Forrest's Attack on Murfreesboro, July 13, 1862

Confederate Veteran
Volume 32, Number 11, Page 430-31 & 437
November 1924

BY WILLIAM H. KING, MURFREESBORO, TENN.

At this date, July 7, 1924, I am lying in a hospital, not allowed to sit up, and in this enforced quietude I recall many incidents, scenes, and trials of the past, of which the happenings of this day sixty-two years ago was initiatory to one of the most daring and brilliant campaigns ever known in military achievements and operations. Doubtless there are still some living who remember some of these incidents, but all who are sixty-seven years of age or under that know little of it except by hearsay, hence it will be necessary to make some preliminary statements for a correct understanding.

Fort Donelson fell, and General Buckner surrendered it about February 16, 1862. Gen. A. S. Johnston made a hasty retreat from Bowling Green, Ky., through Tennessee to the border line of Mississippi and Tennessee, where he concentrated his forces for battle.

Rutherford County and Murfreesboro, Tenn., were in possession of the Federals in March, 1862, by General Mitchell's Ohio Brigade. He soon made a rapid march to Huntsville, Ala., surprising many Confederates, and came near to capturing J. M. and M. S. King, convalescing at the home of their relative, Mrs. Carrie Robinson.

The 9th Michigan Regiment came into Murfreesboro and camped where the Evergreen Cemetery now is, and the 3rd Minnesota camped two miles north of Stone's River, with a battery of artillery and about two hundred cavalry, until July 13, 1862.

Murfreesboro was under martial law, with Capt. Oliver Cromwell Rounds as provost marshal—the tyrant, the usurper, the threatener, the cruel avenger, the arrogant assulter of ladies—under whose iron mandates innocent citizens were sent to Northern prisons.

Part of the 7th Pennsylvania Cavalry constituted what might be termed patrols, as they daily patrolled every road leading from Murfreesboro six to eight miles, and the branch roads. They did things their own way and had a good time—riding on premises and shooting turkeys and chickens and taking them off, sometimes making threats and using unpardonable language, never failing to order their dinner and their horses fed, having little or no regard for manners and politeness. To our Southern ladies this was very harsh and uncouth, yet they were helpless and had to endure it, though sometimes retaliating with a tongue lashing, which made no impress on petrified hearts. These were common occurrences, and this state of affairs existed for two months.

The battle of Shiloh was fought April 6 and 7, 1862, and soon after that came the reorganizations of the Confederate army. Colonel Forrest was made brigadier general and his command enlarged by the addition of the 8th Texas, 4th Tennessee, and the 2nd and 8th Georgia Cavalry. The two armies were confronting each other at Corinth, Miss., the Federals having posts of two or three thousand troops at various towns in Middle Tennessee to forage and live off the people, Murfreesboro being under command of General Milroy, with headquarters at Mrs. Lewis Maney's. In the vicinity of Old Jefferson and the cross pikes on the Lebanon road and toward Lancassas and Pierce's Mill vicinity, seven miles north of Murfreesboro, the citizens were much annoyed by the patrols and marauders. This was probably in the months of May and June, 1862.

While the Confederates were at Corinth, possibly during the month of May, Governor Harris, of Tennessee, commissioned Captain Bond, of Wilson County, who lived some fifteen miles north of Murfreesboro, to go within the lines of the Federal army and raise a company for the Confederate service. He was thoroughly familiar with the country, and the dense undergrowth of cedars gave him good hiding places from undesirable parties. Up to this date, July 7, he had about twenty men ready to go out of the Federal lines. He had previously heard of the depredations committed upon the citizens of these communities and learned about the time of day the patrol came out and of their usual number, about seven. It was his intention to capture them without bloodshed, hoping it would be a warning against future atrocities. He laid his plans well to entrap them, but did not make his plans known. On Monday morning, July 7, he went to the cross pikes in ample time and placed a sufficient number of his men there with instructions to order a surrender when the Yankees came up, then with the rest of his men he went down through a cornfield near the bridge across Stone's River and remained in the cornfield until the Yankees passed.

It is about a half mile from the bridge over Stone's River to the cross pikes, and they were not in wait long before they heard the tramp of horses crossing the bridge, then they saw the Yankees passing on. Captain Bond and his men were soon on the pike between the Yankees and the bridge. At the cross pikes the Yankees fired at the command to surrender, showing fight, and Captain Bond's men then returned the fire. The Yankees whirled to return to Murfreesboro and heeded not the order to halt. Of the seven, five were killed the other two being wounded. One became so faint and exhausted he was taken to a house after crossing the bridge, the other proceeded to Murfreesboro and reported the shooting. By noon a thousand men, fully armed, were on the warpath for revenge on innocent citizens of that community, the Federals not knowing it was Captain Bond's men who had done the shooting. Their rage and fury were at fever height, and little or no restriction was held over the soldiery. Some of the good citizens were ruthlessly carried off to Murfreesboro and placed in confinement under heavy guard and with threats of hasty execution, which reached the ears of loved ones, helpless and desolate, with no hope of relief. Gloom and despair overshadowed them while they awaited the inevitable, and the suspense almost crazed them.

I regret that I cannot call to mind the names of all the twelve citizens thus held, but of them were Dr. Lunsford Black, Jim Manor, Charley Ridley (a youth of fifteen or sixteen), Elder W. R. Owen (a Primitive Baptist preacher), J. C. Carnahan, Newton Carnahan, Albert McGill, Bart Ring, Simp Harris. The entire country was bowed in deep sympathy and sorrow over the decree of the cruel despots, the consummation of which would initiate a rule of terror over the whole county that would keep every man and woman in constant jeopardy.

These citizens were incarcerated in an upper room of the courthouse, closely guarded by about two hundred soldiers, with no communication allowed between them and anxious relatives. On Friday there were over four hundred citizens held as captives in the courthouse. General Crittenden, who had suffered a recent defeat, arrived the latter part of the week and called for the citizens of Murfreesboro to assemble at the courthouse, that he would address them on the situation. A good many met Saturday afternoon, and after recounting the tragedy of Monday, he said that the people of the town and county had complained they had had a good time; that on Monday he would inaugurate an iron rule, and when he got through with them they would be convinced they had had a good time in the previous few months; that he was determined to let the people know that this shooting and killing of Union soldiers must be stopped; that for every soldier hereafter shot and killed he would execute one hundred citizens in the community where it occurred; that he now gave them timely warning, and to be prepared to submit to his orders to the letter.

The clouds were dark and gloomy, and the pall of death seemed to hang over many; gloom was everywhere.

General Crittenden returned to his quarters at the old Spence Hotel, where he serenely retired, but impatiently awaited the arrival of Monday morning to put his mandates into effect. This was July 12. On this same evening Hon. Wash Burton, of Louisville, Ky., a Union man and nationally prominent, went before the authorities in behalf of Charley Ridley, and, on account of his youth, succeeded in getting with Mr. Burton, who pledged himself personally responsible for return of the boy the next morning; but a guard was sent with him as further surety of his return.

On Wednesday afternoon John Kimbro, a Confederate scout, had come in from Williamson and Davidson Counties on his way toward Sparta to report to General Forrest. He had not heard of the previously Monday's tragedy until he stopped at the home of W. B. Owen, whose wife was his cousin. He found Mrs. Owen almost crazed by her distress and learned that Elder Owen and others had been taken into Murfreesboro and were to be executed the next Monday. He tried to quiet her and told her under secrecy that General Forrest was on a ride to Kentucky and he would get him to turn to Murfreesboro and rescue those citizens from prison.

John Kimbro then went on to Lascassas and was having his horse shod when a Mr. Dill, a Union man, came out from Murfreesboro and was telling about the twelve men the Yankees were going to have shot the next Monday, charging them with killing the Yankees at the cross pikes. Kimbro got all the information he could—where the men were held and the number of men guarding them—and he remarked that they were going to execute the wrong men, as those citizens did not know who had done the killing. Dill said, "You seem to know something about it," to which Kimbro replied, "I do. I killed them." Dill asked: "Who are you?" "Captain Slick," said Kimbro. He knew Dill would report him, so he took a different direction from that he had intended to go, but, making a detour, he got on the way to Sparta, which he reached early Friday morning and found Forrest there. Kimbro reported to him the situation, and, after resting his command that day, on Saturday and Saturday night Forrest was in the vicinity of Murfreesboro. Just before daybreak on Sunday morning Capt. Ed Arnold made a detour through cornfields, being thoroughly acquainted with the country, intersecting the Woodbury Pike with his company of men between town and the Double Springs, two miles east of town, where the outpost pickets were, and coming up behind them from the town. Thinking the troops were Federal soldiers, and not suspecting anything, the pickets were surprised and captured without firing a gun. Then he proceeded toward town to the inner line of pickets, the prisoners in uniform in advance, and when halted by the pickets they answered that they were friends, a scouting party coming in, and without firing of a gun those pickets were taken.

Thus the road was clear, and General Forrest and his command at once proceeded to make an attack upon the 9th Michigan Infantry at Maney's Spring, in the suburbs of the town, at daylight, before they had arisen, and, with but slight casualties, captured them. Colonel Duffield, who had headquarters at Major Maney's residence, was wounded, and Dr. James Wendel, of Murfreesboro, was called in by Major Maney, the Federal surgeon being a man of no experience. The object of this maneuver of General Forrest was the rescue of the prisoners in the courthouse, and they rushed there. The two hundred Federals on guard were aroused by the firing and barricaded the doors of the courthouse, and from the windows upstairs they fired on the Confederates as they approached and surrounded the courthouse on the public square. Twenty-five Confederates were killed without any casualties to the Federals, as they were protected by the walls. Though commanded to surrender, they stubbornly resisted. Some of the Confederates dismounted and reached the courthouse, but found the doors barricaded and had nothing with which to batter them in. Some of them then retired to the back streets for protection, as they were exposed to the fire without any chance to shoot the enemy. Three men attempted to bring an ax to batter down the doors and were shot down at the gate of the courthouse yard. A young Texan, about twenty, under protection of the wall, made a dash for the ax at the gate, and though fired on while going and coming, succeeded in getting the ax to the courthouse, when the doors were battered in and a fire was started on the brick floor at the foot of the stairway of the in the hall. The smoke wended its way upstairs, and the Federals ran a white flag out of the window. To capture them and liberate the prisoners was the paramount object of Forrest's coming to Murfreesboro, but it was achieved by a reckless and unnecessary sacrifice of life and casualties. The Federals in the courthouse, well protected by the walls, could shoot from the windows with deadly aim at the Confederates, who recklessly exposed themselves to their fire without being able to reach the Federals, and some twenty-five were killed, the only place they lost a man. This loss could have been avoided by dismounting the men and making the assault. The major of the 2nd Georgia Cavalry had eleven bullet wounds and fell off his horse near the Methodist church; and a lieutenant of the 2nd Georgia Cavalry, standing near the first window on the east side of the courthouse, north of the balcony, was shot in the head, the blood spattering on the brick wall by the window; and the blood stain is on the wall to this day. He was shot by Federals concealed in a house on the northeast side of the square. The eagerness to rescue the prisoners in the courthouse was the cause of such a mad and rash rush, which cost so many lives. The major of the 2nd Georgia eventually recovered from his eleven wounds and returned to his place in the regiment.

The next thing that especially interested the people of Murfreesboro was the capture of Capt. O. C. Rounds, the oppressive provost marshal, who spared no occasion to exercise his tyranny. The ladies of Murfreesboro urged the Confederates to get Captain Rounds and pointed out the house in which he had quarters, but they were told he was not there. Frantic and furious over the failure to get him, some of the ladies ran into the streets in the night attire, calling upon the soldiers to go back and search the house. Again they went to the house, and no finding him in the downstairs rooms, they proceed upstairs and demanded entrance to a room whose door they found closed and bolted. They were appealed to not to come in there, as only ladies were in the room, and they were in their night attire. The Confederates insisted they must get in, that the ladies would not be disturbed, and so they were reluctantly admitted and searched every place where he could be, finding no man-They were about to leave when they noticed an unusually fat feather bed in the room, which they proceeded to investigate, turning it up and back, when lo and behold! there was a man in thin summer underwear—Captain Rounds, thus attired in a room with his wife and three young women in their night dresses. This was not customary in Murfreesboro, so he was taken down in this garb and placed on a mule behind a brawny Texan and sent out of town. The rejoicing of the people of Murfreesboro was at high pitch.

After this achievement the next thing was to capture the 3rd Minnesota Infantry, some cavalry, and a battery about two miles north of town on Stone's River, at Murfree Springs. About 2 P.M., General Forrest proceeded with his command and sent in a flag of truce, demanding a surrender, saying he had captured the other commands and did not wish to have further bloodshed. The commanding officer, Colonel Lester, asked for two hours to consider. General Forrest replied: "I will give you five minutes, and at the end of that time, I will ask no quarter and will give nor quarter." This emphatic and decisive enunciation struck them with terror, and without the firing of a gun they surrendered and were marched into town. The public square was blue with bluecoats, and here and there was a Confederate stationed, not much more than a corporal's guard. Colonel Lester was afterwards court-martialed and cashiered for cowardice. This 3rd Minnesota Regiment was about nine hundred strong, of stalwart Westerners, and they were greatly chagrinned over their fate.

I should have told of the capture of General Crittenden, who was quartered at the Spence Hotel. About sunup, before he had arisen from his bed, there was a knock at his door and a demand of him to open it. He thought it rather discourteous and wanted to know why he was so rudely disturbed, receiving the answer that this was no time to parley or indulge in formalities, and instant opening of the door was demanded. Upon opening it, he was astounded to be confronted by a dozen or more gray jackets, who told him to dress and come with them. You can imagine how disappointed he felt that he could have not the satisfaction of commencing his "iron rule" on Monday morning, as he had so arrogantly boasted on the previous Saturday evening.

We will revert to another incident of the day. Charley Ridley, who was a prisoner in the courthouse, having been returned under pledge of the Hon. Wash Burton, was awakened by the firing of guns and, looking out and seeing the Confederates dashing down the streets, donned his clothes, got himself a horse, saddle, and gun, and joined in the fray. Rejoicing at being free, he was ready to fight to liberate those yet in prison and dashed here and there, trying to do all he could, as on the morrow he was to be hanged or shot.

The prisoners were soon on their march to McMinnville, twenty-five miles east of Murfreesboro, where they were paroled and the commissioned officers were sent South to prison. Notwithstanding it was sad for so many brave and gallant soldiers to sacrifice their lives to liberate the twelve men upon whom the death sentence had been passed, the rejoicing in Murfreesboro was never at such high pitch before. Forrest captured about 1,200 men with his 800.

Lord Wolsey, commander in chief of the British army, pronounced this feat the most brilliant in military annals.

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