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It is a singular fact that nearly two-thirds of the able-bodied white men of
East Tennessee enlisted in the
Federal army and fought the war through on the side of the
Union.
Singular, I say, because northward, in
Kentucky, the
Southern cause had more aid and encouragement than in
East Tennessee; while
Virginia, on the eastern boundary, was nearly unanimously Confederate, as well as
Georgia and
Alabama upon the southern border and
Middle Tennessee upon the west.
How is this to be accounted for?
What strange freak made
East Tennessee so loyal to the government, while upon all sides, North, East, South, and West, she was surrounded by the hosts in rebellion?
That
Kentucky was partially loyal, we can account for only because of her geographical position, making her more a Western than a Southern State; but here is
East Tennessee, bordering upon the
Cotton States, and allied to them by every interest, yet taking up arms for the
Union with as much alacrity as though she bordered upon
Lake Erie instead of the
Cotton States.
For illustration, take the two counties of
Marion and
Franklin, lying together, the former in the division of the
State known as
East Tennessee and the latter in
Middle Tennessee,
Marion bordering upon the
Georgia and
Alabama line and
Franklin upon that of
Alabama.
The people of these two counties were identical in interest, and no argument could reach one that did not apply to the other.
Yet, when the issue came these two counties stood as far apart as the poles.
Marion voted for the
Union until the last, when ballots were superceded
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by bullets, while
Franklin unanimously voted to take the
State out of the
Union.
Indeed, at the June election, 1861, there was but one vote cast for the
Union in that county!
And so furious were the people in the cause that they held a sort of convention, passed a so-called ordinance of secession, and declared
Franklin county out of the
Union in advance of the
State's action!
The first regiment raised upon
Tennessee soil was raised there — that of
Colonel Peter Turney--which hurried off to
Virginia, twelve hundred strong, before the
State had formally “seceded.”
A capital command was this, going forth amid the huzzas and plaudits of the people, but never returning again as a regiment.
A fragment came back-that was all. But in the adjacent county of
Marion, how different was the feeling of the people!
A majority were for the
Union, and neither the firing upon
Sumter or the
President's proclamation could shake their allegiance to the old government.
And when it came to the test and every able-bodied man had to go into one army or the other, a majority of the citizens of
Marion made their way northward and entered the
Federal ranks.
Although
East Tennessee had a population of only about two hundred and fifty thousand, she put twenty-one cavalry regiments into the
Union army and eight infantry regiments.
Of this number twelve were organized as cavalry and the rest as mounted infantry, which is the same.
In this there is no account taken of the Tennesseeans who enlisted in
Kentucky,
Ohio,
Indiana, and
Illinois regiments, of whom there were thousands.
The policy of the government in mounting so large a proportion of the
Tennessee troops was to get the benefit of their gallant horsemanship.
Accustomed from early youth to horseback exercise they excelled in that branch of service.
Some of the best cavalry in the service was from
Tennessee.
The Tennessee troops in the
Union army are without a historian.
There has been no extended narratives of their battles and exploits.
And to this day it is not generally known in the
North how great the aid the national cause received from the strong arms of the
Tennessee Unionists.
Had all the border slave States taken the course of
East Tennessee, the war would not have lasted a year.
But south of the
Ohio and the
Potomac there was no territory, not even
Eastern Kentucky or
Western Virginia, the population of which was as loyal to the government as that of
East Tennessee.
Virginia proper, lying eastward and northward of this section, was so true to the
Confederacy that the whole State did not furnish five hundred white men to the
Union army.
Of course, in this estimate, I do not include what is known as
Western Virginia, or any part of it. For the year
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ending May 1st, 1866, the records show that nearly fifteen thousand white Tennesseeans were mustered out of the
Union army and eighty-five
Virginians!
Why this vast difference in sentiment in communities of the same blood, institutions, habits, customs, and interests?
A detail of the exploits of the
Tennessee troops in the
Union army would fill volumes; but so far from a single volume on the subject, there has never been anything like a connected narrative.
The Tennessee troops were fighters, rather than writers, and they left little record of their transactions.
It was
Tennessee troops who finally routed the famous cavalry command of
John H. Morgan and killed that daring raider.
He vanquished armies, and captured more prisoners on single raids than his own men numbered; yet a strange fate decreed that he should meet his fate at the hands of
Tennessee Unionists — the Thirteenth and Ninth Tennessee Cavalry regiments, aided by the Tenth Michigan.
This brigade killed the great raider, and effectually broke up and scattered his command.
In the garden of
Mrs. Williams,
in Greenville, Tennessee, a plain stone is set on the spot where
Morgan fell.
After his marvelous escape from the
Ohio Penitentiary, he reorganized his command and entered
Kentucky again.
The expedition was unfortunate, and he returned to
Virginia, and from thence operated in
East Tennessee.
He formed a plan to attack a brigade of
Tennessee and
Michigan troops at
Bull's gap, above
Knoxville.
On the 3d of September he arrived in
Greenville, his command camping near by, and a portion of his staff taking up their quarters at the residence of
Mrs. Williams.
This is the finest residence in
Greenville — a large double brick house, not far from that of the late
Andrew Johnson, but much larger and finer than any
Johnson ever lived in, except the
White House.
It was built by
Dr. Alexander Williams, who died a few years before the war, and, at the time of the tragedy, was occupied by his widow and a few members of the family.
Mrs. Williams is now dead, but the house stands just as it did, and the surroundings are almost precisely the same as on that moist and gloomy September morning, in the year 1864, when the roof sheltered
John H. Morgan the last night he spent on earth.
I have passed the house dozens of times, but never without casting my eyes on the spot where the great cavalryman fell, and also at the point in the road where
Private Andrew Campbell stood, whose unerring bullet pierced the heart of
Morgan.
Morgan is accused of carelessness in posting himself and command, for the night, so near the enemy, and with so little precaution.
The prime cause of the calamity to his command and death
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of himself was owing to the fact that he had ridden his troops very rapidly; they were worn out, and the pickets on the east side of the town fell asleep.
Colonel Miller, who was posted near
Bull's gap, did not know of the presence of
Morgan in that part of the country until six P. M., September 3d.
It is said that a woman brought him the news, and many pictures have been painted of her rapid horseback ride from
Greenville to the gap; but upon a recent visit to
Greenville, those having personal knowledge of the matter denied that there was “a woman in it.”
But, however this may be, when the news came,
Colonel Miller and
General Gilliam held a short consultation, and the command was ordered to be in readiness to move.
At eleven o'clock that night, in the midst of a terrible thunder-storm, which fairly drenched the soldiers, the Thirteenth Tennessee moved out toward
Greenville, by way of the
Arnett road.
At midnight they were followed by the rest of the command, making a total of about two thousand men, fifteen hundred of whom were Tennesseeans.
The storm increased, the rain fell in torrents, the heavens fairly shook with rolling thunder, while there was no light other than the flashes of lightning.
But the dark column of horsemen moved steadily on, and
John Morgan slept his last sleep on earth.
In so stormy and tempestuous a night he may have felt secure from intrusion, be the enemy ever so vigilant.
Just before the first streak of dawn the advance swung around in rear of
Morgan's command, captured the pickets who were asleep, and virtually got between
Morgan and his soldiers.
Sharp fighting ensued and great confusion.
At the opportune moment
Colonel Ingerton, commanding the Thirteenth Regiment, sent Companies I and G on a bold dash into town, in hopes of getting the great cavalry chieftain.
It was not yet fairly daylight, and the
Federals had all the advantage.
These companies surrounded the
Williams house, some of Company G occupying the street which leads from the depot to Main street. The first intimation
Morgan had was from a servant, who rushed to his room, saying, “the
Yankees are coming!”
Morgan did not believe it, and prepared to go to sleep again.
Again the news came, and with it was the accompaniment of musketry firing, which gave forth no uncertain sound.
Looking out he was horrified to see the enemy around the house, and without waiting to fully dress he and
Major Gassett, of his staff, rushed out into the garden, or back yard.
Escape seeming to be cut off in that direction they ran into the cellar, where they remained a few moments.
Feeling that death or capture awaited them there, and observing from the enemy's movements that their whereabouts was known, they ran out into the
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garden again,
Gassett concealing himself in an outhouse and
Morgan attempting to hide among the grape vines.
His white shirt betrayed him as he crouched behind the vines and posts.
Private Andrew Campbell saw him from the street, not over fifty yards distant, and fired, hitting
Morgan plump in the breast, and killing him instantly.
He never spoke.
Morgan's friends claim that he was foully murdered, and that he had called out that he would surrender.
Campbell says that he was trying to get away, and making no motion that looked like a surrender.
The soldiers carried the body of
Morgan to the street, threw it across a horse and rapidly returned to the main column, who were engaged with
Morgan's command, which they routed.
They captured two cannon, many wagons, and prisoners, and, in fact, virtually broke up
Morgan's command.
The forces engaged on the
Union side were the Thirteenth Tennessee Cavalry,
Colonel Miller; Ninth Tennessee Cavalry,
Colonel Brownlow, and Tenth Michigan,
Major Newell.
So complete was the surprise and rout of
Morgan's command that the
Federal loss was but two killed and four wounded.
Morgan's body was carried on a horse about one mile, where it was laid by the roadside, and afterward turned over to some of
Morgan's friends, who came for it with a flag of truce.
The body was carried to
Abington, Virginia, and buried, and soon after removed to
Richmond.
Whatever became of
Campbell I do not know.
He is marked on the muster rolls as having moved to
Ohio.
Immediately after the victory, he was promoted to second lieutenant in Company E, same regiment, by
General Order No. 95, which states that the promotion is made as “a reward for his gallantry in the engagement at
Greenville, Tennessee, on the 4th instant, and for his success in arresting, by an accurate shot, the flight of
General John H. Morgan, one of our country's most prominent enemies.”
