Melanie Storie - The Dreaded Thirteenth Tennessee Union Cavalry: Marauding Mountain Men

Published by The History Press

Charleston, SC 29403

www.historypress.net

Copyright 2013 by Melanie Storie

All rights reserved

First published 2013

e-book edition 2013

ISBN 978.1.62584.566.5

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Storie, Melanie.

The dreaded 13th Tennessee Union Cavalry : marauding mountain men / Melanie Storie.

pages cm

Summary: A chronicle of the history and activities of the 13th Tennessee Union Cavalry during the Civil War--Provided by publisher.

print edition ISBN 978-1-62619-112-9 (pbk.)

1. United States. Army. Tennessee Cavalry Regiment, 13th (1863-1865) 2. United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Cavalry operations. 3. Tennesse--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Regimental histories. 4. United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Regimental histories. I. Title.

E531.613th .S76 2013

973.7468--dc23

2013039041

Notice: The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. It is offered without guarantee on the part of the author or The History Press. The author and The History Press disclaim all liability in connection with the use of this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever without prior written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

To the memory of my dad, Charles William Bill Greer, whose ancestors bravely served with the Thirteenth Tennessee Union Cavalry.

CONTENTS

PREFACE

The research and writing for this work began many years ago. The journey started quite innocently as a genealogical project when I was a college undergraduate history major. Growing up in Southwest Virginia, I did not know much about my fathers family except that that they were from Western North Carolina and family tradition held that his grandfather was an orphan raised by an aunt and uncle. Eventually, I discovered that several members of my paternal ancestors fought in the Civil War and had served with a volunteer Union cavalry regiment from East Tennessee. This in itself made me extremely curious. North Carolina and Tennessee were both part of the Confederacy, so what made these men choose to fight for the Union? Also, since they were from North Carolina, why did they join a regiment from East Tennessee? And so it went. The more anecdotes I found, the more interested I became.

Very little exists in the way of primary sources about the Thirteenth Tennessee Volunteer Union Cavalry. Virtually no letters or diaries written by the soldiers have survived, and very few original photographs still exist. So when I stumbled upon a series of reunion photographs taken in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, I was ecstatic. The owner discovered them in her aunts attic and had posted them to the Internet with the hopes that someone would recognize the veterans. Thus, I began scouring local newspapers from the late nineteenth century for any scrap of information about the veterans reunions. Among the sparse and torn newspaper copies of the Elizabethton Mountaineer, I finally found an article from 1896 detailing the very first reunion held by the Thirteenth Tennessee Cavalry Association in Butler, Tennessee. Also the regimental history written by Samuel Scott and Samuel Angel, published in 1903, provided vital clues in my search for information. As veteran officers from the Thirteenth Tennessee, their book supplied details of wartime events, albeit with a touch of bias, as is evident in most Civil War regimental accounts published at the same time.

Private James R. Allen was the son of Wesley Allen, a carpenter in Johnson County, Tennessee. Young James enlisted with Company D in 1863; he was only fifteen years old. Allen survived the war and worked as a farmer in Johnson County until his death in 1923. Courtesy of Tony Marion.

The research has taken me on many journeys from archives to cemeteries. Along the way, a narrative began to take shape as different threads created a storymore than just a military history but one filled with personal hardships, loss and sacrifice. For instance, the story of Mary Miller Head, whose husband, Private Daniel S. Head, died a prisoner of war in the notorious Andersonville prison camp in Georgia. She was left a widow with four children to raise, the youngest only four months old. Likewise, service records revealed letters from soldiers requesting leave in order to take care of families left behind enemy lines in East Tennessee. Yet the capstone for the project came in making the acquaintance of a private collector who had in his possession unpublished photographs of soldiers from the Thirteenth Tennessee. Being able to look into the face of fifteen-year-old James R. Allen, who lied about his age in order to serve his country, inspired me to finish this project.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

There are many individuals who share in this publication. First I would like to thank The History Press and their willingness to help me make a longtime project a reality. In particular, I would like to thank J. Banks Smither, who worked with me from day one and was a great help in guiding me through the process. I am appreciative of my colleagues in the Department of History at East Tennessee State University. Over the years, there have been several members of this department, too many to name specifically, who have served as wonderful mentors to me. Thank you to all those individuals who scanned photographs for me at the Tennessee State Library and Archives, the Georgetown Library Special Collections Research Center, the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center, the New-York Historical Society and the East Tennessee Historical Society. To the descendants of Thirteenth Tennessee soldiers, thank you so much for sharing your photographs and letters. In particular, I would like to thank Cheryl Clark, Joyce M. Schellenger, Jud Scott and Tom Ward. A big thank-you to Professor Allen Ellis, descendant of famed Civil War pilot Daniel Ellis, for his willingness to share information and ultimately putting me in contact with Tony Marion, private collector and historian. Tony Marion and his wife, Betty, were so gracious to open their beautiful, historic home to me. They made me feel right at home, and I cannot express enough thanks to them for allowing me to come and look at the photographic collection. Prior to this publication, many of the photographs of the Thirteenth Tennessee soldiers in Tony Marions collection have never before been published. They add a wonderful flavor to the book.

It is safe to say that without the support and encouragement from my family, this book would not exist. I was blessed with two wonderful parents who invested much love, time and energy into teaching my brother and me the true values of life. My biggest fan and greatest friend is my mom, Louise Greer. Thank you for your unconditional love and unlimited faith in my ability to do whatever I set my mind to. One of my greatest regrets is that my dad did not live to see this publication, particularly since he provided the inspiration behind the idea that became this book. This work is dedicated with love to his memory. I am equally blessed to have the best little brother in the world, Chuck Greer. While we picked on each other as kids and drove our parents crazy, we share many wonderful childhood memories that I would not trade for anything. To my children, Josh and Emilee, you both make me very proud to be your mom. I love you more than you will ever know. To my husband, Bill, weve shared a wonderful journey together for over two decades, and Im looking forward to many more years together. You are the love of my life and the anchor that holds me steady. Thank you for all of your patience, love and constant encouragement. Also, your contributions in editing the manuscript were invaluable. Finally, all that I am or ever hope to be is due to the saving grace of Jesus ChristI can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)