Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-07-15
BATTLE OF JoHNsoNvILLE.

NdBt. T. OtdCNN3 bi ttia9 SAsJ ,
through Capt. Jno. w. Martin, OF
Nashville, has contributed the fol-
lowing interesting sketh to the
Southern Historical Association OF
Louisville. 1t will amply repay all
who desire to read it:
MY DEAR CAPTAIN-I am in re-
ceipt of your kind letter, wherein you
informed me you would, on the 9th
instant, read paper before the
Southern Historical Sncicty, at Louis
vile, ON the Johnsonville campaign,
and that you would be pleased tu
have me relate my experience in that
memorable affair.
To be candid with you, my dear
friend time, business complications
and perplcxitics, and one Tong con-
tinuOus struggle with dame fortune
TO better my financial condition has
played sad havoc with my recollec-
4 tfon Of old war scenes. j will, how
ever, with pleasure relate them,
trusting to you, who was one of the
leading spirits of that very spirited
affair, to correct any error in my
statement.
wilIrnot attempt description in
detail OF this brilliant episode, but
coniine myself to the especial parts
in which i was engaged.
On the 29th OF CetObcr, 1864, at
daylight found myself Captain of a
cavalry company attached 10 Gen.
il. Il. Lyons brigade, then at Fort
Heiman, on the west bank of the
Tennessee river. Until this time !
had been continuously employed in
the artillery service, under Gen.
breckenridge, then cOnsecutively I'M
der Gems. Bate, Cheatham, Helm,
Preston and Lewis, with sixty days
service in the heavy artillery during
the siege of Vickshurg. My battery
was familiarity known as the First
kentucky or JObb's Battery. Gen.
II. B. Lyon was Is original COM
mander, Maj. Cobb, of Padueah, sue
ceeding him, whilst in turn became
his successor.
On the morning previously men
toned l was with Gen. Lyons bri-
gade OF cavalry concealed on the
bank of the Tennessee; a portion Of
my command had been detailed to
assist in working the siX-inch Spar
rott' guns seat from Mobile to block
ade the Tennessee river. At this
time / had not heard JOhnsOnVille
whispered, nor DO i believe, except
for the easy triumph of our artil-
lery over the gunhoats, that any eff
fort would have been made To de-
strOy JohnsOnville.
AUOut pa. III. a boat was reported
ascending the river. She soon APP
peared around the point below us,
heavily laden, with ii barge in tow.
She proved to lie the Mazeppa, new
steamboat on her first trip. As soon
us She passed above us few hun
dred yards, l had the pleasure of see
ing how FORESTS artillery" would
work and am glad 10 say it was served
with skill and precision / had not
seen surpassed during three years OF
almost constant strife.
In ten minutes her machinery was
wrecked, and she by the impetus she
had when the fatal shot struck her,
was driven aground on the opposite
shore. II was a sore disappointment
TO the entire command to see this
great prize at their mercy and yet
unattainablr, not Il boat of any de-
ScriptiOn could he found; all we could
do was to gaze with longing eyes at
the good things and wish we were
there. Finally my patriotism could
not be controlled, and l determined
to have some of the Mazeppa's stores,
or eXpend considerable energy in
trying. So without orders from su-
periors or much reflection / rolled a
small log into the river, placed my
LnYsI.s Tho nr,l lF "a in
and struck out for the other shore.
1t Was "a long and fatiguing trip
across the river, and l had abun-
dance of time for reelection before
landed, several hundred yards below
the steamer. At times l thought
did not want the stores as bad as
did; but one glance at the supplies
would instantly renew my patriot
ism, and l would push my way
ahead. ON reaching the shore ]
struck out for tall timber. l knew
my greatest danger was whilst CX-
posed between the waters edge and
the timber on the top bank. AS
approached the vessel from the rear
or bank side, l cspiCd several blue
coats concealed behind trees (Our
boys were still shooting across the
river with their Enfield ritles), and /
confessed To myself things looked de-
CidCdly blue, and l determined then
and there | would never let my pa
triOtism or desire to secure food and
clothing for the boys get me into
such Il scrape again. Things did
look bad. ! was on the CnGmy's side
of the river, alone, with two pistols
that had been in the river with me for
at least an hour, with l could not tell
how many bluc-cOatS between me
and the boat; but something must be
done, and quickly. l determined to
charge, demand. their surrender,
which if they declined to do i would
do myself. / charged, they surren-
dCrcd, and in few minutes l had
them in front of me in the bow of the
boat, while the boys on the other
side were yelling like madmen at
my success. Fortunately the prison
crs, three in number, proved to be
old river men-and good men as |
nave found since the war. Having
been engaged i'm that interest myself
before the war, | was in my clement.
l ordered the prisoners into lie
boat, whilst passed them coil after
coil Ot rope, until the boat Rould car
Nv no more. After fastening one end
TO the Mazeppa's cavil, the prisoners
proceeded To row across the river,
playing out cable as they progressed.
They soon reached the shore, when Il
thousand hands reached out to draw
the boat across the river.
Gen. BulOrd took charge of the life
boat as soon rs the rope was removed
from il, and by il succeeded in get
ting ON the MaZcppa whilst she was
in mid-Strcam. The General mount
cd the hurricane roof, rang the bell,
gave orders to imaginary crews, and
exhibited many evidences of de-
light in securing Il prize loaded with
sufficient supplies To feed and clothe
his entire division for a year; and
thus quietly and unoventfully was
landed the first great prize in the
Jacksonville campaign.
The following day more serious af-
fairs demanded our attention. The
Chccscman and Venus soon became
our prey. The gunbOat Undinc or
No. -, after long and stubborn con-
tIict, was abandoned Ivy her crew.
She was perfectly riddled with shell
but, strange to say, her machinery
k.,l.u.. ,.-nro min fttrpI Ohm