Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-02-16
"reminiscences Of the Third Tennes-
see Cavalry.
BY ADJUTANT WILL A. M'TEER
NO. INTRODUCTION.

have been requested to write up
"reminiscences Of The regiment to which
1 belun ged, similar TO the articles writ
ten by Lieutenant J. w. Andes, of the
Second Cavalry. To this request /
have, after considerable hesitation,
promised to make the attempt. | APP
pTOach the task with fear and trem-
bling. The most gifted pen would fall
short in an attempt at pOrtraying the
loyalty, fidelity and patriotism OF the
men of that unfortunate regiment, as
we'll as all our East Tennessee sOldIeTy
in the unhappy fratricidal strife.
hope | shall be excused in opening
il L use the personal pronOun aud
speak of things under my immediate
observation rather frequently. II shall
not be in spirit of egOtism, but sim
ply to II ustrate with truths the spirit
OF the times.
In 1861, following the Presidential
election, the clouds of war were gath
erIng over our country. Neighbors
meeting would inquire about the war.
Dark and and angry he war clouds
gathered and lowered over our loved
East Tennessee. TO the superstitiOus,
additional terrOrs were added in the
way of repeated aud heavy earth
quakes and remarkably brilliant me-
leOTs in the heavens. These were called
by such persons "signs" of war,
and thus the excitement increased
until war was the topic of almost
every conversation. Professions, anu
gathering together to hear speeches,
aud TO counsel with one another be-
came of frequent occurrence. Home
guards were formed, aud men would
me I TO drill weekly, aud sometimes
hFF no yrEf Tor kOlru ~
ing for several days OH a fl *, placing
the picture of Washington upon il,
standing beside the blue field and
pointing to the American Eagle,
which was soaring above the cOustei~
latlOn of stars, as representing the
spirit of East Tennessee. This banner
was burne at the head of q long pro-
ce=siOn, which went from Tru. dies
X Roads to SevieTville, where large
audience was addressed by the late
Hon. TbOs. A r. Nelson, and there
the banner was presented to him, and
by him TO the iadies of SeviervIlle.
Every stranger who passed through
the country was regarded with SUI
pIciOn, aud much inquiry was made
about hun. Meanwhile, soldiers were
IatIoned at Knoxville, and the war
grew d.ikeT aud feTcer. The Knox
vile Wing. about the only paper In the
> ate " hI"h heid on 10 the Union, and
to which union men look ed for advice,
bOih a. 80 news and 4 nduCf was sup |
pressed. The writer remsm bers that |
d stranger, in passing. took dinner in |
his DeIg buThUod, aud the next day |
this ntighbrr communicat I'd, in con |
fidence, who his guest was, and his
OusiDess-that it was Captain Fry, of
Lhe Federal army, arranging TO have
the railroad bridges burnt. Sure
the bridges were burnt, out
,hIs secret was conveyed ana accepted
under such strict confidence that /
old it to no one until after the war
was over, and have seldom men,
toned it since.
Tie attack on Straw berry Plains
bridge was unsuccessful. In that, w,
Z. Plckens of Sewer county, was se-
VeTeiy wounded and carried away by
his friends. He was taken 20 the noun
tains and his wounds dressed and
cared for until be was able To cross TO
he Federal lines in Kentucky. I'm
after the attack on the
bridges word parsed Ike lightning
that company of COufsGera e cavalry
Was after he men who attacked the
hrlOge, WHeTeupnn crowd of per-
haps thousand men from BIOunt
! tiss to meet them and rescue the
Union men. But there was no meets
lug of the forces, fortunately for both.
Next, in the Knobs back of the Eli
10y nelghborhuUd a rebel soldier was
shot III the hand. A few days after
wards he was shot anu killed while,
another soldier in The same section of
was severely wounded. This
brought John II. Morgan with his
To BlOunt county, and while
the r-gIment was at the house of the
man they Were again fired
on, one of their humber receiving a
shot in the hand, and the men who
did the shooting made their escape.
Following this the arms were gathered
up. Squirrel rifles, shot guns aud all
3 nd were taken.
This command OF Morgan's was sent
)nt through the country aIresting
al they could hud aud compelling the
most OF them TO take the oath OF allie
glance to the Southern COnfederacy.
A company of Texas cavalry staid
with us. | was then mere boy, and
If delicate constitution. The next
when the company was
ABOUT ready to start they arrested my
ather aud took him with them. Just
before they started my mother plead
or him, to which the Captain answer
d with bitter, burning oaths, that he
would not. Upon this my mother
,roke out in tears, ia which all the
amily Joined save one. There silently
burning with rage 1 formed the pur-
,ose that these tears should be avenged
nd that so long as / was able TO raise
n arm it would be against the cause
hat would destroy the flag l loved,
he men that would carry my father to
Prison and curse my mother in her
distress. But such was war and such
he dread, hard band il lays upon
hose in its way. The above are Only
very few of the scenes and facts
' hich drove men to leave wife, sweet
leart, mother, sister and ali that was
lear TO them, through dangers and
ntO the jaws of death, that they
night find refuge under the stars ana
tripes and battle for the cause of truth
nd RIGHT