The other day while doing some research on the Third Tennessee and the Ninth Indiana Cavalry in there action at Sulphur Trestle, I came across this story that was published in 1875 by Col. J.B. Dodge of the 30th Indiana. I have deleated about half of the story but it is , I think very intresting.
I would like any feedback from you about what was written here. If any one would like to read the complete story search for The Republic of Jones.
There is a lot of information in this so read carefully. (Lilly is Maj. Eli Lilly)
"Lilly at once informed the officer that it was useless to say another word; that he considered the implied threat an insult to him and his troops; and that Gen. Forrest had the reputation of being too good a soldier to be unable to control his troops under any circumstances, if he wanted to. After notifying him that fighting would be resumed at once, he started back. Before he reached his lines, he was recalled by the officer he had been talking with, and informed that Gen. Forrest had come out in person. The Major returned immediately, and after fifteen minutes' conversation surrendered himself and command, on condition that only the property of the government should be turned over to him; the officers and men to retain all their personal property, horses and side arms included, and to be taken to some point in Mississippi and be released on parole as soon as the necessary arrangements could be made with General Washburne, who was in command at Memphis. No discrimination was made between the white and colored troops. The Major got his command together, and after burying his dead, about seventy-five, started for "Dixie" in company with a large number of other troops that had been similarly captured. They were taken first to *******n, and a day or two after, the officers, about ninety in number, went to Enterprise, a town ten or twelve miles from *******n, the enlisted men staying where they were. At Enterprise they found a Major Ward, formerly of Kingstown, I think, in this state, in command of six men, who was engaged in conscripting men for the rebel army, a position similar to that of Provost Marshal at the same time in the North.
The officers were at once paroled, not to escape from the town, and as they had no trouble in selling their watches, revolvers, saddles or horses for almost fabulous amounts of confederate money, and were at perfect liberty as far as the town was concerned, they had a first rate time. They boarded around the town among the citizens, and slept in a large warehouse that they had fixed up in good shape. After they had been there four or five days they heard for the first time, of the "Republic of Jones." How many, I wonder, that take the trouble to read this article knew that the Confederacy had a republic within itself, having a president, vice-president, congress, an army, and all the other departments of a regular government? It was all in minature, to be sure; but the will was good. The army of this curiosity in the list of governments that have existed amounted to 1,000 men.
Take a map and look at the State of Mississippi. Down in the south-eastern portion of the State you will find Jones county. It is low, flat land, about one-half the very thinnest, poorest "oak barrens" imaginable; the other half is low ground with no timber on it, nothing but tall, reedy grass that grew very dense, so that a man can be securely hiden within five feet of where a large force were passing, and they would know nothing of his proximity. The county is also traversed by three or four brances of Leaf river, all of which are slow, crooked streams, with marshy banks and bottoms. The inhabitants were generally refugees from justice, desperadoes that were keeping out of the way of parties they had injured, and deserters from the rebel army, and all banded together for common defense. They were able to and did defy any force, either Union or rebel, that might be sent against them. Owning to the peculiarities of the country, they could annihilate at their pleasure any small force, and could scatter and secrete themselves at a moment's notice from a force too large for them to cope with.
One night the Major was waked up by some one pulling on one of his feet, when he was in bed and asleep. He raised up and ascertained that it was a negro that lived in town, and who had appeared friendly. The Major immediately got up at the request of the negro, and went outside of the building with him where he talked a little while in order to quiet his fears, for he was very much excited. The negro told him that some of the people in town, that do not like the "Yanks," had sent word down to the "Republic of Jones" to send up their troops, attack the town, plunder all the Federal officers, and hang all the officers of colored troops.
The Major, after promising the negro that he would see to it that he came to no harm from the rebels, called up five officers, and they stood guard over the town until morning, when Lilly saw Major Ward and told him what the negro had said. Ward had heard rumors of the same thing, and at once telegraphed the situation to Mobile and asked for enough men to guard the town. He was informed that it would be impossible to get the men to Enterprise in less than three days, in the meantime he must do the best he could. In the meanwhile he had sent a scouting party, consisting of what soldiers he had, that returned and reported the "Jones army" as only five miles distant, and that it was advancing carefully. Lilly at once proposed to him to take twenty-five stand of arms, that he (Ward) had, organize the Union officers as a company and guard the town until the troops could arrive from Mobile. Ward accepted the offer promptly, and thus for three days and nights the singular spectacle was presented of a body of prisoners actually guarding their own prison and the citizens of the town in the heart of the enemy's country- a thing that may be easily said to be without parallel in the annals of war.
The "Jones army" advanced to within two miles of the town, made a reconnoisance and found a different state of things existing than they had counted on, halted and remained there until after the troops from Mobile had arrived, and five days after the necessary arrangements for exchange having been made, Major Lilly, with the other officers and men captured up to that time by Forrest, were sent to Memphis and from thence to their commands. Taking everything into consideration, their fighting, capture, defense of a rebel town and speedy exchange, it is, I believe, without parallel during the rebellion, if not in any war."
Northern Indianian April 28, 1875 Back to YesterYear in Print
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Union Prisoners guard Enterprise, Mississippi? 
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