Middle Tennessee Chronology winter 64-65

[larry_cockerham]

Hatch and his brigade were ordered to Taylor’s Springs to guard the crossings along Shoal’s Creek and check the enemy’s advance.

This little city, now holding perhaps a couple of thousand souls, lies next to the new bridge on US 43 over Shoals Creek. Sergeant Thomas Hamilton Janes of the 41st TN CSA rests there in the graveyard of the local Church of Christ. Now known as Killen, the pace has gained little steam since the civil war. Forrest and Wheeler made several trips through this town during the middle and later parts of the war. Hatch, a lumberman originally from Bangor Maine, really didn't know what to expect. Forrest and Wheeler were both local boys, essentially in their backyards.

[larry_cockerham]

November 8, 1864

Dispatch from General Hatch dated Taylor’s Springs, AL (now Killen) relayed message from Gen. Croxton that “the river had risen more than two feet on the shoals – enough to make six feet below there. A scout from the other side reports the bulk of Hood’s army still on that side. “ “I shall attack the entire line of pickets in the morning to learn where the enemy is. One or two railroad bridges, which were washed away by high water between this place and Nashville on the 7th are still down and trains cannot come to this point. It will be three days before bridges are built.” [Rail he referred to must be the Nashville-Decatur line.]

Hatch and the 10th remained in Taylor’s Springs until November 16 when the brigade was ordered to move up the military road leading to Lawrenceburg. Two Armies on the Same Road, usually led to trouble.

[BigPrune]

You still here Larry? Or is this just a couple days of inactivity for the AOT?

[larry_cockerham]

Check the dates? I posted a couple ahead because I was in Savannah looking for remnants of Sherman.

[larry_cockerham]

November 9, 1864

The pontoon bridge was knocked out by rising water and could not be repaired until the 12th when Gen. Frank Cheatham’s corps prepared to cross on the 13th.
General Edward Hatch commanding the 10th TN Cav US wrote” I moved my entire command forward this morning to the four main crossings on Shoal Creek. Found the water had risen during the night and continued to rise so rapidly horses could not ford anywhere. The enemy’s pickets were posted at all the fords, mostly cavalry, which were easily driven back. A prisoner from the Sixty-third Virginia reports one corps and one division of infantry on this side of the Tennessee, with about 2,000 cavalry. The balance of Hood’s army on the south bank. I have not heard from the party in boats sent last night to cut Hood’s pontoons or the detachment sent around the enemy’s left flank to pick them up.”

This was the first instance where great-great grandfathers Whitfield Parker of the 63rd VA CSA and James Cockerham of the 10th TN Cav US were quite near in this conflict. Thanks to the Good Lord, they were never to meet.

[larry_cockerham]

November 10, 1864

General Hatch reported from Taylor’s Springs that a scout just in from below Florence, on Tennessee River, reports that “one corps of infantry and Roddey’s cavalry are at Florence. The other two corps occupy Tuscumbia and Iuka. No troops at Eastport and he believes none at Corinth. All of the streams are high and the Tennessee River rising rapidly. As soon as Shoal Creek and Cypress admit of crossing I will push in their pickets and try to camp near the enemy’s command.”

Colonel Spaulding (US) reports that the scouting party sent to Lynnville, TN has returned. It burned four dwellings and several vacated houses, which the guerrillas occupied at night. Since these houses have been burned the telegraph wire between this place and Nashville has not be molested. The citizens of Lynnville were assembled and told that if the wires or railroad are again disturbed the remainder of the town will be burned.

[larry_cockerham]

November 11, 1864

General Hatch sent dispatch from Taylor’s Springs “wishing to ascertain if the enemy were in force on the opposite bank of Shoal Creek, I attacked the enemy this morning at five points, on three roads, driving the enemy’s cavalry and infantry pickets into their infantry camps. Learn the enemy is still in force on this side of the river on the Waynesborough and Florence road. Pushed the enemy as far south as Wilson’s Cross Roads. Shoal Creek continues high; we crossed with great difficulty. I cannot learn that the enemy’s pontoons have been carried away by high water – think it is possible."

[larry_cockerham]

November 14, 1864

General Forrest’s cavalry began arriving in Florence just as the rains began again and the weather worsened considerably with dropping temperature and freezing rain.

More about Lynnville (Waco) posted by Bryan Sharp on the “Echo” in 2007:

Sack of Lynnville, Giles County* No circumstantial reports filed. Excerpt from the journal of Brigadier General Jacob D. Cox, USA, commanding 23d Army corps (temporarily) and Third Division, Twenty-third Corps for November 14, 1864: Leave Strickland’s brigade at Columbia, and march to Lynnville, eighteen miles. It was formerly a village of about thirty houses, most of which were burned a week ago by the Tenth Tennessee Cavalry** in revenge for being fired upon by some rebel guerrillas in the neighborhood. OR, Ser. I, Vol. 45, pt. I, p. 356. *note - This affair is not referenced in the OR summaries of principal events, or in the OR General Index, but is found in the OR and suggests the possibility of a great many other military operations that took place in Tennessee that are similarly just as unknown. This “affair” was carried out by 10th Tenn. Cavalry (U.S.) as retribution or guerrilla attacks in the area. It is not clear whether or not the entire town was razed. The date is an accurate approximation.

Notice the Confederate and Union versions of this event are not exact matches. Such was the norm during this time. Different eyes saw different events!

[larry_cockerham]

November 14, 1864

General Forrest’s cavalry began arriving in Florence just as the rains began again and the weather worsened considerably with dropping temperature and freezing rain.

More about Lynnville (Waco) posted by Bryan Sharp on the “Echo” in 2007:

Sack of Lynnville, Giles County* No circumstantial reports filed. Excerpt from the journal of Brigadier General Jacob D. Cox, USA, commanding 23d Army corps (temporarily) and Third Division, Twenty-third Corps for November 14, 1864: Leave Strickland’s brigade at Columbia, and march to Lynnville, eighteen miles. It was formerly a village of about thirty houses, most of which were burned a week ago by the Tenth Tennessee Cavalry** in revenge for being fired upon by some rebel guerrillas in the neighborhood. OR, Ser. I, Vol. 45, pt. I, p. 356. *note - This affair is not referenced in the OR summaries of principal events, or in the OR General Index, but is found in the OR and suggests the possibility of a great many other military operations that took place in Tennessee that are similarly just as unknown. This “affair” was carried out by 10th Tenn. Cavalry (U.S.) as retribution for guerrilla attacks in the area. It is not clear whether or not the entire town was razed. The date is an accurate approximation.

Notice the Confederate and Union versions of this event are not exact matches. Such was the norm during this time. Different eyes saw different events!

[larry_cockerham]

November 14, 1864

General Forrest’s cavalry began arriving in Florence just as the rains began again and the weather worsened considerably with dropping temperature and freezing rain.

More about Lynnville (Waco) posted by Bryan Sharp on the “Echo” in 2007:

Sack of Lynnville, Giles County* No circumstantial reports filed. Excerpt from the journal of Brigadier General Jacob D. Cox, USA, commanding 23d Army corps (temporarily) and Third Division, Twenty-third Corps for November 14, 1864: Leave Strickland’s brigade at Columbia, and march to Lynnville, eighteen miles. It was formerly a village of about thirty houses, most of which were burned a week ago by the Tenth Tennessee Cavalry** in revenge for being fired upon by some rebel guerrillas in the neighborhood. OR, Ser. I, Vol. 45, pt. I, p. 356. *note - This affair is not referenced in the OR summaries of principal events, or in the OR General Index, but is found in the OR and suggests the possibility of a great many other military operations that took place in Tennessee that are similarly just as unknown. This “affair” was carried out by 10th Tenn. Cavalry (U.S.) as retribution for guerrilla attacks in the area. It is not clear whether or not the entire town was razed. The date is an accurate approximation.

Notice the Confederate and Union versions of this event are not exact matches. Such was the norm during this time. Different eyes saw different events!