Fall of Nashville, Tennessee | Spared & Shared 23

*Rogena’s brother, Don Eugene Scott, 9th New Hampshire Infantry*

The following letter was written by Rogena Almira Scott (1840-1869), the daughter of Madison Scott (1813-1851) and Hanna Landress Beach (1817-1872) of Franklin, Vermont. Genie and Rev. John G. Bailey were married on 17 February 1863 in Warner, New Hampshire, but she only lived until 1869. The Scott Family Record states that Rogena “finished her education at Ohnson Academy, Vermont, and devoted several years to teaching in the South. She was a lady of fine accomplishments.” Genie’s younger brother, Don Eugene Scott (1844-1923) served in the Civil War as a private in Co. E, 9th New Hampshire Infantry; later in Co. D, 11th New Hampshire Infantry.

We learn from this letter that 21 year-old Genie was teaching at the Southside Institute—a school for girls—in Nashville, Tennessee, when the Civil War erupted in 1861. The principal of the school was 41 year-old Mrs. Emma Holcombe. The school was operated in the 24-room mansion of Col. A. W. Putnam opposite the Capitol Building. The letter was addressed to her mother in Warner, New Hampshire, now married to her second husband, Rev. Daniel Warner—a Congregational clergyman. She writes of the recent fall of Nashville to the Union army. “I can hardly sit still to write this letter, but feel much more like dancing about the room like a child three years old or a crazy person,” she confessed to her mother, with whom all correspondence had been cut off six months previously.

She also gives us a stirring description of the panic by the citizens of Nashville following the receipt of news that Fort Donaldson had been taken by Grant’s army. “Men and women rushed out into the streets wringing their hands and crying, everybody seemed bewildered and not to know what to do, asked all sorts of incoherent questions and received just as incoherent replies.”

In researching the Southside Institute, I discovered that it was the 1861 graduating class of young women who made and presented the Confederate flag that flew over the State Capitol—perhaps the same flag that was lowered when Union troops took possession of the town.

Transcription

*Addressed to Mrs. Hannah L. Warren, Warner, New Hampshire*

Nashville [Tennessee]
March 3rd, 1862

Dearest Mother,

The Federals now have possession of Nashville. The mails are once more opened and I can have the delightful, the thrice blessed privilege of writing and getting letters from the dearest being in all the world—this certainly is a brightening up of my prospects that I hardly looked for two months ago. Tonight I am so happy that I can hardly sit still to write this letter, but feel much more like dancing about the room like a child three years old or a crazy person.

The Federals have had possession of Nashville just eight days. No violence has been committed. The city is perfectly quiet except the noise of the troops passing through on their way farther South. We are very strictly guarded by a sentinel who never leaves his post just in front of our door. We feel quite secure from any violence as long as we are so strictly guarded. Oh Mother! you and I know now what misery there is in suspense, don’t we. I don’t think I have ever spent more bitter unavailing regrets in my whole life than during the past six months when shut out entirely from intercourse with home, friends, and relations. But all that is past now and we will not dampen our present pleasure with tears of sorrow for the past. Let us be merry over the good time that has come—the bright sunlight which has brightened up our horizon.

I have been very well—not even one sick day since last August. Have written numerous letters and sent them by all sorts of ways but have never received but one and that was written about Christmas times. It was a sad pitiful letter and almost broke my heart to read it, but it was impossible to comply with your request at that time. It was decidedly dangerous for a lady to travel by herself as it is still. Besides, I could not get my money changed without paying 50 percent discount and I could not afford that you know. I know you are glad now that I did not attempt it.

The panic in Nashville when the news of the defeat at [Fort] Donaldson reached us was terrific. Churches (for it was Sunday) were broken up in the midst of services, men and women rushed out into the streets wringing their hands and crying, everybody seemed bewildered and not to know what to do, asked all sorts of incoherent questions and received just as incoherent replies. After an hour or two or running to and fro, everybody seemed determined to get out of the city for the news came that the “Yankees would shell the city” and then such a scrambling for carriages and vehicles of every description was never witnessed before. Old wagons of fifty years ago, carts for lumber and market wagons were thought quite elegant and the fine fashionable people who had never before ridden in anything but a fine carriage were content to tumble into any sort of a thing on wheels with their silver packed in baskets on one arm and a change of clothing on the other. Fine elegant mansions are left tenantless and now the Federal officers are enjoying the comfort of splendid houses all furnished and ready for their acceptance.

*Advertisement for Mrs. Holcombe’s School in the Daily Union & America, 6 February 1861*

March 4th. Mrs. [Emma] Holcombe’s school of course had to suspend. Out of twenty boarders, only three remained. We had a recess of two weeks. In the meantime, the city has been calmed down. All is quiet, and the school resumed yesterday. But what a falling off from our original numbers! Only eight out of 110 pupils returned. We hope however to get at least half of them back again. Mrs. H. is very sick and I have been helping to nurse her. I am thus far the only teacher since the resumption of school for so few scholars do not need a corps of teachers such as we have had. Mrs. H.’s children are both south and now she cannot hear from them, and is in the same fix that you have been for so long. Our affairs you know are now just the reverse of what they were three weeks ago. Now we can have no communication with the South at all, while the mails northward have been reopened. Ever calculation we have had has been reversed and this in the short space of two weeks. I can hardly realize so sudden a reversion.

We get now all Northern papers and although our army is not over fifty miles from us, we know nothing of its movements. The general belief is that Nashville will be retaken. At least there will be a mighty struggle and that before long I think. If you have not written before this reaches you, do not delay one hour for your daughter is in most agonizing suspense and it is increasing everyday that I know I can get letters from the North and do not get one from you. I shall imagine all sorts of horrible things and even the worst of all if I do not hear soon. Love to all my Northern friends for I do love them very dearly and you and brother most of all. Goodbye. Love, Genie A. Scott

*Lt. Peter Marchant. Image taken at Petersburg, Va., after his prisoner exchange in late April 1863*

This letter was written by Peter Marchant (1831-1865), a farmer from Gibson County, Tennessee, who mustered into Co. C of the 47th Tennessee (Confederate) Infantry on 16 December 1861 and was immediately elected 2nd Lieutenant. He was with his regiment until 31 December 1862 when he was taken prisoner at the Battle of Stones River at Murfreesboro. Following his capture he was transported to the prison at Camp Chase in Ohio by way of Evansville, Indiana. At that time, his description as a POW stated that he stood 5’5″ tall, had brown eyes, light-colored hair, and that he was 32 years of age. On 10 April 1863, he was transported to the prison at Fort Delaware whereupon he was paroled on 25 April and sent to City Point to be exchanged on 29 April, 1863.

After returning to his regiment, Peter was promoted to Captain of his company on 22 October 1863 and was with them all through the Atlanta Campaign and with Hood’s army on his march back into Tennessee until 16 December 1864 when he was taken prisoner again in the fighting near Nashville. This time Peter was held prisoner at the military prison in Louisville, Kentucky, for several days before being sent again to Fort Delaware where he expired on 25 January 1865—his cause of death attributed to pneumonia.

Peter wrote this letter to his wife, Susan Thompson (1838-1910) with whom he married in 1855 and had three children before enlisting. The letter was written in late February 1862 and remains optimistic in tone despite the rebel army reverses in Tennessee that resulted in the surrender of Forts Henry and Donelson and the surrender of the State Capitol at Nashville.

Some of Marchant’s letters are archived and digitized at Georgia’s Virtual Library in Fulton County, Atlanta, under the heading Peter Marchant Civil War Correspondence, 1863-1864. That collection contains three letters pertaining to the Atlanta Campaign: “The letters in this collection were written to Peter Marchant’s wife Susan and all contain much of the same information due to his fear that the letters were not being received. The letters dated July 15 and 16, 1864, were written from the battle lines at the Chattahoochee River near Atlanta. Peter notes the confidence the soldiers have in Confederate General Johnston despite the harsh conditions of sixty consecutive days spent marching or in battle. The letter dated August 2, 1864, describes the necessity of many Confederate retreats from the Battle of Atlanta under the cover of night due to heavy losses. In this letter he also notes that the Union and Confederate armies were both destroying the land beyond hope of redemption. Each letter contains news about the religious life and newly professed Christians in Marchant’s camp.”

Some of Marchant’s Civil War letters are transcribed and posted on the following websites: Letters of Captain Peter Marchant, 47th Tennessee, and Southern History.

Transcription

Addressed to Mrs. Susan Marchant, Dyersburg, Tennessee
(No postal markings—hand-carried mail)

Camp Trenton [Gibson county, Tennessee]
February 26, 1862

Dear companion,

I was glad to receive your letter this evening and to hear that you were all well. I am truly thankful that I can inform you that I am in the enjoyment of good health. This blessing I crave for you and myself for if we can enjoy good health, the time will pass off much more pleasant.

I have nothing of interest to write. The news here is as uncertain as anywhere else. Our loss at Fort Donaldson was great but not to compare with that of our enemy’s. Ours is estimated at twelve thousand but most of them was taken prisoners. I have not seen any account of our loss in killed, but we whipped them four times, killing about four to one. But they reinforced everyday and our men was at last out done with fatigue and had to surrender.

The surrender of Nashville produced great excitement but the Yankees seem to be at a loss to know what to do with it. They had not taken possession of it [yet as of] three days ago. They seem to feel that they are on dangerous ground and move very careful. I am not at all discouraged at the misfortune for I believe it will turn out to our advantage. We are not as well-prepared for a border war as they are but if they come in our country, I believe we will whip them.

When I wrote before I thought that our regiment would be armed in a short time, but from the best information that I can get, it will be four or five weeks. ¹ I expect to come home again before we leave here but I have learned that a soldier’s life is a very uncertain one. Therefore, I make but little calculations on anything. I find myself to be a creature of circumstances. I never thought that I could be satisfied away from home, but now my greatest desire is to do my duty as a soldier and at the same time to live a Christian. I have become somewhat familiar with my duties and I feel the same interest in it as I would any other avocation. I was at meeting tonight and heard old Bro. Wagster ² preach a very good sermon. This is the third night in succession that I have been to preaching and notwithstanding it was out of doors and had to stand up or sit on a chunk, I felt that indeed it was good to be there. I am more and more convinced that religion is adapted to our wants in any and every condition in this world. In Matthew, the 21st chapter and 22d verse, you will find these words, “and all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer believing ye shall receive,” then let not fail to ask supporting grace for every trial which we may meet and a heart resigned to His holy will. If we faithfully do this, I believe that all things shall work together for our good.

Give my love especially to papy and mother mother tell them to write to me. It is getting late and I must close give my love to all inquiring friends. Very affectionately yours, — Peter Marchant

¹ Peter’s letter informs us that the men recruited into the 47th Tennessee Infantry had not yet been armed. They were still in Camp Trenton (Gibson County) where they were being organized and drilled. Company records later show that many of the men carried 57 caliber Enfield Rifles but some also carried 54 caliber Austrian Rifles.

² I believe “Bro. Wagster” was William (“Billy”) Culpepper Wagster (1837-1912) of Dyersburg. His name appears from time to time on the rolls of the 47th Tennessee Infantry.