On this day, during the Civil War

April 22.  Sunset.  We were ordered to make a sweep north and then northwest to see if the Yankees are coming toward us.  This is part of a massive cavalry screening operation and we have no due date for returning to Burnsville.  We darn near rode right into Yankee pickets late this afternoon.  That was almost all the way back to Pittsburg Landing and north of Fallen Timbers a little. We turned back south amid a hail of bullets but nobody was hit. Annabelle was at her best, breaking into a gallop as soon as I turned her around. After a couple miles, it was obvious that no Yankee cavalry was coming after us, so we turned northwest off the road and made our way cross country toward Adamsville. As it was getting dark, we made camp.  We were leery of riding into town in the dark, when the Yankees might be there in force.

April 23^rd. 10:30 AM, a few miles east of Purdy. We were up very early and cautiously rode into Adamsville. The locals reported that yesterday about noon, a column of Yankee cavalry had ridden through town but did not return. They had watered their horses, demanded hot food which they did not thank anyone for, and then rode west. This appeared to be a chance to slip back home, inasmuch as we could ostensibly claim we were following the Yankee trail. Some of the women insisted we eat breakfast that they graciously had prepared for us.  They were very pleased to see Confederates and not Yankees this bright Wednesday morning.  We made it a point to thank them for their hospitality toward us.

LATER. Approximately 5 miles east of Purdy. We were forced to halt here because we can see a column of blue a mile or so ahead of us.  Their position effectively block the road into Purdy.  I have decided if we ride close enough to determine their exact strength, we may have a fire fight on our hands. Best plan is probably to turn back south and report the location to headquarters.  From the cloud of dust the Yankees are raising, I would estimate they are at least company strength, and perhaps a battalion. We would have a hard time holding our own against those odds.  Reluctantly, I must forego my visit home.

Thursday, April 24^th. Back at Burnsville. I reported in this morning but last night we had camped along the road between Corinth and here. We did not want to ride into camp after dark and accidentally get shot.  There has more fighting in North Carolina, somewhere in Camden County. The newspaper made a great deal over the fighting but I think they are grasping for anything to boost morale, right now.

YANKEE INVADERS REPULSED AT SOUTH MILL--FORCED TO RETREAT BACK TO NEW BERN VIA ELIZABETH CITY

Yankee General Ambrose E. Burnside had learned that a fleet of ironclad gunboats was being built at Norfolk.  To prevent the ships from reaching Albemarle Sound, he proposed to detach Gen. Jesse L. Reno to destroy the canal locks in the Dismal Swamp that covers portions of southern Virginia and northern North Carolina.

Reno and his troops left Roanoke Island on transports and had reached Elizabeth City by April 18^th. Confederate Col. A. Wright, commanding the 3^rd Georgia, having learned from scouts of the Yankee movement marched south and intercepted   Reno’s  forces   on  the 19^th, below South Mills. The fighting continued at the crossroads, until late in the afternoon, when Reno decided he’d had enough of the Tarheel hospitality.  By dusk he was in full retreat back to Elizabeth City, where they likely will reboard their transports, for parts unknown.

Being short of ammunition, Col. Wright did not pursue.  It is unlikely Burnside will mount another expedition into the swamps, after Gen. Reno had his nose bloodied by the Georgians.

Yankee casualties were reported at over a hundred.  Our losses were 22 killed and wounded.

I was told at headquarters that Morgan has been given permission to take 300 or so men north, and raid into Tennessee and Kentucky.  It was suggested he might take us along, and I should speak to one of his subordinates.  I ran this concept past the boys who all agreed it sounded like a good idea. I made myself presentable and rode over to where the Lexington Rifles were camped, and asked to see a duty officer. I was offered a chair, well actually a hard wooden bench, and to wait. It seemed I waited a long time, and then, this is what happened.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

I MEET MORGAN, FACE TO FACE

Roughly 45 minutes, later, I was surprised to be escorted to Colonel Morgan’s tent.  I was ushered in and suddenly, face to face with him. I could not have been more astonished if they had presented me to Jefferson Davis.  Morgan returned my salute and began, as follows:

“Lieutenant…?

“Jackson, sir.  McNairy Cavaliers, lately attached to Gen. Breckinridge’s brigade but formerly with Gen. Floyd’s, sir.”

“Um humph.  Well, I have heard a little about your raiding the Yankee camp up in Kentucky and capturing a cannon.  That’s my kind of warfare.  Hit ‘em fast and hard and get away.”

“Yes, sir.”

“So, I heard you want to ride with the Rifles on our little escapade into Tennessee and Kentucky?  If I have my way, we’ll ride triumphantly all the way to Lexington, so I can visit my mother, and deprive the Yankees of some fine thoroughbred horses!”

“Yes, sir.  We were with you the night you attacked the Minnetonka.  Also at Fallen Timbers, sir. The Cavaliers would be honored to ride with Colonel Morgan’s command.  That is, if you’d have us.”

“Can you handle your boys, o.k.?  I mean, do they obey you unflinchingly, regardless?

“Yes, sir.  I’d say that is true.  All of our officers were elected, so the boys had a great deal of faith in us.  I came to be their leader through the misfortunate death of one captain, and the severe wounding of another.  But yes, they’ll follow my orders and I would follow yours to the letter.  We are good horsemen, sir, and danged good shots, too.  We drilled from Poinsett’s and know our movements and protocols.”

Morgan interrupted me at this point, with a wave of his hand and smiling, said,

“I was convinced ten minutes, ago but you do speak well on behalf of your boys. I remembered you from our night raid against the steamboat in Nashville. Didn’t know you were with Forrest and me after Pittsburg Landing. I guess you can come along this time, too. Why, H***, I am even taking some boys from Alabama and Mississippi with  me; they’ve been designated Company ‘D.’ The Rifles may be Kentuckians but I was born in Huntsville and deep southern blood runs red in all our veins.  We leave at dawn on the 26^th.  You’ll fall in behind and be under the immediate command of Lt. Van Buren Sellers, Company A.  That’s all, lieutenant.”

I gave a stiff salute, stepped back a pace and turned sharply, exiting the tent. I don’t think I had breathed during the entire interview.  I rode back to the Cavaliers, told them to polish everything; rifles, pistols, swords, boots, and to double check our bridles and reins.  I had neglected to ask if we should bring the cannon and limber but resolved to find out from Lt. Sellers, tomorrow.

April 25^th, Friday afternoon.  I spoke with Lt. Sellers this morning.  He is a decent fellow and said our 12-pounder might come in handy. Also he indicated Col. Morgan had some troopers with gunnery experience, should we need to unlimber and “…blast the d*** Yankees to H*** and back.”  That prospect sounded pretty enticing after our victory-turned-to-retreat at Pittsburg Landing.

We had everything in order.  I was told to have the men cook at least 3 days rations and to bring spare shoes for our horses.  But the wagons were to stay behind, as they were too slow to keep up with the pace we would be following. I wrote letters to home, and explained that the Yankees had blocked the road into Purdy a few days ago, preventing a visit.  I promised to write again, when we arrived somewhere stable but did not detail our destination in case the postal service was intercepted by Yankees.  It doesn’t make sense to publish your route to the enemy!  I sent a similar letter to Melvina, and told her when we reached our new camp, I would write her again.  Last, I sent a letter to Robert, as he was still at Corinth with the bulk of the army.  I told him we had joined Morgan’s Rifles and were going to go whip some unsuspecting Yankees.

More bad news on how the war is progressing.  It seems that New Orleans is about to be captured by a Yankee fleet under Farragut.  Ft. Macon has also been surrendered in North Carolina. New Madrid and Island Number 10 in Missouri, were surrendered on the 8^th. I had not heard any of that until now. That means the Mississippi River is now in Yankee hands all the way to Ft. Pillow, not too far north of Memphis and from the Gulf of Mexico past Forts Jackson and St. Philip below New Orleans.

There wasn’t much detail regarding Fort Macon. In late March, General Burnside’s army had advanced to the beaches about 35 miles southeast of New Bern and began building siege works. By April 26^th, large bore rifled cannon were able to concentrate a devastating bombardment on the fort.  Rather than have the masonry casemates and scarp collapse on his men, Col. White had surrendered the entire garrison of 480.  I did acquire a news article on New Madrid and the fighting in Louisiana.

NEW MADRID LOST AFTER FIVE WEEK SIEGE-GARRISON SURRENDERED AND NEW MADRID OCCUPIED BY UNION ARMY

New Madrid had been under attack by Union forces under Brig. Gen. John Pope, Army of the Mississippi, since the beginning of March. The Confederate garrison was ably commanded by Brig. Gen. John P. McCown. He attempted to lift the siege by having Gen.  Thompson’s Missouri Home Guards attack Pope on the 12^th and 13^th of March but was unable to make headway.  McCown then ordered the evacuation of New Madrid and withdrew to the island.

On the 14th, Pope occupied New Madrid and the next day, Flag-Officer Andrew H. Foote, arrived upstream with a naval force. Two Union ironclads slipped past the island    fortress   on   April   5^th and 6^th, allowing the Federals to cross the river and cut off escape. Brig. Gen. William W. Mackall, who had replaced McCown, surrendered Island No. 10 on April 8th.

YANKEE FLEET PASSES NEW ORLEANS DEFENSES AT FORTS JACKSON & ST. PHILIP ON APRIL 24^th FOLLOWING WEEK LONG BOMBARDMENT-- NEW ORLEANS MAY BE SOON DOOMED TO YANKEE OCCUPATION

Union Flag Officer David Farragut, left his base at Ship Island, Mississippi, on April 8^th, with 43 ships.  Sailing up the Mississippi River from Head of the Passes, the mortar schooners under Cmdr. David Porter, began shelling Fort Jackson. They were unable to silence her guns after continuous bombardment for seven days. Obstructions had been anchored across the Mississippi between Fort Jackson and the older outdated Fort St. Philip, including fire rafts and canoes.  On the night of the 22^nd, some of Farragut's gunboats opened a way through the   obstruction  and two days later, the entire fleet sailed past the two forts.

Now, effectively cut off from New Orleans, the garrisons are still gallantly defending against a large Yankee infantry force that has been landed in the swamps somewhere behind Ft. St. Philip, by troop transports. New Orleans, however, has been evacuated by all Confederate troops and will likely be surrendered by the mayor if the Yankee fleet approaches. With almost all southern ports closed to commerce, may God save the Confederacy.