Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-21
THE TENNESSEE CAMPAIGN.
Operations Were Begun Before Miss
Carroll Suggested Them.

resolution introduced the other day In
Congress inquiring of the War Depart
ment for information relative to the author-
ship of the plan of campaign In lsoi-Z on
the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers
opens up an interesting bit OF American
history. and forms a curious echo to the
news of the recent death in this city OF
Anna Ella Carroll of Maryland. MISS
Carroll has for many years had pendlng
before Congress a claim for compensation
for the plan of this great campaign, which
she asserted, originated with her. Inc
claim however, has not been undisputeo,
and now comes forward Captain John A
Duble of this city, who, while making no
particular contention in his own nenan.
contradicts Miss CARROTS declaration mat
to her belonged the credit for suggesting
the strategic movements in tennessee.
Capt Dube said to a reporter:
II have been struck by the references
made to the Tennessee river campaign, arc
the statement that Miss Carroll had
claimed the authorship Of the so-called
Tennessee river campaign. and had sub
mitted the same November 80, 1861, TO
Colonel Thomas A. Scott. the then assistant
Secretary of War, which the government
afte-ward accepted, and which resulted in
the capture of Forts Henry and Donelson,
and the ultimate success Of the Union
army AS to whether or not Miss Carroll
did submit her plans for the Tennessee
river campaign to Assistant Secretary OF
War Scott 1 have nothing to say. What
1 object to to is the allegation that to her is
due the credit for a strategic movement
which had not occurred to the naval and
military leaders. while yet the war had
waged many weary months, and hundreds
and thousands of men had fo-saken home
for the fray. 1t is inferred from this that
at the time no one connected with either
branch of the United States service on the
western waters knew anything Of the
strategic value Of the Tennessee and Cum
berland rivers until Miss Carroll got her
information in ST. Louis from a Mr.. Scott,
a Tennessee river pilot that the Tennessee
river was navigable for gunboats as high
as Mussel shoals, Ala, and the Cumber-
land far as Nashville. and In con-
sequence formulated the Tennessee river
campaign, with its vast results, and for
which she claimed as compensation from
Congress the sum of s25O,0OO.
with all due respect to Miss Carroll and
her indorse-s, / am compelled, for the
truthfulness Of history, to state that Miss
Carroll was mistaken. and that she had
nothing at all to do with the planning of
the Tennessee river campaign. l was first
master and executive officer Of the gun
boat Conestoga from June. 1861, up to the
opening OF commerce on the western
waters, and was engaged on the Mississippi
Tennessee and Cumberland rivers in all
naval engagements on those waters, es-
pecially engaged with the gunboat Cones
toga in the capture of Fort Henry. on the
Tennessee river, and Fort Donelson, on the
Cumberland river. September s. 1861 months
before Miss Carroll is said to have con-
ceived he- plan, we received orders while
at Cairo, ILL.,, to get the gunboat Conestoga
ready, without moments delay, to start
on an expedition in company with the gun
boat Tyler, under special orders Of General
Grant. The same afternoon we started as
conveys to military transports for
Paducah KY, at the mouth Of the Ten
nessee river. We arrived there early next
morning, just a few hours in advance Of the
confederates. and seized the town and the
mouth of the Tennessee river, and from
that day on we commenced to utilize the
Tennessee river for strategic movements
Reconnaissance were constantly made on
the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers dur
ing the months of September, October and
November, not a week passing during
those months that We had not been, with
the gunboat Conestoga, up the Tennessee
river, and we all understood those re-
connoissances were to be made until the
commanding general was ready to attack
Fort Henry, on the Tennessee river and
Fort Donelson, on the Cumberland river
Thus it will be seen that the Tennessee and
Cumberland rivers were constantly utilized
by us for military purposes from September
9. 1861, down to the capture of the forts,
and until the enemy were driven out of
west Tennessee. This / can prove by the
public records, which show that on one
date, at least, October IA, 1861. I went
with the Conestoga UP the Tennessee river
as far as Fort Henry"