Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-08-22
(lVIWAR
FIfTY YEARS AGO TO-DAY
June g. l86l-The Virginia Troops Were Turned Over to
the ConfederaCy by Gen. Lee-The People of Tennessee
Voted for Secession

ing SO guns on the defenses about IT,
while a naval battery was also being or
ganized.
At Norfolk the frigate United States
had been converted into a school ship.
the Merrimac had been raised from the
bottom of the river. where the federal
troops had sunk her, and was in dry
dock, and preparations we're under way
for an attempt to raise the German
town and Plymouth.
Still other defenses were the field
works which covered the rear Of Nor
folk, crossed jamestown island and Glou-
cester point and guarded Yorktown and
Williamsburg.
For these batteries, and for the us field
guns which formed 20 batteries of light
artillery, it had been necessary to build
gun carriages, caissons and battery wag-
ons and supply every detail of equip
ment
TENNESSEE VOTES TO sECEDE
Fifty years ago today the people Of
Tennessee, by majority of nearly $4,000
voted TO secede from the union and to
enter the Confederacy.
This vote confirmed the action of the
previous and completely reversed the
vote Of February 9, almost exactly three
months before, which had given ma
jority of 1900 against secession.
OF the three sections into which the
state was divided, both geographically,
socially and politically, two-west and
middle Tennessee--gave strong majorities
for secession, while in east Tennessee the
vote stood more than two to one against
It.
In this state, as in Kentucky, Missouri
and Virginia, sentiment was greatly d.
vided. The Unionists of east Tennessee
were not powerful enough to keep the
whole state in the union, nor did they
form a separate government, like the men
of western Virginia, but they were to
form a union stronghold throughout the
war and send 10000 men into the federal
ranks. t
How the situation in the state had
changed since February was shown by
the vote in the principal cities. In
middle Tennessee Davidson county, con-
tanning Nashville, had in February given
a majority of $500 for union; 1t now
gave majority of more than 5000 for
secession.
Shelby county, in west Tennessee, with
the cotton port of Memphis, had even
in February been powerfully for seces-
sion, with vote of 5,69s to 1877. but now
1877 votes were cast for secession and
only five against II. Knox county, with
knoxville,in east Tennessee, on the other
hand, still showed majority against
secession, though reduced by more than
1000.
A legislative act had enabled the sol
diers in camps outside Of their own
counties to vote, and these cast 2,741
votes for secession and none against II.
OF these 2,456 were outside of the state.
showing how far Tennessee had already
contributed to the confederate cause.
VOTE ALREADY DISCOUNTED.
This vote had been discounted by the
action Of the governor and the legisla-
ture of the state.
Beside adopting an ordinance of sa-
cession and accepting the military AL
lance contracted with the Confederacy,
the legislature had in May provided
for an army of $1,000. of whom $4,000
were for immediate service, and voted
a bond issue, Of 100000 to equip them.
1t had authorized the governor to place
the volunteers at the disposal of the
Confederate states and the banks OF
Tennessee to receive and pay out Com
federate treasury notes.
Gov. Isham G. Harris had on his part
been no less active than the legislature.
He had appointed general officers. or
ganized commissary and quartermaster's
departments, FASTENED the recruiting.
mastering and arming Of the troops, seen
to the construction of batteries along
the MISSISSIPPI, SSJdDuSneo TndnuIaC-
tories of arms and ammunitions and
brought troops from other states into
Tennessee
BY the first OF June no less than 20
regiments had been organized, and the
morning of election day. saw probably
$4,000 state troops encamped about
Nash Vile or under Gen. Gideon ]. Pill
low, from Memphis north to the Ken
lucky line.
Samuel P Day, the correspondent of
an English newspaper, riding so years
ago today from Lexington, Ky.s across
Tennessee. estimated that he saw In
four camps $4,000 men, and his observa-
tions were limited to the railroad liue
on which he travelled
Other Tennessee troops were outside OF
the state, for as early as May 1, Col
Peter Turney had led regiment from
middle Tennessee into Virginia and this
had been followed by others. The feat
of Federal invasion from Illinois, how
ever. had made the number sent out OF
the state small.
Copyright, 1911, by Associated Literary
Press.)