Not even blindness could stop General Stovepipe

[CSA Today]

The Texan earned his nickname after tricking a Yankee colonel into surrendering an Indiana town with two 'Quaker Guns,' fake cannons fashioned from stovepipes and charred logs.
http://smmercury.com/2014/05/28/bartee-haile-not-even-blindness-could-stop-gen-stovepipe/

 

[Patrick H]

Nice article.

 

[Stony]

Very nice. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Lnwlf]

Adam Rankin Johnson is one of the least recognized of the Confederate Partisan leaders. He is often lost in the dash and daring of John Morgan, and often "lumped in" as a Morgan Man, which he was at times, but often as not he was operating independently. Prior to the raid on Newburgh, Indiana, Johnson and his command of two men (yes 2) attacked a small detachment of Federal troops at Henderson, Kentucky. Killing a lieutenant and wounding several others. That story can be found at: http://wwwthepicket.blogspot.com/2012/04/affair-at-henderson-kentucky.html along with a couple more of Johnson's escapades. He commanded the Tenth Kentucky Partisan Rangers. Interesting fellow.
ETA: Sorry for the shameless plug for the blog.

 

[chellers]

Adam Rankin Johnson is one of the least recognized of the Confederate Partisan leaders. He is often lost in the dash and daring of John Morgan, and often "lumped in" as a Morgan Man, which he was at times, but often as not he was operating independently. Prior to the raid on Newburgh, Indiana, Johnson and his command of two men (yes 2) attacked a small detachment of Federal troops at Henderson, Kentucky. Killing a lieutenant and wounding several others. That story can be found at: http://wwwthepicket.blogspot.com/2012/04/affair-at-henderson-kentucky.html along with a couple more of Johnson's escapades. He commanded the Tenth Kentucky Partisan Rangers. Interesting fellow.
ETA: Sorry for the shameless plug for the blog.

Thanks for your comments, Lnwlf.

 

[Copperhead-mi]

Thanks for posting the article. I had never heard of this until now.

 

[unionblue]

Thanks for posting the article. I had never heard of this until now.

CSA Today,

Ditto Copperhead-mi's comment above.

Sincerely,
Unionblue

 

[TinCan]

"Stovepipe's" men rode into Owensboro one day, found 13 negro soldiers from the 108th colored infantry, marched them down to the landing, killed them all, threw their bodies onto a barge and set them on fire. Then, his men marched back to the court house and burned it to the ground. After that they got back on their horses and headed back to Tennessee.

 

[Lnwlf]

"Stovepipe's" men rode into Owensboro one day, found 13 negro soldiers from the 108th colored infantry, marched them down to the landing, killed them all, threw their bodies onto a barge and set them on fire. Then, his men marched back to the court house and burned it to the ground. After that they got back on their horses and headed back to Tennessee.

That sounds like a sensationalized newspaper account of an event that did happen August 27, 1864 at Owensboro Kentucky. Is this the same date your information gives you TinCan, and what is your source? I do not want to delve deeper into it without knowing the basis of your statement but I am not entirely sure if it is accurate.
No, I am not looking for an argument nor am I a Confederate apologist. I have a particular interest in Kentucky and its soldiers and I only wish to get the facts of matters, good, bad, or ugly.

 

[TinCan]

Lnwlf,

My sources for that story are, "African-American Faces of the Civil War", Ronald S. Coddington, p. 141. Wikipedia article on Captain Jack "Jake" Bennett, and the bio of Major Walker Taylor. It's now clear to me that my story is a combination of two events that happened on 27 August 1864 and 4 January 1865 at Owensboro .

 

[Lnwlf]

Thanks for that, Tin Can. Unfortunately Google books does not allow me to access the page you gave for Coddington's work but I was able to see some points that were helpful.
The following is an account of the incident from The History of Daviess County, Kentucky, page 173 in relation to the raid on August 27th.
Nine colored soldiers, [108th USCT] said to have been the guard that conducted the Yelvington prisoners to Louisville, were at this boat. They first fired at the guerillas, and then concealed themselves within for a time; but it is said that three jumped off, ran up the bank, and escaped. Two were shot by the murderers and thrown overboard, and the charred remains of one more was found on the boat, the fire being extinguished before the hull was consumed. Three Negros took refuge in the hull and were cut out by Mr. Ayers after the marauders had left. They pleaded piteously for their lives and declared they were anxious to return to their owners. Lieutenant Walters, previously of the Third Kentucky Cavalry [US] was killed during the affray. A lot of government stores on the levee were fired before they left but the most of the property was saved afterward by the citizens. The guerrillas were here but one hour, and they left on the Litchfield road.

From the OR, Lieutenant Colonel John C. Moon, 118th USCT Infantry reports:
I have the honor to report the following facts: On the second day of the present month [September] this town was visited by a band of guerillas, who murdered three US soldiers after they had surrendered, and one citizen who had once been an officer in the Federal army.
The date given as being the 2nd of September notwithstanding, the incident is in fact that of August 27th. The 2nd of September saw a return of Confederate soldiers to Owensboro but they were not guerrillas.
Given this information, with the disparity in numbers and circumstances, I think you can see why I thought your original post was taken from a newspaper.

At the time of this attack on Owensboro, Adam R. Johnson was already blind and a prisoner of the Federal army so he could exercise no further influence on the men of the 10th Kentucky Partisan Rangers. Captain Jake Bennett was indeed one of Johnsons lieutenants, and the attack and any actions taken were his responsibility, no matter which account is correct.
None of this is meant to gloss over the fact that apparently negro soldiers were murdered at the time.
http://ebooks.library.cornell.edu/c...7&q1=Owensborough&view=image&seq=514&size=100
https://archive.org/stream/cu31924028845787#page/n0/mode/2up

 

[wolfe2bad]

Thanks for that, Tin Can. Unfortunately Google books does not allow me to access the page you gave for Coddington's work but I was able to see some points that were helpful.
The following is an account of the incident from The History of Daviess County, Kentucky, page 173 in relation to the raid on August 27th.
Nine colored soldiers, [108th USCT] said to have been the guard that conducted the Yelvington prisoners to Louisville, were at this boat. They first fired at the guerillas, and then concealed themselves within for a time; but it is said that three jumped off, ran up the bank, and escaped. Two were shot by the murderers and thrown overboard, and the charred remains of one more was found on the boat, the fire being extinguished before the hull was consumed. Three Negros took refuge in the hull and were cut out by Mr. Ayers after the marauders had left. They pleaded piteously for their lives and declared they were anxious to return to their owners. Lieutenant Walters, previously of the Third Kentucky Cavalry [US] was killed during the affray. A lot of government stores on the levee were fired before they left but the most of the property was saved afterward by the citizens. The guerrillas were here but one hour, and they left on the Litchfield road.

From the OR, Lieutenant Colonel John C. Moon, 118th USCT Infantry reports:
I have the honor to report the following facts: On the second day of the present month [September] this town was visited by a band of guerillas, who murdered three US soldiers after they had surrendered, and one citizen who had once been an officer in the Federal army.
The date given as being the 2nd of September notwithstanding, the incident is in fact that of August 27th. The 2nd of September saw a return of Confederate soldiers to Owensboro but they were not guerrillas.
Given this information, with the disparity in numbers and circumstances, I think you can see why I thought your original post was taken from a newspaper.

At the time of this attack on Owensboro, Adam R. Johnson was already blind and a prisoner of the Federal army so he could exercise no further influence on the men of the 10th Kentucky Partisan Rangers. Captain Jake Bennett was indeed one of Johnsons lieutenants, and the attack and any actions taken were his responsibility, no matter which account is correct.
None of this is meant to gloss over the fact that apparently negro soldiers were murdered at the time.
http://ebooks.library.cornell.edu/c...7&q1=Owensborough&view=image&seq=514&size=100
https://archive.org/stream/cu31924028845787#page/n0/mode/2up

Excellent history on Owensboro! I love any Civil War History about Daviess County!!!!!! Please give more lol!

 

[diane]

Thanks for posting this and Lnwlf, great expansion! He's one of the most interesting of the partisans - I've heard of him several times before. He led an extraordinarily productive and active life after being disabled, including founding a town. Nothing kept this guy down! Here is a postwar picture of him:

 

[M E Wolf]

Name JOHNSON, Adam Rankin "Stovepipe"
Born February 8 1834, Henderson KY
Died October 20 1922, Burnet TX
Pre-War Profession Surveyor, Indian scout, mail contractor.
War Service 1861 enlisted by Bedford Forrest as a scout, Fort Donelson, partisan ranger activity in Kentucky, Col., joined John Hunt Morgan's command, Ohio raid, June 1864 Brig. Gen., at Grubb's Cross Roads was shot and blinded by his own troops (c), soon exchanged, continued to serve.
Post War Career Dictated memoirs.
Notes
Further reading
Johnson, Adam Rankin The Partisan Rangers of the Confederate States Army Hartford KY, Cook & McDowell Publications 1979

M. E. Wolf

 

[Klaudly]

Great Kentuckyan

 

[War Horse]

Very interesting. Thank you!

 

[Rebforever]

"Stovepipe's" men rode into Owensboro one day, found 13 negro soldiers from the 108th colored infantry, marched them down to the landing, killed them all, threw their bodies onto a barge and set them on fire. Then, his men marched back to the court house and burned it to the ground. After that they got back on their horses and headed back to Tennessee.

Be a nice place for the source.

 

[TinCan]

Be a nice place for the source.

See post # 10.

 

[ErnieMac]

Another story concerning the general. If nothing else, he certainly was quick on his feet.
http://wwwthepicket.blogspot.com/2012/01/adam-rankin-johnson-earlier-incident.html

 

[diane]

Forrest often dealt with partisans and various others outside the Confederate military, and Johnson was one he immediately accepted. They liked each other - like minds, too! Bill Forrest was very good at finding excellent talent.