Civil War McMinnville, Tennessee

Excerpt from the Report of Col. Robert H. G. Minty, Fourth Michigan Cavalry, commanding detachment Cavalry Division, Department of the Cumberland, regarding the April 20-30, 1863 Expedition from Murfreesboro to McMinnville, and the destruction of Manchester to McMinnville RR, relative to the capture of McMinnville, April 21, 1863.

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April 21, I sent Col. Long, with the Second Brigade (418 men), at 2 a. m., with instructions to take the road leading through Jacksborough, to strike the railroad at or near Morrison as soon after 10.30 a. m. as possible, and to destroy the trestle-work at that place. Although the Manchester train escaped, the work was well done. For particulars, I beg to refer you to Col. Long's report, inclosed herewith.

At 3 a. m. I marched for McMinnville with the rest of my command, taking the old McMinnville road, and was followed by Col. Wilder, with his brigade of mounted infantry. When about 2 miles from McMinnville, I detached the Fourth Michigan and one company of the First Middle Tennessee, with two of Col. Wilder's mountain howitzers, to move in on the Smithville road. About half a mile farther on, my advance came on the rebel pickets, who immediately formed and opened fire on us. Riding to the front, I pushed forward the flankers, and directed the advance guard to charge home, sending Capt. Jennings, with the remainder of his regiment (Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry), to their support. The rebels were driven into and through the town. Their entire force was about 700 men--600 cavalry and the provost guard, which consisted of 115 men of the Second Kentucky and Forty-first Alabama Infantry Regt.'s. These last had left town, by the Chattanooga road, with the wagon train, about an hour before our arrival, but, by pressing closely, a part of the Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry succeeded in capturing 3 wagons and 8 or 9 of the men.

The cavalry scattered in every direction, part of them retreating at a gallop on every road, about 50 taking the railroad train, which started as we entered the town. I sent the Third Brigade and the Fourth Michigan after the train, with directions to destroy it and also the new bridge over Hickory Creek. The Fourth Regulars I sent to the support of the Seventh Pennsylvania, on the Sparta and Chattanooga roads.

In the charge made by the advanced guard--Lieut. Thompson and 25 men of the Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry--Corporal [Edward H.] Schutt mortally wounded, Lieut.-Col. [R. M.] Martin, of Johnson's Kentucky Cavalry, having laid his skull open by a saber cut. The famous Maj. Dick McCann was also wounded and taken prisoner, but effected his escape the same night from a guard of the Fourth Regulars. I encamped for the night on the hill west of McMinnville, and was early next morning rejoined by the Second and Third Brigades and the Fourth Michigan.

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OR, Ser. I, Vol. 23, pt. I, pp. 271-272.

Entry for April 26, 1863 Well, well, well, and it is anything but well! k Such a time as we have had during the week that is past! We had just begun to get quieted down a little and to feel that perhaps the war-fiend would spare us for awhile. On Monday (20th) Gen. and Mrs. Morgan came out to see us. One item of our pleasant "running on" was an agreement that Gen. M. should send me some fine "liquor"--(alias brandy,) and I was to make he and Mrs. M. a bowl of elegant egg-nogg. Next morning (21st)...just about noon [my husband] came in, "Well, Bloss, the Yankees are coming now--certain." I was combing my hair--and I remember my face turned pale as I looked in the glass. "Where are they?" "In a few mikes." I went and gathered up my fine books, silver, etc., land put them in my trunks....It was too late for us to move anything if they did come, so I assisted...in hustling a few things out of sight into our trunks and all we could do was "sit deep and stay where we were." Presently....the blue line appeared coming down the hill they rode off in a gallop towards town. Our pickets were driven in. The Yankees threw out their skirmishing [sic] on both sides, those to the left dashed all around our house and down to the river, where they captured John Paine and another soldier who were down there fishing. The first sight of them made me mad--I did think before they came that I could treat them politely-but "my goodness!" (as Gen. Morgan says) how hard it was for me to be commonly civil to the thieves and scoundrels! Soon they were all round the house--off their horses, and after the chickens, fussing and flying I every direction. The little Ting [sic] [i.e. a young slave girl] came running in, crying and screaming "oh! they going to kill Mammy! they're going to kill Mammy!" I ran to the back door, 6 or 8 of them were at the smoke-house taking out the meat. They rode ode up and presenting a pistol at her head, ordered her to show them the meat--Ting was standing right by her side, and thinking they would surely kill her mammy she flew wildly into the house screaming to me to save her. Poor child! how frightened she was! All this while their column was moving on into town-- some pausing on the hiss-side between our house and Colonel. Splurlock [a neighbor]. Soon the porches were full of them--we were surrounded on all sides--they took this battery certain. [sic] They crowded to the doors, some wanting one thing and some another, all talking at once, until one imp of darkness started into the house swearing he had heard we had meat hid and he was going to search the house for it. Just as he was about to pass me I laid my hand on his shoulder and looked him right in the eyes--(the devil was just about as tall am myself and one of the most repulsive countenances I ever recoiled from,)--I stopped him and asked "Are you a man?"--he hesitated a moment--seemed surprised that I should dare interfere, and sail "Yes." "Are you a gentleman?" he did not reply--but Mr. French [her husband] who was standing just by smiled and said "of course child"--"Well," I said, "if he is a gentleman he will show it by going our of this house," and turning to another of the men who had a rather pleasant face I asked "do your officers permit you to search houses without orders?" He said not--it was strictly against orders--adding "You are loyal people?" "Yes," I replied, "all our sympathies are entirely with the South." His countenance fell in a moment--but by this time the wretch who had sworn to searched the house had "fallen back" among the crowd. By this time I saw them breading into Mammy’s house and sent Jessie flying to the kitchen to tell her. By the time she reached there the cabin was full--her drawers, trunks, and boxes upside down and inside out--half of their contents on the floor. Lee’s Sunday hat and pants were gone and one of them had two coats making off with them. She gave them a regular "blow out" and made them give up the coats, but when she had tome to clear them out and look about her she found they had taken her spoons, her flour and sugar, her silk apron--bucket--Lee’s shaving apparatus--Puss’ breast pin collar, handkerchiefs, stockings, and a pink tarleton [sic] party dress! The idea! I had all my jewelry, etc., under my hoops, and so had Mollie. We had made enormous pockets and filled them with our choices valuable, before the came. I really felt weighted down. The man who prevented that hateful wretch, McKenzie, from going up stairs, I found our was a Scaright, and a relative of the Scarights of Pa [sic] --of whom two, Tom and Jennie, were great friends of mine at school. He was the only one among the whole 2500 that I saw that had the slightest claim to be considered a gentleman....Darlin’ took him up stairs and showed him what meat and corn we had put away there, and afterwards he prevented several from going to search--they would take his work, but now ours, of course. After he left however--the Col. had to take 4 different sets of them up and show them what we had, and among them that hateful McKenzie , who after he had robbed the negro houses, swore he would search the hose and he would have what was there, and he didn’t’ care if our children did starve. I could have looked on and seen that wretch hanged, I am sure I could--just then. And now the cry was raised--"the factory!"--and sure enough there it was all in a blaze. Then a great smoke told us that the R.R. bridge and the old bridge by it were also burning. Soon the whole mass was alight, and a grand tho’ [sic] sorrowful sight it would have been to me, had I had time to stand and look upon it--but this I did not. Towards evening the men said they were ordered to leave and some rode off. Searight [a neighbor], with whom I had a good deal of conversation, seemed troubled and ashamed of the excesses the men were committing--I tried to have him some supper cooked, but just as fast as the bread was baked and meat cooked, or even before, it was taken off the stove--the kitchen being crowded all the time. Just before he rode off I handed him some cake, which I wrapped up carefully and told him not to allow anyone else to see. I was in great hopes then that they were all going off--it was getting late in the evening and rain coming on. A portion of them did move off, but just at dark here they all came back again, and camped right "on top of us." The yard was full--the camp extended from the stables on the left clear round in front--thro’ [sic] the grove, on the hill between us and Col. Spurlock’s to the bluff and down the bluff almost to the river. The prisoners they had taken were confined in the "old stable" buildings--the "new stable" was occupied by their officers. A Col. Jordon, Maj. Jones, and another Maj. [sic] were here for supper, Jones being sick slept in the house, and the other two and a guard occupied the front porch. I could scarcely keep my face straight at supper to see those officers try to "put on" the courtesy and easy dignity of Southern gentlemen--their manners were fit upon them like a stiff suit of new clothes to a 10 year old boy. It amused me "to death." My poor little children go no supper that night, except some cake I gave them at dark,--I tried to have something got for them but could not succeed. When those officers sent to see about supper, I told them they could have it if they would come and place a guard at the kitchen if not, I could do nothing for them. They did so, and I gave them some bread, biscuit, ham and wheat coffee. All of them had been drinking--I smelled the mean whisky as soon as they came inside the door and they had red faced every one of them....At night M.[ollie] and I closed the curtains fast of my room and went to work, our trunks had all been down stairs and into my room--the place was crammed and jammed--we thought that ere they left some desperadoes might search our trunks--so down between the mattresses of my bed went silver cups, and plated, silk dresses, fine books, etc. (the bedstead was a "French" and very deep) then on went the bed clothes, and we lay that night on "silk and silver" if we didn’t sleep. None of us more than dozed all night--it was one o'clock when I lay down. About dark I had had the negros [sic] move everything of consequence from Mammy’s house and the kitchen up stairs, and they slept in the house. It rained thundered and lightened all night long, and was raining still in the morning when I rose. I was up and dressed early--had the children dressed and sent up stairs--the girls and Mammy in the dining room trying to cook us some breakfast.....Just after breakfast two men came to our doors--I went to open it Darllin being out, when they inquired if "any Confederate soldier had staid in the house last night?" "No--some of your officers did--but no Confederate." After some conversation it appeared that the notorious Dick McCann, whom they had made prisoner the day previous, and who was confined with the rest of the prisoners at the stable, had made his escape, and they were all furious about it. Soon after, here they were to search the house they were all furious about it. Soon after, here they came to search the ;house for Dick McCann--one man swearing that he saw ;him run from the negro house to the big house. I laughed at first at the idea of their being such fools as to think McCann would stop here right in the midst of them--but soon my attention was called to Mollie who had fallen aback on the bed almost fainting when she heard the head of that armed ten men say in a bullying insolent tone, "I have orders to search this house for that man, and I don’t find him I shall set fire here, sir." "Very well," said the Col. quietly, opening the dining-room door and showing them in [and saying] "proceed with your examination. Your prisoner is not here and I beg you will satisfy yourselves." Poor Mollie she as pale as the pillow she lay on. I was working with her when the two of them burst into the room--looked in the wardrobe tossed up the children’s bed--looked under mine, but as good luck would have it did not make Mollie rise--seeing her critical state I suppose. They went over the hose like a thunderstorm--looked in the dirty clothes basket even....Everywhere, and in everything, they went with a rush, tossing and turning up everything, before them, and left, after tearing out the under-pinning of the house, and finding--a setting hen! They then fired the stable buildings where the prisoners had been kept and stood round it for awhile with their guns, looking for Dick McCann to jump out at them from a corn-shuck. Two came dashing up to the kitchen and smokehouse and after cursing and snorting round there awhile came to the house--and went thro’ [sic] the search again. I...went to the back door--a fellow sat there on his horse and I think he was the maddest man I ever saw. He leveled his pistol at me as soon as I appeared--I supposed he thought I was about to shoot him with the camphor-bottle I held in my hand....I said "It is an impossibility sir, for you to find your prisoner here--he is not and has not been here." He replied angrily "When a man sees a [skunk?] Miss, he knows it--and I saw that man run up to this house--I saw it myself." "Well then," said I "if ;you saw him why did you not at that time pursue and take him?" "We are going to get him." "One thing is certain ;you are not going to take him here-it is simply impossible for you to find him where he is not!" I was so mad that if medicines had not been so scarce I think I would had shot him with; camfire! [sic] Just then the ...searchers rushed by me out of the house and they all put off together towards the stable. I look out the front door,--the porch floor was all torn up--about 200 men sitting on their horses were ranged all along the front fence facing the house, watching either for the escape of Dick McCann, or for the firing of the house. I am not certain that they expected even that McCann was here--I think sometimes their object was to search the house for plunder. The looked in wash-stands--safes, and twenty places were a man could not possibly be hid, and even climbed up the posts of my bed-stead to look on top of the canopy! After they were gone the sight that this house presented was awful--and Mammy’s house--no pen can describe. The stables burned all day--Darlin’ save about one half of one poultry-house after they left....They had boasted so over the taking of Dick McCann that when he escaped them, they were perfectly furious, and it is a thousand wonders they didn’t arrest the Col., as he escaped here, or burn the place---Anybody would have laughed to have seen the supper I gave those officers: biscuits, batter-cakes, hand and wheat coffee--voila tout!....All the wretches were from Indiana and Pennsylvania,--Great Caesar! How I did hate them! That imp of the devil, McKenzie, after he had been up stairs and searched for provisions--met Mollie in the hall and said to her in the hatefullest [sic], taunting way, "is that all ye got? if it is I pity ye!" Oh how I did want to kill him--the reptile!--The did not behave as badly in town as they did here--some houses were searched, but they burned no property save the factory and bridges. The factory they fired without once warning the operatives, and t the building was on fire before the inmates up stairs--some in the third story, and nearly all women, knew anything of it all.....Mrs. Morgan and Mrs. McCann left for Sparta in an ambulance about an hour and a half before the Yankees got to town. Morgan sat on his horse at Mrs. Meyers door until the head of the enemy’s column appeared....he then fired off his revolver at them and "skedaddled," in the direction of Sparta....Dick McCann was drunk and whether he did it to save Morgan or not I don’t know, but he was on the square when the Yanks filed into it. Seated on his horse he called out "halt!" and the whole [Yankee] column halted. "Who the devil are you?" cried the advance. "I’m the great chief," responded Dick. In an instant the cry rang back along the whole line. "Morgan, Morgan, we’ve got ‘im! we’ve got ‘im"--and they dashed forward. "Surrender!" "I’ll be damned if I do.--come on!" And in an instant they were upon him--a sabre cut laid open his head, etc., he was thrown from his horse....They brought the prisoners out here and put them in the stables--about midnight Dick McCann escaped. He says he feigned to be exceedingly weak from his wound--once he said "Boys I wish you’d be kind enough to raise me up, I want to change my position." They did so, and he fell, apparently exhausted. He had a canteen of the meanest whisky extant--with this he was so kind and generous to the guard that he made them all drunk--the night was pitch dark--raining, thundering, and lightning--Dick moved a rock and got our--got down to the river, swam it...and by daylight he had a horse and was off towards Sparta.

War Journal of Lucy Virginia French, excerpt from the entry for April 26, 1863.