Diary of Private Louis Leon: August 26, 1863

We stayed in the woods all day, but at night went out scouting for deserters, but did not find any.

SOURCE: Louis Leon, Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier, p. 45

Diary of Private Louis Leon: August 27, 1863

Returned at 7 this morning, went out again at dark, went through four houses of bad repute, but found not one deserter. Went twelve miles this night.

SOURCE: Louis Leon, Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier, p. 45

Diary of Private Louis Leon: August 28, 1863

We moved this evening, and I stayed in a gentleman's house all night with Wolf.

SOURCE: Louis Leon, Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier, p. 45

Diary of Private Louis Leon: August 29, 1863

Returned to our companions this morning at 10 o'clock.

SOURCE: Louis Leon, Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier, p. 45

Diary of Private Louis Leon: August 30, 1863

Left at 5 in the morning. We hunted through the cliffs for several hours and caught one deserter. Several of our men and myself dined in a widow lady's house. There were quite a number of ladies there, and we had a very pleasant time. Then we went to Mr. Bell's and had supper there. From there we went to Mr. Wheeler's and stayed all night.

SOURCE: Louis Leon, Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier, p. 45

Diary of Private Louis Leon: August 31, 1863

Went to Mr. Watkin's, took dinner there, and stayed all day. Had a very pleasant time with his daughter, Miss Annie.

SOURCE: Louis Leon, Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier, p. 45

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Monday, December 23, 1861

I went back to camp, fifteen miles from Mr. West's.

Zollicoffer wrote to A. S. Johnston, Bowling Green, Kentucky, as follows:

SIR—I feel it my duty frankly to say that the failure to receive the reserves and supplies I ordered up a month ago, and upon which in part the plan of campaign was predicated, has given and is likely to give serious embarrassment.

I now receive no responses to communications addressed to Knoxville connected with the most important details.

I have five (four and a half) regiments north of the river and two south. The strength of the enemy is unknown, but it is reported by the country people to be very large.

There are now, I learn, in East Tennessee,¹ besides the force at Cumberland Gap, eight full regiments and a Georgia Battalion, a battery of artillery and eight cavalry companies. I beg respectfully to say that it cannot be that half this force is required there.

On the other hand, were this column strengthened properly, the enemy could not venture to pass London to attack Cumberland Gap. We could open the Cumberland and drive the enemy from Somerset and Columbia.²

_______________

¹ On the 10th of December General Carroll reported his brigade five thousand strong, and all other troops in East Tennessee at six thousand-total, eleven thousand.—Rebellion Records, Vol. V11., p. 751.

² Rebellion Records, Vol. VII., p. 786.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 100-1

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Tuesday, December 24, 1861

Messrs. Franklin Odom and Henry Dougherty bade us farewell and set out on their return home. W. C. Kennedy of Allison's Company, having been discharged on account of bad health, went home with them.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 101

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Wednesday, December 25, 1861

According to orders from our General, McNairy moved from Camp Hall. Leaving his wagon train and camp equipage two or three hundred yards north of Mr. A. R. West's, and within one mile of Mill Springs, he crossed the river with the main portion of his Battalion, and took headquarters for the night with Branner's Battalion.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 101

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Thursday, December 26, 1861

Zollicoffer had ordered a steamer to ascend the Cumberland to Celina, and if deemed safe to press on to Mill Springs with army stores for his command. In order to make a diversion in favor of this boat Colonel McNairy was ordered to go down the north side of the river in the direction of Burkesville, with his own, Branner's and McClellan's Battalions, in all about six hundred and fifty men. Setting out from Beech Grove, as above directed, with First Battalion, under Captain Allison, in front, McNairy moved at the head of the column until he neared Jamestown, the county seat of Russell County, when, on learning that he would meet the enemy at that place, he halted to hurry up Branner and McClellan, who in the meantime had dropped somewhat behind.

When the head of our battalion got within about two hundred yards of town the enemy opened on us, but without doing any damage except the killing of one man (James Tate, Company B) and one horse belonging to Adamson, who was a member of Allison's Company, and F. W. Horn's horse was wounded and fell. Allison then fell back a short distance and awaited the arrival of McNairy with the other two battalions. As soon as our Colonel came up he ordered one battalion to move round rightward and attack the north side of town, while he would move forward and attack the east side of the place with the other two battalions. A messenger from the battalion moving to the right reported to McNairy that the town could not be approached from that direction. Therefore, as it was now about nightfall, the Colonel withdrew the troops without making an attack. Falling back about two miles, we halted and fed, after which we scattered along the road about four miles further, where we remained till morning

I shall here relate the following incident: Before reaching Jamestown this afternoon, McNairy's groom, “Johnnie,” happened to be riding alone some distance in rear of our battalion, when a gentleman rode up and commenced a conversation with him. Soon learning that his companion was a Federal soldier, Johnnie¹ quickly drew his revolver, saying, “Sir, you are my prisoner.” On marching his prisoner up to the battalion, he proved to be no less than that of a Federal corporal, who had been home on a visit and was on his way back to camps, not knowing or suspecting that there were any Confederates in the neighborhood.

_______________

¹ Johnnie was a white man, but I do not remember his surname.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 101-3

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Friday, December 27, 1861

McClellan's and Branner's Battalions returned to their camps at Beech Grove. Our battalion recrossed the river and went into camps near Mr. West's, where we left our wagon train the 25th.

At nine P. M., Colonel T. E. Bramlette (First Kentucky Infantry), who was at that time in command of General Boyle's Brigade at Columbia, wrote as follows to General Thomas:

The enemy is at Jamestown, eighteen miles from here, some three thousand strong.

He has ascertained the strength and position of Colonel Wolford's camp, and threatens to destroy that before moving further. He has one thousand seven hundred mounted men, armed mostly as infantry.

I would not be surprised if the whole of Zollicoffer's forces were to be on us in two or three days.

We will, however, strike a blow, even if left to ourselves, that shall terrify the rebel hell-hounds wherever they hear of us. Retreat we will not, and if they come upon us we will fight the fight of desperation to win.¹

Notwithstanding McNairy did not go so far down the river as Zollicoffer had instructed him to go, yet it would seem from the above communication that the object of the expedition, at least to some extent, had been accomplished. That is to say, the attention of the Federals had been attracted from the river, and Colonel Bramlette was now holding his brigade in readiness at Columbia, awaiting an attack from Zollicoffer.

The long looked for “reserves” are coming in at last. Colonel William B. Wood, with a battalion of his regiment (Sixteenth Alabama), and Captain H. L. W. McClung, with his battery of artillery (six guns), have arrived. Colonel Samuel Powell's Regiment will be here soon, having started from Knoxville the 24th instant, Colonel Moses White's Regiment, of General Carroll's Brigade, is also on the way from Knoxville.

_______________

¹ Rebellion Records, Vol. VII., P: 517.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 103-4

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Saturday, December 28, 1861—6:30 p.m.

Half after six o'clock, P. M., the writer and forty-four others of our battalion set out from Camp West, going in the direction of Livingston, Tennessee, to meet and guard back a wagon train which had been sent down the Cumberland to meet a steamer from Nashville with supplies for Zollicoffer's command.

As the river was low our wagons had to go as low as Carthage on this trip to meet the boats.

After a ride of about twenty-two miles, we met a part of the wagons about two A. M. on [Sunday the 29^th.]

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 104

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Sunday, December 29, 1861

[H]alted for the rest of the night within some four miles of Albany.

In the saddle again early that morning, fourteen of our scouts went out within seven miles of Creelsborough, while the rest went on in the direction of Livingston to meet the other wagons. We all returned, without any incident worthy of note, to the same place we started from that morning and camped for the night.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 104

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Monday, December 30, 1861

Having our wagons all up, we moved about fourteen miles and camped near Monticello.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 104

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Tuesday, December 31, 1861

Going on in advance of the wagons, we got to Camp West a little after noon.  The wagons did not get to Mill Springs until late that evening.

Zollicoffer now had seven regiments of infantry, three battallions and four companies of cavalry, and two batteries (fourteen guns) of artillery. Total present for duty, six thousand one hundred and fifty-four; aggregate present and absent, eight thousand four hundred and fifty-one.¹

_______________

¹ Rebellion Records, Vol. VII, p. 814

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 104-5

Brigadier-General William H. Carroll to Major-General George B. Crittenden, December 9, 1861

HEADQUARTERS RIFLE BRIGADE,        

Knoxville, Tenn., December 9, 1861.

Maj. Gen. G. B. CRITTENDEN, Knoxville:

SIR: I have the honor herewith to submit a report of the strength and condition of all the forces now in East Tennessee for the past few weeks acting under my command, together with their location, field of duty, &c. My immediate command, assigned by the Secretary of War, is as follows:

Senior (Thirty-eighth) Regiment: Colonel, Robert F. Looney; lieutenant-colonel, E. J. Golladay; major, D. H. Thrasher. Organized September 23, for twelve months. Stationed at Knoxville. This regiment is but imperfectly armed, having but 250 guns, consisting of rifles, double-barreled shot-guns, and muskets. Of these not more than 50 are perfect. This regiment is now stationed at this place, except one company, which is on detached service at Morristown. Strength of regiment, 988.

Second(Thirty-ninth) Regiment:¹ Colonel, Moses White; lieutenant-colonel, Hunter P. Moffit; major, W. M. Hunt (acting). Organized October 11, 1861, for twelve months. This regiment is also stationed at Knoxville, except one company, which is on detached service at Morristown. The arms of this regiment consist of about 200 rifles, shot-guns, and muskets, mostly unfit for use except in an emergency. Strength of regiment, 771.

In addition to the two regiments above mentioned there are seven companies that have been mustered into service that have heretofore been nominally under the command of Col. W. T. Avery, which were also assigned me by the Secretary of War. These have not yet been organized into a regiment, for the reason that three of them which I left at a camp of instruction at Germantown were ordered to Fort Pillow by General Pillow, commanding at Columbus. The other four companies are in the neighborhood of Knoxville.

I have written to General Pillow, protesting against this interference  with my command, and requested him to order the three companies now at Fort Pillow to move immediately to this place. Should he do so, the regiment will be organized at once. Should he not do so, I shall appeal to the Secretary of War.

When I reached Chattanooga with my command, on the march to this point, I was joined by the following regiment:

[Thirty-second Regiment]: Colonel, E. C. Cook; lieutenant-colonel, W. P. Moore; major, ——— Brownlow. Organized ———, for twelve months. This regiment is still at Chattanooga, awaiting further orders. It is armed with 500 flint-lock muskets, in good order. Strength of regiment, 850.

When Colonel Cook reported to me he informed me that he was assigned to no command and requested me to attach him to my brigade, which I did until such time as I should receive orders from you. Should it meet your approval, I should be glad to have him continued under my command. I would also suggest that he be ordered to this place, as there is no further necessity for the services of his regiment at the place where it now is, as every indication of a rebellion in that section of country has entirely disappeared.

Col. J. W. Gillespie, of this city, has reported to me the following companies, with the request that they should be organized into a regiment and attached to my brigade, viz:

Capt. A. J. Cawood, stationed at Loudon, partially armed; Capt. S. T. Turner, stationed at Loudon; Capt. L. Guthrie, stationed at Knoxville; Capt. John Goodman, stationed at Knoxville; Capt. D. Neff, stationed at Knoxville; Capt. W. J. Hill, stationed at Knoxville; Capt. A.W. Hodge, stationed at Knoxville; Capt. W. L. Lafferty, stationed at Calhoun; Capt. W. H. McKamy, stationed at Charleston; Capt. J. W. Phillips, stationed at Rogersville.

The strength of this regiment will reach about 850 men. Some of these companies are partially armed with old country rifles and shotguns. I have ordered all of them to rendezvous at Camp Key, in the vicinity of this city, and will organize them into a regiment early next week.

The following detached companies have also reported to me, viz: Capt. W. D. Smith, stationed at Charleston; Capt. J.P. Brown, stationed at Madisonville; Capt. J. B. Cook, stationed at Athens; Capt. W. C. Nelson, stationed at Philadelphia; Capt. H. Harris, stationed at Sevierville; Capt. W. G. McCain, stationed at Knoxville.

These companies are also partially armed with such guns as could be secured in the surrounding country. So soon as these companies can be relieved from duty at the places where they are now stationed I will concentrate them at this or some other convenient point and organize them into a regiment.

Artillery.—Captain George H. Monsarrat; first senior lieutenant, E. Baxter; first junior lieutenant, Brian; second senior lieutenant, Freeman; second junior lieutenant, [C.] Freeman; 140 men, 4 guns, 3 caissons, 103 horses.

This company is now stationed near this city; is under the command of one of the most active and efficient officers in the service. It is thoroughly drilled and disciplined. Six more guns will be obtained in a few days and the command increased to 250 men.

Cavalry.—The following cavalry companies have reported to me and have been acting under my orders, viz:

Captain McLin, stationed at Lick Creek; Captain Brock, stationed at Knoxville; Capt. J. F. White, stationed at Maryville; Capt. W. L. Brown, stationed at Cleveland; Capt. D. C. Ghormley, stationed in Cocke County; Capt. R. W. McClary, stationed at Cleveland; Capt. S. W. Eldredge, stationed at Loudon.

The foregoing comprised all the force attached to my immediate command. Other forces, however, have reported to me and acted under my command, consisting of the following:

Col. W. B. Wood's regiment, at present stationed new this place, numbering about 800 men, armed with flint-lock muskets. This regiment is attached to the brigade of Brigadier-General Zollicoffer.

Capt. H. L. W. McClung's battery, consisting of two 6-pounder and two 12-pounder guns, with caissons, horses, &c., numbering about 100 men; Captain Gillespie's cavalry, numbering about 100 men, armed with double-barreled shot-guns. Both these companies belong to the command of General Zollicoffer.

There are other forces stationed at various points in East Tennessee from the commanders of which I have received no official report and have no certain information concerning them. The following is the most reliable I have been able to obtain:

Col. Samuel Powell's regiment, stationed at Greeneville. Of its strength, arms, &c., I have no knowledge, nor do I know to what command it is attached.

Col. S. A.M. Wood's regiment is stationed 10 miles east of Chattanooga; is thoroughly equipped, and with Springfield muskets. This regiment belongs, I understand, to the command of Brigadier-General Bragg, and was sent by him from Pensacola to Chattanooga for temporary service until such time as I could reach there with my command.

Col. R. B. Vance's regiment is stationed at Greeneville; numbers about 800 men, and is efficiently armed. I do not know to what command it is attached.

Col. D. Leadbetter is stationed, with his regiment, somewhere in the neighborhood of Morristown, on the line of the East Tennessee and Virginia Railroad. I have no other information concerning his command.

Lieutenant-Colonel Stovall's battalion is stationed at Greeneville, numbering 500 men, and is efficiently armed.

The foregoing is all the organized force of which I have any knowledge in East Tennessee, except Colonel Churchwell's regiment, which I understand is a portion of General Zollicoffer's command. I do not know its present location.

Another of General Zollicoffer's regiments, commanded by Colonel Statham, is, I learn, stationed at Cumberland Gap.

There are various companies, I am informed, being organized in the surrounding counties, and should the necessity arise and arms could be procured I have no doubt but an additional force of 4,000 or 5,000 men could easily be brought into the field from East Tennessee.

RECAPITULATION.
Strength of my immediate command:

Infantry.	4,400
Cavalry.	450
Artillery.	150
Total	5,000
Other forces in East Tennessee	6,000
Whole amount of force in East Tennessee.	11,000

The foregoing report is as perfect a one as I am able to make with the meager information at present before me. My own command being as yet to a great extent unorganized and stationed in small detachments at so many different points, I have not been able to obtain regular and official reports. But in the main the above statement of its strength, condition, &c., is very nearly accurate in point of numbers, as well as in other particulars.

The other forces to which I have alluded were not under my command, and therefore I had no right to require the official information from them, but have had to rely upon such statements as were reported to me by others.

Respectfully,

WM. H. CARROLL,        

Brigadier-General, C. S. Army.

_______________

¹ Appears on Register as Thirty-seventh Regiment.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 7 (Serial No. 7), p. 749-52

Brigadier-General Feliz K. Zollicoffer to Lieutenant-Colonel William W. Mackall, December 23,

BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS,        

Beech Grove, Ky., December 23, 1861.

Lieutenant-Colonel MACKALL,
        Assistant Adjutant-General, Bowling Green, Ky.:

SIR: I feel it my duty frankly to say that the failure to receive the reserves and supplies I ordered up a month ago, and upon which in part the plan of campaign was predicated, has given and is likely to give serious embarrassment. I now receive no responses to communications addressed to Knoxville connected with the most important details. I have five regiments north of the river and two south. The strength of the enemy is unknown, but it is reported by the country people to be very large. There are now, I learn in East Tennessee, besides the force at Cumberland Gap, eight full regiments and the Georgia battalion, a battery of artillery, and eight cavalry companies. I beg respectfully to say that it cannot be that half this force is required there. On the other hand, were this column strengthened properly, the enemy could not venture to pass London to attack Cumberland Gap. We could open the Cumberland and drive the enemy from Somerset and Columbia.

I trouble you with these suggestions, about which I feel the deepest concern, because I learn that Major-General Crittenden has gone to Richmond.

Very respectfully,

F. K. ZOLLICOFFER,        

Brigadier-General.

P. S.—Inclosed I send copies of a general order* and a proclamation I have deemed it expedient to print and circulate.

_______________

* Order not found.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 7 (Serial No. 7), p. 786

Colonel Thomas E. Bramlette to Brigadier-General George H. Thomas, December 27, 1861—9 p.m.

CAMP BOYLE, December 27, 1861—9 p.m.

General THOMAS:

The enemy is at Jamestown, 18 miles from here, some 3,000 strong. He has ascertained the strength and position of Colonel Wolford's camp, and threatens to destroy that before moving farther. He has 1,700 mounted men, armed mostly as infantry. With such force Wolford would be cut off without remedy; I have ordered him under the circumstances of necessity to move up here with his stores and troops, to cooperate with me in an attack upon the enemy, should he move toward Burkesville or this place. I would not be surprised if the whole of Zollicoffer's forces were to be on us in two or three days. They must be retiring from before Somerset, either intending to attack here or move down the river to Burkesville, and thence to join Buckner. In either case we intend here to meet him. Our situation is, however, somewhat critical—no artillery, and threatened on both flanks by superior numbers, and nobody to help us.

We will, however, strike a blow, even if left to ourselves, that shall terrify the rebel hell-hounds wherever they hear of us. Retreat we will not, and if they come upon us we will fight the fight of desperation to win. We have too much stores here to leave, too many sick to move, and they must and shall be defended with the last life we have to spare; and if we, after the frequent notifications of our position to division and department headquarters, are cut to pieces for the want of the necessary means of defense, the fault will not be ours.

Respectfully,

THO. E. BRAMLETTE,        

Colonel, Commanding Post.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 7 (Serial No. 7), p. 517-8

Abstract from the Weekly Return of the Troops Commanded By Brig. Gen. F. K. Zollicoffer, C. S. Army, For December 31, 1861.

                                    (BEECH GROVE, KY.)

Commands.	Present for duty.		Aggregate Present and Absent.	Number of Guns.
	Officers.	Men.
Infantry.1	238	4,515	6,550	....
Cavalry.2	70	1,095	1,644	....
Artillery.3	10	226	257	14
Total	318	5,836	8,451	14

¹ The Sixteenth Alabama, Fifteenth Mississippi, and Seventeenth, Nineteenth, Twentieth, Twenty-fifth and Twenty-eighth Tennessee Regiments.

² The First, Third, Fourth and Fifth Tennessee Battalions, and two independent companies.

³ McClung’s and Rutledge’s batteries.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 7 (Serial No. 7), p. 814

Senator John Sherman to Major General William T. Sherman, May 12, 1866

The chief motive I have in the trip this fall is to notice the country through which the Pacific R. R. runs. The mistake made by Congress was in not concentrating its aid on one road commencing far enough west to be the common meeting point of all the Eastern roads, and then push it through with all the means of the Government.

As it is too late to alter the law, it is probable one of the roads now building will be selected, and gratuities will not be given to the other further than the one hundredth meridian. I am a member of the Railroad Committee, and therefore take an active interest in the question.

SOURCE: Rachel Sherman Thorndike, Editor, The Sherman Letters: Correspondence Between General and Senator Sherman from 1837 to 1891, p. 270-1