-Chapter III- SLAVERY, WAR, AND RECONSTRUCTION (1850-1900)
War Comes to Murray
The War Between the States drew closer and closer. The Southern states called for conventions to decide on the question of secession. Georgia was no exception and set January 16, 1861 as the date for the convention to open in Milledgeville. Each county sent delegates and Murray was represented by Euclid Waterhouse and Anderson Farnsworth (County Ordinary and Justice of the Inferior Court).
Since plantation-owning, slaveholding men like Edmondson. Morris, and Carter were in the minority, the citizens of Murray, like most of the mountain counties, sent "Union" delegates to the convention to voice their opinions and vote against secession. However, the majority of the delegates voted to leave the Union and Georgia seceded.
After Georgia cast her lot with the Confederacy, the men of Murray rallied to protect their homeland. Ten full companies went to the front from Murray led by R.E. Wilson, William Luffman, J.D.W. McDonald, John Beck, John Oats, I.W. Avery, William Harris, Tom Polk Edmondson. A.J. Leonard, and Sam Garner. At least 1000 men enlisted in Murray County and several hundred others enlisted in surrounding counties such as Whitfield, Gilmer. and even in Tennessee. Additional men left Murray County and joined the Federal troops, refusing to fight for slavery and see the Union dissolved.
Levi Branham records seeing a group of soldiers drilling near Spring Place in 1861. Recruiting officers visited the area often and advertised their arrival like the poster below which was provided by Miss Lula Bates of Atlanta:
The war began. More and more men left their homes in the shadow of Fort Mountain for Virginia, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Many felt the war would last only a few months and each side was sure of winning. Thus few long-term preparations were made to keep things going at home and by 1863 many residents were suffering though the war had not yet come to Murray soil. County historian Charles Shriner described the situation in Murray as follows:
. . . turn with pride to the brave deeds and unselfish devotion displayed by Murray's sons on many a field of battle. . .The slaves as a rule, remained true to their masters during the war. While the men were away fighting, the slaves stayed to labor for and protect women and children at home. . .Murray's noble women deserve a tribute for their great self-sacrifice. Wilh their own hands often unused to toil, they struggled to keep the wolf from the door and even found time to make clothing. . .for the boys at the front. All honor to these noble women and may their daughters not be found wanting in those graces that have made their mothers immortal.
Levi Branham adds: "Salt was so scarce that my mistress had her servants dig up her smoke house and boil the dirt down to salt."
The Civil War Diary of John Coffee Williamson reveals the sad condition in Murray County by 1864. A member of General Joe Wheeler's party when it rode through Murray on its way to help defend Dalton, Mr. Williamson penned these lines on April 14. 1864:
I came on into Murray. . .and found many. . .glad io see us. . The bushwhackers are having everything their own way. and are taking any kind of property they want. . . Passed through Spring Place and found things in a very dilapidated condition.
No military action took place in Murray until the late summer of 1863 as the Battle of Chickamauga occurred. According to Mr. Branham the sound of that battle could be heard in Murray and as the Edmondsons "refugeed" to South Georgia, a detachment of Bragg's army rode through the Spring Place area. The Confederates won at Chickamauga and the Union forces retreated to Chattanooga. In November, 1863, the Confederates were driven south and Bragg set up headquarters in Dalton. In all likelihood Confederate soldiers visited Murray County to gather food for the arrny during the winter. Bragg was then replaced by General Joseph E. Johnston, who began rebuilding the morale of the troops. In the spring General William T. Sherman look command at Chattanooga, replacing Ulysses Grant who had been moved to Virginia to oppose Robert E. Lee. Two skirmishes took place in the vicinity of Spring Place. One occurred on February 27, 1864 as Thomas was advancing. The second and seemingly more severe was in April. Both encounters took place west of Spring Place. A letter from Union General George H. Thomas describes the April battle as follows;
Early on the morning of the 15th Maj, Gen. Steedman, with two regiments of white and six companies of colored troops arrived at Dalton from Chattanooga and immediately attacked the enemy, driving him off toward Spring Place, after four hours of fighting. The enemy's loss was heavy-he left his dead and wounded on the field. Our loss was 40 killed, 55 wounded. We captured about 50 wounded and two surgeons.
Thomas remained on Murray soil until the next day when he crossed the Conasauga River and returned to Dalton.
On May 4, 1864, Sherman received orders to advance toward Atlanta. The strategy of General Johnston was to preserve the Western & Atlantic Railroad while the strategy of General Sherman was to move Johnston east toward Murray County away from the railroad. Therefore, Sherman placed very few troops other than scouting parties on the eastern side of Dalton, Most of these raiding and scouting parties were met by General Joe Wheeler's troops.
The Federal troops advanced toward Dalton via Ringgold and Catoosa Springs, but they were met with heavy fighting at Tunnel Hill and "Buzzard's Roost." Sherman then went around Dalton, forcing the Confederates to retreat to Resaca in Gordon County. Many Murray soldiers participated in this battle. The Yankees camped at Tilton and some might have crossed over into Murray in that area. After Resaca, Sherman moved steadily toward Atlanta which after many battles and the siege, finally surrendered to him on September 4,1864. After the fall of Atlanta, General Hood, now in command of the Army of Tennessee, came back through Dalton in October on his trip to Nashville where he was again defeated.
From October to the following April most of what took place in Northwest Georgia was guerrilla-type raids on Union troops. One of the most famous of these raids occurred in Murray County in April, 1865. The leader was none other than Tom Polk Edmondson.
For many years the only knowledge of this battle was a poem entitled "North Georgia Scouts" written by James Maurice Thompson. Finally a Murray County historian, Conway Gregory, Jr., did extensive research on this topic and here we turn to his fascinating account of the life and death of Tom Polk Edmondson and his North Georgia Scouts.
The entire Edmondson family strongly supported the tradition of slavery. Tom Polk was among the first Murray Countians to join the cause of the Confederacy, enlisting at the age of 17. He first joined the "Murray Rifles" but was soon given a position as staff clerk and later as a recruiter. Eager to see action and bored with his current assignment, Tom Polk paid someone to substitute for him. He then reenlisted as a second lieutenant in another regiment. Tom Polk immediately found himself in the thick of many battles having become a part of the Army of Tennessee. In 1864 he obtained the rank of major.
During General Sherman's Atlanta campaign, Major Edmondson was in command of a small cavalry unit of about 75 men near Spring Place. From this base of operations, the North Georgia Scouts carried out raids against the Union Army and harassed citizens who were sympathetic to the Union cause. His tactics allegedly included killing men and women. From the Southern perspective, his guerrilla-type operations proved to be highly successful.
These hit-and-run maneuvers finally drew the Federal Cavalry into the area to stalk Edmondson and his Scouts. On October 20, 1864 Major U.K. Fox wrote to Major General Steadman, commander of the Army of the Cumberland around Dalton, requesting that a cavalry unit of 25 men who were familiar with the area around Spring Place be placed in his charge to pursue Edmondson. During the fall of 1864 and winter of 1865 Major Fox tried in vain to track down the North Georgia Scouts.
Not until April 3, 1865, during a Dalton-to-Spring Place expedition of the 147th Illinois Infantry and Sixth Tennessee Cavalry under the command of lieutenant Colonel Werner W. Bjerg, did Edmondson and his little band of Confederates meet their doom. Bjerg's forces left Dalton around 9:00 Saturday morning April 1, enroute to Spring Place. He had a force of 300 men at his disposal, infantry under the charge of Major Bush and an 80-man cavalry under Major Bean. After crossing the river at Glace Ferry, the expeditionary force camped in Spring Place Saturday night following an exchange of gunfire with pickets. Six known Rebel sympathizers were taken prisoner including A. and Z, Wilkins, Jared Fox, J.C. Henry, Charles Staples, F.C, Farmer, and Judge Ellro(d). On Sunday morning the Infantry and Cavalry began their advance south to Holly Creek. About two miles south of Spring Place, Bjerg's advance guard was attacked by a small force of Confederates under the command of a Captain Williams who was badly wounded in this skirmish. Oliver Brown, a Confederate private, was taken prisoner near Holly Creek. The Federal force moved down the Calhoun Road to Tucker's where a horse, a saddle, and a shotgun were confiscated. After passing Lee Allen 's house the company left the Calhoun Road to travel a country road to Hogan's house on the Coosawattee, On the way, B. Gassaway was taken prisoner. Since it was quite late in the afternoon when the Federals reached the river, Bjerg decided to camp at Hogan's house and wait until morning before attempting to cross the river.
On Monday morning, April 3, 1865, the expedition advanced to McLoath Ford on the Coosawattee. There were two ferries near Mr. Hogan's, one above the house and the other below it. Bjerg planned to utilize the ferries in addition to the ford. With a force of between 150 and 200 men, Major Edmondson had set up headquarters and a line of defense on the other side of the river to thwart the Federal's crossing. His North Georgia Scouts had been reinforced with several squads under the charges of Captain Rodgers, Captain Willraur, Captain Tate, and Lieutenant Ring.
Edmondson had his force waiting in ambush to attack when the attempted crossing began. Bjerg quickly ordered his force divided into two detachments. He sent Majors Bush and Bean up the Coosawattee with orders to cross and outflank the enemy. The Majors went about two miles up the river where they seized Samuel Montgomery's boat and successfully crossed the river. Bjerg took his other detachment 1 ˝ miles south where he forced a Confederate sympathizer (known only a citizen Fuqua) to give him his boat which was anchored in the Sallicoa (Salliquoy) Creek. Under fire from hidden Rebels, Bjerg's detachment crossed the Coosawattee in the boat. Once across, the Federals captured and set fire to a small log house which the Confederates were using as a defense barrier. The force then began their advance north along the river.
At the Rullarno Ferry, Bjerg divided his detachment. Half of the men were left to guard the ferry and the teams of wagons which were under constant fire from the Rebels. The remainder of his group continued their advance north toward Shepard's to link with Majors Bush and Bean. After rendezvousing with Bush and Bean, Bjerg moved swiftly back down the river to John Ballew's house which had been Edmondson's headquarters earlier in the day. When they arrived Edmondson and his force had already deserted the home. Bjerg ordered the torch set to Ballew's distillery and began his pursuit of Edmondson.
The Federals advanced rapidly south along the river to Zachariah Wilson's house. Here Major Edmondson regrouped his forces and, after observing a scattered enemy force, decided upon an offensive assault on the Federal's rear guard. When the attack came, Bjerg moved to regroup his forces around the wagons and supplies at the Rullarno Ferry crossing.
All afternoon, Edmondson ordered offensive charges against Bjerg's force as they retired back across the river. Each time the Scouts were repulsed. In one of the last charges of the day, personally led by Edmondson, the Major received a fatal wound to the face and back in hand-to-hand combat.
At the end of the day, the Federals withdrew to Hogan's house and bivouacked for the night. They returned Edmondson's body to the Confederates, but kept his gun and saddle. The next morning they returned to Dalton via the Tilton Ford on the Conasauga River. Hogan. his son, and citizen Fuqua were taken prisoner.
The Federals suffered only three casualties and no deaths in the entire day of fighting. Besides Major Edmondson's death, the Confederates sustained a loss of 12 to 15 men including a lieutenant whose name is unknown. Captain Rodgers assumed temporary command of the North Georgia Scouts which remained active until shortly after General Johnston's surrender to General Sherman in Durham, North Carolina, on April 26, 1865. Captain Rodgers ordered Major Edmondson's body returned to his family. Today he rests in the Spring Place Cemetery in the family plot. The tombstone, small but not hard to find, reads: "Tom Polk Edmondson Born August 1844, Killed in Battle, April 3, 1865." Thompson's poem which records the battle is well written and is the only historical reminder of the most important military engagement on Murray soil.
North Georgia Scouts
rode a horse, a dappled bay.
Coal black his mane and tail-
A horse that never needed spur.
Nor curb, nor martingale.
And by my side three others rode,
Sun-tanned, long-haired and grim,
Wild men led on by Edmondson,
Tom Polk, you 've heard of him.
Behind us galloped, four by four
A swarthy, mottled band
Of reckless fellows, chosen from
The bravest in the land.
Whether away on that fair day?
Oh, just a dash of fun.
To speed our horses and keep up
With Tom Polk Edmondson.
Behind our backs we left the hills;
We crossed the Salliquoy:
My right-hand Comrade smiled and said:
"I fished here when a boy. "
Then from the rise at Hogan 's house,
I saw as in a dream
Red-fringed and silver-blue and deep.
The Coosawatte gleam.
A shot rang out! A bullet split
The air so close to me,
I felt the keen hot puff, and then
A roar of musketry.
A leader wind blew from the wood;
We met it at a run;
We sped so fast along the lane
The worn fence panels spun.
A horse went down, a dying face
Scowled darkly at the sky;
A bullet clipped my Comrade's hat.
And lopped the brim awry.
"Come boys; Come on!"our leader cried.
Pell mell we struck the line.
My Comrade's pistol spat its balls.
And likewise so did mine.
A swirl of smoke with rifts of fire
Enveloped friend and foe;
Death, so embarrassed, hardly knew
Which way his strokes must go.
The fight closed in on every side.
And tore one spot of ground;
There was not room to swing an arm
Or turn your horse around.
A moment thus and there we broke
The circle of our foes.
Old Hogan, in his doorway, heard
The crunching of our blows.
Then, while we used our pistol butts.
As swords on many a head;
And yet, and yet, down in that wood
We left our leader, dead
So, now you know just how it was
We had our little fun,
Speeding our horses to keep up
With Tom Polk Kdmondson.
James Maurice Thompson, In History of'Murray County, 1911
The residents of Murray suffered a great deal during this time. Mrs. Milma Earnest remembers her grandmothers telling of "hogbacks" who roamed the area pillaging and destroying property. "My grandmother Peeples' silver was stolen and my grandmother Stanford persuaded the raiders to leave a half-blind horse so that she and the children could make a garden," Mrs. Earnest says. The Home Guard, consisting of men too old for active service and boys who were too young, was left to protect the area. However, late in the War, the ranks of the Home Guard had been depleted as young men lied about their ages and older men were allowed to enlist when the conscription age was raised to 45 and then to 55 in order to fill the gaps in the Confederate ranks. Mrs. Bill Warmack reports that Joseph C .Henry was the only man left in the town of Spring Place one time because he was a blacksmith and indeed a very few males were civilians by 1865.
Mr. J.M- McGhee of Spring Place hid his wife and children in meat boxes for protection on one occasion. The McGhees lived quite near the skirmish of 1864 as several soldiers were buried on their property. Many buttons, mini-balls, and relics were found in this area—now known as McGhee Hill, just south of Spring Place. On another occasion Mrs. Mary Amanda Cleveland McGhee found a 16-year-old Union soldier in her barn. She and the youngsters dug a shallow grave and buried him in the Spring Place Cemetery where the American Legion Post 167 placed a marker in 1976.
A house near the Spring Place Cemetery was converted into a hospital in 1864. Some sources say the site was on the north side of the cemetery while others say the hospital was located a short distance west of the cemetery near the present Spring Place Church of God. Records reveal that several patients died of smallpox at this hospital.
Other areas of the county were subject to raids also. One group of soldiers went through the northeast corner of Murray and it is said that they actually rode their horses through the wide, central hall of the old Summerhour House near Crandall, (Located on what is now Highway 225, the house was torn down in 1980) This group could possibly be the same one that raided the Alaculsey Valley area in the extreme northeast corner of Murray, deep in the mountains.
One of the early settlers in this area was Solomon Fouts, a well-to-do businessman and slaveowner. Apparently he used slaves to help operate his mills and wood-working shop as well as his farm. His descendants tell that early one winter morning a raiding party came to the Fouts home and stayed four days. The invaders killed cattle and hogs, had the women cooking around the clock with no rest, took the beds, and crowded the fire, even burning the furniture. The men abused the children and finally hanged Solomon Fouts to a limb of a large oak tree in the yard. Following an argument, the group shot one of their own men. The women fainted and someone then discovered that Mr. Fouts was not dead! Evidently, the noose was not tied properly and so Mr. Fouts was released and ordered to bury the dead soldier. Finally the intruders decided to leave but took all the livestock and money they could, leaving only a calf and a pig.
Over in the northwest part of the county three interesting incidents are remembered, all involving Rev. S.H. Henry, founder and pastor of Sumach Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Early in the War a group of soldiers raided his farm and impressed all of the minister's horses. Thus, Mr. Henry was forced to walk to meet his appointments for the next four years, but was never late to a religious service. The second incident was later in the War when troops entered the house while the family was having devotions and demanded the keys to the smokehouse. Rev. Henry calmly told the officers that he would talk to them when the worship was over. Soon the room was filled with kneeling soldiers. Instead of robbing the smokehouse, the soldiers thanked the minister for the prayer and departed. The last event happened during the August 1865 revival at Sumach. Rev, Henry unbuckled pistols from many Union and Confederate soldiers who still wore the blue and the gray, placing the firearms on the altar.
Also, in this section of Murray, soldiers were buried on the R.F. Hill farm on Highway 225 North. Many other Murray residents report that soldiers' graves could be found on their property.
Finally the long war ended, Murray soldiers were present with Lee at Appomattox and with Johnston in North Carolina. A number of the men returned to their mountain homes, but many did not. Some had wounds from which they would never fully recover, while others were soon restored to health and lived for many years after the war. There are many sad stories which could be recounted in this respect, but space does not permit the inclusion of all of them. However, two particularly touching accounts warrant mention.
William and Lucy Morris Jackson, respected citizens who lived near the foot of Fort Mountain, had six sons who enlisted in the War. Three of them— Benjamin, Eppie and John—were killed in battle while a fourth, William, Jr., died from exposure soon after the surrender. Only Tom and Frank survived the conflict.
In another instance Harris Bramblett, who lived south of Spring Place, was over 50 and did not enlist until July 1, 1864 as Sherman progressed through Georgia. He already had two sons fighting for the South. He was mustered into service on July 2 and was sent to Atlanta. There, on July 22, he was killed, only 21 days after enlisting. The sons were in the same battle.
All of those who returned to Murray soil were shocked at the state of their society. They had given their all for a lost cause. Murray County was not a Richmond or a Vicksburg, but it, too, suffered greatly during this War Between the States The veterans returned home to rebuild their lives and their county, succeeding very well. For the remainder of the nineteenth century these veterans dominated the government of Murray County and were among the most respected of all citizens.
No history of the Civil War would be complete without letters and sketches written by the participants. James Y. Baynes, who lived in the Bull Pen District, penned these lines to his wife, Bettie, from Portsmouth, Virginia, June 23,1861-soon after the War began: Dear Bettie,
I received your letter two weeks ago it was only four days on the way here. I was very glad to hear from you that you were all well. 1 wrote to you a few days ago but the letter by some neglect of our mail boy it was not carried to the office, so I will not send that one but the one I write today, 1 was very sick last week but I am well at present. There has been two deaths in out regiment and one drummed out on account of being a rouge, . . his company beat him neatly to death, he was from Augusta. Another from the same place had to wear a ball and chain fourteen days, he deserted last night. Another has been severely punished this week, he has a large pasteboard on his back with "A coward in war, bu( base enough to offer violence to a woman" in great big letters on the pasteboard, he is chained . . .for public spectacle. He is from Covington but 1 forget his name. There is nearly two hundred men sick in our camp with measles and pneumonia. Ben Hollis is very sick at a friend's house in Portsmouth ... We in our regiment has had no fight yet, but can hear the guns of those that are fighting everyday. It is very probable that we will have chance soon as we are expecting orders to march into Pennsylvania .. .
We are well supplied with corn, meal, flour, bacon, beef, mutton, peas, beans, cabbage, and sugar and coffee, living very well I think, each mess has a negro woman to do their cooking and washing ... $1 for each man,
Bettie I never have had the least idea of being killed or wounded. 1 do not believe that god ever intended for a Yankee to kill me. I'm not afraid of being killed ... 1 am willing. 1 never think in the least that we are parted forever. I believe firmly we will meet again and live some time in peace and happiness ... I will have money to send you very soon ... do not refuse to take what was promised to me by my Captain that you and the children should be provided for...
Kiss Bob and ____ for me and I want you to take particular care of them for you have nothing else to do....your affectionate husband,. James Y. Baynes
P.S. 1 weigh eight pounds more than I ever did in my life and they all say here that I look younger... I will look so well when I come home I am afraid you will fall in love wirh me!
(Courtesy of Louise Coker)
This undated and unsigned letter shows the sadness endured by the young who were separated by the conflict:
My Dear Esther, 1 regret to have to report to you that 1 have to report to Dalton tomorrow at my company and you see that I can not go with the one that feels dear to me to Calhoun. My loving Esther if you please take my watch and ring and keep them for the one that loves you dearer than any person until I get to see you. I am going to try and get a furlough when 1 go over to Dalton. 1 will return, if not I will stay with my company. I would like to see you before you left but I suppose I can not. 1 wrote you a note by your ______ last evening but I did not know at that time that 1 would have to go but since I have been informed different. Betsy has said a great deal about you and I instructed her last nipht on your account and I will again, I do not allow people to talk about my friends if I can prevent it. 1 think I did right. If it is agreeable with you I will visit you at your new home but 1 want you to address me at Dalton and 1 will be sure to get it. If I come back home Mr. Durham will bring my letters to me. The mail is so uncertain at Spring Place, I might not get it. Direct in care of Capt. Wilson Co. A 87th a Reg. Bells Brigade, Dalton, Ga. 1 will think of you often and 1 hope you will of me. I would be glad that you would stay but 1 hope you will return with me in the summer. My dear please write me a note. By M,_______
Letter courtesy of Mrs. Jackie Gray, San Luis Obispo, CA
One veteran wrote the following account several years after the war ended. (Retaining his spelling and punctuation.)
Murray County Heritage