In compliance with your resolution of the 7th inst., requesting
me to “inform this General Assembly the number of the citizens of
the State, who tendered their services to the United States, under
the several calls made for volunteers during the last summer, the
number that were received into said service, those not received, and
their residence, as near as can be ascertained of those not receivied,
who marched to the place of rendezvous, and what place.”
I have the honor respectfully to state, that under the proclamation of the
28th of April, in compliance with the first requisition of General Gaines,
for a brigade of volunteers, for the defence of the western frontier; the
following companies attended at Jackson, the place of rendezvous for the
western division of the State:
Captain Neely’s company, of Hardeman county,
Captain Dunlap’s company, of Henry county,
Captain Hay’s company, of Madison county,
Captain Bradford’s company, of Madison county.
At Nashville, the place of rendezvous for the middle division of the
State:
Capt. Grund’s company, of Nashville,
Capt. Rayburn’s company, of Nashville,
Capt. Battle’s company, of Davidson county,
Capt. Yoakum’s company, of Rutherford county,
Capt. Jetton’s company, of Rutherford county,
Capt. Roger’s company, of Warren county,
Capt. Crouch’s company, of Williamson county,
Capt. Turney’s company, of Franklin county,
Capt. Roberts’ company, of Franklin county,
Capt. Henry’s company, of Robertson county,
Capt. Terry’s company, of Bledsoe county.
At Knoxville, the rendezvous for the eastern division of the State.
Capt. Morrow’s company, of Knoxville.
Those companies were all mustered into the United States’ service at the
respective places, and forthwith discharged, according to order, by
Captain Wickliffe, of the United States’ Army, and the muster rolls are
returned, I presume, according to my directions to him, to the War
Department at Washington. Captain Cannon’s company, of Hamilton county,
was also received in said service, but failed in reaching the place of
rendezvous at Knoxville or Nashville, in consequence of a failure in the
mail to carry the order to him. Captain Darnell’s company, of Henderson
county, and Captain Totten’s, of Carroll county, were also tendered and
received in said service, but failed to attend the rendezvous at Jackson.
Making nineteen companies, which. were organized, tendered and received by
the executive of Tennessee, in said service; sixteen companies of which
were mustered into the United States’ service, and discharged forthwith by
Captain Wickliffe, acting under the orders of General Gaines. I have no
documents in my possession, showing the precise number in each of those
companies, mustered and returned to the War Department, or those failing
to attend at the respective places of rendezvous, but suppose they would
average from seventy to eighty each. Under the proclamation of the 6th of
June, in compliance with the requisition of the Secretary of War, twenty
companies were received into the service at Fayetteville, the rendezvous
for the middle and western part of the State. They were organized, in
accordance with the laws of our State, into a brigade, under General
Armstrong, and marched forthwith under my orders to report to General
Jessup, in the Creek Nation. The estimated number in this brigade, at the
time of its organization, was 1550. The companies of Captain Darnell, of
Henderson county, Captain Totten, of Carroll county, Captain Lauderdale,
of Sumner county and Captain Currey, of Weakley county, also attended the
rendezvous at Fayetteville, but were an reported too late, and
consequently could not be received into service. They encountered the
sacrifices and expenses of going there and returning to their homes.
The following companies were also organized and tendered to the executive,
under said call, after the number composing the brigade had been received:
Capt. Wilson’s company, of Lincoln county,
Capt. Callaway’s company, of Franklin county,
Capt. Porterfield’s company, of Wilson & Smith counties,
Capt. Miller’s company, of Bedford county,
Capt. Watkin’s company, of Bedford county,
Capt. S. Mitchell’s company, of Bedford county,
Capt. Warner’s company, of Bedford county,
Capt. Maxwell’s company, of Overton county,
Capt. Soaps company, of Cannon county,
Capt. D. R. Mitchell’s company, of Maury county,
Capt. Jetton’s company, of Rutherford county,
Capt. Weatherford’s company, of Rutherford county,
Capt. Dunlap’s company, of Henry county,
Capt. Northcutt’s company, of Warren county,
Capt. Turney’s company, of Franklin county,
Capt. Armstrong’s company, of Overton county,
Capt. Roger’s company, of Warren county,
Capt. Alexander’s company, of Wayne county.
They were stopped from attending the rendezvous, in most cases, by notice
from the executive that they could not be received and thereby saved much
trouble and expense, as well as greater disappointment; being eighteen
companies in number, together with the four companies that attended and
could not be received at Fayetteville, making an excess in this case of
twenty-two companies, which I will suppose to average the same as those
before mentioned, from seventy to eighty each.
At the rendezvous at Athens for the Eastern Division, under said
Proclamation, and call of the President of the United States, thirty-five
companies of volunteers tendered their services, and were organized into a
brigade in accordance with our constitution and laws, and were all
mustered into the service of the United States, by my order, tendered to
General Wool, and received as such by him, in said service, as is fully
shown by the document, marked A, accompanying this communication, being
his letter to me on that subject. At this point, on this occasion’, my
authority, as well as my duty ceased. My fellowcitizen soldiers were all
fully gratified in my success, when I took my leave of them. I left them
in the care of the President of the United States, and those acting under
his immediate authority. They were all, without a single exception,
received into that service, and were, from that moment, beyond my control
or authority, and subject alone to those they had chosen to command them,
under the direction and authority of the President of the United States.
This brigade of volunteers was composed of three regiments, including the
thirty-five captains’ companies beforementioned, and from the returns and
estimates furnished me, at that time, contained about 2500 as the
aggregate. As to the number that have been disbanded from the service, or
at what time, I have no information, or documents in my possession, in
relation to that or any other part of the acts or doings of those having
command and authority in the brigade, since it has been engaged in the
service.
Under the Proclamation of the 20th July, in compliance with the last
requisition of General Gaines, the following companies were organized,
their services tendered, and had been received by the Executive of
Tennessee, and ordered to the general rendezvous at Jackson, before it was
ascertained that the President had refused to sanction, and had
countermanded the movement of said volunteers to the Head Quarters of
General Gaines. Under the order of the President they were mustered and
discharged forthwith. But the muster rolls are returned to the War
Department at Washington, as in the other case.
At Jackson the place of general rendezvous of this regiment required by
General Gaines:
Captain Darnell’s company of Henderson county.
Captain Neely’s company of Hardeman county.
Captain Yoakum’s company of Rutherford county.
Captain Miller’s company of Bedford county.
And at McMinnville, Captain Cannon’s company of Hamilton
county, and Captain Chiles’ company of --------- county, and at Chapel
Hill, Captain Warner’s company of Bedford county, and at this place the
company of Captain Porterfield from Wilson and Smith counties, were also
mustered and discharged, being on their way to the rendezvous at Jackson.
As soon as the order was received from the President for disbanding these
volunteers, every exertion was made on my part to stop further
expenditures. Hence these companies were met for that purpose by Captain
Kingsley at my request, at the places mentioned, McMinnville and Chapel
Hill. Other companies were stopt from marching from home, in consequence
of its promulgation, that had been received, and were holding themselves
in readiness to attend the rendezvous at the time required;---and in this
way a small portion of the sacrifices of time and money of a portion of
those volunteers has been taken of the first companies in
their order, from a list of companies who had before tendered their
services, and could not then be received, giving the preference to the
first companies on the list, who had been previously disappointed, and was
intended to be composed of ten of said companies, who have been destined
to meet a second disappointment in consequence of the order of the
President, and are considered to be in the same situation with the
eighteen companies that could not be received, who tendered their services
under the Proclarnat ion of the 6th of June, with the additional expense
and trouble of marching to the places of rendezvous and returning.
The aggregate number who tendered their services under the different calls
that have been made, may be estimated at one hundred and six captains’
companies; containing eight thousand six hundred and seventy-five
volunteers; of which number thirty-five companies, containing two thousand
three hundred were received into the service of the United States at
Athens, and twenty companies containing fifteen hundred and fifty at
Fayetteville, making the whole number received in said service three
thousand twenty five, or fifty-one companies that were not
received,twenty-four of which last mentioned companies, however, have
been mustered into service and forthwith discharged, and their muster
rolls returned to the War Department.
Under the first call of General Gaines, . . . 19 companies
Under the second call of General Gaines, . . . 10 companies
And the excess under the call of Secretary War, . . . 22 companies
Making in all
. . . 51 companies that were not received at the average of seventy-five each,
makes four
thousand eight hundred and twenty-five, over and above those
received in service at Fayetteville and Athens. That portion of the
companies received into service at Athens, and who were dismissed
in a short time, would be in a similar situation. The number, however,
is not known to the Executive, that were thus disbanded by
the officers under whom they were placed, therefore cannot be
stated. Sixteen companies under the first call of General Gaines, and
eight companies under the last call, have been mustered into service
and discharged, and the rolls are returned to the Secretary of War.
It is to be observed, that in some instances, the same company was
reported for service, and received as such, under different calls, and in
such cases, are of course counted under each respective call, under which
their services were tendered, or received as the case may be. I hope,
however, it will not be expected, that every estimate I have submitted,
will be found to be precisely accurate. The documents in my possession,
are not sufficient for that purpose. I have, however, submitted herewith
such estimates and statements, as I have been enabled to make, from the
sources within my reach,
/s/
NEWTON CANNON
Source:
White, Robert H., Ph.D., Messages of the
Governors of Tennessee, 1835-1845, Vol. III, Published by The
Tennessee Historical Commission,
Nashville, 1954, pp. 124-129.
