders to do anything else. We now returned to Charlotte to await events. After we had been at Mr. Tal- ley's about a week we heard from Columbia, that the Federals were marching up the Tennessee River Valley, from Tus- cumbia toward Decatur, opposed by General Roddey's bri- gade of cavalry, and that Forrest had gone to his aid.

The pursuit of Streight by Forrest and the capture of his entire command was the most marvelous performance of the war. Forrest at no time had as many troops as Streight and less than one-third as many when Streight surrendered. The particulars are of special interest and I quote extracts from a graphic account from "Wyeth's Life of N. B. Forrest" :

At Spring Hill, on April 23d, a message arrived from General Braxton Bragg, directing Forrest to make a forced march with his old brigade to Decatur, Alabama, and uniting there with the brigade of General Roddey, to take charge of all the Confeder- ate troops and check the Federal advance. On receipt of this order, Colonel Edmondson's Eleventh Tennessee was hurried off with directions to reach Bainbridge on the Tennessee River as soon as possible, cross there, and effect a junction with Rod-

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 107

dey. Following with the Fourth, Ninth, and Tenth Tennessee regiments, and Morton's battery, Forrest crossed the Tennes- see River at Brown's Ferry, near Courtland, Alabama, on the 26th, and was soon in position to dispute the farther advance of General Dodge. * * * General Dodge had pushed out with his legions, and on Monday, April 27th, had driven the Confederates across Town Creek, when he ascertained that the enemy were in force under Forrest on the opposite bank.

On the 28th, although "the resistance of the enemy was very strong, and their sharpshooters very annoying," the Union commander succeeded in crossing the creek, the Confederates retiring toward Courtland. Notwithstanding his advantage. Dodge again withdrew to Town Creek that night and there encamped.

It was here, about dark on the evening of the 28th of April, when the fighting had ceased and the Union forces were going into camp on Town Creek, that a well-known citizen of Tus- cumbia, Mr. James Moon, after a hurried ride around and through various Federal detachments, reached General Forrest with the startling intelligence that a very considerable body of mounted Union troops, estimated at about two thousand, had passed through Mount Hope in the direction of Moulton, and were probably now at the latter place. In his original plan, General Rosecrans had intended that Dodge should advance no farther than Tuscumbia in aid of Streight, but when at this point he informed the leader of the raiders that Forrest was at Town Creek, Streight insisted that Dodge should attack the lat- ter and drive him at least as far as Courtland, or even to Deca- tur, and thus hold Forrest off. Streight says, moreover : "It was understood that in the event Forrest took after me in the direc- tion of Moulton, Dodge and his cavalry were to follow Forrest." Swinging loose from all support, and taking advantage of the darkness of night to conceal his departure, Streight's "lightning brigade" marched out of Tuscumbia in the direction of Mount Hope on the 26th of April.

•i* *»* ^ H* ^ ^ •P

Sergeant H. Briedenthal, of Co. A, Third Ohio Inf., says: "On the night of the 27th, at Mount Hope, Colonel Streight received the cheering news from Dodge that he had Forrest on the run, that he had crossed east of Town Creek, had driven the Confederates away, and that he must now push on. Colonel Streight did push on through mud and slush and rain, and late on the afternoon of the 28th of April woke up the sleepy village of Moulton with the largest procession of Union troopers that

108 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

secluded spot had yet entertained. Here he fed and rested his weary cavalcade until i a. m. (29th), when, saddling up, he moved eastward, with Blountsville as his next objective."

* * 9|c * * * He

When Forrest, at dark on the 28th of April, received the information as to the presence of so large a body of mounted troops so far detached from their main column, his quick per- ception took in the situation at a glance.

*******

Three days' rations were cooked, and shelled com issued for two days' forage.

*******

By one o'clock on the morning of the 29th of April all was ready, and as the cavalcade rode out of the town of Courtland, in the cold, drizzling rain which was falling and making the muddy roads *still more difficult, there began a race and run- ning fight between two bodies of cavalry which, in the brilliant tactics of the retreat and stubbornness in defense on one side, and the desperate bravery of the attack and relentlessness in

pursuit upon the other, has no analogue in military history. *******

Steadily throughout that night, and well into the daylight of the 29th, the Confederate leader rode without a halt.

On the morning of the 30th, Forrest, with about 1,000 of his command in advance, overtook Streight and his 2,000 at the top of Day's Gap on Sand Mountain. Forrest's men rushed to the attack with Capt. Bill Forrest and his company of scouts in the lead. They went yelling right up against Streight's force, which had formed to receive the onset. Forrest's orders were, "Shoot at everything blue and keep up the scare!"

But Forrest was repulsed, and Streight, making a gallant charge with his whole line, drove the Confederates back. Among Forrest's losses was Capt. Bill Forrest, seriously wounded, and two pieces of artillery.

However, Colonel Streight immediately got his command off and pursued his journey in the direction of Blountsville. In this fight fifty to seventy-five were killed and wounded on

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 109

each side. Lieutenant-Colonel Sheets, of the Fifty-first Indiana, mortally wounded, was among Colonel Streight's losses.

But Forrest pressed forward as before, and nine miles from Day's Gap came in sight of the blue-coats. A running fight ensued for several miles, until finally Streight was com- pelled to give battle at Hog's' Mountain, which was desperate and lasted into the night and until Colonel Biffle, with a strong detachment, in the darkness flanked Streight and got in his rear. Colonel Streight now managed to escape with his command, leaving the two pieces of artillery behind that he had captured from Forrest. Forrest had one horse killed and two wounded under him in this desperate engagement.

The pursuit and skirmishing was hot and continuous from Day's Gap to Blountsville for twenty-eight hours without sleep — a distance of forty-three miles. And still Forrest kept at the heels of the raiders. Colonel Streight says :

After resting about two hours we resumed our march in the direction of Gadsden. The column had not got fairly under way before our pickets were driven in and a short skirmish ensued between Forrest's advance and our rear-guard under Captain Smith in the town of Blountsville.

Forrest still crowded Streight for ten miles to the Black Warrior River, where Streight was obliged to fight in order that his men could pass the ford. Forrest got a little behind here but soon caught up.

Streight reports that it was about five p. m. on the ist day of May when he crossed the Black Warrior. He says :

With the exception of small parties who were continually harassing the rear of the column, we proceeded without further interruption until nine o'clock next morning, May 2d, when the rear-guard was fiercely attacked at the crossing of Black Creek near Gadsden.

But Colonel Streight got across the wooden bridge over Black Creek and had it in flames before Forrest could get to it.

110 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

Wyeth says :

There was no other means of crossing the stream (deemed impassable except by bridge or boat) nearer than two miles.

It now appeared that Streight would leave Forrest behind, but it turned out otherwise. Wyeth says further :

Close by the roadside was a plain farm-house in which lived a widow and two daughters. Here a brave girl only sixteen years old, Emma Sanson, rode behind General Forrest, under fire, and showed him at a secluded place an old ford where he could cross his command.

The "lost" ford was soon cleared and made passable. For- rest's advance-guard caught up with Streight at Gadsden, only four miles from Black Creek, and started him on another all-night march, although Colonel Streight says :

The command was in no condition to do so. Many of our animals and men were entirely worn out and unable to keep up, and were captured. It. now became evident to me that our only hope was in crossing the river at Rome and destroying the bridge, which would delay Forrest a day or two and allow the command a little time to sleep, without which it would be impossible to proceed.

Colonel Streight being sorely pressed, set an ambuscade about fifteen miles from Gadsden, but Forrest was not caught in it in making his attack. Here Colonel Gilbert Hathaway was killed. He was Colonel Streight's chief support in the command. Colonel Streight says :

His loss to me was irreparable. We remained in ambush but a short time, when the enemy, who by some means had learned of our whereabouts, commenced a flank movement. I then decided to withdraw as silently as possible.

Wyeth says :

From Gadsden, by a parallel route, he (Forrest) had dis- patched on horseback, to go right through to Rome, a courier who would arrive there in time to warn the citizens to guard or burn the bridge and thus stop the raiders.

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 111

Colonel Streight was overtaken beyond Gaylesville, where he had halted, as his command could go no farther. Here he dismounted his men and let them sleep in line of battle.

But Forrest came up by nine a. m., and his men yelled incessantly to create the impression of a large force. For- rest now had less than six hundred men left to follow him. He did not attack but made a bluff.

Colonel Streight, in his official report, says:

Nature was exhausted. A large portion of my best troops actually went to sleep while lying in line of battle under a severe skirmish fire.

Wyeth says:

It was at this propitious moment that General Forrest sent Captain Henry Pointer, of his staff, with a flag of truce to the Union commander, demanding the surrender of himself and command. * * =>= Colonel Streight replied that he would meet General Forrest to discuss the question, and in the conference asked what his proposition was. Forrest replied : "Immediate surrender — your men to be treated as prisoners of war ; the offi- cers to retain their side-arms and personal property." Colonel Streight requested a few minutes in which to consult his officers. Forrest said : "All right, but you will not require much time. I have a column of fresh troops at hand, now nearer Rome than you are. You cannot cross the river in your front. I have men enough right here to run over you." In all of this there was not one word of truth ; but this is war, and in war everything is fair.

Just then one piece of a section of Ferrell's battery, under Lieut. R. G. Jones, came in sight.

^ *(* ^ *•* ^ *!• H'

Soon Sergeant Jackson came up with the other piece and took position in the other half of the roadway.

Streight returned to his command, called his officers together, and talked over the situation. They voted unanimously to sur- render, and their commander, though personally opposed to it, and still ready to fight to the death, yielded to the decision of his subordinates. The men stacked their guns, and were marched away to an open field or clearing, but it was not until the Confederate general got his small command between the Federal troopers and their arms that he felt himself secure. *******

112 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

Moving in front, the Federal commander had cleared up the country of all horses and mules, and in this way kept his men supplied with fresh mounts. He says : "I do not think that at the time of the surrender we had a score of the mules drawn at Nashville left." On the other hand, Forrest had no oppor- tunity of supplying his men with animals. When, from casting a shoe or other injury, or from exhaustion, one of his horses gave out, that was the end of both man and horse as far as this expedition was concerned.

*»* 'K ^ ••* •I* •T^ ^

Major-General Richard J. Oglesby, in his official report, says : "One of Dodge's men who was with Streight and escaped, says that when taken they were worn out, and Forrest captured them with five hundred men. Streight thought a large force was after him."

5jC IjC ^ 5p 3|£ 3|C 3(C

General Braxton Bragg reported to the War Department, at Richmond: "May 3d, between Gadsden and Rome, after five days and nights of fighting and marching, General Forrest captured Colonel Streight and his whole command, about six- teen hundred, with rifles, horses, etc."

The Congress of the Confederate States of America resolved that : "The thanks of Congress are again due to General N. B. Forrest and the officers and men of his command for meritorious service on the field, and especially for the daring skill and perse- verance exhibited in the pursuit and capture of the largely superior forces of the enemy near Rome, Georgia, etc." *******

It is safe to say that there entered into Rome, Georgia, on the 3d of May, 1863, the hungriest triumphal procession in the history of this borough. The victorious troops were royally entertained by the citizens, and the men and horses soon forgot the severe ordeal to which they had been subjected. Even the unfortunate prisoners were not neglected. Sergeant Brieden- thal, in his diary, from which I have already quoted, says on May 5th: "We have been treated well since our surrender, by Forrest's men, who have used us as a true soldier should treat a prisoner."

This testimony of a Federal soldier as to the treatment of prisoners is noteworthy.

Colonel Streight and General Dodge had just desolated the Alabama Valley between Eastport and Town Creek, as will appear from the next chapter.

CHAPTER XII

Conduct of the invaders — Devastation of the country in Ten- nessee, Alabama, and Mississippi — Cruelty to non-combatant sympathizers with the South.

The army of General Bragg- had now been resting over four months on the line of Shelbyville. General Van Dom had been killed by a citizen of Spring Hill. The operations of Forrest between Columbia and Brentwood and of Morgan from McMinnville toward Lebanon had been the only activity in Middle Tennessee.

But during this period the citizens of Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Alabama, and Virginia had suffered from all the horrors of war.

It would be fair to leave the story of these features of the conduct of the invaders to be told by some of the Federal officers and commanders who issued, or executed, the orders to imprison and execute citizens, pillage and burn the barns, mills, and homes of the people, use or destroy all provisions, hogs, cattle, and horses, and terrorize non-combatants, and in fact devastate the country. I submit the testimony (taken from official reports) of a few of the Federal commanders as follows:

Headquarters, Third Division, Fourteenth Army Corps.

Triune, Tenn., April 15, 1863. Colonel : The enemy have been remarkably reserved for the past four days.

*******

Van Dorn is quiet at Spring Hill with his force. In the destruction of property, under the order of Major- General Stanley to his command to burn the houses of all citi-

114 CONFEDERATE OPERATIONS

zens who have sons or near relatives in the Confederate service, a large amount of forage was burned.

*******

Respectfully, your obedient servant,

James B. Steedman, Brigadier-General Commanding, Third Division.

Lieut.-Col. George E. Flynt,

Chief of Staff, Fourteenth Army Corps.

Camp Near Murfreesboro, Tenn.

April 1 6, 1863.

Sir : I have the honor to submit the following report of the

late scout to Franklin, Tenn. :

Left camp with my command, consisting of the Second East

Tennessee Cavalry and a detachment of the Fourth Indiana

Cavalry, on the morning of Thursday, April 9, 1863; halted

at night about four miles south of Triune.

*******

On the nth instant, advanced as far as where the Fourth U. S. Cavalry were engaged on the loth. Returned from that place to where we halted on the morning of the loth instant. Resumed march on the 13th for Murfreesborc at twelve a. m. ; arrived at camp at nine p. m., burning on our way ten dwell- ings and outhouses belonging to persons who had sons in the Confederate army, as per order of Major-General Stanley. I am, very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

D. M. Ray, Colonel Commanding, Third Cavalry Brigade.

Capt. W. H. Sinclair,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Headquarters, District of Corinth.

May 2, 1863. General : My command is coming in. I send brief report. We had four fights, viz., at Bear Creek, Little Bear, Leighton, and Town Creek. Captured about forty prisoners, 900 head of mules and horses, 60 bales of cotton, and a large amount of provisions, and destroyed at least 1,500,000 bushels of corn and a large quantity of bacon, three tan-yards, and five mills ; took the towns of Tuscumbia and Florence, and destroyed about 60 flat-boats on Tennessee River, breaking up every ferry from

IN CANADA AND NEW YORK 115

Eastport to Courtland. A large number of refugees and negroes joined us, and we have rendered useless for this year the garden spot of Alabama.

I turned over 500 animals to Colonel Streight, and broke down at least 400 more. Cattle, sheep, cows and hogs we captured and used by the thousands, and I did not leave a thing in the valley that I considered would in the least aid the enemy.

G. M. Dodge,

Brigadier-General. Maj.-Gen. R. J. Oglesby, Jackson, Tenn.

Corinth, Miss., May 5, 1863. Sir : I have the honor to submit the following report of the expedition up the Tuscumbia Valley to Courtland, Ala. *******

On my return, I burned all provisions, produce and forage, all mills and tan-yards, and destroyed everything that would in any way aid the enemy. I took stock of all kinds that I could find, and rendered the valley so destitute that it cannot be occupied by the Confederates, except provisions and forage be transported to them.

9|C «|C 3|C 5|« ^ 3|C 3|C

G. M. Dodge,

Brigadier-General. Capt. S. Wait, Assistant Adjutant-General, Left Wing, Sixteenth Corps.

General Grant says :

Up to the battle of Shiloh I, as well as thousands of other citizens, believed that the rebellion against the Government would collapse suddenly and soon, if a decisive victory could