A Stovepipe And Blindness

Confederate Adam Rankin “Stovepipe” Johnson was promoted Brigadier General on September 6^th 1864.

Adam Rankin Johnson was born February 8^th 1834 in Henderson, Kentucky the son of Thomas J and Juliet (Rankin) Johnson.  He attended local schools before going to work at the age of 12 in a local drugstore.  He moved to the Hamilton Valley, in Burnet County, Texas in 1854, where he became a surveyor.  Johnson also supplied and drove stagecoach for the Butterfield Overland Mail stations, and was a noted Indian fighter.

When the Civil War started, Johnson returned to his native state of Kentucky, and joined Nathan Bedford Forrest’s cavalry as a scout.  He escaped being captured at Fort Donelson, and received a promotion to Colonel for his and his regiment’s actions well behind Union lines in Kentucky.  In a raid against Newburg, Indiana, Johnson with twelve men captured the city by using two joints of stovepipe he mounted to an old wagon convincing the Union presence it was a cannon.  This was how he picked up the nickname “Stovepipe”.  In 1863 Johnson took command of a brigade in Confederate Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan’s cavalry.  When Morgan’s raid came to an end at the Battle of Buffington Island, Johnson led 350 troopers across the Ohio River to safety.  He was appointed Brigadier General September 6^th 1864.  An accidental shot by one of own men on August 21^st 1864 at the Battle of Grubb’s Crossroads blinded Johnson.  He was captured by Union soldiers and spent most of the rest of the war in Fort Warren as a prisoner of war.

After the war ended and Johnson was paroled, he returned to Texas.  Even though he was blind, Johnson founded the town of Marble Falls, Texas; known as “The Blind Man’s Town”, founded the Texas Mining Improvement Company  and worked to try to harness the Colorado River for water power.  He died October 20^th 1922 in Burnet, Texas and is buried in the Texas State Cemetery in Austin, Texas.  His body was laid in state in the Senate Chamber of the Texas State Capitol.

Part Of Memphis' Defenses

The Memphis Battery Light Artillery which would be part of the Union 1^st Tennessee Battery was mustered into service on October 31^st 1863 at Memphis, Tennessee.

The Memphis Battery Light Artillery was made up of black men and was organized in Memphis, Tennessee.  They mustered into Union service for three years under the command of Captain Carl A Lamberg on October 31^st 1863.  The Memphis Light was attached to the 1^st Tennessee Heavy Artillery Regiment as Battery M.  A part of the 5^th Division of the XVI Corps until January 1864, when they became part of the 1^st Colored Brigade.

The regiment performed garrison duty in Memphis until April 1864.  One section of the Memphis Light was sent to Fort Pillow on February 15^th 1864 where during the assault on the fort they manned two 6 pound James Rifles.  Almost every man from the 35 man detachment was either killed or listed as missing after Confederate Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest took the fort on April 12^th 1864.  The next action the Memphis Light saw was in the Battle of Brice’s Cross Roads, where the unit had to abandon a section of guns that they spiked before leaving the field.

They were still part of the defenses of the city of Memphis, Tennessee until December 1864.  The men of the Memphis Light mustered out of service on December 11^th 1865.

Can't Keep Him Out Of The Bedroom

The Second Battle of Memphis, was part of a raid made by Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest August 21^st 1864 in Shelby County, Tennessee.

On August 21^st 1864 Confederate Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest made a raid on Memphis, Tennessee in the early morning hours.  He was not trying to capture the town which was occupied by about 6,000 Union troops.  Bedford hit the town with three things in mind, first to cause Union troops to pull back out of Mississippi, second to capture the Union generals posted there and lastly to break free the Confederate prisoners of war being held at the Irving Block Prison.

Moving into Memphis with about 1,500 cavalry, Forrest used the heavy morning fog to get past Union patrols.  The Confederates galloped through the streets of Memphis firing off shots at Union troops.  They did not find the generals, although one, Union Major General Cadwallader Colden Washburn made his escape to Fort Pickering in his night shirt.  Union troops were able to prevent the attack on the Irving Block Prison, and so after two hours Forrest withdrew his men.  The Confederates cut the telegraph wire, gathered supplies, a large number of horses and about 500 Union prisoners.

Union Major General Stephen Augustus Hurlbut, the commander of the Union Army of Gulf said of Forrest after the raid, "There it goes again! They superseded me with Washburn because I could not keep Forrest out of West Tennessee, and Washburn cannot keep him out of his own bedroom!"

Sherman Ordered Town Destroyed

The Battle of Meridian was fought February 14^th through the 20^th 1864 in Lauderdale County, Mississippi, with Union Major General William Tecumseh Sherman inflicting a great deal of damage to the town.

Following the Union victory at Vicksburg and the burning of the Mississippi state capital, Union Major General William Tecumseh Sherman turned his forces east toward Meridian, Mississippi.  Meridian was home to a Confederate arsenal, prison of war camp, hospital and a railroad center.  The Union plan was to take Meridian and then move onto Selma and Mobile, Alabama.

About 20,000 Union troops under Sherman moved out from Vicksburg on February 3^rd 1864 and another 7,000 cavalry under Brigadier General William Sooy Smith left from Memphis, Tennessee traveling along the Mobile and Ohio Railroad.  The two forces were supposed to meet at Meridian.

Confederate Lieutenant General Leonidas Polk merged his troops near Morton, Mississippi.   Sherman made some feints to keep Polk guessing about his real target.  Confederate Calvary under Major General Stephen D Lee skirmished with the Union troops as they moved toward Meridian.  When Polk realized that Sherman was moving on Meridian he evacuated on February 14^th 1864 falling back to Demopolis, Alabama, to launch an attack into the Union rear.

Smith didn’t make it to Meridian as he ran into Confederate troops led by Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest at West Point, Mississippi, and was forced to retreat into Tennessee.  Sherman’s army in Meridian didn’t know about Smith’s retreat and he waited in Meridian until February 20^th 1864.  Deciding at that point to move back to Vicksburg, Sherman ordered that Meridian be destroyed.  The Union troops burned and tore up 115 miles of track, 61 bridges, 20 trains, and 3 sawmills.  The Union troops left the city without any food, Sherman said that “Meridian with its depots, store-houses, arsenal, hospitals, offices, hotels, and cantonments no longer exists.”

They Held For Three Charges

Confederate Brigadier General Nathan Bedford Forrest’s Cavalry push out a detachment of Union cavalry December 18^th 1862 near Lexington, Kentucky.

Union troops received reports on December 16^th 1862 that Confederate Brigadier General Nathan Bedford Forrest had crossed the Tennessee River just north of Savannah, Tennessee.  The intelligence said that Forrest had 2,000 men with him and was heading for the Mobile & Ohio Railroad.  Acting on this information the Union sent Colonel Robert G Ingersoll with about 700 men, including 2 guns that were part of an Indiana Battery to defend the town of Lexington, Tennessee.

Ingersoll prepared for the Confederates advance by positioning pickets east of town along Beech Creek and burning two bridges that crossed the creek southeast of town.  Forrest was spotted on the night of December 17^th 1862.  Union troops pulled in to within two miles of town and Ingersoll prepared to fight along the State and Lower Roads.  Union Major Otto Funke, located 4 miles down the State Road began the fight with Forrest’s troopers at dawn on December 18^th 1862.  After several hours of fighting the Confederates overtook Funke’s force.  Forrest sent most of his men up Lower Road.  Ingersoll tried to mass his troops on Lower Road, but was to late.  The Union men held for three charges, before being overrun.

Forrest’s men captured both of the Union cannons and 149 men including Ingersoll.  The Union prisoners were held at Trenton, Tennessee for a few days before being paroled.

The Other Minnesota Regiment

The 3^rd Minnesota was completely mustered into Union service November 14^th 1861 at Fort Snelling, Minnesota.

Mustered into the Union Army by companies at Fort Snelling, Minnesota, between October 2^nd and November 14^th 1861, the 3^rd Minnesota was sent to Kentucky.  There the unit was placed on garrison duty in Kentucky and Tennessee.  Must of the men of the 3^rd were taken prisoner July 13^th 1862 by Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest at Murfreesboro, Tennessee.  The men were paroled and sent to Benton Barracks in St Louis, Missouri to wait for exchange.  The official exchange took place August 27^th 1862, and the 3^rd was transferred back to Minnesota.  In it’s home state the men were used to suppress the September 1862 Dakota War.

The 3^rd was reorganized at Fort Snelling following the Dakota War, and they returned in January 1863 to garrison duty in Kentucky and Tennessee.  They were called to join the Siege of Vicksburg, and they participated in the capture of Little Rock, Arkansas on September 10^th 1863.  The 3^rd would remain in the city on garrison duty until April 28^th 1864.  The 3^rd took part in an expedition up the White River in Arkansas, which ended in the Battle of Fitzhugh’s Woods April 1^st 1864.

The 3^rd was discharged from military duty September 16^th 1865 at Fort Snelling, Minnesota.  They lost 17 men who died in battle or of their wounds.  They also saw 279 soldiers die from disease.

The First Time In Town

In Rutherford County, Tennessee on July 13th 1862 the First Battle of Murfreesboro was fought.


Union Major General Don Carlos Buell started his Army of the Ohio toward Chattanooga, Tennessee from Corinth, Mississippi on June 10th 1862. In response to this Union threat, Confederate Brigadier General Nathan Bedford Forrest moved to Chattanooga. In early July Confederate cavalry under Forrest and Colonel John Hunt Morgan began raiding around Middle Tennessee and Kentucky.

On July 9th 1862 Forrest took two cavalry regiments and left Chattanooga. He met up with some other Confederate units, making his total force about 1,400 men. The target was the Union supply depot on the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Union troops under Brigadier General Thomas Turpin Crittenden where garrisoned in three location around the town of Murfreesboro. They were made up of parts of four companies of infantry, cavalry and artillery. In the early morning of July 13th 1862 Forrest’s cavalry engaged Union picket east of Murfreesboro, and then overran a Union hospital and the camp of the 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry. The Confederate soldiers then moved onto the Union troops at the Murfreesboro’s jail and courthouse. By that afternoon all of the Union troops had surrendered, a total of about 1,000 men. The Confederates destroyed the railroad tracks and most of the Union supplies. The Confederates lost about 150 men.

A Running Eleven Mile Fight

The Battle of Okolona was fought February 22nd 1864 in Chickasaw County, Mississippi.


Union General William Sooy Smith left Memphis, Tennessee with about 7,000 men to connect with the Union army stationed at Meridian, Mississippi under the command of Union Major General William Tecumseh Sherman. Meridian was a railroad center. After delaying his march by ten days Smith ran into Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forest’s cavalry on February 21st 1864. A fight between the two forces began on the prairie south of Okolona, on February 22nd 1864. The Union troops constructed barriers around their positions. Forest made frontal and flanking attacks, cutting gaps in the Union line. When Forest received reinforcements the Union troops were routed with five cannons being left behind. Union forces made a stand on a ridge, bringing on a series of attacks, at which time Forest’s brother Jeffrey Forest was shot and killed. Smith’s Union soldiers began a running fight of eleven miles.

Forest ordered an end to the pursuit because he was running low on ammunition. Smith’s soldiers escaped over the state line back into Tennessee at Collierville on February 26th 1864, where he was criticized for screwing up Sherman’s Meridian Expedition. Smith resigned from the army and returned to his civilian life. There were about a 150 casualties, about 100 for the Union and 50 for the Confederates.

Fight Front And Back

The Battle of Parker’s Cross Roads was fought in Henderson County, Tennessee December 31st 1862.


Union Brigadier General Jeremiah C Sullivan with two brigades under the commands of Colonels Cyrus L Dunham and John W Fuller were trying to keep Confederate Brigadier General Nathan Bedford Forrest from re-crossing the Tennessee River. Forrest was trying to get back from West Tennessee after his raid to cut the railroad. Around nine on the morning of December 31st 1862 the two sides meet at Parker’s Cross Road and began skirmishing. Forrest took up position along a wooded ridge and with the Confederate artillery got the advantage. Dunham’s brigade repelled several attacks to their front and flanks suffering heavy casualties.

Forrest sent Dunham a demand for surrender during a lull in the fighting. Dunham refused and was getting ready for the next Confederate attack when Fuller’s brigade arrived. Fuller’s men surprised the Confederates and made an attack on their rear. Forrest changed fronts attacking Fuller, then changed fronts again rushing past Dunham’s brigade. The Confederates withdrew to the south to Lexington, Tennessee, crossing the Tennessee River. The Union lost about 237 men, while the Confederates saw 500 killed, wounded, or missing.

I would also send you to this web site for more information, The Parker's Crossroads Battlefield Association

Forrest Held Up The Union Troops

The Battle of Anthony’s Hill [also know as the Battle of King’s Hill and the Battle of Devil’s Gap] part of the north Alabama, middle Tennessee campaign took place on December 25th 1864.


Confederate Lieutenant General John Bell Hood ordered Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest to guard the rear of the Army of Tennessee after the lost at the Battle of Nashville. Leaving Pulaski, Tennessee in the evening of December 24th 1864 Forrest had to find a way to slow Union Major General James H Wilson’s pursuit long enough so the rest of the army could make its escape to the Tennessee River.

Wilson pushing his troops to capture the Confederates, was on the road first thing Christmas morning, December 25th 1864. That afternoon a few miles south of Pulaski, Wilson’s men ran into Forrest’s skirmishers. Wilson sent 3 regiments of dismount cavalry, into a wooded gorge leading up to Anthony’s Hill. Forrest posted 2 brigades of infantry and 2 of cavalry with some field pieces along a rail barricade. The Confederates unleashed a heavy fire, causing the Union troops to retreat, with Forrest’s men pursuing. The Confederates captured some cannon, pursuing for another half-mile before coming up against a full division of Union cavalry. Forrest disengaged at this point, pulling his troops back up the hill to their original positions, behind their barricades. The Confederate withdrew south to Sugar Creek in dark.

A web site about this subject that I recommend checking out is The Battle of Anthony’s Hill

Quickly Took Control Of Holly Springs

Confederate Major General Earl Van Dorn sent a force against Union Major General Ulysses S Grant December 20th 1862 at Holly Springs, Mississippi.

In charge of three mounted brigades, Confederate Major General Earl Van Dorn, moved his force against Union Major General Ulysses S Grant’s supply depot at Holly Springs, Mississippi. On December 19th 1862 Grant learned that Confederate Brigadier General Nathan Bedford Forrest was attacking the Mobile & Ohio Railroad, tearing up the track in West Tennessee. Van Dorn used this cover, moved his men well east of the Union troops, then cut west to Holly Springs. Grant didn’t learn of Van Dorn’s move until late on December 19th 1862, at which time he warned Colonel Robert C Murphy at Holly Springs.

Van Dorn split his force and at dawn on December 20th 1862, the Confederates sweep into town from the north and east. He posted patrols to prevent Union reinforcements from reaching the town. Van Dorn’s troops routed the Union soldiers in Holly Springs, taking 1500 prisoner; and quickly taking control of the supply depot. The Confederates cut the telegraph line, took up the track and sacked the warehouses, burning anything they couldn't take. Van Dorn then headed north, moving away from Grant’s headquarters. Although Grant pushed his cavalry he was unable to catch up with the Confederates.

Surrounded And Out Of Ammo

In Williamson County Tennessee on March 5th 1863 the Battle of Thompson’s Station took place.


Following the Battle of Stones River, Union infantry under Colonel John Coburn headed south toward Columbia to scout the area. About four miles from Spring Hill Coburn’s right wing attacked two Confederate regiments. Confederates Major General Earl Van Dorn and Brigadier General W H “Red” Jackson’s soldiers made a frontal attack on Coburn’s men. At the same time Confederate Brigadier General Nathan Bedford Forrest swept around the Union left flank and into their rear. Forest was able to block the road to Columbia in the Union rear and capture Coburn’s supplies. After hard fighting, out of ammunition and surrounded Coburn surrendered. The Union troops lost 1,906 men either wounded or killed, the Confederates saw 300 casualties.

They Were Wearing Union Blue

The Union XIV Army Corp’s 39th Brigade was guarding a river crossing on the Cumberland at Hartsville, Tennessee to keep Confederate cavalry from raiding across. The 39th was made up of the 106th, and 108th Ohio, 104th Illinois and 2nd Indiana Cavalry. In the early morning hours of December 7th 1862 Confederate General John Hunt Morgan crossed the river. Morgan had about fourteen hundred men mostly from Kentucky. According to the commander of the Union Brigade; Colonel Absalom B Moore, Morgan’s advanced men got past the pickets by wearing Union uniforms.

Fighting started about 6:45 am and continued until around 8:30 am. One of the Union units ran during the battle causing disorder among the other troops. In the end the Confederates surrounded the 39th Brigade and talked them into surrendering. The Confederate sustained 149 casualties only inflicting 58 among the Union soldiers, however Morgan captured a wagon train of supplies and 1,844 Union prisoners. This raid was a lead up to the Confederate Cavalry raids conducted by Nathan Bedford Forrest and Morgan through out the winter of 1862 - 1863. It also got Morgan a promotion to Brigadier General.

Hood Lost His Chance

The Battle of Spring Hill begun on the night of November 28th 1864 has been called a non-fighting event.

Confederate General John Bell Hood and the Army of Tennessee marched on the night of November 28th 1864 toward Spring Hill Tennessee. The object was to seal off Union Major General John McAllister Schofield’s supply line. As the Confederate’s advanced cavalry on both sides had skirmishes. With Union Brigadier General James H Wilson fighting the Confederate troopers led by Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest.

The next day November 29th 1864 Schofield was holding the crossroads at Spring Hill with reinforcements. Late that afternoon the Union troops were able to repulse an Confederate infantry attack. Hood’s assault was piecemeal at best and poorly executed. During the night the Union troops moved through Spring Hill to Franklin. Many have called this battle "one of the most controversial non-fighting events of the entire war.
Hood lost his best chance to envelop the Union command, and Schofield punished him for that failure the next day at Franklin Tennessee.

Trying To Slow The Union Movement

In Benton County Tennessee on November 4th 1864 the Battle of Johnsonville was fought.

Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest with 3,500 cavalry and infantry lead an attack on the Union supply base at Johnsonville Tennessee, in an effort to slow the Federal’s movement through Georgia. Forrest moved north from Corinth Mississippi, temporarily blockading the Tennessee River, and than moving along the river he captured several Union steamers and a gunboat. On the 4th of November 1864 the Confederates set up their ten cannon on the river across from the Union supply base at Johnsonville Tennessee. The Union troops under the command of Lieutenant E M King and Colonel C R Thompson, observed the Confederates in the afternoon, and engaged them with their artillery and gunboats. The Confederate gun were well placed and soon disabled the Federal guns.

In an attempt to keep the Confederates from crossing the river and capturing transports, the Union set them on fire. A wind caught the fire and caused it to spread across the levee and to a nearby warehouses. The Confederates shelled the Union soldiers keeping them from putting out the fire. With the fire lighting his way Forrest withdrew in the night, without any serious losses. Union damages were estimated to be over two million dollars.

Protect The Supplies

The Battle of Tupelo Mississippi on July 14th 1864 ensured that General William Tecumseh Sherman’s supply lines were safe.

Major General A J Smith with more 14,000 Union soldiers left LaGrange Tennessee on July 5th 1864. His order was to protect the lines Major General William T Sherman’s Atlanta campaign. Having laid waist to the country as he advanced, July 13th 1864 found Smith moving east toward Tupelo MI.

In the mean time Nathan Bedford Forrest’s cavalry, with about 6000 men and Lieutenant General Stephen D Lee with another 2,000 were with in two miles of Smith‘s Union force. The Confederates attacked on the morning of July 14th 1864. Lee’s assaults weren’t well coordinated and the Federal troops pushed them back inflicting large casualties on Rebels.

With the Union troops running short on supplies, Smith did not pursue Lee and Forrest. He headed back to Memphis on the 15th. Smith has been criticized for not destroying the Confederate command. He had, however fulfilled his orders and protected Sherman’s supply lines.