Recalling Memphis

[TerryB]

The Memphis Appeal moved several times during the war. It was published in Atlanta for most of 1863-64 and had an embedded reporter in each of three main Confederate armies.

 

[TerryB]

It would be interesting to know how large Memphis grew during the war. Nashville was at around 17,000 in 1860, but easily doubled that. The litho of the flag-raising reminds me that one witness said that the "carpetbaggers" arrived from riverboats even before the army did. They swarmed in to take over shops and buildings abandoned by fleeing merchants. In Nashville, Col. N.B. Forrest, fresh from his breakout at Fort Donelson, commandeered a fire engine and used it to hose down a rioting crowd after the main Confederate force evacuated the city.

 

[Tennessee_Mountainman]

I did an overlay of this map on Google Earth - I'm not at my computer, will have to look for it when I am. I remember being surprised by what a small area it covers compared to modern Memphis. If I recall correctly, the racetrack is at the site of the modern (by which I mean now mostly abandoned) Fairgrounds.

Yeah, it's especially mind boggling to me looking at the impact of suburbanization in the mid 20th century, in a period of roughly ten years the city in area nearly doubles in size if I remember correctly.

 

[Tennessee_Mountainman]

Holy cow! I never knew Memphis this developed during that time! I knew it was a fast growing city, but not that it was fastest!

Before it's relatively short capture near the beginning of the war, were there any factories that were built or transformed to produce war supplies? All I know was that they did produce revolvers and a few small breach-loading cannons.

 

[Tennessee_Mountainman]

Great thread. Gonna be passing through Memphis in June at least once for the first time but not sure how much time I'll have to see any sights there.

Let me give you some advice: If you don't already, bring you a fire arm if you are passing through Frazier, Hickory Hill, or Raleigh. Some of the most dangerous areas in the U.S.. Bartlett tends to be very safe, and a lot of our cops are ex-Marines and such so you shouldn't have any trouble there, just they are very strict (unlike the crappier Memphis Police Department).

A few places I would recommend you visit are as following: Nathan Bedford Forrest Monument, Shelby Farms, Civil Rights Museum, Mud Island, Beale Street, and if you like zoos (which I hate and view as torturing to animals), then the Memphis Zoo is well rated

 

[bdtex]

Let me give you some advice: If you don't already, bring you a fire arm if you are passing through Frazier, Hickory Hill, or Raleigh. Some of the most dangerous areas in the U.S.. Bartlett tends to be very safe, and a lot of our cops are ex-Marines and such so you shouldn't have any trouble there, just they are very strict (unlike the crappier Memphis Police Department).

A few places I would recommend you visit are as following: Nathan Bedford Forrest Monument, Shelby Farms, Civil Rights Museum, Mud Island, Beale Street, and if you like zoos (which I hate and view as torturing to animals), then the Memphis Zoo is well rated

Thanks for the advice. I believe any sightseeing will be Civil War related and brief. Mainly needing a place to eat and sleep one night. Traveling from east Texas to Franklin TN. Plan on seeing Ft. Pillow and a day or 2 at Shiloh on the trip.

 

[Tennessee_Mountainman]

Thanks for the advice. I believe any sightseeing will be Civil War related and brief. Mainly needing a place to eat and sleep one night. Traveling from east Texas to Franklin TN. Plan on seeing Ft. Pillow and a day or 2 at Shiloh on the trip.

Those two by far would be the greatest visits if you are including areas around Shelby County as well, enjoy the trip. In fact, on April 8th the Shiloh 155th starts and I will be reenacting with the 25th Illinois there, if that interests you.

As far a place to eat and sleep, I don't know where exactly you will be staying but I'm assuming Shelby County and if so this is a good resource to find a place:

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1...lf_haitems:79,lf_pqs:EAE,lf:1,lf_ui:6&rldoc=1

 

[gunny]

In case no one noted this earlier, Memphis was first known as Chickasaw Bluff.

 

[18thVirginia]

Colonel Ellet's Ram approaching the City of Memphis, Tennessee to demand its surrender.

 

[18thVirginia]

Masonic Temple at Madison and 2nd.

During the period in which the state capital shifted to Memphis in 1862, the state archives were held here.

 

[18thVirginia]

U. S. Grant made his headquarters at the Hunt-Phelan house on Beale St. The house was also a Union hospital.

Hunt-Phelan House, Memphis

 

[18thVirginia]

Hunt-Phelan House during the Civil War

 

[18thVirginia]

Accounts say that Grant stayed in a tent on the grounds, but used the library at the Hunt-Phelan house as his office while in Memphis.

\

Library, Hunt Phelan House, Memphis

 

[18thVirginia]

It would be interesting to know how large Memphis grew during the war. Nashville was at around 17,000 in 1860, but easily doubled that. The litho of the flag-raising reminds me that one witness said that the "carpetbaggers" arrived from riverboats even before the army did. They swarmed in to take over shops and buildings abandoned by fleeing merchants. In Nashville, Col. N.B. Forrest, fresh from his breakout at Fort Donelson, commandeered a fire engine and used it to hose down a rioting crowd after the main Confederate force evacuated the city.

I read somewhere that 6,000 troops were in Memphis during the War. Also, that former slaves fled to Memphis and took up residence there during the war, but there were no numbers given.

 

[TerryB]

I read somewhere that 6,000 troops were in Memphis during the War. Also, that former slaves fled to Memphis and took up residence there during the war, but there were no numbers given.

Nashville also had a large number of contrabands. One thing I learned about the construction of Fort Negley is that many free blacks, as well as slaves, were impressed to work on the construction gangs. Many died and few were ever paid.

 

[18thVirginia]

In case no one noted this earlier, Memphis was first known as Chickasaw Bluff.

Thanks for letting us know that, gunny. If you have any other corrections about Memphis, just let us know.

 

[18thVirginia]

152nd Illinois Infantry at Memphis, 1865

Civil war camp near Memphis

 

[18thVirginia]

Confederate forces used Fort Pickering at the edge of Memphis. When the Confederate army retreated further south after the Battle of Memphis, Union troops were quartered at Fort Pickering.

Fort Pickering, 1858.

 

[18thVirginia]

Union troops, Memphis

 

[18thVirginia]

Fort Pickering