- Joined
- Mar 22, 2009
- Location
- Collierville, TN
Don`t forget the whole distance between Pocahontas and Memphis on the Memphis & Charleston Railroad (M & C R R) where much fighting and skirmishing was taking place at numerous points along that stretch of Railroad as Federal cavalry (Sherman) was trying to destroy much of it and Confederate cavalry (S. D. Lee / Forrest) was trying to protect it in what became known as the Railroad War, basically from 1863 - 1864,
I think you got it backwards. After the fall of Memphis, the Union army decided to take control of the M&C RR and use it to move troops in preparation for the Vicksburg campaign. They established forts along the RR to protect it from Confederate raiders and guerillas, who would tear up the tracks or sometimes fire on the passing trains.
This is a Confederate Intel report that identifies the units and number of Union troops guarding the RR. It may not be accurate or the units could have moved to a different location. Totals to 15,700 troops guarding the Railroad and does not count the cavalry who were sent out on patrols to disrupt raiders.
Here is a quote from a diary of a Union soldier---forgot which unit he was with.
March 1863 --- The last sentence describes how the Union forces were guarding the M&C RR.
These are entries of a diary of a member of the 7th Kansas Cavalry which patrolled the M&C RR for several months of 1863 and then again in 1864 after they returned to Kansas to recruit replacements.
Diary of Fetcher Pomeroy, Quartermaster Sergeant of 7th Kansas Cavalry Regiment
Quotes are from January 1863 during the snow storm at Collierville & Memphis area.
Beginning on Page 89
Germantown, Tenn, Wednesday Jan 7, 1863 – Our regiment, the 15th Ohio and the 4th Ill. Cavalry left camp on time last night, marching west. We passed through Colliersville and are camped at this place, a small town on the Memphis & Charleston Railway. We are fifteen miles east of Memphis. Maj. Merriman has been sent twenty-eight miles south with a detachment.
Thrusday, 8th – Maj. Merriman’s command returned about 8.00 A.M. and at 9.00 A.M. the brigade moved back to Colliersville where we are now. Here we will probably remain until our baggage trains arrive from Moscow. It has rained most of the day and still continues.
Colliersville, Tenn. Friday, Jan 9, 1863. We are still in bivouac near here. It has been a pleasant day, but is raining this evening.
Satudrday, 10th – Our train came up this afternoon, and we have pitched our tents one-half mile northeast of town. We have marching orders for 3.00 A.M. tomorrow.
Sabbath, 11th – Col. Wallace of the 4th Ill. Cavalry started out with 150 men each from the 5th Ohio, 4th Ill., and our regiment . . . {missing a line at bottom of page} . . . at 3.00 A.M. At 7.00 A.M. Col Herrick with detachment followed us far as Fisherville, where he remained as a reserve for Col. Wallace, who was some fifteen miles further north, and who was expected to have an engagement with Richardson's command{Confederate General R. V. Richardson}. We gathered up forty horses and mules and ten bales of cotton and at 4.00 P.M. returned to camp.
Monday, 12th - Col. Wallaces' command returned this A.M. They are twenty-five miles north but met no enemy. We are under marching orders for 4.00 A.M. tomorrow.
After the disaster at Fort Pillow, General Sherman made it clear that the attention of the Army was advancing towards Atlanta. He ordered many of the river forts to be evacuated and sent East. It was much the same for the troops along the M&C RR.[/QUOTE]