Colonel Thomas Kilby Smith to Mrs. Eliza Walter Smith & Helen Smith, June 21, 1862

HEADQUARTERS 54TH REGT. O. V. INF.,

LAGRANGE, TENNESSEE, June 21, 1862.

DEAR MOTHER AND HELEN:

We are now encamped at Lagrange, a most beautiful town in Tennessee, surrounded by lovely scenery, the country slightly undulating, watered by Wolf River, a clear, cold, and swift-running stream. This was the famous hunting-ground of the Chickasaw Indians, and here what was called the lost district, the disputed ground between Mississippi and Tennessee, to battle for which the militia was called out years ago. The place is celebrated for its college and female seminaries, and the very great beauty of its suburban residences. Its railroad facilities, its pure water, and healthy atmosphere have made it in past times a favorite resort for wealthy citizens from Memphis, Mobile, and further South, and luxury and refinement have characterized its inhabitants. Our troops were received here with chilling reserve. The stores were closed, the hotels refused accommodations to officers, and ladies, who had been unable to escape by flight to the plantations or elsewhere, shut themselves up. The men had pretty much all managed to get away. As the few, however, who were left came in contact with the rank and file, and began to discover that we were not the Goths and Vandals they had been led to believe, and also that the great lever, gold, was ready to be plied and piled, they wonderfully changed countenances, began to brighten, and the larders, poorly supplied, however, were opened. . . .

Our brigade had been here but a day when we were ordered to Holly Springs, distant some twenty-five miles south. We made there a forced march, going, returning, destroying a bridge and trestlework of a railroad within three days. We had a slight skirmish at a place nine miles beyond Holly Springs, in which we lost four wounded and killed eight of the enemy. Their infantry occupied the city, but fled at our approach. I was appointed Provost of the city, and my regimental flag floated from the Court-House. The history of that flag in this regard is somewhat remarkable — in a future letter I will give it to you. Holly Springs, as you know, is one of the principal cities of Mississippi, surrounded by magnificent plantations, in the midst of the cotton-growing region. The people are very rich, or rather have been, and are the true representatives of the South. Our reception there was somewhat different from what it had been here. All the prominent gentlemen of the town called upon me in my official capacity, and many of them tendered me the hospitalities of their houses, which in one or two instances I accepted. They had lost a great deal by the burning of cotton. Many of the wealthiest men had been ruined. They did not seem to sympathize with their own army that was devastating the land. The plantations along the march were very beautiful, the houses are built with a great deal of taste, the spacious lawns and parks and cultivated grounds kept trim and neat. This is the season for cultivating cotton, and hosts of slaves were in the fields, stopping work and running to the fences to see us pass, and to chaff with the men. They understand just as well what is going on as their masters. They seem fat and happy enough, but are pretty ragged. Suffering will be rife, however, through whatever regions these armies pass, and the South will groan at the desolation of its land. Bitterly, bitterly, will they rue the grievous sins they have committed, but never again will they be forced into union. The United States no longer exist, between the North and the South is a great gulf fixed, and the hearts of the people will never bridge it. We may conquer, but never subdue. Their lands are beautiful, their climate lovely, fruits and flowers, and magnificent forest trees. The holly and the pine, the live oak, the mimosa, the bay, the magnolia, are grand, and the mocking bird and thrush make them vocal. The people are strong in intellect, but enervated in body. The women are pretty, but pale. After all, perhaps Providence is working out some great design through the agency of this bloody war. It is a strange fact that our Northern men stand the effects of the climate better than those to the manner born. Perhaps a new infusion of better blood will regenerate. . . . I have this moment, even as I write, received an order to hold my troops in readiness to march towards Memphis at two o'clock this day. It is now twelve M. So you see there is but little time for private griefs or private joys. This is one great drawback to comfort in the army, you never know what will happen to you the next moment, and no sooner do you begin to rejoice that your “lines are cast in pleasant places,” than you are ordered off, you know not where. I keep Stephen worried out of his wits. . . . I entered the army the 9th day of last September, nearly ten months have past. In all that time I have never been absent from my post one single day or night.

SOURCE: Walter George Smith, Life and letters of Thomas Kilby Smith, p. 215-7

Major General William T. Sherman to Ellen Ewing Sherman, April 29, 1863

HEADQUARTERS 15 ARMY CORPS,

BEFORE VICKSBURG, April 29th, 1863.

. . . He [Grant] is down at Carthage, the fleet is below Vicksburg, and I was on the point of following when the order was countermanded; then I got an order that he would like to have a feint made on Haines' Bluff, provided I did not fear the people might style it a repulse. I wrote him to make his plans founded on as much good sense as possible and let the people mind their own business. He had ordered me to attack Vicksburg and I had done so. Now to divert attention from his movement against Grand Gulf he wants another demonstration up Yazoo. Of course I will make it and let the people find out when they can if it be a repulse or no. I suppose we must ask the people in the press, i. e. some half-dozen little whipsnappers who represent the press, but are in fact spies in our camp, too lazy, idle, and cowardly to be soldiers. These must be consulted before I can make a simulated attack on Haines' Bluff in aid to Grant and Porter that I know are in a tight place at Grand Gulf. Therefore prepare yourself for another blast against Sherman blundering and being repulsed at Haines' whilst McClernand charges gallantly ashore and carries Grand Gulf, etc. But when they take Grand Gulf they have the elephant by the tail. I say the whole plan is hazardous in the extreme, but I will do all I can to aid Grant. Should, as the papers now intimate, Grant be relieved and McClernand left in command you may expect to hear of me at St. Louis, for I will not serve under McClernand. . . . I start in an hour to make the demonstration up the Yazoo. I shall have ten regiments of infantry, two ironclads, the Mohawk and De Kalb, and a parcel of mosquitoes. I don't expect a fight, but a devil of noise to make believe and attract any troops in motion from Vicksburg towards Grand Gulf back. I think Grant will make a safe lodgment at Grand Gulf, but the real trouble is and will be the maintenance of the army there. If the capture of Holly Springs made him leave the Tallahatchie, how much more precarious is his position now below Vicksburg with every pound of provision, forage and ammunition to float past the seven miles of batteries at Vicksburg or be hauled thirty-seven miles along a narrow boggy road. I will be up Yazoo about three days. . . . I am not concerned about the Cincinnati Gazette. The correspondent's insinuations against Grant and myself about cotton are ridiculous. Grant is honest as old Jack Taylor, and I am a cotton-burner. I have even forbidden all dealing in cotton and not an officer of my command ever owned a bale. As to myself, I would burn every parcel of it as the bone of contention and apple of discord. Now that Mr. Chase has undertaken to manage cotton as well as finance I wish him a good time with it. . . .

SOURCES: M. A. DeWolfe Howe, Editor, Home Letters of General Sherman, p. 256-8.  A full copy of this letter can be found in the William T Sherman Family papers (SHR), University of Notre Dame Archives (UNDA), Notre Dame, IN 46556, Folder CSHR 2/03.

Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Monday, December 29, 1862

We had company drill this morning and received orders to be ready to march in the morning. We have been at Holly Springs nine days now, and the town is almost deserted.²

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² When we passed through Holly Springs going south, the town looked very pretty, and no property was destroyed. But when the place was surrendered to Van Dorn by our traitorous colonel in command of the small garrison, and that without the firing of a gun, then it was that destruction followed. When we had to come back to find our stores burned and live on half rations, our men were not in the best of humor; they did not care then if the whole town was destroyed. — A. G. D.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 90

Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Thursday, December 25, 1862

General Rosecrans's division passed here today on their way to Memphis. This is rather a gloomy, dry Christmas. We are still on half rations. But in spite of it, the boys are all enjoying themselves. They are taking everything that they can lay their hands on, carrying to their tents couches, rockers, chairs, tables, books, bric-a-brac — in fact, all kinds of household articles. Some of the boys, who are lovers of fancy books, sent home by express some of the most costly bound volumes. Holly Springs has certainly paid dear for burning our supplies.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 89

Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Sunday, December 21, 1862

We left Abbeville this morning and marched through to Holly Springs, twenty-two miles. It was warm and dusty traveling. We arrived at dark, going into bivouac in the north edge of town, and I tell you the boys made the boards fly, for as the teams had not yet arrived with our tents, we pulled down vacant houses to build bunks and windbreaks to protect us from the cold wind.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 88

Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Saturday, December 20, 1862

We struck our tents early this morning and marched twenty-one miles back toward Holly Springs. It is a disappointment to have to retrace our steps and the boys are not as jolly as they were when going south. Holly Springs is said to have been taken and our supplies cut off. We have been put on half rations.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 88

Major General William T. Sherman to Ellen Ewing Sherman, January 4, 1863

ON BOARD Forest Queen,

MILLIKEN'S BEND, January 4, 1863.

Well, we have been to Vicksburg and it was too much for us, and we have backed out. I suppose the attack on Holly Springs and the railroad compelled Grant to fall behind the Tallahatchie, and consequently the Confederates were enabled to reinforce Vicksburg. Besides, its natural strength had been improved by a vast amount of labor, so that it was impossible for me to capture or even to penetrate to the road from which alone I could expect to take it. For five days we were thundering away, and when my main assault failed, and Admiral Porter deemed another requiring the cooperation of the gunboats “too hazardous,” I saw no alternative but to regain my steamboats and the main river, which I did unopposed and unmolested. To re-embark a large command in the face of an enterprising and successful enemy is no easy task, but I accomplished it. McClernand has arrived to supersede me by order of the President himself.¹ Of course I submit gracefully. The President is charged with maintaining the government and has a perfect right to choose his agents. My command is to be an army corps composed of Morgan L. Smith's old command (poor Morgan now lies wounded badly in the hip on board the Chancellor, and his division is commanded by Stuart), and the troops I got at Helena commanded by Fred Steele whom I know well. These are all new and strange to me but such is life and luck. Before I withdrew from the Yazoo I saw McClernand and told him that we had failed to carry the enemy's line of works before Vicksburg, but I could hold my ground at Yazoo — but it would be useless. He promptly confirmed my judgment that it was best to come out into the main river at Milliken's Bend. We did so day before yesterday, and it has rained hard two days and I am satisfied that we got out of the Swamp at Chickasaw Bayou in time, for now water and mud must be forty feet deep there. . . .  Regulars did well, of course, but they or no human beings could have crossed the bayou and live. People at a distance will ridicule our being unable to pass a narrow bayou, but nobody who was there will. Instead of lying idle I proposed we should come to the Arkansas and attack the Post of Arkansas, fifty miles up that river, from which the enemy has attacked the river capturing one of our boats, towing two barges of navy coal and capturing a mail, so I have no doubt some curious lieutenant has read your letters to me. We must make the river safe behind us before we push too far down. We are now on our way to the Post of Arkansas. McClernand assumed command to-day, so I will not be care-worn again by the duty of looking to supplies, plans, etc. . . .  It will in the end cost us at least ten thousand lives to take Vicksburg. I would have pushed the attack to the bitter end, but even had we reached the city unassisted we could not have held it if they are at liberty to reinforce from the interior. . . .

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¹ On January 2, Sherman had learned that McClernand had “orders from the War Department to command the expeditionary force on the Mississippi River” (Memoirs, I, 322). On January 24, Sherman wrote to his wife: “It was simply absurd to supersede me by McClernand, but Mr. Lincoln knows I am not anxious to command, and he knows McClernand is, and must gratify him. He will get his fill before he is done.”

SOURCES: M. A. DeWolfe Howe, Editor, Home Letters of General Sherman, p. 235-7.  A full copy of this letter can be found in the William T Sherman Family papers (SHR), University of Notre Dame Archives (UNDA), Notre Dame, IN 46556, Folder CSHR 1/150.

Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Friday, December 19, 1862

The boys worked all day setting up their tents. The boys of our company cut down a red oak tree from which we made staves, set them in trenches dug in the ground, and had just finished putting up the tents, when at 5 p. m. the long roll sounded to form in line. We were ordered to march to the station to board the cars for Holly Springs, as the rebels had taken the place and burned our rations. But we did not go, as another regiment nearer the station got there ahead of us and we were marched back to our camp, with orders, though, to be ready to start for Holly Springs in the morning. We had expected to stay here several days and are sorry to have to leave the place, for it would have made us an excellent camp ground, being on a south hillside with timber just thick enough for shelter.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 88

Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Tuesday, December 16, 1862

The Sixth Division received orders to be ready to march in the morning. We have been in the rear of the army and we are now to move forward. The railroad being in operation now, it is said that our base of supplies will be moved forward and established at Holly Springs, Mississippi.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 87

Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Saturday, November 29, 1862

We started this morning at 6 o’clock and arrived at Holly Springs at 10 o’clock. We remained there about two hours and then moved on to Waterford, eight miles distant, where we went into camp. We drove the rebels before us nearly all day and there was some skirmishing. The fighting in the streets of Waterford was sharp and the buildings were burned. There was heavy cannonading in the front late in the day. There are thousands of negroes, women and children, of all shades of color gathered at Holly Springs. The roads by which we marched were lined with them. The best of the negro men have been taken South by the rebels to work on their fortifications.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 85