Following the American Civil War Sesquicentennial with day by day writings of the time, currently 1863.

Hancock’s Diary: or, A History of The Second Tennessee Cavalry.–Richard R. Hancock.

Post image for Orders for a Salt Raid.–Richard R. Hancock, Second Tennessee Cavalry.

Wednesday, 25th. Harris’s ( B) and Ewing’s (C) companies arrived from Knoxville and rejoined the rest of McNairy’s Battalion at Camp Buckner.

Besides our battalion, General Zollicoffer now had with him at Camp Buckner four regiments of infantry (Statham, Rains, Cummings, and Battle), five cavalry companies (three of Branner’s Battalion and two of Brazelton’s), and one artillery company of six-pounders, commanded by Captain Rutledge. Colonel Newman’s Regiment was at Cumberland Gap. The Sixteenth Alabama (Wood) and the Fourth Tennessee (Churchwell) Regiments of infantry, and McClellan’s Battalion of cavalry and half of Branner’s were left at Knoxville. There were stationed at various points in East Tennessee some other troops, mostly unarmed.

About six days previous to this, General Zollicoffer had, according to instructions received from General A. S. Johnston, ordered the Fourteenth Mississippi (Colonel Baldwin) and the Third East Tennessee (Colonel Lillard) Regiments of infantry to move to Camp Trousdale, to reinforce General S. B. Buckner, who was then in command of the Central Division of Kentucky, with headquarters at Bowling Green.

General Zollicoffer had learned that there was a large quantity of salt at the salt works on Goose Creek, in Clay County, thirty-five miles north of Camp Buckner and eighteen miles east of a camp of Home Guards— variously estimated at from six hundred to fifteen hundred—at Laurel Bridge, in Laurel County, some thirty-eight miles north-west of Camp Buckner and two miles south-east of London. As our General had decided to send a detachment to capture the salt above named, and also another detachment in the direction of this Federal encampment at Laurel Bridge to attract attention and mask the movement of the first, he therefore issued the following special orders:

Brigade Headquarters,
Camp Buckner, September 25, 1861.

Colonel James E. Rains will march at four o’clock to-morrow morning, via Barboursville, to Laurel Bridge, on the London road, with his regiment, provisioned for six days, three rations of which shall he cooked, leaving his tents in this encampment. Colonel McNairy’s command will accompany him or follow him, by a right-hand road crossing Laurel Creek about two miles above the bridge. Colonel R. will have command, and will dislodge a supposed force of the enemy at the bridge by attacking simultaneously with infantry and cavalry at both ends of the bridge. He will be furnished a guide, who will give him information of some arms, which he will capture, if practicable. He will take with him also Lieutenant Falcand’s section of artillery. A battalion of Colonel Statham’s infantry, with three companies of Colonel Branner’s cavalry, will be posted on the road to be pursued by Colonel McNairy, about ten miles back, to give support, if necessary.

Simultaneously, Colonel Cummings’ Regiment, with two companies of Colonel Brazelton’s cavalry, will escort a train of wagons to the Goose Creek Salt Works, sixteen or eighteen miles east, in Clay County, to load with salt.

The different detachments will communicate by express messengers with each other and with me, and when the salt train returns all will return to this encampment.

Much is trusted to Colonel Rains’ discretion in whatever may transpire on the way.

F. K. Zollicoffer, Brigadier-General.1

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1 The above order fell into the hands of the Federals (how I know not) and on the 3d of October it was sent by T. T. Garrard, who was Colonel of the Third Kentucky Regiment and in command at Camp Wildcat, or Rockcastle Hills, to General G. H. Thomas, who was in command at Camp Dick Robinson, some thirty-five miles beyond Wildcat. At the same time Garrard wrote to Thomas thus (italics mine):

“I have no information in regard to the rebels more than I wrote you, except the inclosed order of General Zollicoffer, which I have no doubt is genuine. I could not doubt it, because they carried out the instructions to the letter.”Rebellion Records, Vol. IV., p. 291

Post image for Crossing into “neutral” Kentucky.–Richard R. Hancock, Second Tennessee Cavalry.

Monday. 23d.—We crossed Cumberland Mountain at the Gap. Here we passed out of Tennessee, across the corner of Virginia, and into Kentucky in going, perhaps, a little over one hundred yards. Virginia corners at Cumberland Gap, a little west of the road.

Some grand mountain scenery met our view at the Gap. We saw bluffs and peaks from one thousand to seventeen hundred feet high.

Passing on fifteen miles beyond the Gap, crossing the three “Log Mountains,” we encamped at Camp Buckner (Cumberland Ford), in Knox County, Kentucky.

Sunday, 22d.—In the saddle early, we marched some twenty-eight miles, and halted for the night in Claiborne County, within three miles of Cumberland Gap.

Saturday, 21st.—After a short march of about sixteen miles, the three companies bivouacked in Union County, four and a half miles north of Maynardville.

Friday, 20th.—Being ordered to move his battalion to Cumberland Ford, Colonel McNairy set out from Camp Cummings, near Knoxville, about six P. M., with Harris’s (A), Payne’s (D), and Allison’s (E) companies, and after a march of thirteen miles he camped for the night. The other two companies (B and C) were ordered to follow in about three days.¹

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¹ As I was yet quite feeble, having just recovered from an attack of measles, brother Ben and I put up only three miles from town.

Post image for Neutrality of Kentucky.–Richard R. Hancock, Second Tennessee Cavalry.

Notwithstanding Kentucky had been claiming to be neutral, she had not only allowed Federal soldiers to camp upon her soil, but her citizens were organizing and arming themselves to aid the Federal Government.

On the 10th instant General G. H. Thomas assumed command of a Federal brigade which had been previously assembled at Camp Dick Robinson, in Garrard County, Kentucky.

General U. S. Grant, with two regiments of infantry and four pieces of artillery, had taken possession of Paducah, Kentucky, as early as the 6th of September.

Owing to the menacing movements of the Federals down the Mississippi River, the Confederates (by order of General L. Polk, who was then in command of the Second Department) landed at Hickman, Kentucky, on the night of the third, and at Columbus about the 5th.

It had been, and was still, the policy of the Confederacy to respect the neutrality of Kentucky so long as the same was respected by the Federal Government, as the following dispatches will show:

Richmond, September 4, 1861.

General Polk, Memphis, Tennessee:

News has reached here that General Pillow has landed his troops at Hickman, Kentucky. Order their prompt withdrawal from Kentucky.

L. P. Walker, Secretary of War.

After explaining to the President that a previous movement of the Federals down the Mississippi River had been the cause of his ordering General Pillow into Kentucky, General Polk received the following dispatch:

Richmond, September 4, 1861.

General Polk:

The necessity justifies the action.

Jefferson Davis.

The following dispatches and replies will explain themselves:

Nashville, September 13, 1861.

To His Excellency Jefferson Davis:

On the 4th instant I sent John Marshall, Andrew Ewing and Dr. Rowling as commissioners from Tennessee to Kentucky. They returned last night, and think it of the highest importance that our troops be withdrawn They say withdrawal secures to us majority in the State. If not withdrawn, overwhelming majority against us and a bloody contest. They think our withdrawal secures withdrawal of Federal troops and saves the State. They are able and reliable men. I submit their report for your consideration.

Isham G. Harris.

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Richmond, September 13, 1861.

Governor Harris, Nashville, Tennessee:

Movement to Columbus was reported to me as a defensive measure, rendered necessary by the descent of Federal troops. As a necessity it was sanctioned. If they can be safely withdrawn, it would conform to my declared policy of respect for the neutrality of Kentucky. General A. S. Johnston has been directed to confer with you at Nashville. Security to Tennessee and other parties of the Confederacy is the primary object. To this all else must give way.

Jefferson Davis.

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Knoxville, September 14, 1861.

Adjutant-General Cooper, [Richmond]:

Governor Harris and General Buckner telegraphed me if possible to arrest the movement of which I apprised you on the 10th. It is too late to arrest. To withdraw would be unfortunate, unless the Federal forces which menace us will agree to withdraw. I have informed Governor Maguffin (of Kentucky), through Governor Harris, I will withdraw on this condition.

F. K. Zollicoffer,

Brigadier-General.

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Richmond, September 14, 1861.

General Zollicoffer, Knoxville. Tennessee:

Your letter of the 10th received. The military consideration clearly indicates the forward movement which you propose. The political condition of Kentucky affects the determination of this question. Of that you are better informed than ourselves, and as you are supposed to have conferred with General A. S. Johnston, the matter is left to your discretion.

S. Cooper,

Adjutant and Inspector- General.

The following is an extract from a letter, dated Clarksville, September 15th, written by the Hon. G. A. Henry and addressed to President Davis:

The neutrality of Kentucky has been all the time a cloak to enable the Lincoln party there to hide their real designs to arm the friends of Lincoln and to disarm the Southern Rights party. We ought to strike now. A step backward would be fatal, in my opinion.

While at Knoxville our battalion was transferred from the State to the Confederate service.

Some of Allison’s Company, who went home from Camp McGinnis and Livingston, returned to camp at Knoxville on the 18th.

Having set out from Knoxville on the 17th, General Zollicoffer arrived at Cumberland Ford, or Camp Buckner, on the 19th, and on the same date he wrote to General A. S. Johnston, Columbus, Kentucky, thus:

An advance force set out last night [under Colonel J. A. Battle], about eight hundred strong, entered liarboursville, eighteen miles  from here, about daylight, where they found about three hundred of the enemy, and a fight ensued, in which we killed twelve and took two prisoners. We lost one killed, Lieutenant Powell, of Colonel Cummings’ Regiment, one fatally wounded, and three slightly wounded. The enemy fled precipitately. The number of his wounded unknown.

Post image for “General Albert Sidney Johnston assumed command of this department…”–Richard R. Hancock, Second Tennessee Cavalry.

Sunday, 15th.— The battalion1 passed on through Knoxville and encamped about one mile and a half east of town, at Camp Cummings.

On the above date General Albert Sidney Johnston assumed command of this department (No. 2), which embraced the States of Tennessee and Arkansas and that part of Mississippi west of the New Orleans, Jackson and Great Northern and Central Railroad; also the military operations in Kentucky, Missouri, Kansas, and the Indian country immediately west of Missouri and Arkansas, by issuing the following order from department headquarters, at Nashville, Tennessee:

By virtue of special orders, No. 149, of September 10, 1861, from the Adjutant and Inspector General’s office at Richmond, the undersigned assumes command of the military department thereby created.

A. S. Johnston, General

Brigadier-General F. K. Zollicoffer had been in command of the District of East Tennessee since about the first of August, with headquarters at Knoxville.

His brigade was now composed of nine regiments of infantry and four battalions of cavalry….

Churchwell’s Regiment, as well as other portions of Zollicoffer’s Brigade, was totally unarmed. Only a part of his brigade was now at Knoxville, for on the 16th instant Zollicoffer writes thus to A. S. Johnston;

There are probably by this time four regiments at Cumberland Ford [Kentucky] and a fifth at the gap fifteen miles this side. A sixth will probably be moved up by the 21st or 22d.

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1 As J. J. Odom and I were on the puny list, we stopped to rest and take dinner with a Frenchman, within four miles of Knoxville. The family were great “Rebs,” so it seemed to be with pleasure that they did all they could to make us comfortable.

It so happened that our host was a preacher. Some other French families who lived in the neighborhood had collected there to hear him preach. As some of them did not understand English, he preached in French. I “heard but did not understand ” a single word of that sermon. We had a splendid dinner, and we had now been soldiering long enough to appreciate a good dinner. Among other nice things, a glass of wine of their own make was served to each.

Odom and I went to camp late that afternoon.

Post image for “…within twenty-two miles of Knoxville.”–Richard R. Hancock, Second Tennessee Cavalry.

Saturday, 14th.— In the saddle early, we again took up the line of march eastward. Passing through Wartburg, we soon arrived at Camp Schuyler, where we found the other two companies, A and D. They had been sent to this camp from Huntsville, the 25th of August. These two companies, having been previously notified to be ready to move, now fell in, and the whole battalion continued moving eastward.

We camped for the night in Anderson County, within twenty-two miles of Knoxville.

Thursday, 12th.—We marched on to and encamped at Montgomery.

Companies B and C (Harris’s and Ewing’s) caught up with our company (E). Here we rested one day.

Wednesday, 11th.—Marching on through Jamestown, thence south-east, we encamped for the night near one Mr. Hurst’s. We had camped at the same place as we passed up about one month previous to this.