The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-10-26
CHRISTMAS IN SUNNY TENNESSEE.
Recollecti0ns Of War Days by an Army
Officers Daughter.

Editor National Tribune: We left
Corinth on Sunday morning, Dec. IA,
1862. When we reached Jackson. Tenn,
we found both hospitals too full to re-
ceive us. They were known as No. ]
and No. 2. We were invited to dinner
at No. 2, after which we went to large
hotel-the Manassas House. 1t, too,
was crowded, and there was but one
available room. 1t was. No. 20. and be-
longed to a lady who was away tenn
porarily. We occupied it until her re-
turn, when by that time No. 10, directly
opposite, was vacant, and we with our
belongings were transferred to it, The
Manassas House may not lay claim to
the same historic interest as the two
buildings described in my former let
ters. 1t was not at any time used as a
hospital, but was a hotel pure and SIM
pie. 1t, however made some war his
tory for itself, and at times fairly bris-
tied with a military aspect. 1t fed num-
dreds of soldiers. and at various times
housed many officers, who, tired of
camp life, came there to board. The
property was owned by Mr.. Tolliver.
a citizen of Jackson, and was rented
and run as hotel by Messrs. Hotellen
and Wilcox. 1t was a large frame
building. with a double porch Cor piazza
as it was called by all true Southern
ars). extending around three sides, close
to the depot and in sight of two rail
ROADS. There were q number of former
slaves employed chon. the hotel. and
some OF tnelr tank alu customs were
very amusing to me. Mr.. TolllVer 5
wagon and horses were frequently used
FOR different kinds nf hauling. end OFT
times one boy would say 10 another,
You tote the bosses to watah, and I'll
carry Mistah Tollivah's wagon home;
and he would actually pull the wagon
while the other led the horses home
after watering them. The women pal
anccd baskets of laundry and carried
vessels of water on their heads. AL
night all gathered in the negro-quar-
ters in the rear of the hotel, ana sang
their own weird songs, the melody be-
Ing waited to the rooms above. They
were permitted to have several dances
in the large dining-room, some of the
guests of the hotel going downstairs
and dancing with them. There were
many Northern people among the
boarders, anG life was very pleasant
the names of all with whom we came
in contact, but these that are clear in
my mind / give, as follows: DR.. De
Forest wife and little daughter Emma.
of Troy, Ohio; Mr.. James Leighton and
WIFE of Vermont: Capt. Ford and wife,
Capt. and Mrs. Mum, Mrs. Webb, sew
eral ladies at different times by the
rame of Johnson, Lieut.. Pease, Maj.
Wynne and Dick Robinson. He was
sometimes called Camp Dick, and
Camp Dick Robinson was named in
his honor, Union troops having camped
on land owned by him in Kentucky.
There We're some cotton spectators by
the name of Levi, Mr.. Cohn and Mr..
Coan. Elbridge Dwight Fem, of the
Corinth War Eagle. Vibrated between
the Manassas House and the City Ho-
tel. There were two men who conduct
ed e suffers store. The name of one
was Patrick: that of the other Keene.
We were not destined to witness a bat
tie although one seemed imminent sew
eral tim IS. and We heard heavy cam
ponading many days. The rebels were
within a few miles of us at one time,
but were driven back by the Union
troops sent out from jackson. Ihey
then went to Humboldt and Trenton,
small towns on the railroad between
Jackson and Columbus, KY, tearing up
the track and burning the bridges.
Trains were stopped in all directions
for several days. There were no mails,
and food supplies became very scarce.
This l have since learned was van
Dorn's run across the country, ending
n his celebrated raid on Holly Springs,
Miss Great preparations were made
for his reception at Jackson. Earth
works were hastily constructed during
the night and troops stood in line OF
battle in front of the hotel all day.
while cannon were planted at intervals
element, and some of the ladies be-
came almost hysterical with fear. /
can not recall any feeling of fear eX-
perienca1 by myself. and my mother
was as calm as a Summers morning.
We were detained at Jackson many
weeks beyond our expectations, but we
had become accustomed to the vicissi-
tudes of army life and enjoyed every
thing that came along. On Christmas
Gay, 1852. number of the inmates of
the hotel (myself included) were in
gited by Maj. Wynne to take little
trip down to Bolivar, % miles south of
Jackson. The AID Ohio. my fathers
regiment. was in camp here, and we
saw its Colonel, the late Gen. Wager
Swayne. We spent the afternoon very
pleasantly listening to the jokes of the
soldier boys. and watching them as they
prepared their evening meal. AS Oft
as the Christmas tide comes and goes
my mind reyerts to the one spent in
sunny Tennessee" and were / asked
which I considered the happiest Christ
mas of my life, would say the one OF
1862 by all odds-looking from a car
window on a railroad siding in the
midst of cotton bales. muskets and boys
In blue. 1t was a Christmas without
candy or toys, turkey or any of its
trimmings. The greatest Injuries the
MOTEL afforded, on account of the recen,
blockade, were picked pigsfeet and
6ried-apple pie, while the only Christ
mas gifts / received were two silver
I0-cent pieces. We had with us in
Jackson a colored boy whose name was
Dan Weaver. He was quite charac.
ter in his way. and was very devoted to
us. He called my mother Miss Emily
and myself Little Missy" Jackson was
a lovely little city, and I be came as IA
miliar with its streets as those of my
.wn town. There were many handsome
dwellings,, and the magnolia and the
holly grew I'm profusiOn. TIE people al
the hotel became acquainted with the
citizens, and mingled with them freely
There was a large encampment across
the railroad opposite the Manassas
House, and from it's balcony We many
times witnessed drill and dress parade
the muskets and sabers of the troops
glittering in the sunlight. / never knew
the history of the two brick buildings
used as hospitals. but judging from tn ell
size and arrangement they evidently
were school or college buildings. went
to No. / every day except while SICK
with the measles. and / have never for.
gotten the two huge stacks of cannon
balls / passed on the way. At length
the railroad was repaired, and the new
bridge across the Obion was neal
enough completion TO enable trains tt
run. Travel was resumed, and we