You are currently browsing the monthly archive for January 2008.
McCormack, James William – Captured at Fort Donelson, Tennessee. Exchanged. Captured at Triune, Tennessee on December 19, 1864, during Hood’s retreat from Nashville, Tennessee. Sent to Camp Douglas, Illinois. Residence Gallatin, Tennessee.
The 31st Alabama Infantry Regiment was organized at Talladega, 16 March 1862, with men from Calhoun, Cherokee, Montgomery, Randolph, Shelby, and Talladega counties. It reported to Gen’l Danville Leadbetter at Chattanooga shortly after. It then moved up to Knoxville, where it was brigaded under Gen’l Seth Barton, in Carter Stevenson’s Division. The regiment was at the investment of Cumberland Gap, and it took part in the fight at Tazewell. With Gen’l E. K. Smith’s column, it was in the Kentucky Campaign, without coming up with the enemy. When the forces came back, it was permanently brigaded with the 20th, 23rd, 30th, and 46th Alabama regiments, under Gen’l Edward D. Tracy of Madison, Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana. In December, the 31st accompanied Stevenson’s Division to Vicksburg. In May 1863 it helped defend Port Gibson, Mississippi, where the regiment suffered severely. It fought at Baker’s Creek, and the loss was heavy. As part of the Vicksburg garrison, the regiment suffered through the siege, and after losing a number killed and wounded, it was surrendered with the fortress. Placed in parole camp at Demopolis, the 31st was soon exchanged. With Gen’l Edmund Pettus in command of the brigade, the regiment joined the Army of Tennessee, and it was engaged with slight loss at Mission Ridge. It wintered at Dalton, and it participated in the campaign from Dalton to Atlanta.
The regiment followed Gen’l John Bell Hood into Tennessee and sustained severe losses at Columbia and Nashville, and was the rear-guard of the retreating army. Transferred to North Carolina, the regiment was hotly engaged at Bentonville, and a fragment of the 1100 with which it entered the service surrendered at Greensboro, as part of Pettus’ Brigade. There were 260 effectives in January, 1863, with 21 k and 37 w at Vicksburg. There were 23 casualties at Chattanooga, and in December, 1863, there were 452 present with 323 arms. Only 180 were fit for duty in January 1865, and less than 100 surrendered in April. Toward the close of the war, the 31st was consolidated with the 23rd and 46th Infantry and redesignated the 23rd Consolidated Infantry Regiment at Smithfield, 9 April 1865.
Field and staff officers: Col. Daniel Robinson Hundley (Madison; wounded, Port Gibson; captured, Port Gibson, Big Shanty, Georgia); Lt. Col. Thomas Mann Arrington (Montgomery); Major George W. Mattison (Talladega; transferred to line duty); John W. Shorter (Georgia; captured, Champion’s Hill; resigned); and William M. Garrard (Georgia)
Captains, and counties from which the companies came:
- Co. “A” (Cherokee County; some of company paroled as of Co. “K”, 23rd AL Infantry, Consolidated): Isaac P. Moragne (resigned, 13 Aug 62); Henry W. Pickens (resigned, 30 March 63); W. L. Hughes (wounded, Jonesboro)
- Co. “B” (Talladega County; also called Co. “A”; company paroled as part of Co. “K”, 23rd AL Infantry, Consolidated): William S. Chapman (resigned, 26 Sept 62); Robert A. Hardie (resigned, 12 Dec 63); William H. Hancock (transferred); William J. Rhodes (wounded, Kinston, Bentonville)
- Co. “C” (Cherokee County; also called Co. “B”): Marshal J. Alexander (resigned, 28 Aug 62); Joseph J. Nix (wounded, Champion’s Hill, Jonesboro; captured, Champion’s Hill; resigned, 26 April 63 and March 65)
- Co. “D” (Calhoun County; evidently became Co. “G”, 23rd AL Infantry): E. T. Thompson; (dropped from rolls, 2 June 64); John Rose (paroled as Capt., Co. “G”, 23rd AL Infantry)
- Co. “E” (Talladega County; also called Co. “D”): Archibald Carter (resigned, 27 Aug 62); G. W. Watts (resigned, 19 Nov 63); Frank M. Shouse
- Co. “F” (Talladega County; also called Co. “E”): Robert M. McKibbin
- Co. “G” (Shelby County; also called Co. “K”; mustered 22 March 62 as Cobb’s Co., Frazer’s 23rd AL Infantry, and on 4 May 62 as Cobb’s Co., Hundley’s 31st AL Infantry): James Cobb (resigned, 2 Sept 62); William H. Shelby (resigned, 21 Nov 63); Robert B. Pruitt
- Co. “H” (Randolph County): Augustus A. West (resigned, 27 Aug 62); Andrew J. Reeves (resigned); James L. Williams (captured, Missionary Ridge)
- Co. “I” (Montgomery County): John M. Shields (resigned, 10 Sept 62); Thomas M. Arrington (promoted); L. W. Vick
- Co. “K” (Shelby County; some of the company finally paroled as Co. “H”, 23rd AL Infantry, Consolidated): Norman P. Reeves (appointed, surgeon); John W. Pitts (resigned, 10 Nov 62); Samuel W. Morgan (dropped from rolls, 17 June 64); J. T. McClanahan
Historical resources:
- Bibliography
- Muster roll (via email)
- Other webpages
The 23rd Alabama Infantry Regiment was organized at Montgomery on 19 November 1861, with companies recruited in Baldwin, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Monroe and Wilcox counties. It was ordered to Mobile shortly after that and attached to Gen’l Adley H. Gladden’s Brigade, remaining there until the following February. During the stay there of two months, the regiment lost 82 men by disease. It then moved into East Tennessee and was brigaded under Gen’l Danville Leadbetter of Mobile and then under Gen’l Seth Barton of Tennessee, and in June 1862, under Col. Thomas Hart Taylor of Kentucky. The 23rd performed much arduous duty in East Tennessee and formed part of Carter Stevenson’s Division, Kirby Smith’s Corps, in the Kentucky campaign. When the army returned to Tennessee, a brigade was formed of the 20th, 23rd, 30th, 31st, and 46th Alabama regiments and placed under Gen’l Edward D. Tracy of Madison.
In December 1862, with Stephenson’s Division, the 23rd was moved to Vicksburg, and a few days later was present at the fight at Chickasaw Bayou. It was engaged at Port Gibson where the brigade commander fell, and it lost heavily there in killed, wounded, and captured. Gen’l Stephen D. Lee then took command of the brigade. At Baker’s Creek, the 23rd was engaged and lost a number captured. The next day, it was in the fight at Big Black Bridge. When the army fell back, the regiment was left, by oversight, and for 12 hours resisted the whole federal army, without severe loss. Retiring into Vicksburg, the regiment shared in that siege, fighting day and night, but without many casualties. Paroled immediately, the regiment was soon exchanged and joined the Army of Tennessee just after the Battle of Chickamauga., Gen’l Edmund Pettus of Dallas commanding the brigade. The 23rd took part at Missionary Ridge with light loss and wintered at Dalton, Georgia. At the beginning of the campaign, it suffered heavy losses at Resaca, but it was constantly in front of Union Gen’l William T. Sherman all the way to Atlanta and Jonesboro, suffering very severely in the latter fight. The regiment marched with Gen’l John Bell Hood into Tennessee, was engaged at Columbia with considerable loss, and at Nashville, where many of the men were captured. It guarded the rear of the retreating army and moved into the Carolinas.
From Branchville to Bentonville, it fought Sherman and was consolidated with the 31st and 46th Alabama, with J. B. Bibb as colonel, Osceola Kyle of Coosa at Lt. Col., and J. T. Hester as Major, and sufrrendered at Salisbury, NC. Nearly 1200 names were on the rolls of the 23rd; it had 435 muskets at Rocky-face, and 76 surrendered at Salisbury, under Col. Bibb. Near the close of the war, the 23rd was consolidated with the 31st and 46th Infantry at Smithfield, 9 April 1865.
Field and staff Officers: Cols. Franklin King Beck (Wilcox; captured, Vicksburg; KIA, Resaca); Joseph Branajah Bibb (Montgomery; wounded, Nashville); Lt. Col. Joseph Branajah Bibb (promoted); Majors Felix Tait (Wilcox; resigned, 9 Aug 1862); John J. Longmire (Monroe; resigned, 25 Jan 1864); Francis McMurray (Macon; wounded, Missionary Ridge; retired); A. C. Roberts (Marengo; KIA, New Hope Church); James T. Hester (Montgomery); Adjutants Henry Goldthwaite (Mobile; resigned); J. T. Norman (Macon; captured, Port Gibson); and William Beard (Conecuh)
Captains, and counties from which the companies came:
- Co. “A” (Wilcox County; paroled as part of Co. “C”, 23rd AL Infantry, Consolidated): John J. Longmire (promoted); G. H. Moye (resigned, 13 Nov 63); J. W. Steen (captured, Vicksburg; wounded, Atlanta)
- Co. “B” (Macon County; paroled as part of Co. “I”, 23rd AL Infantry, Consolidated): Francis McMurray (wounded, Port Gibson, and captured; promoted; resigned, 21 March 64) F. A. Rutherford (KIA, Jonesboro); Lt. Carnie Leslie
- Co. “C” (Marengo County; paroled finally as part of Co. “I”, 23rd AL Infantry, Consolidated): A. L. Norwood (resigned); Amariah C. Roberds (promoted); Robert Chapman; Alfred Bethea (resigned, 2 Sept 62)
- Co. “D” (Conecuh County): D. K. Smith (resigned, 10 Sept 62); James T. Hester (promoted); James M. Anderson
- Co. “E” (Monroe County; paroled as part of Co. “D”, 23rd AL Infantry, Consolidated): G. G. Mathews (resigned, 24 Feb 63); H. M. Graham (captured, Vicksburg)
- Co. “F” (Lowndes County; paroled as part of Co. “D”, 23rd AL Infantry, Consolidated): Henry P. Reid (resigned, 3 Jan 63); S. Oliver Merriwether (captured, Port Gibson)
- Co. “G” (Choctaw County; paroled as part of Co. “D”, 23rd AL Infantry, Consolidated): Alfred Yates (resigned, 13 Sept 62); John Stephens (KIA, Port Gibson); W. W. Johnson (resigned, 13 April 64); M. Butterfield; (KIA, Atlanta); R. F. Campbell
- Co. “H” (Conecuh County; paroled as part of Co. “E”, 23rd AL Infantry, Consolidated): Thomas D. McCall (resigned, 29 April 63); B. L. Selman (captured, Vicksburg; wounded, Resaca); 2nd Lt. J. T. McDonald
- Co. “I” (Baldwin County; paroled as part of Co. “E”, 23rd AL Infantry, Consolidated): R. Y. Rew (resigned, 9 Feb 63, and 30 March 63); W. H. Myles (captured, Vicksburg)
- Co. “K”, King Guards (Wilcox and Clarke counties; paroled as part of Co. “C”, 23rd AL Infantry, Consolidated): William E. Powe (resigned, 10 Nov 62); Greene D. McConnell (captured, Vicksburg)
Historical resources:
- Bibliography
- Flag [Notes, photograph] [Description only]
- Muster roll (via email)
- Other webpages
History of Battery G
from the pen of Samuel J. Churchill,
Medal of Honor
(for action on 12.15.64)
excerpted from his book, _Genealogy and Biography of the Connecticut Branch of the Churchill Family in America_ (Lawrence, KS: Journal Publishing, 1901), pp. 71-77.
Samuel Joseph Churchill
Residence DeKalb County IL; Enlisted on 8/6/1861 at DeKalb, DeKalb Co., IL as a Private. On 10/5/1861 he mustered into "Battery G" Co. IL 2nd Light Artillery He Re-enlisted on 4/15/1864 He was Mustered Out on 9/4/1865 Promotions: * Qtr Master Serg Other Information: born 11/1/1842 in Rutland, Rutland Co., VT died 6/3/1932 Buried: Oak Hill Cemetery, Lawrence, KS Medal of Honor Information: He was awarded the Medal of Honor for action on 12/15/1864 at Nashville, TN. (Stood manfully at his post and for some minutes worked his gun alone)
[At Camp Butler, near Springfield, Illinois, the battery was mustered into federal service.]
During the siege of Nashville, Tennessee, by Rebel General Hood, we were in line of battle two weeks, firing more or less every day. We could hear the rebel band play, “Whose been here since I’se been gone.” To answer them our band would play, “Yankee Doodle.” On December 14, 1864, the Union line advanced and attacked the rebel army in their fortifications. We had to march for some distance under a galling fire from the enemy before we could get our battery in position. . . . Our battery was ordered in position on high ground in plain view of two rebel batteries, one to our right and the other directly in front, about 240 yards distant, which were doing their best to dislodge the Union forces, and several men and horses were killed before we could get our battery into position. My gun, a 12-pound Napoleon, was located about eight feet to the right of a large brick house. . . .It was there that I won my medal of honor. [After a member of my crew ran terrified from the gun, his panic spreading to other members of the crew, and] in the face of a terrible rain of shot and shell from the enemy, I loaded and fired my gun eleven times alone before assistance came. The rebel batteries were silenced and driven back and the Union forces took an advanced position. The result of the battle is well known in history. . . .
On December 16, 1864, we fought from early morn until 4 p.m., when we succeeded in putting the rebel army to flight, capturing many cannon and small arms. The Union loss was 400 killed and 1,740 wounded; the rebel loss was 4,462 killed and missing. We followed up Rebel General Hood’s retreat as far as Eastport, Tennessee, where we were obliged to stop on account of our rations giving out; and for two weeks we subsisted on dry corn. Soon after this the Sixteenth Army Corps was ordered down the river to New Orleans, Louisiana, and took ship for Mobile Bay, Alabama, where was one of the last strongholds of the rebellion.
Source: web site
KILLEN, Doctor Duncan
Resides Green Hill, AL. Born 14 Dec 1840, near Green Hill, Lauderdale County, AL.
Enlisted Nov 1861, Florence, AL. Pvt., Co E, 27th Alabama. A little before the surrender, in the spring of 1865, was in Hood’s retreat from Franklin. All the pontoons were destroyed and he was given orders to take care of himself.
KILLEN, Robert Taylor
Resides Green Hill, AL. Born 2 Apr 1847, near Green Hill, AL.
Enlisted fall of 1864, Green Hill. Pvt., Co E, 27th Alabama. Served until spring 1865; company disbanded near Tuscumbia, AL following Hood’s retreat from Nashville, TN.
A Hundred Battles in the West: St. Louis to Atlanta, 1861-65, the Second Michigan Calvary
Marshall B. Thatcher
Covers retreat on page 235
Col. Hiram Bledsoe (CSA)
Page 540 of this book says he covered Hood’s retreat.
Doniphan’s Expedition and the Conquest of New Mexico and California
By John Taylor Hughes,
(7-06) Hood’s Retreat – December 17, 1864. Marker located at West Harpeth River, Columbia/Nashville Pike, south of Franklin. View is looking south
(7-06) Marker in previous photo
Source – web site
KY Historical Marker……
(Reverse) Woodford County’s Civil War Generals – Brigadier General Abraham Buford, 1820-1874; Confederate cavalryman; cousin of John and N. B. Buford. Graduate West Point, 1841; frontier service Kansas and Indiana terr., 1842-1846; brev. capt. Mexican War; raised, equipped a Kentucky Brig. for CSA, commissioned brig. general, 1862. Covered Bragg’s retreat from Ky.; in Vicksburg campaign; twice raided Western Ky. and Paducah, capturing horses and vast supplies, spring 1864; led brigade in CSA victory, Brice’s Cross Roads, Miss., June 1864; covered Hood’s retreat after defeat at Nashville December 1864; defeated at Selma, Ala., March 1865. He lived at Bosque Bonita in Woodford Co., owning famous race horses Nellie Gray, Inquirer, Crossland, and Versailles.
25th Alabama Cavalry Battalion
[By Charles S. Rice, Huntsville, AL]
Although the 25th Alabama Cavalry Battalion was not formed until very late in the war, its origins go back to the summer of 1862, when Lemuel Green Mead of Jackson County resigned as captain of Co. “C”, 50th Alabama Infantry Regiment and was recommissioned a cavalry captain with orders to operate behind enemy lines in North Alabama and Tennessee. Mead quickly recruited a company of partisan rangers, but the Union withdrawal in September 1862 limited his activities. However, the Union Army returned to North Alabama in mid-1863, and Mead’s operations began again in earnest. Mead’s forces so rapidly increased that on 18 January 1864 he was authorized to expand his company into a cavalry battalion. Mead’s men constantly harassed the Union invaders, attacked the railroad, captured wagon trains and forage parties, and forced the Union Army to keep several regiments tied down to defend against them. Mead’s cavalry cooperated with Col. Alfred A. Russell’s 4th Alabama Cavalry Regiment in November and December 1864, in support of Gen’l John Bell Hood’s Nashville campaign. Mead’s most famous independent operation was the seizure of the Union post at Paint Rock Bridge on 31 Dec 1864, where he captured Co. “G”, 13th Wisconsin Infantry, and a Napoleon howitzer. A letter from Col. Russell (17 Jan 1865) indicates that Gen’l Nathan B. Forrest wanted Mead’s battalion attached to his own command, which would have been done “but for the contrary influence of some of the staff officers of Brigadier General [Philip D.] Roddey and S. D. Cabaniss, inspector of conscription.” On 11 March 1865, Lemuel Mead was promoted to colonel and authorized to reform his men into a regiment. Companies “A”, “C”, “E”, “F”, and “G”of Mead’s Battalion became Companies “A”, “B”, “C”, “D”, and “E” of the 25th Alabama Cavalry Battalion. Captain Milus E. “Bushwhacker” Johnston, who had been acting as major, was promoted to lieutenant colonel and placed in command. At the same time, Mead’s Tennessee companies became the 27th Tennessee Cavalry Battalion. Mead was recommended by Gen’l John B. Gordon for temporary promotion to brigadier general, but the war ended before that occured. Johnston’s 25th Alabama Battalion surrendered at Huntsville on 11 May 1865. Col. Mead held out on Brindley Mountain for a few weeks longer before finally disbanding the remainder of his men. Field officers: Col. Lemuel Green Mead; Lt. Col. Milus E. “Bushwhacker” Johnston; and Major Eugene C. Gordon.
Historical resources:
- Bibliography
- Muster roll (via email)
7th Alabama Cavalry Regiment
The 7th Alabama Cavalry regiment was organized at Newbern, 22 July 1863, raised as part of the brigade of Gen’l James H. Clanton. Recruits came from Greene, Montgomery, Pickens, Randolph, and Shelby counties. Ordered to Pollard, the regiment remained in that vicinity for nearly a year. In the fall of 1864, the 7th reported to Gen’l Nathan Bedford Forrest at Corinth, Mississippi and was reassigned to Rucker’s Brigade.
It took part in the raid on Johnsonville and was engaged in the fighting as Gen’l John Bell Hood moved up to Nashville. The 7th also bore the brunt of the night attack of the enemy at Brentwood, suffering severely in killed and wounded. During Hood’s retreat, the regiment fought daily and nightly, repelling the repeated assaults of the enemy’s swarm of cavalry.
When the 7th reached Corinth, only 64 rank and file (effectives) were left of the 350 with which it began the campaign. After recruiting a few weeks, the regiment joined Gen’l Abraham Buford, at Montevallo, 300 strong. Ordered to West Florida, the 7th reached Greenville, then turned and confronted Union Gen’l James Wilson’s Corps from Benton to Girard, fighting and obstructing his march. At Girard, the regiment was in the line and took part in the last fighting of the great war. It moved by way of Dadeville and Wetumka, and it surrendered at Gainesville, 14 May 1865.
Field and staff officers: Col. Joseph Hodgson (Montgomery); Lt. Cols. Henry J. Livingston (Autauga; resigned); Turner Clanton (Montgomery); Majors Turner Clanton (promoted); Francis C. Randolph (Montgomery); and Adjutant William t. Charles (Montgomery; captured, and escaped).
Historical resources:
Frank Herron
3rd Tennessee Infantry
Reminiscences of the Boys in Gray 1861-1865
Compiled by Miss Mamie Yeary, McGregor, Texas, Morningside Publishing Company, 1912
FRANK HERRON, Graham, Texas – Born Feb. 29,1843, at West Point, Tenn. Enlisted in the Confederate Army in May, 1862, at Lawrenceburg, Tenn., as private in Company K, Third Tennessee Infantry, Gen. Bell’s Brigade, Walker’s Division, Hardee’s Corps, Army of Tenn. First Captain was Frank Mathis, and first Colonel, Walker. After the battle at Chickamauga I received a discharge and went home but soon after joined the Forty-eighth Tennessee Cavalry, which served under Gen. Forrest.
Was wounded at the battle of Raymond, Miss., on May 12, in the right thigh and a thin piece of bone about two inches long was taken out. Here I was captured and four months later made my escape, rejoined my command and was again captured on Gen. Hood’s retreat from Franklin, Tenn., and was sent to Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio, where I remained until the war closed. Was in the battles of Chickasaw Bayou, Raymond, Miss; Chickamauga, and others with Gen. Forrest until I was captured under Gen. Hood on his retreat from Franklin.
Source – web site
December 20, 1864 – December 24, 1864 – Conditions in Franklin and Columbia in the wake of Hood’s retreat
• See December 23, 1864–”. . . raising their little hands in joy and crying “o’er yonder’s Gen’l. Forrest! Yonder’s Gen’l. Forrest! howd’y Gen’l. Forrest. . . ” The scene during Forrest’s occupation of Columbia
“Letter from a Returned Columbia Refugee
Correspondence of the Nashville Dispatch Columbia, Tenn. Dec., 24, 1864
I left Nashville on the morning of the 20th inst., and arrived at Franklin about sundown. After getting supper, I visited Bate’s Rebel hospital, where I made the acquaintance of Dr. Hill, of the 10th Tennessee cavalry, with whom I conversed some two hours. He informed me that there were between 1200 and 1500 wounded and sick Rebels in Franklin; that Hood’s army was perfectly demoralized; that his whole army was down on him; that they wanted Joe Johnston, and that unless a change was made the entire army would desert him. I also conversed with a number of citizens, all of whom represented Hood’s army as a fleeing mob. They did little or no damage in returning through Franklin, having pillaged stores and private houses, and laid waste and devastated everything on the onward march to Nashville. They conscripted every man between eighteen and forty five in Franklin, but succeeded in getting only one man to go with them, the balance remaining. A large number of Williamson county men deserted from Hood’s army. The next morning [21st] after breakfast I set out on foot for Columbia. When I reached the pace where the battle of Franklin was fought I stopped and surveyed, and as far as I could see on both sides of the road, it looked like a vast burying ground. Getting within three miles of Columbia, and learning that General Forrest and his cavalry occupied the place, and feeling quite sore from my tramp, I concluded to stop for the night with the fond hopes of reaching home and loved ones the next morning. When morning came [22nd] I was informed that on the evening before, the Rebels had sent in a flag of truce, requesting that the Federals would not fire on them, as they had no desire for an engagement of any kind, stating that the were none left in the town, but old men, women, children and sick and wounded soldiers, which was granted and strictly complied with, until Gen. Thomas got ready to lay his pontoon bridge, which was early the next morning. The pontoon across Rutherford creek was completed late on Wednesday evening, and his forces crossed over it during the night. So on Thursday [22nd] morning a skirmish was commenced for the possession of the south bank of Duck river, which was attained in a few minutes, with the loss of one Federal and two Rebels killed. I did not hear of any wounded on either side.
About eleven o’clock I learned that the Rebels had evacuated Columbia, when I came to the river, but did not succeed in getting across until late in the afternoon. The pontoon bridge was completed during the night. I scarcely know where to commence in speaking of the acts of the Rebels during the time they held Columbia. With only a few exceptions, every storehouse in the place was broken open and robbed of its contents. Many private residences were also robbed, their carpets being torn up from the floors [Note 1 ], and but very few families were left any thing in the way of eatables. They took from my wife and children the very last mouthful I had to eat, besides every dollar’s worth of my stock. Every book, paper and memorandum belonging to the corporation of the city was destroyed. The dockets of every magistrate in my district were also destroyed. They entered the Masonic Hall and robbed it of all its contents, leaving not the smallest thing as a memorial that they “had been there since we had gone.” They also took the hall of the Odd Fellows for a hospital. They conscripted every man between eighteen and forty-five, and herded them in a livery stable. They succeeded in getting some fifteen or twenty away with them, the greater portion of whom have returned since the occupation of the town by the Federals. Not more than five or six are now out. There are but two or three who volunteered, while hundreds of Maury county men have deserted them. Nearly all the refugees who returned with Hood’s army, have remained at home, including A. O. P. Nicholson. To sum the whole up in a nut-shell, they have created a perfect revolution. No one, not even the most radical secessionist, desires the return of the Rebel army. Such was the feeling of the people of this county [i.e., Maury] upon my return. Hood had done more for the Union cause than the Federal army could possibly have done, and had the Federal commanders seized upon it in a proper manner, they could easily have made Maury county an unconditional Union county. But, alas! discipline was wanted with the 4th army corps. The men of this corps were suffered to come into town, and what the Rebels left they seized, to a great extent. Last night several storehouses which had not yet been molested, were broken open and robbed by straggling soldiers of this corps. Many private houses were also entered and property, such as spoons, knives and forks, cups and saucers, etc. was taken off. About three o’clock today the 24th Indiana (belonging to the 23d corps) under command of Col. Orr, entered the town to do patrol duty: and for the sake of protecting innocent women and children, he guaranteed to everyone who applied, regardless of political sentiments, a guard for their residences. He also put out a strong provost guard, with strict orders to arrest and place in the guard house, all stragglers and depredators. Things soon began to have a much more favorable aspect, and the citizens will long remember Col. Orr, Capt. Connor, Lt. Walker, and the soldiers of the 124th Indiana.
Wild Jack
Nashville Dispatch, December 27, 1864.
Source location
Brown, Richard F. – In battles at Manassas, Richmond, Chickamauga, Ringgold Gap, Atlanta, Jonesboro, and Franklin. Wounded twice in leg at Richmond, Ky. Wounded twice in arm at Franklin, Tenn., while carrying battleflag. Captured on Dec. 31, 1864, on Hood’s retreat from Nashville. Carried to Camp Chase, Ohio. Paroled in May 1865.
Source:
Recent Comments