The National tribune., 1904-09-15

In fulfllment of my promise to give
you my recollections of Sam Davis (who
was hung as a spy in November, 1863,
at Pulaski, Tenn | desire to say that
ago, one is apt to make mistakes as to
minor details, but the principal facts were
such that they impressed themselves upon
my mind SO that can speak of them with
some certainty.
When Gen. Grant ordered Gen. Sherman
(whOse head of column was near Eastport,
on Tennessee Riyer) to drop everything
and bring his army to Chattanooga, my
corps (the Sixteenth) was then located
at Corinth, Miss, and l brought up the
| rear.
Gen. Grants anxiety to attack Bragg's
command before Longstreet could return
from East Tennessee brought on the bat
tie before could reach Chattanooga. Gen.
Grant, therefore, instructed Gen. Sher
man to halt my command in Middle Ten
nessee and to instruct me to rebuild the
railway from Nashville to Decatur. The
fulfilling of above order is fully set forth
by Gen. Grant in his Memoirs.
When l reached the line of the Nash
vile & Decatur Railroad, distributed my
troops from Columbia south toward
Athens, Ala. had about 10000 men and
5000 animals, and was without pro-
visions, with no railroad or water COM
munication to any basis of supply, and
was obliged to draw subsistence for my
| command from the adjacent country until
1 could rebuild the railroad and receive
my supplies from Nashville.
My command was part of the Army
OF the Tennessee, occupying temporarily
! a portion Of the territory of the Depart
ment of the Cumberland, but not report
ing or subject to the commander Of that
Department.
GETTING SUPPLIES.
oS xh4
found that there was an abundance of
everything needed to supply my command,
except where Sherman's forces had swept
| across it along Elk River. He wrote me
Il do not think that my forces have left
a chicken for YOU" / also found that
Of the people was almost unanimously
| against US. had very little faith in con-
| verting them by the taking of the oath Of
allegiance. / therefore issued an order,
| stating that the products of the country
required to supply my command. and to
all who had these products, regardless Of
their sentiments, who would bring them
to the stations where my troops were To-
| Gated, l would pay fair price for them,
| but If | had to send and bring the sup
Eplies myself, that l should take them with
out making payment, giving them only re-
ceipts; and also issued instructions that
every train going for supplies should be
en- for what he took. This had good eff
| feet, the citizens generally bringing in
| their supplies to my command and receiv-
| ing the proper voucher, but it also gave
an opportunity for struggling bands to
| rob and charge up their depredations to
plants to be filed with the Military Cover
| nor of Tennessee and the Department Com
| mander of the Cumberland.
Upon investigation, | found most of
| those depredations were committed by ir-
| responsible parties of both sides, and
also discovered that there was we'll
organized and disciplined corps Of scouts
and spies within my lines. one force oper-
ating to the east of the line, under Capt.
| Coleman, and another force operating to
| the west, having its headquarters in the
| vicinity of Florence, Ala. l issued orders
to my own spies to locate these parties,
| sending out scouting parties to wipe them
River.
My cavalry had considerable experience
| in this work in and around Corinth, and
they were very successful, and brought in
many prisoners, most of whom could only
be treated as prisoners Of war.
| DAVIS CAPTURED.
The 7th Kans. Cav. was very efficient in
this service, and they captured Samuel
Davis, Joshua Brown, Smith. and Gen.
| DFdSS SHleI OI SoCOulS anu sSecTel SeTN-
| ice, Col. s. Shaw, all about the same time.
| We did not know of the Importance of
the capture of Shaw, or that he was the
| Capt. Coleman commanding Bragg's secret
service force. Nothing was found on any
of the prisoners of Importance, except upon
Davis, who evidently had been selected to
carry the information they had all OBJ
tanned through TO Gen. Bragg. Upon
Davis were found letters from Capt. Cole
man. the commander of the scouts to the
east of lis, and many others. l was
very anxious to capture Coleman and
| break up his command. as my own scouts
and spies within the Confederate line were
continually reporting to us the news sent
South from and the movements of Cole
man within my lines.
| Davis was brought Immediately to me.
as his captors knew his Importance. They
| believed he was an officer, and also knew
he was IA member of Coleman's command
AN INTERVIEW WITH DAVIS.
| When brought to my office | met him
pleasantly. / knew what had been found
. upon him, and | desired to locate Cole
/ man and his command and ascertain. if
4 possible, who was furnishing the informa-
! ton, which l saw was accurate and val
liable to Gen. Bragg.
Davis met me modestly. He was fine,
| soldierly-lookiRg young man, dressed in a
| faded Federal soldiers coat, one of our
army soft hats and top boots. He had q
frank, open face, which was inclined to
brightness. tried to impress upon him
the danger he was in, and that / knew he
was only q messenger, and held out to him