The Capture of Eli Lilly founder of Eli Lilly and Co

[richard]

Forrest gave the men in the fort time to care for the wounded and bury their dead as the men of his command cut down the trestle and set it afire. The rest of the fort and the two block houses were destroyed. As Forrest continued north toward the Elk river Bridge, Col. Logwood and a small mounted guard moved the 973 prisoners south toward the Tennessee River. Estimates of the killed union troops range from 200 to 107. Confederate losses are estimated at about 30 killed and wounded. The union also lost 700 small arms, two cannons, 19 wagons and ambulances and more than 300 horses that had belonged to the 9th Indiana and the 3rd Tennessee. Also headed south with Col Logwood were 150 horses, the two cannons and four of the 8 guns of Morton’s battery. Forrest was worried that he would not have enough ammunition for the guns as they had used over 800 rounds while taking the fort.

[richard]

On the march to the Tennessee River about 200 men managed to escape Col. Logwood’s prison march and make it back to Decatur. The second night out, while they were camped about 15 miles from Bainbridge, Union cavalry was reported on the road from Decatur. Logwood sent about 20 men to contest the cavalry advance and the prisoners were put in to a forced march to Bainbridge and crossed the Mussel soles at that point. Lilly and several officers tried to organize an escape plan but fear that the colored troops would not join them put the plan to rest

[richard]

The captives were then sent south to *******n, MS. From there, the colored troops were sent to Mobile to work on the fort there. Enlisted men were sent to the Cahaba prison camp and the officers were sent to Enterprise, Ms.

At Enterprise, Lilly and the other officers were greeted by post commander Major Matthew S. Ward of the 14th Mississippi Light Artillery Battalion. Major Ward, an attorney before the war, was born in Virginia and then moved to Indiana where his brother John W. Ward was born. Some of the information that was obtained states that Major Ward was once involved with the Indiana State legislator

[richard]

I will be posting the last part of this talk in the next few days. If any of you who have been so kind to read these posts have questions, I will be glad to try and answer them. There is a lot of information about this incident that I could not post here. Please feel free to ask.

I must add that many of the men captured at Athens and at Sulphur Trestle died on the Steamer Sultana on April 21st, 1864. Most of these men were held at Cahaba and some were from Andersonville. More men died on the Sultana than on any ship in modern history.

[richard]

The Officers were given almost free rein of the town of Enterprise. They could sell the property and use the money that they got to purchase goods in town. From the history of the 2nd and 3rd Tennessee Cavalry Union: Major Ward took a liking to Major Lilly and the other Indiana Boys. There were many occasions that they would gather at his home for get-togethers.

At some point in October or early November, word reaches Major Ward that a band of bushwhackers and deserters were headed in the direction of Enterprise. They had heard that there were Union prisoners there and the town was treating them too well. They thought that they would teach the town and the prisoners a lesson.

Major Ward, hearing this sent a telegraph to his commander requesting troops to help guard the town. The return message stated that it would be over a week for help to arrive, much too late to be of any help

[richard]

It was then that Major Lilly approached Major Ward with this idea. The Union Officers that were being held there should be given arms and that they would help defend the town. With their word of honor as officers, they would after the danger had passed or help would have arrived, they would return their arms to the Major and would not try to escape. Thus for two days and two night, Union and Confederate soldiers walked the picket line together.
On or about November 15th, the officers were escorted to Memphis for exchange. From there, they were sent to St. Louis and then to Camp Chase in Ohio. Lilly stated that he had not seen Col Minnis smile until he left Enterprise.

Just after the battle at Nashville, 2nd Lt. Henry Campbell, the bugler of Lilly’s former battery, ran in to Mrs. Lilly on a Nashville street. She stated that she had been in town ever since her husband had been captured.

About December 7th or in that area, Col. Jackson sent a letter to Governor Morton requesting that Lilly be promoted to Lt. Col. This was granted about the first of January. Henry Campbell recalls that on the first of January he also ran into then Col Lilly. Lilly stated that the Cavalry was much harder than the artillery

[richard]

From Nashville, Lilly was sent to Gravely Springs, Al to rejoin the rest of the Regiment in winter quarters. The rest of his service was in and around Vicksburg, Ms and was mustered out in August of 1865


After thought:

After the war, Lilly and another man went into partnership in a cotton plantation near Port Gibson, Ms. Lilly sent for his wife and only son to join him there. Within one year, two major tragedies hit home hard. Drought had ruined the cotton crop, his partner left town with all of there money and worst of all, his beloved wife Emily became ill and died. Lilly returned to Indiana with his son who was also very ill. He had to declare bankruptcy. After several endeavors in Ill and in Indiana, Lilly was able to save enough money to open a small lab in downtown Indianapolis in 1876. It was his experience in the Civil war that helped him to decide that higher standards for the making of medications needed to be made. He also developed innovative ways that medicine could be easley taken.

After the capture of Lilly, the fort at Pulaski was named Fort Lilly in honor of him. Col. Jackson and Col Spaulding pressed charges against General Starkweather for being drunk before and during the loss of the fort at Sulphur Trestle. General Starkweather denied these charges but in light of them, he never commanded a garrison again.

Col. Jackson resigned his command in June of 1865 thus promoting Lilly to full Col. Col. Spaulding later became a General
Col. Minnis later became the postmaster at Knoxville, Tn.

[larry_cockerham]

A tale of more yankees taking up roots in Tennessee. Seems that is a never-ending process. Should you and your lady choose to join the tradition, you will be welcomed. Thanks very much for posting the story of Eli Lilly and his Southern hosts. Interesting stuff!