An Eyewitness History
of the
16th Regiment, Tennessee Volunteers
May 1861 – May 1865
LEGEND:
*Sources are listed by number. Example:
(Source #, Quote, page #)
Chronological Sources
N- Narrative.
(1)- Tennesseans in the Civil War- A Military History of Confederate and Union Units with Available Rosters of Personnel, Pt. I, Civil War Centennial Commision, Nashville, Tn, 1964.
(2)- The Civil War Diary of Capt. J. J. Womack, Womack Printing Co., McMinnville, Tn., 1961.
(3)- Resinor Etter Diary
(4)- My Grandfather's Diary of the Civil War/Carrol H. Clark, Co. I Sixteenth Regiment Tennessee Volunteers, C.S.A., Reprinted by C.W. Clark Jr. from a series of articles written in 1911. Copy on hand at McMinnville Public Library.
(5)- Hear the Wax Fry, James R. Thompson, Edited by Nellie Boyd, 1966. Copy on hand at McMinnville Public Library.
(6)- Confederate Veteran:
1-"Incidents in the Battle of Perryville, KY.", Davis Biggs, Vol. 33, p.1412.
2-"Second Hand Pictures for Silly Southerners", "A faithful veteran" of Donelson's Brigade, Vol. 1, p. 377.
3-Insert on Wounded at Perryville, T. A. Head, Vol. 5, p. 435.
4-"Some Memories and Facts", Rev. M. B. De Witt, Vol. 7, p. 299.
5-"Concerning the Battle of Nashville", W. H. Kearny, Vol. 13, p. 68.
6-"Vivid Experiences in Prison", A. J. Cantrell, Vol. 16, p. 216.
7-"James Polk Smartt", Tribute by N. B. Forrest Camp, U. C. V., Vol. 22, p. 517.
8-"The Retreat from Tennessee", James H. M'Neilly, Vol. 36, p. 306.
9-"Capt. W. P. Tolley, of Winchester, Tenn., writes:", Vol. IX, p.356.
10-Lawson Smith, PHOTO, Vol. XI, p. 565.
11-"Secession in Putnam County, Tenn." By J. M. Morgan, Gainsboro., Vol. XVII, p. 170.
12-"A Faithful Watch and its History", George W. Parks, Irving College, Tenn., Vol. XVII, p. 604.
13-"The Cantrells of Tennessee", Will T. Hale, Nashville, Tenn., Vol. XXII, p. 476.
(7)- Military Annals of Tennessee,
(8)-"Sixteenth Tennessee Infantry. by H. H. Dillard, Cookeville, Tenn.", Military Annals of Tennessee, Vol. 1, p. 335-47.
(9)- Carter House Archives, Columbia Pike, Franklin, Tenn.
(10)- Campaigns and Battle of the Sixteenth Regiment Tennessee Volunteers, Thomas A. Head, Cumberland Presbyterian Publishing House, Nashville, TN, 1885.
(11)- Diary of Major George W. Winchester, Quartermaster, Donelson’s Brigade, p. 73-80, Winchester Papers, Confederate Collection, Manuscript Division, TSLA, Acct. # 1117, MF 793, p.1-9.
(12)- Confederate Military History Extended Edition, Vol. X, Tennessee, Confederate Publishing Company, Edited by Gen.Clement A. Evans, 1899; p.52.
(13)-"The Battle of Perryville", Col. Luke W. Finley, Southern Historical Society Papers, Vol. XXX, Jan.-Dec., 1902, p.248.
(14)-Army of Tennessee, Cheatham’s (1st) Corps Returns from Dec. 13th, 1864, Henry Hampton, A.A.A.G., Cheatham’s Division Staff. Carter House Archives.
(15)-The War of the Rebellion: A compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies., Lieut. Col. Robert N. Scott and Lieut. Col. Henry M. Lazelle, Series I-Vol. XX, Pt. I Reports, Government Printing Office, Washington D. C., 1887.
1-General Leonidas Polk
2-General Benjamin F. Cheatham
3-BGen. D. S. Donelson
4-Col. J. H. Savage
(16)-The Life of John H. Savage, John H. Savage, Printed for the author, Nashville, TN, 1903.
(17)-Oliver P. Tucker’s Notebook, Coffee County Historical Society Quarterly, Vol. VIII, No. 1, 1977.
(18)-"Three Year, Seven Months and Twenty-seven Days in the C. S. A. in the War Between the States. How a Boy Of Seventeen Went to War, What He Saw and Some of His Experiences. Written Expressly for The Independent by R. C. Carden, Manchester, Tennessee." The Independent (A Newspaper in Boone, Iowa). Newspaper clippings dated April 5, 1912 through August 16, 1912.
(19)-Daily News Journal, Saturday, February 1, 1992, Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
(20)-Sgt. Arnold Moss Mason Diary/ Co. E, 16th Tennessee, Manuscripts Division, Box 7, Folder 4, TSLA.
(21)-Letter to Union and American Newspaper, Written from Camp Sewell Mountain, V. W. V. A., October 2, 1861, anonymous, Manuscripts Division, Box 11, Folder 45, TSLA.
(22)-Forgotten Confederates; An Anthology about Black Southerners. Compiled and Edited by Charles Kelly Barrow, J. H. Segars & R. B. Rosenburg, Journal of Confederate History Series; Vol. XIV; Southern Heritage Press, Atlanta, Ga.; 1995.
1861
6/11- "At a public meeting of the citizens of Putnam, County, Tenn., held in Cookeville April 22, 1861, Hon. E. L. Gardenhire was unanimously chosen chairman and William J. Reagan and B. B. Washburn secretaries of the meeting. Enthusiastic speeches were made by Hon. John H. Savage, Hon. S. S. Stanton, Hon. E. L. Gardenhire, Col. S. H. Combs, Col. T. B. Murray, Judge James T. Quarles, W. H. Botts, and others to a large and eagerly listening audience. The subject discussed was about the crisis in our government and the course to be assumed by the slave states.
The chairman appointed H. H. Dillard, Col. John P. Murray, Benton Marchbanks, W. Q. Hughes, Holland Denton, Tim H. Williams, and J. C. Apple a committee on resolutions. It was perhaps the largest meeting ever held in Putnam County, and there was great enthusiasm. Only three persons in the assembly voted against the resolutions. The preamble stated:
‘The antislavery party is the enemy of the Union and the Constitution, advocating the equality of the negro and the white races and the abolition of slavery. To accomplish this the antislavery party has been organized and now constitutes the dominant party in all the free States. And now, having possession of the Federal government in all its departments, it is attempting by conquest and coercion to carry out its damnable heresies entertained for many years toward the South and its institutions. The North has turned a listless ear to all supplication of the South in behalf of their cherished constitutional rights and treated with contempt every proposition for the honorable pacification of our difficulties. A civil war, with its untold horrors and consequences, is now commenced by the sending of an armed fleet by the Federal government to enforce its will upon the Southern Confederacy. Counsel and reason having been in vain exhausted in an honorable effort to secure our rights under the Constitution, we are now driven to the deplorable necessity of the sword and that God who rules the battles; therefore
"Resolved: 1. That we indorse every effort that has been made by convention and otherwise to bring about a peaceable settlement of our existing difficulties, and thereby preserve the Union intact; but having failed and all reasonable hopes of pacification being extinct, we do now deem it the wisest policy in Tennessee to unite her future destiny with the Southern Confederacy.
"2. That we regard the war now waged upon the Southern Confederacy by the administration as unnational, unwise, and unholy, without authority under the Constitution; that we look upon this act of the President of the United States in calling out troops and making war without the sanction of Congress as an unjustifiable assumption of power.
"3. That the position assumed by our Representatives in the State Legislature to use all means to speedily get Tennessee from under the tyrannical rule of Abraham Lincoln meets our unqualified approbation, and they are hereby directed to use all means in their power to dissolve the connection of this State with the general government and unite her fortunes with the Confederate States, and that we will ratify their action when submitted to us for approval.
"4. That the duplicity of Lincoln has our contempt; we detest his tyranny and defy his power.
"5. That we will resist his usurpation unto death; that we have no compromise with tyranny or with the tyrant who has trampled our Constitution and now seeks to enslave us.
"6. That we are opposed to Andrew Johnson for any place or position, and think him unworthy the position he now occupies, and we hereby request our Senators in Washington to no longer attempt to represent us in the Lincoln Congress."
The Foregoing is a copy of the preamble and resolutions read at Cookeville April 22, 1861, copied then by me.
4-May 15, 1861-The Van Buren boys met at Wiley Miller's on the 15th of May. It was prearranged, the wives, daughters and sisters came along to bid the boys farewell. By 2 p.m., they were on the march to McMinnville, "to the music of Alf and Joe Stipes fiddles and Lewis Ford's drum", and arrived there late in the evening where they were well received and fed.(#1)
4-May 16-The men moved down to the R.R. next to the river in preparation for the trip to camp. Clark recalled, "Many, in fact, most of us, had never seen a Steam Car and some of the boys looked under the car box for the engine."(#1)
2- May 16, 1861- The "Warren Guards" left McMinnville for Allisonia under the command of Capt. T. B. Murray. "We went into quarters and began the regular routien of the soldiers life drilling and otherwise disciplining for the army." (1)
5-That same day, James R. Thompson, who had formed with a company of men in Dekalb County under the command of L.N. Savage, rendezvoused at Smithville and commenced a movement to McMinnville in two horse wagons.(1)
2-Several other companies had already established themselves at this camp. (Camp Harris) "...each and every Captain was commander-in-chief of his own forces." (1)
4-A nearby factory had recently burned down. The boys, being without cooking utensils, used pieces of smoke stack for cooking. Gabe Elkins took up the fiddle and played his favorite song, "Pewter" for the boys to dance.(#1)
2-"Notwithstanding we have enlisted for the defense of Tennessee for twelve months, yet it is believed by very few that our services will be wanted in the field half that period. The idea is prevalent that the seceded states will be an independant government, and her soldiers returned home before the expiration of six months". (1)
4-May 20-General Anderson mustered the men into service. The men had to form into line to be inspected for physical fitness. "the maimed and stiff jointed put forth their very best appearance, for fear of being rejected, but Oh! my, 'twas not long until some began to make excuse."(#1)
10-The Sixteenth regiment was comprised of men from several middle Tennessee counties. "Warren county furnished four companies; White county one company; White and DeKalb, one company; DeKalb, one company; Coffee and Grundy, one company; Van Buren, one company; Putnam, one company."(17)
2-May 20, 1861- warm & rainy- spent the evening drilling. (1)
2-May 21-Tue-drizzly and cool-wrote article for "New Era", a newspaper in McMinnville. Womack announces candidacy for Major of the "Mountain Regiment". (1)
18-May 21-"On the 21st day of May, 1861, I enlisted in company B, 16th Tennessee Infantry, under Col. Jno. H. Savage, and was sent to Estil Springs, on the N. C. & St. L. railroad…"(Apr. 5)
2- May 23-Thur.-clear & warm- a member of the company is charged with theft of a blanket and found guilty.(2)
2- May 24-clear and warm-"broken skillets and battered pans" (2)
4-Cooking Rice in Messes.(#1)
2-May 25-Sat.-clear and warm- Murray's, Savage's Coffee's and Shield's companies are ordered to Camp Trousdale. (2)
2-May 26-Sun.- clear & warm- took train to Nashville and following a short delay, on to Camp Trousdale.(2)
4-The men partook in much horseplay on the trip to Nashville, Frank Thompson had found a mask, which he used to frighten the men on the trip until Sam Porter poked him through the eyehole. Although the event was found to be funny by Frank up to this point, Sam sat down with a bloody nose. After reaching there, they crossed the Cumberland on a wire foot bridge. That evening, they boarded trains and took off for Camp Trousdale. (#2)
2-May 27-Mon-cloudy and warm- Drew and pitched tents at Richland Station. (2)
2-May 27-30- the men mingled amongst the regt.s and went to local public speaking at Paine's School House about 4 miles west until the evening of the 30th, when all troops on the post assembled to listen to General Orders. "...it could not be called dress parade." (2)
5-While at Trousdale, the men camped with the 7th, 8th, 17th, 18th and 20th Tennessee Regiments. "They were all Tennessee Volunteers and our time was devoted to drilling." (2)
2-May 31-Fri.- warm & cloudy- commenced regular drilling. (2)
8-Dillard recalled that, "My company-- in fact, nearly the whole regiment-- was composed of what you might term mountain-men. They were healthy and strong; most of them comfortably situated at home; nearly all young men; some with more and some with less education-- not one in the company I believe, who did not write his own signature to the muster rolls. They were courageous and prompt to duty in camp and upon the field, and not one ever acted the coward in battle".(342)
2-June 1-Saturday- cloudy and warm- Poor sanitary conditions and close living begin to take their toll on the farm boys. " Many of the command sick with measels, which contagion is spreading very fast".(3)
2- June 8-Sat.-clear and hot-Womack guarded two men for being arrested for a drinking spree the night before, heavy rain late in the evening.(3)
2- Womack saw the disregard of the Holy Sabbath as inexplicable.(4)
8-"The company I led out, known as "The Highlanders," was from Putnam county; organized in May and mustered into service at Camp Trousdale, 9th of June, 1861. ... H. H. Dillard, Captain; W. K. Sadler, First Lieutenant; H. Denton, Second Lieutenant; and R. A. Young, Third Lieutenant".(335)
2-June 10-Mon.-clear & hot-10 companies from the 6th Congressional District are combined to form a regiment. Elections are held in which J. H. Savage is appointed Colonel and T. B. Murray Lt. Col.. Womack announces his candidacy for the Captain vacancy left by Murray's promotion. (4)
5-Joseph H. Goodbar-Major
George Marchbanks-Adjutant
John T. Reed-Surgeon
Gilbert R. Campbell-Quartermaster
James Glasscock-Commissary
J. W. Poindexter-Chaplin(2)
2-June 11- Tue. -clear & hot- "Savage's Regiment" is moved from Richland Station to Camp Trousdale. The evening was spent at "hard labor clearing and arranging our campground". The ground was covered with Red Oak and black jack, "about three miles from the Station, N.E.". (4)
2- June12- clear & hot- Womack runs against John R. Paine for the Captaincy of Co. E, and wins, but not without upsetting Paine.(4)
2-June13-lear and hot- "About eleven o'clock at night the alarm was given of the approach of the enemy, which was done at the instance of the commanders of the camp to test the courage of the soldiers, and resulted very satisfactorily to them. Companies and regiments were aroused and thrown into line with an alacrity that would scarcely have been expected of troops who had long been inured to the field. And notwithstanding we were entirely unarmed, had an enemy charged our camp he could not have escaped without having been severely flogged- for poles, clubs, rocks, shovels, spades, tongs and various other implements of war filled the brawney hands of the dauntless boys."(5)
2- June 15- Sat.-clear & hot-Womack requisitioned the Quartermaster General at Nashville for "98 red and an equal number of gray flannel shirts: 98 pair of gray pants: 98 pair of drawers: 98 gray caps: and 10 pair of shoes".(5)
2- June 16- Sun. clear & hot- had their first dress parade in the evening. (5)
2- June 17- clear with cool winds- "Gabriel McCraw of my company, died this morning about eight o'clock, the first death that has occured in the Mountain Regiment".(5)
2-June18-July 15- men are furloughed for trips home. (6)
2- June 30- Sunday- Rev. J. W. Poindexter gave a sermon to the men and was elected Chaplain of the 16th.(7)
2- July 1- warm & cloudy- Womack received and issued to his company "80 pair of pants and 86 red flannel shirts". (7)
2-July 2- Drew 96 canteens for the company.(7)
2-July 4- clear & hot- the "ladies of the Mountain District" presented the 16th with a "most beautiful flag" represented by Capt. A. L. Davis to Colonel Savage.(7)
2-July 5- Drew 26 pr. of shoes for the company.(7)
2-July 10-Wed.-clear & hot-first regimental drill(8)
4-The men began to mingle with the other units and became aquainted with their comrades. Clark recalled, "I remember the big fat Negro who had a cake & cider stand. Millions of flies swarmed around & on the cakes."(#2)
2-July 11-A deserter was mustered out of service that evening with his" head bare and half shaved, barefooted and pants rolled above the knees," a board painted with red letters "deserter" was hung across his chest and shoulders. (8)
2-July 15-purchased material for a tailored uniform amounting to $61.50.(8)
20-A. M. Mason, who had left home on the 10th to join Capt. Womack’s company already at Trousdale, wrote, "July 19 Nothing new this morning co. drill went to the artist shop and had my degerotype taken"(1)
2-July 20-hot and showery- Regiment received orders to be prepared to move at an hour's warning. "We marched up the Louisville R. R. about three miles with guns, knapsacks, haversacks and canteens..." the object of which was to practice the men.(9)
2-July 22- incessant rain until 3 p.m.-Regt. left camp Trousdale at daylight and marched to Richland Station, taking train through Nashville at 4 p.m., then continued by rail to Tullahoma by 9 p.m., and on towards Chattanooga. "A splendid dinner had been prepared for us in Nashville, which we enjoyed very much. While there many of the men became beastly drunk, some of whom had to be left in the city and many others were remarkably troublesome".(9)
(21)-"… I cannot omit mentioning the kind reception of our regiment by the citizens of Nashville. Most of the regiment had been exposed all day to a drenching rain in open top cars and as we marched through the streets en route to East Tennessee and Virginia train we could but lament our unpleasant condition so early in our travels with our fresh feathers and swords, knapsack and rations all wet and our bodies thoroughly chilled. We were halted in the streets and addressed by General Quarles and Judge Turner in a few appropriate and soul-stirring remarks connected with our mission, who were replied to by Col. Savage and Lieutenant Col. Murry, giving strong assurances that from the invincible 16th they should hear a good account. We were then marched to the female academy where we found refreshments furnished by the citizens such as suited aptly a wet and hungry soldier."(1)
4-Clark lost his new kepi while peeking out of the train crossing the Tennessee.(#3)
2-July 23-Tue.-Arrived in Chattanooga around 9 a.m., staying until 11 p.m., when train was taken for Knoxville. "Before leaving Chattanooga seven rounds of amunition were issued to the regiment, the first we had ever recieved".(9)
2-July 24- Wed. very warm- Arrived at Knoxville at 2 p.m. A prostitute is found in camp.(9)
2-July 25-Left Knoxville at 7 a.m. and arrived at hainesville at about 9 p.m..(10)
2-July 26-warm & showery-Moved camp 1/4 mile, and practiced with their muskets in the afternoon.(10)
2-July 27-struck tents at 5 a.m., and moved to the R.R., loading trains for Bristol, arriving there at 5 p.m. where they stayed all night. (10)
5-While at Bristol, Thompson saw a wagon of bacon sides roll up with grease dripping out of the bottom, and commented that if they were going to feed the soldiers that way, "we would starve." In his memoirs he adds, "But many, many times after that, I would have been glad to hold my bread under the drip of that wagon bed."(2)
2-July 28-Left Bristol at 10 a.m. on trains and traveled all day and night. Arrived at Lynchburg around noon and marched south 3 miles, pitching tents beyond the fairground in a grove of oaks. (10)
4-On the march through the city, citizens threw plugs of "fine tobacco" to the troops from the upper stories of buildings.(#3)
2- Aug 1-Adopted the Confederate States Constitution.(10)
2-Aug 2-Struck tents at 5 a.m., marched back to the tracks and took the cars for Staunton.(10)
2-Aug 3-Sat.-Very hot-Regiment moved to Millborough by rail.(11)
2-Aug 4-Regiment cleared off a place to camp near the depot.(11)
20-"U.L. Wood our O.S. was discharged practised shooting our musquets"(2)
5-Thompson, along with several other men in the regiment, became ill during the short stay here. When well enough to travel, he was moved to Bath Alum Springs to recover. Thompson would not rejoin the regiment until after the Cheat Mountain events on October 25th.(3)
2-Aug 5-Regiment marched three miles in direction of Huntersville, and camped.(11)
20-"held an election for noncommissioned officers, elected Jesse Walling, O.S. W. T. Mabery 2 segt. W. N. Lowery 3 segt."(2)
4-Camped on Cowlick Creek near an old school or church.(#3)
2-Aug 6-Tue- Very hot-Regiment marched twelve miles and camped at Warm Springs.(11)
2-Aug 7-Hot & Showery-Regt. marched 13 miles through the mountains to Back River, camped at Col. Gaitwood's, "the men this evening are very much fatigued".(12)
2-Aug 8-Warm & Showery-Marched to Huntersville, stopping to camp a mile west of town on "..a low, wet, and spongy tract of land, very unfit for a permanent encampment". Womack noticed the march from Millborough had been made in good time (35 miles),".. but not without the loss of much of our camp equipage and clothing, such as tents, cooking utensils, knapsacks etc.".(12)
12-General Loring issued general order No., 10 which formed his division into six brigades. His Third Brigade, commanded by Col. D. S. Donelson, was composed of the 8th and 16th Tenn., 1st and 14th Ga., and the Greenbrier, Va. Cavalry. This brigade along with the 2nd, 4th and 6th brigade comprised the Huntersville Division under the direct command of Loring himself. The 1st and 5th brigades were placed under the command of Gen. H. R. Jackson to be known as the Monterey division.(157)
4-Marched 11 miles to Huntersville.(#3)
2-Aug 8-22- The regiment readied their arms and participated in company and regimental drill in increasingly worse conditions. The weather was noticeably cooler, and Womack found heavy coats and fires to be very comfortable. The health of the regiment continued to decline.(12-13)
8-"Two large thoroughfares came in at this place, called the Green Bank and Green Brier Roads, along which the enemy might come to the rear of our advance forces then at Valley Mountain, under Gen. Loring, and our brigade, together with the Forty-eight Virginia and a Georgia regiment were left to guard these two roads. Here sickness in camps from typhoid and bilious fevers and other diseases was quite fatal, killing some of our best and stoutest men".(335)
16-"Huntersville is a kind of crack or hole in the mountain, which rises high above the town. The town is on the slope of a mountain. There are small strips of level land at the bottom between the mountains, from fifty to one hundred yards wide, with slow-moving, bad-looking water. It was one of these narrow bottoms that General Donelson ordered the regiment to camp, with this sluggish branch for water. Not a breath of air stirred in this hole and the sun came down with heat not surpassed at New Orleans of Vera Cruz. In a short time, two or three days, one hundred men were sick and unfit for duty-ninety-six of them from diarrhea, and four from fever. … He [Savage] requested General Donelson to permit the regiment to camp on the side of the mountain above Huntersville where the winds blew and the air was cool and there was a spring of water almost as cold as ice and big enough to turn a mill. Donelson refused. Savage drew a petition to General Loring for permission to change his camp, which, by military law, must pass through the hands of Donelson. Dr. Read, brigade Surgeon, was present when the petition came to Donelson’s hands, who disapproved it, speaking sneeringly of it. Being so informed by Dr. Read, Savage determined to disobey Donelson and take the consequences. He believed it was a higher duty to save the lives of men under his command than he owed to Donelson’s order. He took a detail to clean off a place in a swag in the mountain side above Huntersville, sufficient for a camp. The swag in the mountain selected by Savage for his camp was covered by small oak brush apparently cut down to prepare for cultivation. The men were piling the brush, when a man came and asked Savage what he was doing that for. Savage told him that bad water and bad air had caused one hundred of his men to get sick in forty-eight hours and that he would move the regiment up there where the air and water were pleasant and healthy. The man replied, "This is my property and I will protect it. You cannot camp here or get water from my spring." Savage replied, "The lives of those men, near a thousand, are in my keeping, and it is my duty to guard them against death by disease as much as by death in battle, and I shall move the regiment and camp here, and get water out of your spring, unless you show me a spring near to the camp." The man replied, "I will than make an Ellsworth-Jackson case of it;" meaning the assassination of Jackson by Ellsworth in Alexandria at the beginning of the war. Savage replied: "Nobody but a fool or a coward would talk that way in sight of my regiment of near a thousand men. If you were to hurt me these men would hang or shoot you to death instantly. Nobody fears you; if it was not my duty to command and take care of these men I would agree to meet you on some lone mountain or desert far away from men and would expect to see you run like a turkey." He replied, "I will kill the first man that comes to my spring after water." Savage replied, "I will get the first bucket full; you can leave here now and don’t show yourself again." He left Huntersville. This man was named Skein, and was a lawyer. The soldiers reported that Mrs. Skein would not allow them to get water out of the spring. Savage took a guard and said to the lady: "To protect you from rude or lawless conduct on the part of my soldiers I put a guard over your lot with strict instructions to let no soldier visit your lot except for water, and to get water and return. If you are molested in any way let me know and I will protect you from all trouble."(91-3)
2- Aug 23-Friday-Cloudy and cool-Regt. moved to a new campground about 1/2 mile south of Huntersville on a "very lofty hill".(13)
16-"Breakfast was early; all wagons were packed and started to the new camp. As they ascended the mountain Savage rode to Donelson’s tent, saluted him and said, "General, your orders will hereafter reach me where you see those wagons." Savage requested the quartermaster to furnish plank to build ten shanties. He replied, saying, "We do not furnish it." Savage replied, "Have the plank at my camp immediately and present your bill and I will pay it." The plank came but no bill was presented. Ten shanties were put up, the sick put in them, a guard over them under orders of the doctor, with instructions to give no medicine to the diarrhea men, but to confine them to the shanties, with the allowance of one cracker and one cup of coffee three times a day, and to drink very little water."(93)
21-"We had a dozen or more small framed hospital buildings constructed and comfortably fixed for the sick and a marked improvement of the health of the regiment was brought about by his timely attention and industry. This was indeed a most beautiful encampment on a long green slope looking down on Huntersville and the surrounding valley and surrounded in the background by a dark grove of half-grown pines and the more distant peaks of the Alleghany Mountains rearing their dark heads high in the heavens as avowed masters of the storm for a thousand years. At a distance it presented indeed a most tasty picture for the pencil of the artist."(3)
2-Aug 24-31- Regt. drilled and failed to recommend any Commissary or Surgeons. On the 31st the 16th is mustered into Confederate States Service by Maj. Canley of Tennessee.(14)
16-"A few days after Savage removed his regiment to the mountain General Donelson rode up to his tent and said: ‘Col. Savage, I like your encampment. If you will clean off a place for me I will come up and camp with you.’ A camp was prepared for the general under some beautiful tree, and he left the little muddy stream down there and occupied the camp cleaned off for him."(94)
16-Aug 25-Savage’s disobedience had paid off. "In forty-eight hours all men with bowel complaint reported for duty."(93)
2-Sept 1- Cannons are heard in the direction of Cheat Mount.(14)
2-Sept 3-O.D. Neal of Womack's Co. died at 1 p.m., and was buried on the 4th atop a high hill south from the Huntersville Church (300paces) with military honors. Womack enters, on the 4th: "In consequence of either the neglect or inability of the C. S. government to supply our brigade with clothing, Capt.s of companies are ordered to ascertain the wants and needs of their respective commands, and report a list of the same, to be sent by a detailed officer to our homes in Tennessee to solicit supplies from them, which order I have this day complied with".(14)
16-Sept 6-"When the order came to proceed to Valley Mountain the Sixteenth had seven hundred healthy men for duty."(94)
2-Sept 6- Fri.-cloudy & warm- Struck tents at 6 a.m. and marched towards "Big Springs" for a distance of only 10 miles due to the conditions of the roads. They halted and camped at an old encampment called Edry.(14-15)
2- Sept 7-Still at Edry, conducted Battalion Drill under BGen. Donelson late in the evening.(15)
2-Sept 8-Sunday-heavy showers- Marched 12 miles over bad roads, wagons fell behind and men spent the evening "without covering from the weather or rations for the hungry. This doubtless is the beginning only of many privations and hardships yet to be endured before leaving this rugged mountain".(15)
2-Sept 9- clear and warm-Marched to Big Spring and on to the top of Valley Mountain on an "awful road", arriving there after nightfall.(15)
21-"Owing to the constant heavy rains and great amount of wagoning the road was rendered almost impassable. Our train would never have passed over it but for the heavy details of men to assist them through the mud and to improve the road ahead of the train."(4)
16-"At Valley Mountain the regiment was ordered to take three days’ rations and march against the enemy."(94)
21-"Although much fatigued and worn out with heavy marching through the mud and rain and many were already resting their sore muscles in sleep yet, the prospect at an early fight aroused our boys to new energy and that night a party in charge of Lieutenant Blaine was dispatched by Col. Savage two or three miles to slaughter beavers and another party sent a mile and a half for flour, who dispatched their business in a quick time and by 12 o’clock at night our men were engaged in cooking and by daylight the old 16th stood in Battalion on the hill with knap and haversacks well packed and ready for the march."(4)
2-Sept 10-Tue. -cloudy & warm- "We marched out down the mountain this morning at sunrise, in rear of the 8th Tenn. Regt., with which we caught up at Big Spring, and which now forms the right wing of Donelson's brigade, and the 16th regiment (ours) the left wing, the two composing the first Tennessee brigade.(15)
2-"Our brigade, composed of about eighteen hundred men, marched about ten miles, much of the time through the woods, over the mountains, and across ravines..."(15)
4-"A little creek ran down the valley which we had to cross, very often, sometimes wade & sometimes a foot log. The road was a pathway & we went in Indian file, which made our line of march one mile long. Our guns were flintlock muskets and carried cartridges made of one large ball and three buckshot."(#4)
8-"No road and no place to make one on much of the route, and the miners and sappers had to cut out a sort of way through hills, ravines, creeks and rocks to get our light artillery through which frequently required the teams to be disengaged and the gun-wagons to be drawn by the men".(336)
2-"It was the duty of our brigade....to fall in rear of the enemy encamped at Tygart's Valley, six or eight miles south of Huttonville."(15)
16-" It moved all day up a hollow and passed the night, without fire, at a house and hay field called Winnants’."(94)
2-"We marched till after dark and fell noiselessly upon our arms for the night, on a farm, whose owner's name was Winnan".(15)
8-Sept 11-"On the morning of the 11th our right brigade and Gen. Anderson's separated, the later taking off to the right along the side of the mountain range, to fall in on the pike in rear of the pass, while our brigade was to take the fortification at Coonrad's in the rear. Proceeding down Conley's Run a few miles, we crossed over a rough mountain to Stewart's Run. As we had now arrived in the neighborhood of the enemy, Col. Savage was ordered to take two companies and proceed in advance down the creek."(336)
8-"He had not proceeded far down the creek with the two companies before they came suddenly upon four of the enemy's advance pickets in a cabin and took them prisoners by surprise. About one mile further down they came upon five others, who, in attempting to escape, were fired on and two killed."(336)
4-"We heard musket shots in front of us, which caused us to double quick and all excited."(#4)
8-"Col. Savage and our guide, Dr. Butcher, hurried on their horses after the three others, and coming in distance, fired and killed one and took the other two prisoners and sent them back by Butcher to the two companies, who were coming up in haste."(336)
4-"In crossing a little slick footlog, my feet slipped, down I went astride the log. My knapsack & gun unbalanced me & down I went head first into the water, completely immersing me, but I held to my gun."(#4)
8-"Learning from these three prisoners that the reserve company of pickets were encamped at an old house in the valley not far below, Col. Savage put off in haste upon his horse, and had gone but a short distance when he discovered the company at the old house, which seemed to be in a bustle and confusion. Putting spurs to "old George," he went dashing at full speed and alone down the valley, brandishing a huge pistol in the air; right on he rushed up to and through their confused ranks, throwing his pistol from side to side, commanding them to down with their arms, which many of them did, and stood gazing in stupid consternation; while others had rushed into the house and were pointing their guns out through the open windows as if to fire upon the incarnate dare-devil; and seeing this, Savage dashed right up to the very muzzle of their guns and ordered them to throw down their arms and surrender "or the last rascal of you will be killed in five minutes". Down went their guns with a roar upon the floor. By this time the advance-guard were coming up nearly at double-quick, and the entire company, "Cincinnati Grays," were taken prisoners virtually by one man, who had so suddenly rushed headlong upon them that these strong, brave men stood confounded, and for the moment could but regard him as an incomprehensible son of thunder."(336)
4-"..but on I ran & in a short distance passed a little cabin on the right of the path and just beyond it on the left lay two wounded yankees..."(#4)
2-"We captured however about 40 of the number and then proceeded".(16)
16-Savage’s personal bravery was unquestionable. He had single-handedly captured 48 members of the 16th Ohio with their arms and accouterments.(97)
21-"The officers delivered up their swords, one of which, a very nice one, Col. Savage now wears."(6)
8-"Although admiring such bravery, yet I thought it reckless in our Colonel, and he permitted me to chide him for it, saying he prevented their escape to bear the news of our approach, but that he could not afford to risk as much the second time with the hope of escaping death."(336)
16-"A detail his the captured guns on the side of the mountain, and a guard took charge of the prisoners. The brigade left the creek [Stewart’s Run], and took a horse road up the mountain, descending from the top to Becky’s Run on a road leading down from Cheat Mountain."(97)
8-"Placing our prisoners between two regiments, we went over another creek, down it, and then were led up a steep mountain along a blind path after dark, and as we descended the mountain on the other side the enemy's camp-fires of a sudden gleamed up in the valley below us far and wide. We almost butted up against their fortifications before we were aware. About facing, we moved by the left till the right rested on top of the peak, and the left far down the mountain-side of our approach; and here in Egyptian darkness and heavy rain we lay by guess on our arms all night."(336-7)
2-"Just as night closed in we marched in single file noiselessly up the mountain to within sight of the enemy fires. Here we closed up, fell upon our arms by the roadside and slept under a drenching rain all night".(16)
16-"Donelson called for a council of war, and showed his order for the first time. He suggested that there were one thousand men miles farther on that might be captured. Savage replied, that "one thousand three hundred might capture one thousand, but if reports are true was are now in the rear of about five thousand men, at Crouch’s, and separated from General Loring, and would have trouble in bringing in one thousand men if captured." At this point a bit of confusion set in. Donelson had apparently advanced the brigade a few miles further than he should have. This placed the men within a mile of the Federal encampment. Savage reportedly took charge of the brigade and placed the Eight Tennessee on a ridgeline and reversed the Sixteenth’s line of march to guard the head of a hollow. Savage felt their position to be very exposed and called for a withdrawal at daylight the next morning. Rain was falling in torrents, and it would prove to be a miserable night for the men on the mountain top.(97)
21-"We then gave back, left in front, until the right wing was on top of the mountain, the left extending half way down the mountain on the side of our first approach and here we lay on our arms by guess, in the deep darkness and heavy rain all night. About ten o’clock I heard considerable noise and confusion in our line apparently on top of the mountain, and the excitement rushed along down the line with undertones of: ‘Up, up, something on hand’ - and I sprung up too, and gave the passing countersign all remained in silence and readiness for a few minutes, when instead of an enemies’ approach, it was nothing but a big old bear that had unawares stumbled over some of our sleeping boys with his lubbardly feet causing quite a sensation."(7)
2-Sept 12-Thur-cloudy but more pleasant-"At four o'clock this morning all were aroused, arms inspected, and every thing put in readiness for battle before the break of day..."(16)
16-"As signs of day appeared next morning Savage passed the sentinels and followed the top of the mountain some half mile to where it terminated in a precipice some hundreds of feet above the valley of Tygert’s River. From this he had a good view of the Yankee camp at Crouch’s, and was of the opinion that there might be from three to five thousand men there. Returning, a sentinel told him General Lee was in camp and an inquiry had been made for him. He reported what he had seen of the Yankee camp to General Lee, who inquired of the conduct of the men should a battle occur. Savage replied: "The men are all right. Guns are wet; as soon as this rattle of ramrods ceases they are ready for battle."(99)
2-"Just as the scattering rays of the morning sun began to make their appearance over the eastern hills, to the great surprise of the whole command, Gen. Lee and staff rode to the head of the brigade and gave orders for our retreat".(16)
21-"This was the first time I had seen him. He is a fine looking man near six feet high - a little heavy and well proportioned - eyes blue and steady - without whiskers - nothing fantastic in dress - but neat and comfortable and has somewhat the appearance of a Frenchman - He strikes you at once as a general."(7)
8-"About daylight Gen. Lee passed up the line. It was the first time any of us had ever seen him, and we were much impressed with his fine appearance, which at once inspired us with confidence. He and his staff had lain that night at some hay-stacks in the narrow valley about a half mile down in our rear. Not long after sunup the information came through our pickets that the enemy had appeared in this little valley below...".(337)
8-"As a badge of distinction by which to tell our own forces from the enemy in emergencies, we were all required to wear a piece of white cloth tacked in front of our hats. This precaution served us a good purpose the morning Gen. Lee and staff came riding up the mountain so early from where he had camped at the hay-stacks. As they approached in the gray twilight some of our guard were sure they were enemies and wanted orders to fire on them, but I waited and was soon relieved by seeing their badges".(338)
21-"After waiting impatiently to hear the opening of our cannon by Gen. Loring, until 8 o’clock, and seeing it would not be done, we were ordered to move back from our position - the left now being in front."(8)
16-"General Lee directed Savage to move his regiment, and take possession and guard the road until the brigade passed. The Sixteenth Regiment had two companies in the rear guard, with two vedettes."(99)
2-"About sunrise we moved down the mountain in single file, left now in front. We had scarcely begun to move however, before our rear guard, (now become van.) met a company of about one hundred men, detached from the mountain to come to the camp in the valley...".(17)
21-"The intelligence had come, however, from one of our pickets stationed at base of the mountain near a field that a body of the enemy were collecting in the field. Captain Dillard and Captain Johnson and Captain York were ordered to proceed under Col. Savage ahead of the Brigade as the advance guard and which they immediately did and had not gone far before the firing of our pickets at the foot of the mountain informed us of the presence of an enemy and the advance guard went double quick to the foot of the mountain in about three-fourths of a mile and just before reaching the field there was a brisk fire opened upon Captain Dillard’s company which was a little distance in advance of Captain York’s, which was returned immediately by them with much spirit."(8)
8-"... Col. Savage was immediately ordered to take two companies and reconnoiter. Capt. York's and my company were selected, and down the mountain we went at quick-time, as our pickets now fired on their advance-guard, coming on our trail up the hill, killing two."(337)
16-"The firing was rapid."(99)
4-"About this time we heard the firing about 100 yards below us and we were satisfied that our vedettes had fired on the enemy. Our company and Capt. Dillard's were ordered to attack them, and on our way passed 2 wounded Yanks."(#5)
16-"The Yankees were driven down the mountain and down in the main road."(99)
8-"As we got down to a fence at a field, we were fired on by the enemy about three hundred strong, some two hundred yards off, sheltered by the banks and skirting timber of a little creek that ran through the field. We soon formed line in the field, and the work commenced in good earnest. The enemy having the decided advantage in position, we were soon ordered to charge, and so we did with a wild yell…"(337)
21-"… the firing was kept up for some minutes when Col. Savage, seeing the enemy had the advantage in position, ordered Captain Dillard and Lieut. Johnson to charge them, which they did promptly with that wild shout and a rush that characterizes true Tennesseans throughout the fighting world."(8)
4-"Col. Savage ordered us to take them out on our bayonets. We raised the Yell & the enemy left."(#5)
8-"… but before we reached the creek they fled to the woods a little distance away, and after a short stand disappeared in the thick forest".(337)
21-"… they broke in confusion for tall timber, which luckily for them, was not far behind them and then they got behind a fence flap and renewed the fire and kept it up for several minutes at our men, who were now still advancing in the open field. They soon took the hint, however, that they would have to come to close quarters and disappeared in the mountains leaving 14 killed in the field and there were several wounded, three or four of whom were picked up by General Anderson’s command that evening as they were endeavoring to make their way through the mountains. One who was either braver or slower than his comrades remained concealed at the Run for some time and on attempting to regain his company was fired on so fiercely that he dodged behind a stump for protection and threw up his hands in submission. Captain Dillard ordered his men to cease firing and by a motion of his sword ordered the Ohio red head to approach, which he did over a distance of one hundred yards and delivered himself a prisoner. Sixteen others were also taken prisoners. We had but one killed and one wounded notwithstanding the atmosphere seemed to be surcharged with Minnie slugs. During the action a ball passed through Lieutenant Sadler’s blanket and others had holes shot in shirts, clothing, canteens, etc. The one killed was a private belonging to Captain Meadows company, who had got into the field. The one wounded belonged to Captain Dillard’s company and was probably shot by one of our own troops who were coming down the mountain and mistook the advance guard in the field for the Yankeys and but for the precaution of Col. Savage who stopped them from firing at the point of the sword there would probably have been serious damage done us."(9-10)
8-"There were thirteen killed and wounded, and seventeen captured. We lost only two killed and two or three wounded".(337)
16-"The Sixteenth lost one man at the foot of the mountain, a detail burying him while Savage with his guard held the road."(99)
4-Alfred Martin, of Company __ and brother of Mose, Jessee and Lawson from Van Buren County, was the first man killed in an action against the Federals.(#5)
16-"The brigade lost no time in getting away, General Lee riding in front and leading it. Stewart’s Run was not seen, and the march continued on another road to the point that Donelson had been directed to hold."(99)
8-"This was our first fight, and we then regarded it as an affair of considerable magnitude, receiving praise all round for coolness and courage. ... We all had flint-lock muskets, and they had all got wet the previous night. During the fight, Lieut. Denton, of my company, by no means an expert with a gun, got hold of one by some means during the fight and proceeded to load and fire rapidly. Directly a difficulty got up somehow between him and his gun, and he went backward flat on the ground, the gun over his head, and the blood ran freely from his face. I thought he was shot and went to him. On inquiry, he said he was not shot, but that he could not account for the sudden mystery by any reasoning, except a treacherous ball from the enemy had struck his faithful musket in the muzzle and driven her backward over him, "gouging" his forehead with the cock as she went. But some of larger experience with this peculiar weapon hinted that perhaps he had loaded faster than he had fired, until really the breech became the "business end" of his piece; and with some reluctance he accepted the theory".(337-8)
2-"...we resumed the retreat in the direction of Big Spring, and after marching till the day was well nigh spent we halted at _________ and fed, the now very hungry brigade, on saltless beef,..."(17)
8-"... about 12 o'clock our command fell back, and marched about ten miles to Snider's Hill and camped".(338)
2-"This being the first march this part of our men were ever on, absent from the supply train, and not supposing they would be allowed to suffer, had wasted their rations, or rather, eat them up at the outset of the march and had consequently, become very hungry - we called it starving".(17)
2-Sept 13-clear & pleasant-3 p.m. took up march for Cheat Mt. Valley for four miles, stopping where they captured the company of pickets near Elk Run, and slept on their arms all night.(17)
2-Sept 14-15- At Elk Run, depart on the 14th in the morning through showers to Gen. Loring's H.Q. and on to Mingo Flat on Huntersville Pike where they stopped near midnight with hard rains".(18)
4-Within four miles of Valley Mt..(#5)
21-"We reached our point about dark and lay in line of battle on our arms in about one and a half miles of the enemies breastworks. We remained there all the following day impatient for a fight but there being no attack made in front we marched back under orders and joined Gen. Loring at the mouth of Conley’s Run on the pike, being much pestered in the march cutting a road over the mountain for the artillery. On reaching the pike about dark we found there all of our forces and immediately commenced a backward move for Valley Mountain. We marched until one o’clock at night in a very heavy rain and camped for the balance of the night renewing the march early next morning we reached headquarters at Valley Mountain in the evening and our Brigade passed on two miles further and encamped at Big Springs."(11)
4-16th Regiment arrives at Valley Mountain.(#5)
8-Arriving at Valley Mountain, Dillard stated that the men were "disappointed, and in fact grumbling, because we were 'spoiling for a fight' ".(338)
2-Womack was so worn out on this occasion that he turned over his command to his Lieutenants and fell "by the way-side".(18)
2-Sept 16-warm & rainy-march at daylight and arrive at Big Spring around noon, very fatigued, and "several of the men barefooted". The regiment stayed here through the 21st, recooperating from the tiresome march.(18)
2-Sept 18-Lt. H. Denton was detailed to Tenn. to procure winter clothing.(18)
2-Sept 20-A picket fired a gun causing the regiment to be deployed into line around 11 p.m. and remained there until assured of no danger.(18)
2-Sept 22-Rainy & cool-Brigade marched at dawn from Camps at Big Spring down Huntersville Rd. and camped at Gipson's. About 10 miles. The rear guard had serious problems with the wagons on the muddy roads.(18)
2-Sept 23-clear-first frost of the season-March was continued to Greenbrier bridge, Greenbrier River, six miles west from Huntersville and camped.(19)
2-Sept 24-Regt. is stationary, but temporarily transferred to Anderson's Brigade.(19)
8-The regiment, in conjunction with five others, was ordered to march hard and fast to the relief of Gen. Wise and Gen. Floyd. "For this purpose five regiments were selected from the entire command- the Forty-second and Forty-eighth Virginia, and the First, Seventh and Sixteenth Tennessee- and without any baggage or transportation wagons, except for ammunition and flour, we hurried forward ... on to Little Sewell Mountain, ...".(338)
2-Sept 25-Marched for Lewisburg in the evening, traveling 12 miles before dark and camping 1 mile west of the road.(19)
2-Sept 26-Thur-warm & rainy-Marched 18 miles and camped at Mr. Nickold's 3 miles north of Frankford. "Here we passed a most disagreeable night, the rain fell so incessantly that we could not build fires, and consequently were compelled to take the drenching rain like our faithful horses which stood shivering by".(19)
4-The regiment stopped near a farmhouse and soon its outbuildings, fences and trees were crowded with men searching for relief from the rain.(#5)
3-"I an Hayett fixed us a bed of rails and lay on them all night to keep up out of the water at daylight wake up our fens rails beat by the heavy raines. After being washed by rain I felt some wat worsted but Col. Savage seeing his men wet and kold give them a dram".(1)
2-Sept 27-Resumed march early in the morning through a rain that lasted till 5p.m. camping in the vicinity of Lewisburg, about 12 miles.(19)
3-"... incampt in a barnd all of us were very wet and chilled. If I had not found shelter I think I would er froze. I lay in the third story of the barnd I grabled out me a hole in the oats selp al night by cloth being wet they smelt like spilt foder".(1)
2-Sept 28-They continued on another 13 miles until encamping near Meadowbluff.(19)
2-Sept 29-March is resumed to the top of Sewell Mountain, arriving there late at night after wading two swollen streams nearly a quarter mile in width and camping atop the mountain 1,000 yd.s from the enemy occupying another hill.(20)
8-"One day we came to a low stretch of marshy country, through which the solitary road passed, that was covered by a lake more than a quarter of a mile across; and it was truly a sample of their unflinching devotion, as well as a scene most picturesque, to see four or five thousand men stripped to their red shirts, with knapsack and gun upon their shoulders, wading, splashing, and yelling through that cold lake, almost to their armpits in water; but they seemed to regard the it as a matter-of-course affair-- merely a part of the checkered programme of war."(340)
3-"We waded water rump deep. It was very cold my lages was as red as doves when I got through at this place...".(1)
16-The Sixteenth reached Sewell Mountain about a day before Gen. Anderson’s other troops, and was thus placed in command of the troops on the right side of the National road. Gen. Floyd, already present had command of the units on the left, Wise Legion and a battalion of Baltimore artillery. (100)
8-"Col. Savage was here complimented by Gen. Lee placing him in command of a brigade on the extreme right."(339)
21-"… the left being occupied by Floyd’s legion and the right center by Wises’ legion and Tennessee troops with a strong force in reserve to the rear of the center."(13)
2-Sept 30-"We have now been without tents, and nearly without blankets since the 8th inst. and although we have needed them very much in that time, yet on no occasion have we felt their absence so sensibly as here, where the constant cutting winds sweep incessantly across the towering point."(20)
8-"Thus the two armies rested for several days, each, as it were, flaunting their flags in the other's face, while their respective bands alternated in playing from time to time the menacing strains of 'Yankee Doodle" and "Dixie". In the deep valley or ravine between them the pickets of both, by tacit consent, were using water out of the same spring; yet no one was allowed by the other to loiter after filling his canteens."(339)
4-While most of the men were lacking tents, General Lee, who was also present atop the mountain, had been lucky enough to have one erected. Clark wandered near to "take a look at him."(#6)
3-Sept 31-"Night has come again and I have lade myself on my humble bed that I have construcked to day it three poles one each side of me a small one in the middle so as to swag a little, some leaves on them and this furnished me with a place to rest".(2)
3-Oct 3-Etter collects chestnuts.(2)
2-Oct 4-Commenced building breastworks.(20)
8-"We were expecting and hoping daily that the enemy would continue his advance, and attack us; still we saw no demonstrations of that kind. Impatience began to manifest itself among the men and officers of all ranks. We wanted to fight, and that quickly."(339)
2-Oct 6-Started on pursuit of withdrawing Federal forces for a mile or two, then turned back and returned to camp.(21)
8-"Colonel Savage was ordered to reconnoiter and find out the facts, which he did with my company and a few others as skirmishers."(339)
21-"… Captain Brown’s, Captain Dillard’s and Capt. Savage’s and one Virginia company and advance them as skirmishers with caution - until we reached the heights of their encampment and lo and behold, nothing was there to be seen but signs of a precipitate retreat. We got some provision stores - a few wagons and horses - some camp equipage etc. and one prisoner. Gen. Lee and his aids reached us as we were ascending the mountain and when we reported back that the hill was clear he came up and looking through his glass discovered the train at distance of 13 miles. Showing that they had left in the early part of the night and traveled all night. Some cavalry were ordered to follow, which they did but the distance was too great to overtake many stragglers. They took two or three prisoners and a few horses and probably some stores. We hoped to pursue and in fact so confident were we of doing such that Col. Murry soon appeared at the base of the hill with the balance of our regiment, but we were ordered back to our position and here we are now regretting their sudden flight. They seemed to be well fed from the oily signs of their encampment and were blessed in camp even with ladies as we found bonnets, hoop skirts and one of the nices wee bit of cradles to rock the baby in perhaps - indubitable signs of the feminine gender - and of course these scarce articles were captured instantly."(14-5)
2-Oct 7-The troops had by this time constructed brush houses, but even these could not reduce the discomfort caused by a constant rainfall all day and night that forced the men to sit upright all night.(21)
3-Oct 8-Etter washes his clothes for the first time since departing Tennessee.(2)
2-Oct 12--Broke camp and commenced a march toward Lewisburg late in the evening, making four miles before stopping to camp on Sewell Creek.(21)
3-"... it was today that an old man came to hunting the boys that killed his sheep and wanted pay for them we plegd him so much that he was glad to git off without money".(2)
8-"... we came back as far as Lewisburg, and near there camped a week or two in a heavy forest without tents."(339)
2-Oct 13-20-Remain encamped on Sewell Creek, commence drilling.(21-22)
8-Regarding their camp ground, Captain Dillard remarked that, "... we came to camp on a wide, rocky creek, and soon had log fires up and down it for a long distance on either side". Being without cooking utensils, he stated that, "... as if by instinct some commenced washing off the large flat rocks all along the water's edge, and soon began kneading up dough with the dispatch and earnestness of hungry beavers, while others prepared sharp sticks from the undergrowth and around them twined ringlets of dough in all fantastic shapes and stuck them around to bake before the fire. With these brown rolls and fat beef broiled on hot rock plates we soon had a delicious meal".(340)
20-"Oct 19 cloudy with some rain this morning J. K. P. Evans died at 10 A.M. drilling by co."(5)
3-Oct 20-Poke Evens died during the night.(2)
2-Oct 21-Marched to Meadow Bluff in the morning and encamped.(22)
2-Oct 22-Marched on to Lewisburg and on two miles north on the Huntersville Rd. and camped.(22)
2-Oct 23-Wed.-Regt. marched to Frankford and beyond arriving at Greenbrier bridge on the 25th camping there for the night and remaining there on the 26th. Womack had stopped to check on some men whom he had left behind on the march to Sewell Mt., his men were recovering but his "waiting boy" had gotten worse and was found to be "past recovering." "Reese" died on the 25th at 2 p.m.. "He was a faithful servant, and expressed a lively hope in the atoneing blood of the Lamb of God".(22)
3-Oct 24-Left at nine a.m. and halted at Millport.(2)
3-Oct 25-In the morning, before the march, "Savage give the boys a lector concerning leaving ranks going to neighbors houses an plundering some looked down". The regiment arrived at Greenbrier Bridge that afternoon and encamped one mile from the bridge.(2)
2-Oct 27-Sunday-clear & pleasant-Marched in the evening to Huntersville camping 2 miles north of town.(23)
3-Camped on the Geenbank Road.(3)
4-Ben Randals and Jim Mitchell got into a fist fight, "but were too well matched to do much hurt".(#6)
16-After passing the regiments in their front, the 1st and 7th Tennessee, near Lewisburg, the regiment was rewarded for reaching Huntersville first. "A staff officer (Colonel Stark, afterwards made brigadier-general, and killed at Sharpsburg) said to Savage: "There is a fine lot of clothing for distribution among the troops here, and because of your rapid marches General Lee has ordered that your regiment shall get whatever the men want before a further distribution is made. The boys got shirts, shoes, pantaloons, coats and overcoats, some of which latter garments survived the war."(101)
2-Oct 28-A reunion with their tents, allowed the regt. to pitch them after nearly two months after spending the greater part of the day clearing trash and litter from their grounds. (23)
2-Oct 29-Nov 10-Remained in camps resting and recooperating.(23-24)
4-Here, many of the men began to show the stresses of being away from family and friends. Jack Rolls was court-martialed for disobeying orders. Upon conviction, he was sentenced to, "..put a fence rail on his shoulder & carry it around our regimental encampment". "Uncle Jack" became so enraged by his punishment that he swore no more service for the confederacy, and shortly thereafter, did'nt.(#6)
20-"Nov 4 cool and raining. Tillmon Keener arested for larceny brought forward and acknowledged his guilt"
3-Nov 5-Col. Parks came to us we cald him butcher.(3)
2-Nov 11-Mon-rainy-Struck tents and marched 10 miles in direction of Lewisburg. (24)
2- Nov 12-Marched 14 miles.(24)
2-Nov 13-Marched to Frankford and camped.(24)
3-The regiment encamped one mile out of town. "Parson Brooks preached for us the ladies of the town came out to see us they sung some nice tunes for us. Our boys behaved nice the girles was very pritty".(3)
2-Nov 14-Marched on to Lewisburg.(24)
3- Encamping 2 miles short of the town.(3)
3-Nov 15-Marched through Lewisburg and encamped three miles out. ??Savage would not cross his men over a swollen stream due to dangerous currents, was this a charge in his trial??(3)
2-Nov 14-Nov 30-Remained in camps at Lewisburg with cold weather and occasional snow fall.(25)
2-Nov 20-Wed-cold & rainy-"today the hearts of our regiment were made glad and our bleeding feet and protruding knees comfortable by the arrival of our winter goods, prepared for us by our friends at home. All honor to our Mothers, wives and sisters who have not forgotten our perils in these dreary mountains.(25)
5-These items from home included, "blankets, quilts, coats and almost anything to wear you could think of." James Hill and the Honorable H.L.W. Hill sent several hundred bottles of "fine apple brandy" which the boys indulged in greatly.(4)
8-"While here our regiment received a bountiful lot of winter clothing and blankets from home, together with an immense amount of letters and nicknacks from mothers, wives, and sweethearts. There were two or three car-loads of these stores sent by the parents and friends at home, under charge of Lieut. Denton, who had been detailed for that purpose. These came in good time, as there was a big snow on the ground and all were scarce of clothes and blankets."(339)
3-"Our clothing came to us most all the boys have got something we are happy tonight the boys have had a dram they well clothed and a happy set as you ever seen".(3)
2-During this period numerous men are discharged for disabilities.(24-26)
2-Dec 1-Sun.-cloudy & cold-Brike camp, marching 10 miles in direction of Red Sulfur Springs.(27)
3-"... today we crossed the river on horses the horses fel down and some of the boys was ducked clothes froze on them encamped on the side of the road".(3)
2-Dec 2-Snow storm in evening-March through Union, passing Salt Sulfur Springs camping on the roadside that night.(27)
2-Dec 3-Marched 12 miles to Red Sulfur Springs, fell back a mile and encamped on level ground without supper as rations were not availabe as had been expected.(27)
2-Dec 4-Marched at noon for 8 miles toward Newbern.
2-Dec 5-Marched 12 miles through Peterstown and crossed New River at noon, camping on a "ledge of loose rocks."(27)
2-Dec 6-clear & pleasant-Marched through Parisburg early this morning and 12 miles up New River to a bridge where they encamped.(27)
2-Dec 7-Sat.-marched 9 miles to Doublin Depot on the East Tenn. & Va. R. R. and pitched tents.(27)
2-Dec 8-Although expecting orders to Bowling Green the brigade received orders to Charleston, S.C..(27)
2-Dec 9-10-Cooked rations and prepared for the journey.(28)
2-Dec 11-Left at 9 a.m. aboard trains arriving at Lynchburg, Va. at 5 p.m.. A car derailed "bruising Capt. Donnell and 3 or 4 other men".(28)
3-"... G H. got badly hert by the car running off".(4)
2- Dec-12-Due to a lack of transportation, the regiment had to be split and travel on at different times. Womack remained with a portion at Lynchburg, and took the opportunity to prep himself for his next campaign. He had his daguereotype taken and sent home to his sister.(28)
4-The remainder of the regiment moved on by rail to Petersburg.(#7)
2- Dec 13-Took cars from Lynchburg at 9 a.m. arriving at Petersburg at 5 p.m.. Womack took command of the force that he was with.(28)
4-Main body rides rails to Weldon, N.C..(#7)
2-Dec 14-Spent the day in Petersburg and took train at 5 p.m. for Wilmington, N.C., reaching Weldon at 9 p.m., immediately changing cars and depart again at 10 p.m..(28)
4-Main body changed cars ahead of rear party and continued on past Goldsboro. "...at a stop for water or wood, some of the boys left the train went over into a turnip patch, pulled up some, started back to the train & Col. Savage met them at the fence took a turnip out of a fellows hand and warped him over the head with it". Late in the evening they arrived at Cape Fear River.(#7)
2-Dec 15-Arrived at Wilmington at noon, crossed Cape Fear River at 2 p.m. and took cars for Charleston, S.C.(29)
2-Dec 16-Passed Florence at 1 a.m. and arrived at Charleston at 3 p.m. and the regiment took quarters at the depot and ate dinner that had been prepared for them.(29)
2-Dec 17-Marched to the Savannah Depot.(29)
20-"left Charleston and marched three miles to the Savannah depot encamped in a pine grove took a strole in the city in the night"(8)
2-Dec 17-Etter's half of the regiment had already arrived at Charleston on the morning of the 17th and slept in the depot house. They left there late in the evening and encamped 3 miles from the depot at Camden.(4)
2-Dec 18-Traveled by rail from Savannah Depot at 3 p.m., to Pocotaligo Depot arriving there at 9 p.m., then "threw" their baggage from the train remaining there until morning.(29)
2-Dec 19-Established a "regular military style" encampment for the first time in many months, pitching tents in perfect order with assigned company streets.(29)
3-Dec 22-"I wrote home today and said I did not want no Jeff Davis at my house".(4)
8-Regarding the time that the 16th spent in South Carolina, Dillard stated, "Our brigade did duty along the coast for eight or ten miles, at various points, to guard against the landing of the enemy and to prevent the negroes from the shore communicating with them on Beaufort Island, which was then in their possession".(340) Beaufort Island is about ten miles long, and they had pickets scattered from one end to the other. We could see each other very plainly, and would often talk across in quite friendly terms. Sometimes, though, the social confab would break up with a row and a few shots exchanged with each other, together with a superabundance of cursing and tearing up the sand. At the head of the island, where a bridge had been, we got quite intimate. They had collected nearly all the skiffs and small boats in the neighborhood, and had them on their side; and frequently, under mutual pledges of honor they would come over and meet some of us out on the far end of the abutment, and talk for an hour, exchange papers, and trade in coffee and tobacco, the former being rather scarce with us and the latter with them. Sometimes we swapped knifes, and hats, etc. All this, however, was after a while found out at head-quarters, and stopped by peremtory orders. The pickets on their side at this place staid in an old framed house near the far end of the bridge, and when it was raining one day they chided us for having no shelter, and we had a few pretty saucy words about it. After a bit our men went out a little way from the beach and got the hind wheels of an old buggy, tied on a pine log about ten inches in diameter and eight feet long, blacked the muzzle end with powder, and came tearing down the bank in a rush to the level near the water, and wheeled her around; but before we could fire, their sentry, who was stationed near the door, cried the alarm and discharged his piece in the air, while the whole squad came tumbling pell-mell out of the house and scattered in every direction. Some kept running, while others fell flat on their bellies in the sand, till our boys, swinging the hats in the air and shouting "bravo!" broke to cover. It was too good a hoax to fight over, so the Yanks shook their fists and swore at us a while, and went in out of the weather."(341)
18-Seventeen year old R. C. Carden, and his brother James A. Carden, had missed the West Virginia campaign. Robert had been ill, and his brother on furlough. Rejoining the regiment, shortly before receiving orders to South Carolina, they found themselves even less experienced than their now ‘battle-hardened’ comrades. "Two companies were sent out to Gardner’s Corners, eight miles from where our command was camped and a detail was sent out from Gardner’s Corners to Port Royal. Every day we did picket duty as the Yankees were in force on Buford’s Island. Right there was where I saw my first Yankees. We could see them walking around while we were on picket. When we were out we would gather oysters and lived high with plenty of oysters, sweet potatoes. We, being green and not knowing when the Yankees might run over us, would get awfully scared sometimes at night, when we heard the porpoise splashing in the water, and we were sure the Yankees were coming and we would get ready to receive them, but they never came."(Apr. 5)
16-"Soon after the brigade was camped at Pocotaligo General Donelson caused Colonel Savage to be arrested for disobedience of his orders in West Virginia. A court-martial was assembled but Savage had no defense, and the sentence of the court-martial suspended him from the command of his regiment for a short period. The sentence by military law confined Savage to his quarters with his regiment. General Lee modified the sentence so as to allow Savage to spend the time for which he was suspended in the city of Savannah. Twice while Savage was under arrest the Yankees attempted to make raids from the island of Beaufort across the Port Royal River, and each time General Pemberton released Savage from arrest and placed him in command of his regiment, saying that he was unwilling for the regiment to go into battle without Savage being commander. When the danger passed Savage would again go under arrest."(109)
2-Dec 23-The regiment was moved "about 5 miles south from Pocotaligo on the road leading to Mackey's Point". Womack's and Shield's Companies were ordered two miles further down towards the coast in a large cotton field.(30)
3-Dec 24-Thomas Brown was accidentally shot by a man named Tips in Captain Yorks company.(4)
8-"We spent the winter almost as a holiday, having but little to do comparatively, while we lived sumptuously on fish and oysters."(341)
20-"Dec 25 Christmas very warm held an election for 4 & 5 sergeant J. P. Green and R. A. Webb was elected"(8)
3-Dec 26-Army regulations were read to the camp.(4)
2-Dec 26-Womack bought for his company 126lb.s of tobacco for $42, 10lb.s of soda for $5 and several other items for the comfort of his men.(30)
3-Dec 31-Dress Parade in the evening.(4)
20-"had an inspection of arms by Col Murry"
1862
3-Jan 1-"We was ordered to hold an election for Mager but did not have time to count out the vots we was order to go to gardners corners as they was fighting at that 10 mils from us. Arrived there after dark fighting had started we was placed in an old field. I lay all night in line of battle without blankets. I was much child."(4)
2-Jan 1-2- Fighting near Port Royal caused some excitement amongst the men.(31)
3-Jan 2-"No Yanks come and we was ordered to fall back one mile. I was very hungry. Some boys give me some meat and bread. We got some sweet potatoes to eat."(4)
4-The regt. marched all night in direction of Port Royal, halting at night and camping.(#9)
2-Jan 3- Cannonading heard in the direction of Page's Pt.(31)
3-Jan 7-Regt. marched to Page's Point for coastal guard duty. "Went to pages point to releave Guniwins regiment. We are now in site of the yankeys nothing but broud river seperating us. Capt Dillard's company went on picket down on the coast."(5)
3-The regiment trades off picket duty with Fulton's Regt. over the next month.(6)
2-Jan 7-Womack's Co. began work on Rocky Pt. Fort.(32)
2-Jan 8-Cannonading off Mackay's Pt.(32)
20-"Jan 9 health good fortifying rapidly stood picket at the old Jenkins chirch"
3-Jan 10-"Dillards men killed two negers that was trying to git to the yankeys".(5)
3-Jan 11-"I.G. Cunningham, Samuel Barker went to bery the negr that was killed. We was releaved by thee companeys of Col. Fultons men. arrived at camp at night".(5)
20-"Jan 12 volunteered and stood picket at Mckeys point saw yankees in their boats made ready to shoot at them but they did not come near enough"
2-Jan 16-Womack commences the employment of "Fred Green, a boy of color, for a cook and waiter, for ten dollars per month".(33)
3-Jan 18-"James Mooney starts home today I sent some of my cloth and some cotton seed home".(5)
3-Jan 21-"H.M. Moffitt left for home today. We went down to pages point on pickett. I an Fate, C. M., Gyp Parks, Chick Huse stood to gether. It was a stormy and raney night, one that will try the heart of a solger. I got very wet and cold. We could not have fire on pickett".(5)
2-Jan 22-Womack superintended the work on western portion of Stony Pt. Fort.(33)
2-Jan 25-Election for major held to fill Goodbar's vacancy, H.H. Faulkner elected.(33)
20-"Jan 27 working on the fortifications"
3-Etter refers to H. H. Faulkner as "Tip".(5)
3-Jan 30-"On picket to day some yankeys come almost in shooting range of me. Col. Savage under arrest. Mury come down and stade all night".(5)
3-Etter mentions picket duty at Page's Pt., Confederate Hill, Frashers Pt.
20-"Feb 2 still cloudy and cool nothing in sight at the point every thing quite"
20-"Feb 3 clear & pleasant wrote a letter to Miss M. A. - and one to Miss M. P. R. heavy cannonading in the direction of Savanna"
20-"Feb 5 clear and very warm I was weigh to day and one hundred and 69 lbs"
3-Feb 6-"Moved our camping ground some two hundred yards".(5)
20-"Feb 7 dark and raining stood picket at Mckeys point the yankees tried to land"
20-"Feb 8 yankeys plenty in sight returned from my post my health good"
20-"Feb 9 the yankees made another atempt to land but was driven back by our pickets"
2-Feb 10- men heard of the surrender of Ft. Donelson.(35)
2-Feb 14-"Had a whiskey melee in camp this morning before day, resulting in the stabbing of W.T. Mayberry and severe bruising of 3 or 4 others.(35)
20-"Feb 14 clear and pleasant capt shields company moved on account of a falling between them and our men"
20-"Feb 16 cloudy and cool great excitement in camps owing to the fight at fort Donelson"
8-Regarding General Donelson, Dillard wrote: "I well remember his appearance when in South Carolina I broke to him the news of the fall of Fort Donelson. I had just got a paper from Charleston as he was riding by our camp, and read him the dispatch while he leaned forward on his horse gazing at me as a man hearing a death-knell. Easing himself back in his seat, with his eyes fixed without object through the long moss drapery of the woods, he said in his subdued tones, "Well, well, well! that is the saddest piece of news that ever fell upon my ears during life." He then rode toward his quarters through the dark forest of live-oaks".(342)
20-"Feb 17 cloudy and warm reported that Nashville was surendered much excitement"
3-Feb 19-"Yankeys pickets fired on our pickets to day".(6)
20-"Feb 20 clear and pleasant saw the yankees mooving some cotton"
20-"Feb 22 clear and very warm took trip out on the water gathered oisters"
20-"Feb 23 clear and pleasant visited Mr. Cuthprets house and garden a nice place"
2-Feb 25-27-Womack attended the trial of Savage at Old Pocotaligo as a witness.(37)
20-"Feb 27 all is still on the cost all the boys in fine spirits"
2-Feb 28-General Inspection by LtCol W.L. Moore(37)
20-"Feb 28 very warm and cloudy some of the boys taking on about our downfall in Tenn."
3-Mar 2-While on picket duty at Frasher's Pt, "Fate bout a fat hen an we cooked an et her with orsters".(6)
2-Mar 3-4-5-Womack attended the trial of Savage, and was detailed to McMinnville on the 5th.(38)
20-"Mar 4 dark cloudy and raining held an election to see who should go home Wm Bell got to go"
4-Savage is acquitted.(#10)
20-"Mar 6 very pleasant capt P.P. Wm Bell and A. Brown started for Tenn."
3-Mar 8-Etter received permission to visit home upon hearing that his children were sick.(6)
20-"Mar 9 William Gretson came in to day and reports the yankeys at Liberty Dekalb co. the boys all cursing and swarin"
2-Mar 9-Womack and his comrades arrived back in McMinnville by the 9th. Womack, while at home noted: "..I met with many of my old friends, a few of whom seemed to disrelish the Confederate uniform, and were therefore cool and distant".(38)
20-"Mar 10 cloudy and very warm went with Jesee Walling after beef health good"
20-"Mar 14 cloudy and warm went to the Depot"
4-March 15-At least a portion of the Sixteenth Regiment was sent to Grahamsville, 20 miles west of Pocotaligo, and camped one mile outside the city, taking over recently vacated cabins. One particular cabin, shaped as a wrectangle, was referred to as the "Ballroom". Many times, "Uncle Sam McCorkle would mount the stage with his fiddle, & all who could dance had a good time".(#9)
4-"War Songs":South Carolina girls won't eat Mush (x3)
When you go to kissem
They all say hush
Get along sambo sound yer horn
We will eat sheep meat & gnaw the bone
And shave old clay when the weather gets warm.(#9)
20-"Mar 16 clear and warm had an inspection of arms by Lieut Col More"
20-"Mar 18 clear and pleasant hird of our defeat at newburn N.C."
4-March 20-The enemy landed at Bluffton, and the 16th was called up for the march the morning of the 21st. They stepped off for their journey early, but upon arriving there after marching 24 miles, the enemy had withdrawn, and the regiment was ordered to return to Grahamsville. Some of the men completed the 48 mile round trip before midnight.(#9)
5-Lt. Col. Murray was in charge of the regiment for this foray, and ordered the men to return to camp at will by the next day. Several men took advantage of this and did not return for two or three days.(5)
3-Mar 23-Savage returned to command of the regiment following his court martial.(7)
20-"Mar 23 clear and pleasant remained in camps all day cooking and eating and playing ball with the boys"
3-Mar 24-29-The regiment drilled all day, by company in the morning and by Battalion in the evening.(7)
20-"Mar28 clear and pleasant detailed for guard deauty was placed as guard around A. Nunnly C. Corder & W. C. Morton"
16-Mar 29-"Camp Grahamsville, S. C., March 29, 1862.
"To the Friends of the Sixteenth Regiment Tennessee Volunteers, at Home:
In this hour of confusion and peril, I deem it not improper to address you a few words in regard to the impending dangers and the future conduct of the regiment. In more fortunate times I have warned you of the stern realities now upon us; and whether my words have proved true or not, you will remember. In regard to the regiment, it may be said that in July last, the men were eager to assist in Virginia; in December more anxious to go to South Carolina than Tennessee; now they feel it a duty as soon as discharged (commencing May 14) to return to their State, where the danger is greatest. And although injustice in some things has been done them, they will, with few exceptions, promptly re-enter the service, believing it right to fight for their country under all circumstances. Others desiring to join will have an opportunity to do so until the number is increased to twelve hundred and fifty.
In this contest, your position imposes on you a high duty, The mountains have in all ages been the refuge of liberty, and it is in the power of the people to make the Cumberland range an asylum for the unfortunate, and immortal by glorious achievements if our homes are polluted by invasion. The ladies and children are patriotic everywhere; I have yet to find a woman cold or doubtful of the issue, and who was not devoted and ready to sacrifice all rather than be conquered. Let our weak-hearted men take courage from this example. Supply the places of those trusty rifles unwisely taken from you, and be ready to make every suitable ambuscade the grave of a Lincolnite.
I warn you against undue excitement. Greater injuries oftentimes result from this cause than are inflicted by the enemy. Common sense and cool reflection should govern your conduct. When danger is seen, it is easy to avoid it, and the means of victory and safety can be provided. Whether the misconceptions of public agents have been the cause of misfortunes in Tennessee, is a question for the future historian, but I may say, that in revolutions, no man should be permitted to hold office a moment longer than is consistent with the public good, or under repeated failures. Want of success should be held prima facie evidence of unfitness to command. If any man has entered this war expecting to fight in the rear rank-win glorious victories, and enjoy fame long after its termination, he should be forced to the front, turned out or shot. The places of such can be easily supplied, and this contest requires that every man’s life, fortune and honor be put to the hazard.
"Let none doubt the final success of the revolution. If the present government should fail, and those now commanding be conquered, the people will call men from the workshop and the field to lead them to victory and freedom. It is not wisdom to halt between two opinions, to weep over the decrees of inevitable destiny, or to expect aid from England or France-nor does Providence, in my opinion, help any but the vigilant and the brave. Cowards are fit to be slaves, and are always conquered-men worthy to be free, will rise in their might and make the greatest danger a hundred fold less. Rigid discipline and heroic fighting will secure the victory, and better that the ocean waves should roll over us than that the South should be conquered. If we cannot live free, we should die gloriously, leaving patriotic deeds as beacon lights upon the pages of history. Shall descendents from the heroes of King’s Mountain and New Orleans bow before a Northern conqueror? He who accepts less than is his, is a slave, whether it be from the ‘Union,’ an emperor, or Lincoln. The people once worshiped the Union ‘as a God’-regarding it as an assurance of imperishable glory and peerless grandeur among the nations. This ambitious sentiment heretofore kept them together. It held the men of Tennessee and the Middle States ‘spell bound,’ long after reason had pointed the pathway of safety. It caused the people of Babel to say ‘let us build a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven, and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.’ It controlled the conduct of Alexander, Caesar and Bonaparte, and of all the tyrants who have scourged mankind. This idol of our ambition, like most false gods, has been worshipped under various names-such as ‘extending the area of freedom,’ ‘an ocean-bound Republic,’ ‘lifting up the down trodden nations, and making the world free and happy.’ But alas ! the tower whose top we hoped might reach to heaven, and make us a name surpassing all ancient and modern fame, has been shattered and broken, and confounded and divided forever. And whether this be the work of the people or of Providence, the facts are unalterable, all history teaching that revolutions never turn back. If national grandeur without freedom was the desire of our ancestors, they ought to have remained in English Union. Can Lincoln and his generals quiet the ocean, build a tower to heaven, or move the eternal hills from their foundations? As well may they hope to do these things as conquer the Southern people if true to themselves. We fight in defence of rights secured by the valor of Revolutionary heroes, and for which the best men of other nations have offered up their lives upon the field and the scaffold. The course of Lincoln is a fatal return to the bloody doctrines of past ages-the divine right of kings to maintain their ill-gotten power by the faggot and the sword. His followers the Union (the king) can do no wrong, which doctrine has sometimes been construed to mean, that if the royal carriage should destroy the citizen, his majesty would in no way be liable for the injury.
And such is the doctrine that Andrew Johnson and the soldiers of General Buell are attempting to enforce, and who in substance say that the government must be maintained, no matter who may perish beneath the royal wheels, because they deem it more important that the government move on than that the people should live and be free. To accomplish this they are willing to blot out the rebel states, to reduce the white race to the level of the negro, and to hopeless infamy and ruin. They say to the South we will build upon this continent the greatest power that ever has existed, but your part of the inheritance is cut off, and your posterity shall perish. Hereafter history will record the glory of the Northern men alone-the South shall only be remembered by her infamy.
This insolent injustice is enough to make our Revolutionary sires rise from the grave, and our rocks and mountains mutter for vengeance. We have only to let the Yankees know that the tower of Northern glory must rest upon the dead bodies of five hundred thousand Southern soldiers, and his heart will sicken, and his arm become palsied before the magnitude of the task. If the war be ‘sharp and bloody,’ holding every man to a stern responsibility from the private soldier up to the President, in less than twelve months our victorious standards will wave in triumph over the soil of a beaten foe. Respectfully,
John H. Savage
Colonel Sixteenth Regiment Tennessee Volunteers
Written while suspended from command."(111-3)
2-Mar 30-Womack's company was on Graham's Neck.(41)
20-"Mar 30 clear and very warm Capt Womack and R. R. Womack arived here to day bringing me several letters"
2-Genral Donelson's H.Q. was at Grahamsville.(41)
3-Apr 1-"The Yankees landed at Pages Point burned house". The regiment quickly received orders to move, but after cooking two days worth of rations, the order was cancelled.(7)
3-Apr 2-4-The men drilled all day, by Company and Battalion. On the 4th, "Waldo left his post to day and got a buggy and run all over town. I was one of the police that went after him. Searching the town we caught him at midnight. We put him in the gard hous. I retired to rest after a hard walk".(7)
20-"Apri 2 clear and warm detailed for guard deauty hird of the yankee caverly being at Mcminnville"
20-"Apri 6 cloudy and warm spent the day in washing and cleaning up guns, had a dress perade in the eavning"
20-"Apri 7 clear and very hot lay in camps all day playing ball in the morning and eavning"
20-"Apri 8 I was detailed for picket gard at Mckeys point the weather very warm health good"
20-"Apri 9 Very dark with a heavy thunder storms returned from my post and lay in camps the balance of the day hird good news from General Beauregard"
20-"Apri 10 a fine day nothing of importance in camps several yankees to be seen on the island received orders to go to Tenn. Was up cooking all night the boys all hollowing and hooping"
4-The boys left South Carolina with many fond memories, perhaps the most pleasant times they spent were there. C.H. Clark recalled, "..swamps and green moss hanging from tops of trees to the ground the black squirrels & the alligator the boys caught and the 164 lb. cannon ball many boys failed to shoulder". These, as well as, Page's Point, the Pine forrests, the oyster banks, and "..the big 'live oak' tree near the Stewart House under whose branches I stood guard many a night" would never fade from the memories of these country boys. (#8)
2-Apr 11-marched in the morning to Pocotaligo, left there at 11 a.m. for Grahamsville and arriving there remained until 5 p.m., at which time engines were reversed and the regt. headed to Charleston.(42)
2-Apr 12-Arrived at Charleston at 8 a.m., and left for Augusta at 10 p.m..(42)
4-An Irishman of the Sixteenth poked his head out of a boxcar door and was knocked out into the swamp and presumed dead until he arrived on the next train.(#10)
2- Apr 13-Arrived in Augusta at 3 a.m. and left for Atlanta at 8:30 a.m., arriving there at 8 p.m..(42)
17-"Arrived in Augusta Sunday the 13th & as we passed through the City Ladies mostly cheered us."(46)
2-Apr 14-Leave Atlanta at 4 a.m., go 60 miles, reverse back to Marietta at 5 p.m.,ordered back to Chattanooga.
2-Apr 15-At Dalton at sunrise, ordered back to Atlanta. Leave 8 a.m., arrived at 7 p.m. and left at 8 p.m. for West Pt..
2-Apr 16-"Our train ran off the track this morning at Newman mashing nine boxes, killing one man & wounding several others, also killed 6 horses".(42)
3-"...the train run off the track nine boxes turned over killed one man by the name of Green and wounded 25 more, killed seven horses. It is a wonder it did not kill all in the boxes".(8)
17-"… the cars ran off the track, killed one man of the 8th Reg. & wounded several of the 16th Reg."(46)
3-Later in the morning, while waiting for the train to move out once again, the men, with or without permission went into the nearby town in search of food. "I went up in town and got my diner. They would not charge me a cent and said they would never take money from a solger. She said that she had a son out and she would think hard of any person that would not give him something to eat when hungry. The ladies came down to the depot with nice flowers and gave them to the boys. A girl by the name of Ware give me a nice bunch of flowers. Arrived at West Point late in the evening expected to git something to eat but got nothing".(8)
4-Apr 17-Arrived at West Point by 4 p.m..(#10)
17-"Here we changed cars, took the Montgomery, Ala. Rail Road, which was 87 miles."(46)
4-Apr 18-Arrived in Montgomery, AL. and departed later by steamboat for Mobile.(#10)
20-"Apri 18 clear and warm left Celma at 8 A.M. traviled all day in the Southern Republic making good speed night coming on we all fell asleep day light found us in three mils off Mobiel"
17-"We got off & taken the Boat on the Ala. River. The name of the Boat was "Southern Republic".(46)
3-"The privates was not alloud to ride up in the cabin and I did not feel hapy and free lik I did when I rode on the broad Miss. with the ladies and et at the first table".(8)
4-Apr 19-Arrived at Mobile by 10 a.m.. The men were allowed to do limited sight seeing while there while awaiting transportation. Departed for Corinth.(#10)
4-Apr 20-22-Regiment travels by rail and arrives on the 23rd by 1 a.m..(#10)
20-"Apri 20 cloudy and raining remained in camps untill 4 P.M. we then took the cars for Corinth and traviled the balance of the day and night owing to the water giving out in the tinder we stoped at 4 A.M. 60 miles from Mobiel"
20-"Apri 21 remained where we stoped untill about 2 P.M. we then started and traviled the balance of the day and night pased Waynsbouro in Wayne County health bad"
20-"Apri 22 still traviled on and reached Corinth about 2 o,clock in the night remained in the cars till morning health bad"
3-The men stayed in the box cars until sunup. At dawn they moved out and setup a temporary camp near town.(8)
20-"Apri 23 couldy and warm spent the day in fixing up camps camped on a level in sight of Corinth"
3-Apr 24-"Dress Parade in the morning".(8)
20-"Apri 24 cloudy and very warm marched out on the field to receive orders visited B. J. Hills Regt returned to camps had orders to cook 5 days rations"
4-Upon arriving, the men met up with Col. Hill's Regt with whom they were well acquainted, as many men had friends and relatives from home within their ranks. The regiments exchanged stories of the fight at Shiloh and experiences on the coast of Carolina.(#10)
2-Apr 26- Regimental inspection.(43)
20-"Apri 27 clear and warm great talk of atacking the enemy visited B. J. Hills Regt"
2-Apr 30-"Moved from our camp east of Corinth to a more agreeable place about three miles north of town".(44)
2-May 1-The cautious advance of the enemy is noted.(44)
3-A portion of the regiment moves to block the ford at "Cipress Creek". Etter is relieved to rest once again on Tennessee soil.(9)
2-May 2-"Moved one half mile back in the direction of Corinth".(44)
3-Etter, and his portion of the regiment on duty at "Cipress Creek", march back to camp a distance of nine miles.(9)
20-"May 3 remained in camps all day cloudy and warm our Regt was sent out on picket for four days"
2-May 3-Regt. is sent on picket duty on Purdy Road.(44)
7-Carnes’ Battery: "During the remaining stay at Corinth, Carnes’ Battery, having been assigned to Brig.-gen. Daniel S. Donelson’s brigade, passed most of the time on picket, where the line of works crossed the Purdy road, about three miles north of the railroad crossing."(811)
3-"All the regiment is on picket. ... All is wet and cold, have no shelter".(9)
2-May 4-rainy-Regt. is on picket duty (in the outer pits) through the May 8 when relieved by the 154thTenn.(44)
2-May 8-Reorganization of the regiment takes place. Savage commanding, D.M. Donnell, Lt.Col and Capt. P.H. Coffee, Major.(44)
3-"All is confused to day we have to elect officers or have them appointed. This was much against our feeling as we did not like to be compeled to do anything of the kind. We wished to return home when the present expected battle was fought and reinlist again as it suited us tho we was not allowed that privilege but few of our company votted. I never give a vote in the regment and I never will under no such a law. Cousin Will was elected Capt. H. L. Sims first lieu. I. M. Parks secon, John H. Akeman third, Cousin Will and H. L. Sims resined would not except the place assined them. I think the more of them for not excepting the office over us under the present circumstances".(9)
2-May 9-Brigade went to the rifle pits at 4 a.m., and returned at 6 a.m..(45)
2-May 10-Practice skirmish drill.(45)
3-May 11-"Election to be held to fill the place of those who would not ecept the offices. I. M. Parks elected captan Cousin Will first lieu.".(9)
2-May 12-"Great activity throughout the army. Five days rations issued and three cooked. Enemy advancing and we anxiously await his approach.(45)
2-May 13-Regt. went to the rifle pits without occurance.(45)
2-May 14-The regt. stayed in the pits, 3 miles north of Corinth, until 11 a.m. and then returned to camps.(45)
3-May 15-"I went 2 miles this morning after water and when obtained it was inferior drink there is no good water here. ... Ike Howard died and was beried he was a member of Yorks Company".(9)
4-Isaac Howard, a messmate of Clark, died at Corinth. When he was placed in his grave and covered with dirt, a detail of four men fired into the dirt, as was common practice when soldiers died of disease.(#11)
3-May 16-The regiment went on picket in the morning and exchanged shots with Federal pickets in the distance.(9)
2-May 17- A board of examiners came to inspect the newly elected officers of the regiment. (46)
2-May 18-Sunday-cloudy-cooler-The army was rushed to the entrenchments early in the morning.(46)
3-An election was held for 2nd Lt. in Etter's company. Lafayette Hayes was elected and promoted.(9)
2-May 18-21-Regt. continued to go on picket and outpost duty.(46)
2-May 21-The regt. received orders to be ready to advance against the enemy in the morning.(47)
3-"We are all quiet yet. Orders to meet the enemy in morning. Col. Savage made a speach to us this evening it was animateing indead".(9)
2-May 22-"Moved at sunrise against the enemy and took position four hundred yd.s in his front, where we remained till 3 in the evening, where on account of our extreme right having failed to make the attack we returned within our intrenchments & remain during the night".(47)
2-May 23-Heavy skirmishing, the regt. was moved at double-quick to the trenches.(47)
3-The regiment's pickets were engaged heavily into the evening with the loss of one man killed and "some" wounded.(9)
2-May 24-The new officers of the regt. took positions in their companies.(47)
2-May 25-The regt. moved to the trenches at 4 p.m., on no approach of the enemy, they returned to camps.(47)
2-May 26-The regt. cooked two days rations and moved to the Chamber's House, across the state line. Womack commanded the line of skirmishers and had conducted a good deal of sharpshooting at distant range, no casualties.(47)
2-May 27-Womack's skirmishers remained engaged firing at the enemy "as they dodged from tree to tree" until 4 a.m..(47)
5-"..a Yankee in my immediate front and I singled out each other. He was behind a good sized oak tree. I had a small post oak to stand behind. He was sending his bullets too close to me for comfort. I could hear the wax fry on them as they went by my ear. They were so very close that I resorted to a little strategy that gave me relief. I took my gunstick, placed my hat on the end of it, brought it up to the level of my head and slowly passed it out from behind the tree. Here came his bullet. As I dropped the gunstick to the ground, I had my gun ready with the hammer sprung. I came down the side of his tree to the center of the smoke and fired. he shot at me know more."(6)
3-"Yankes comenced shelling us".(10)
2-May 28-Wed.-clear & hot-"The enemy advanced on our skirmishers this morning about ten o'clock, driving them as they came. A few of our men were wounded, among them was Stephen Tate of my Co., mortally".(48)
3"They run in our pickets they plade upon us all day with grape canester and all. Steve Yates was shot in the side. he dide the next day. he was a good solger allso a man names grissem and Curley had their legs tore almost off with a grape shot. they died soon after they was hert. Three others was hert slitely. At sun set we came to camps. We are at rest to night for we are much worn out with fatigue and excitement".(10)
2-About one o'clock P.M. while my regt. was falling back before the enemy, my navy and canteen were shot from my left side by a small cannon ball or grape, the same cut off the legs of two men of Capt. Randal's Co. who were just in front of me."(48)
4-John Grissom and William Creely were the unfortunate souls that received the brunt of the grapeshot.(#11)
2-"We returned about 3 p.m. and retook our position, with some loss however to the 41st Ga. Regt., which fired a few rounds, and held it till we were released at dark."(48)
2-May 29-The regiment’s camp gear was loaded and shipped to the rear, while the regt. went to the rifle pits at 6 p.m. and remained there until 10 p.m., when they joined in the withdrawal from Corinth.(48)
3-..."marched four miles and stopt".(10)
5-That night, the regiment silently withdrew from the breastworks to Smith's Bridge over the Tuscumbia River.(7)
2-May 30-clear & hot-"After a toilsome, dark and muddy nights march, we reached the Tuscumbia river about 6 o'clock this morning and after blocking the road by felling trees, and destroying the bridges over the river halted in the swamp and lay quietly the ballance of the day, - and that too without rations".(48)
3-"At day light I went one mile and got me a good drink of water. it was very good as it was the first I had drank in the state".(10)
2-May 31-The men ate food procured from the negroes on neighboring farms.(48)
2-June 1-warm & showery-Resumed march at 4 p.m. in the direction of Okalona.(48)
3-"Reported that the yankes have cut us off. ... marched all night. I give out in my legs and could not walk. J. B. Ritchey walked and let me ride his horse. it was a great favor as the yankes was close".(10)
2-June 2-warm/heavy rains-Continued march till near nightfall making only 10 miles, and halted where Breckinridge's command was halted, falling along the roadside to sleep.(48)
2-June 3-hot & showery-"Moved this morning to Gen'l Donelson's Hd quarters, distance about 3 miles, and about the same distance west from Baldwin depo. Here we cleared off a camp ground, erected brush tents, drew two days rations and eat till the craving appetites of the hungry soldiers were once more entirely satiated".(49)
2-June 5-The regt. went two miles north to Twenty mile Creek, and remained on picket duty throughout the day.(49)
2-June 6-Relieved from outpost duty at 4 p.m.(49)
2-June 7-Broke camp and marched 8 miles in direction of Tupelo and camped.
2-June 8-Marched 5 miles and camped near R.R.., remaining there on the 9th.(49)
2-June 10-clear, hot & dusty- Left at daylight and reached Tupelo at 2 p.m., without halting , they marched four miles north and pitched tents on Town Creek.(49)
N-During this time, non-conscripts are discharged from service.
3-June 11-"Wether is warm all resting".(11)
2-June 12-clear & hot-Some of the men of the regiment were marched before the formation for unbecoming conduct in the fight on the 28th of May.(49)
2-June 13-July 21-regiment remains encamped on Town Creek.(50-53)
4-"One day I was sitting out under a shade tree near Col. Savage's quarters listening to him and Col. Donnel talk & I saw Col. Savage put his hand to his face & took something from it looked at it and said 'Col. Donnel here is a damn louse' If that is the only one he got at Tupelo he fell far short of his portion for they seemed to grow in the sand."(#11)
4-"Uncle Sam McCorkle and Fate Hayes cheered us with fiddle and accordion."(#11)
4-"It was almost impossible to get rid of the lice, because some soldiers were too lazy & trifling to scald their clothes or even scratch where the lice bit."
2-June 15-The companies are re-lettered.(50)
3-That same day, "H. R. Bess died to day. I went to dig his grave".(11)
3-June 16-"I have at this time one shirt, one pair of pants, one coat, no blanket. You see I don't have much trouble in caring my clothing".(11)
3-June 17 thru June 23-The regiment participates in company and battalion drill and dress parades.(11)
2-June 24-26-Co. E and three others are sent to Bear Creek for Picket.(50)
2-June 27-Knapsacks are drawn for the companies and distributed.(51)
3-Today, Etter and his comrads construct a "great shed" for shade and shelter.(11)
3-June 29-An unidentified "old man" from McMinnville visited camps and reported that "the Yankees" were camped there in route to Chattanooga, and they, "... was taking men, property and many deppredations upon our rights".(11)
2-June 30-General review of the Army.(51)
3-"All of our brigade went out to be reviewed by Mager General Poke and by Brigadier Donelson. It was so hot we almost melted.