Tag Archives: Florence

Letter – William Ferguson, 22 February 1862

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Letter written by Sergeant William A. Ferguson of Company A, Baskerville’s 2nd MS Cavalry Battalion to his wife Mary, from Eastport, MS. He writes of a gunboat raid in the beginning of the Shiloh Campaign. The gunboat Tyler was discovered coming up river, and a dispatch was sent to General James R. Chalmers. Major Charles Baskerville was ordered to take two companies, including Ferguson’s, to meet the boat (they arrived too late). Ferguson writes that most of the infantry was sent to Florence to protect the railroad, and he thinks the cavalry will act as pickets along the river.

Eastport Miss. February 22, 1862.

My Dear Mary:

A few days since Capt. McCaa and two of his men went out to look after Capt. Roddy and his men that had been sent out on picket duty. so late in the evening they discovered a gun boat a few miles below this place making its way up the river. Capt. McCaa sent a dispatch to the General who ordered the Major to take two companies, ours and Capt. Fields, and try and meet the boat at this place. So in a short time we were in our saddles and after an hour and a half march reached this place. but too late to see the boat. She made a short stay here some ten or twelve of its men came a shore, talked a while with a gentleman who was staying at the ferry, they stayed a very short time got aboard the boat and made their way back down the river and has not been heard of since. We had about sixty men concealed in a ravine between this place and the landing whose intention it was to come in behind them and cut them off from the boat had they attempted to have come up in town. This is the second trop it has made up this river the other time it went as high up as Florence. It is not a very large boat carries some ten or twelve guns, has taken all the steam boats and government stores they could get along the river, but hasn’t done any other damage. It is supposed their object is to keep the river open. Nearly all of our infantry have been sent from Iuka to Florence to protect the rail road. Our cavalry, I expect will act as pickets up and down the river which is no pleasant business I assure you. We left camp in such haste that we hadn’t time to prepare any rations so we went one day without any thing to eat. The inhabitants have nearly all deserted this place and it is difficult to procure any thing to eat her. But our major has succeeded in getting us a beef and some flour, we now have a plenty of beef and biscuit. We are quartered in an old store room and at night we sleep on the floor and cover with a blanket which has given several of us severe colds. The weather is moderating and my cold is getting better. I am perfectly well otherwise. Cant say how long we are to stay here, but hope not long.

All my writing material was left at camp and there is no accommodation of the kind to be had here. I find an old ledger with some blank leaves in it and am pressing it into service.

I wrote you from Iuka, haven’t heard from you but expect a letter when I get back to camp. You will direct you letters to Iuka until otherwise ordered. Two of our men and my self are going down the river a few miles this morning. A kiss for my wife and baby. Love to all. Good bye.

Affectionately Yours

William

William A. Ferguson, from Pickensville AL, enrolled in Captain McCaa’s Company A of the Alabama Cavalry in October 1861, aged 29. He was mustered into Baskerville’s 4th MS Cavalry Battalion on November 14, 1861. Baskerville’s Battalion patrolled the Tennessee River prior to the battle of Shiloh and and participated in the battle itself. The Battalion was consolidated to form the 8th CS Cavalry Regiment. Ferguson was promoted to lieutenant and again to captain. He was captured in the autumn of 1863 and incarcerated at Johnson’s Island Prison, near Sandusky, OH. He was exchanged and rejoined the fighting in Atlanta. He served with his unit until its surrender at Greensboro, NC in 1865. After the war he became a farmer and had at least 3 children with his wife Mary before passing away on January 21, 1902. He is buried in East Hill Cemetery in Salem City, VA.

Letter – Walter Goodman, 6 November 1864

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Letter written by Confederate Captain Walter A. Goodman, Assistant Adjutant General, to his father, from Perryville TN. Goodman is staff to Brigadier General James Chalmers, in Forrest’s Cavalry Corps. This letter was written two days after Forrest’s raid of Johnsonville, TN. Goodman writes of the Confederate victory along the Tennessee River, which he claims was won with a small cavalry and limited artillery. He says General Buford “commenced the ball” by capturing a government transport barge. He goes into great detail about the engagement, mentioning that Confederate fire on the warehouses at Johnsonville completely destroyed Union stores. They are preparing to cross the river to join General Beauregard, who is supposedly travelling to Columbia, TN. He hopes to “strike a successful blow on [William T.] Sherman’s rear.”

Hdqr Perryville Tenn

Nov 6 – 1864

My Dear Father

   Before this reaches you the papers will have told you of what we have done along the Tenn River. Our success has certainly been very great with a force of cavalry not by any means large & with fourteen pieces of artillery – all of which were never in action at the same time. We have destroyed four of the enemy’s gunboats, two or three of which mounted eight guns each – twelve or fourteen steamboats – eighteen or twenty barges & a very large quantity of freight of various kinds principally belonging to the [U.S.] government- besides securing some blankets, shoes & other articles which we were greatly in need of. And all this with the loss of two or three men killed & six or eight wounded & two of our cannon which had been placed on board of one of the captured steamers which was afterward recaptured by the enemy.

     Genl. Buford commenced the ball on the 29th [October] by capturing a transport & barge loaded with government items on their way up – and in the next day we went to the river at Paris Landing nearly opposite Paris and captured a gunboat, two transports & four barges. Gen. B. burned his boat & barge – & one of our boats was so badly

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damaged that we burned it & the barges. The remaining transport & the gunboat were so little damaged that they were soon put in running order & we hoped to be able to make use of them in crossing the river. We put two pieces of artillery & some of the captured stores on the transport & moved up the river toward Johnsonville – other two boats running in company as closely as possible. On the evening before we reached Johnsonville however our boats got too far in advance & were chased by two Yankee gunboats which captured the transport after it had been disabled by the treachery of some of the crew who cut the tiller ropes. On the next day we got a part of our artillery in position & had several skirmishes with the enemy’s gunboats & their artillery in the town. On the fourth having brought up more artillery we opened fire upon the boats and in a short time set fire to and destroyed all of them including three gunboats – 8 or 10 steamboats & 12 or 14 barges some of the loaded and an immense pile of freight on the shore & one or two warehouses.

     Johnsonville is the terminus of a R.R. from Nashville to the Tenn. river which is much used in transporting army supplies – which accounts for the collection of freight there. It is protected by a fort & was strongly garrisoned – but tho’ they did all they

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could & sent their shot & shell in showers around us they could not save their boats and property. We left them standing in line of battle & looking at the ruins. Three of their gunboats moved up the river & forced us to heave over & then when reinforced to five or six came up and took a look at the ruins – but ran away before we could put our plans to capture them into execution.

     We moved from Johnsonville yesterday & reached here today. We are now preparing to cross the river in order to join Beauregard – who is said to be on his way from Florence [AL] to Columbia, Tennessee. It is impossible to say when we will go or what we will do, but I hope we may be able to strike a successful blow on Sherman’s rear.

     I am quite well – we have had some bad weather & I fear we will have more.

     I could not see Lamar as I passed Oxford as you requested. I saw Col. Neely at Bolivar and he promised to be at Grenada at the appointed time. I did not have time to see Mr. Wood. I gave the papers you handed to me for Mr. Walton to him. Write to me at Corinth – care of Maj. Gen’l Forrest – and the letters will be forwarded. I forwarded the papers in regard to the exchange of Mr. Frost and Otto to Gen F[orrest] and have heard nothing from them since.

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Affectionately,

                          Your son                          

Walter

Walter A. Goodman, was originally the adjutant of the 17th MS Infantr. He served as the acting assistant adjutant general on Brigadier General James A. Chalmers’ staff from June 29, 1862 to July 19, 1862. He was promoted to A.A.G. on Chalmers’ staff, remaining as such until Dec. 22, 1864.

Dispatch – P.G.T. Beauregard, 12 March 1862

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2 Confederate HQ telegraph dispatches sent by General P. G. T. Beauregard to General Albert Sidney Johnston from Jackson, TN, to Decatur, AL prior to the Battle of Shiloh. In the first dispatch, General Beauregard requests surplus ammunition for guns and small arms to be sent to Corinth, MS. It also mentions that Union forces under General Charles F. Smith’s command are up the Tennessee River. The second dispatch states that General Chalmers in Iuka, Mississippi, has sighted Union boats. Beauregard mentions that pickets at East Port spotted Union ships at Savannah. He writes that the Union boats will likely go to Pittsburg Landing or East Port. He also warns Johnston not to collect too many trains at Tuscumbia, as they may be cut off from the west by Union forces.

-Dispatch 1-

                              Jackson, March 12th 1862

Genl. A. S. Johns[t]on

            Decatur

     Have you surplus ammunition for guns & small arms for this army – If so, send to Corinth forthwith. Enemies force up Tennessee supposed to be [Gen. C. F.] Smith’s command.

                               G. T. Beauregard

-Dispatch 2-

Jackson, March 12th 1862         

Genl. A. S. Johnston

            Decatur

     Genl. Chalmers at Iuka telegraphs some of Boats in sight – At East Port when my pickets left at six o’clock this morning enemy were at Savannah last night with thirty-three transports & gun boats did not disembark – wagons Horses & all on board at sunset they said they would start for Rail Road this morning early – There is not water enough for the Gun Boats to go to Florence – They will stop at Pittsburg or East Port – the enemy took in all pickets & guards last night.

     Later shelling East Port

Two Gun Boats in sight.

N. B. Be care not to collect too many trains at Tuscumbia for fear of being cut off from the west by the enemy

                          G.T. Beauregard

It appears this document was carried by a dispatch courier from the telegraph office in Decatur, AL to Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston’s HQ. It is believed this dispatch was the first time Gen. Johnston saw the fateful mention of “Pittsburg [Landing],” where he would die little more than three weeks later. As such, these messages prompted immediate action on the part of Johnston to aid Beauregard at Corinth, MI. Johnston sent Hindman’s brigade by rail to Corinth on March 15th, and despite adverse weather, hastened preparations to get his army there, 93 miles distant. Johnston’s troops began arriving about March 20th, and by March 23rd Johnston was present himself. Although the crisis declared by Beauregard did not result in immediate significant fighting, it was a precursor to the crisis that soon developed. Following the occupation of Pittsburg Landing by the main segment of the Union army on March 16th it was apparent that a major Union offensive against Corinth was imminent. Ironically, this ominous message of Beauregard’s four days earlier had pinpointed the exact location to carefully watch. Eastport, also mentioned as another likely site of enemy occupation, was protected by long range Confederate guns, thus Pittsburg Landing was the obvious enemy point of invasion. Despite Beauregard’s astute observations of this, little was done in scouting, mapping, or otherwise planning for the major offensive strike that soon resulted in the famous April 6th surprise attack at Shiloh.