The photo is from a reenactment of the Battle of Fort Sanders.  Photo credit: Tammie McCarroll Burroughs

Carter County in the Civil War

 

12/20/1862 Watauga, Carter's Raid into Eastern Tennessee

12/30/1862 Watauga/Carter's Station, Watauga Bridge

12/31/1862 Watauga/Carter's Depot
9/20/1863 Watauga/Carter's Depot

9/21/1863 Watauga, Watauga River Bridge
9/22/1863 Watauga/Carter's Depot

4/25/1864 Watauga River
9/30/1864 Watauga/Carter's Station

Carter County Rebellion

The little band of men having carried out the plans of Mr Carter as far as it could be done, by burning the bridge at Zollicoffer and other places along the East Tennessee and Virginia railroad, now expected that the Government would faithfully carry out its part of the contract which had been made with their leaders, and sanctioned by the President himself, as well as the highest officials of the Federal Government. These men, through motives of patriotism and love for the Union and a desire for its preservation, performed, to the best of their ability, their part of the compact and rendered to their country a signal service and dealt a severe blow to those who were trying to destroy the Government. They could not believe for a moment that the army under Gen Thomas would not now advance immediately into East Tennessee, take possession of the railroad and hold the country. It did not occur to them that all these plans would be changed, and more than two long years would pass before East Tennessee would be finally delivered from the dominion of the Southern Confederacy, and that many of those who had engaged in bridge burning would never again see their country's flag wave over their loved land, while others after suffering much danger and persecution would join the Federal army and aid in driving the last foe from the soil of East Tennessee.

On the 9th of November the day following the burning of the bridge across the Holston river great excitement prevailed. The news spread far and near that Sherman's Army was advancing into East Tennessee and hundreds of Union men from all parts of Carter, Johnson, Washington, and Greene counties and from Western North Carolina, armed with pistols, shot guns, and old squirrel rifles, flocked into Elizabethton on their way to meet the army.

By noon there were not less than 1,000 Union men in Elizabethton and before night the number exceeded 1,500 These men felt that it was necessary to remain together for protection from the company of Confederate soldiers stationed at Carter's Depot under Capt David McClellan, who had already commenced arresting Union men as suspected bridge burners. The excited crowd of Union men at Elizabethton, learning of these arrests, determined to go to Carter's Depot and capture McClellan and his company of rebel soldiers. Some of these men on leaving home had gathered up such old pistols, rifles, knives, and shot guns as they had and brought them along, but fully one-half of them were without any arms whatever. At Elizabethton they procured all the butcher knives, pitch forks, and everything that bore the least resemblance to arms of offense, or defense, and about 3 PM started down the Watauga river in the direction of Carter's Depot.

They were really an unorganized mob, without leaders discipline or any knowledge of what war meant, and yet impelled by passion and hatred of the Southern cause and love for the Union they marched on to offer battle to Capt McClellan's company which, though numbering only 125 men, was well armed, drilled, and disciplined. Men better acquainted with military affairs knew that men, however brave and numerous, cannot contend successfully with even a small body of well trained troops.

This crowd moved on down the river crossed Taylor's Ford and went on in the direction of Carter's Depot. They came in sight of McClellan's pickets near the old Turkey Town Camp Ground.

At this point Dr Jobe, Col Stover, and others, who had some little experience in military affairs, induced them to halt and hold a parley which resulted in some kind of organization, agreeing upon Col Stover as commander. They then returned to the south side of the Watauga river and went into camp with headquarters in Col NG Taylor's large barn, which stood a short distance from the banks of the Watauga river. They managed to get something to eat and putting out pickets in every direction, the tired and motley crowd after the day of excitement went into the barn and sheds and such other places as they could find and laid down to rest. About midnight they were fired upon from across the river. Many being unused to war's alarms and their courage leaving them when fired upon in the darkness, fled across the fields, while others stood their ground bravely and saluted the rebels with a sharp fire from their shot guns and squirrel rifles. This fight was kept up sharply for a short time, the balls of the enemy whizzing through the air at a lively rate, and the Union men undismayed returning the fire. Finding it too hot for him, Capt McClellan withdrew but was not followed by the Unionists. McClellan had a few men and horses wounded, but there were no casualties on the Union side. The next morning a number of the Union men found bullet holes through their hats and clothing showing they had received close calls the night before. Those who ran the night before returned the next morning verifying the old adage that he who fights and runs away, will live to fight another day.

This incident was known as "The Fight at Taylor's Ford," and many amusing and ludicrous stories, personal and otherwise, were told concerning it. We hope to gather these up together with sketches of the leaders and many of the participants in this memorable little affair, which we will relate in another chapter.

On the morning of the 10th, the command moved out to Clark's Big Spring on Gap Creek where they remained over night. At this same place Col John Sevier's vier's command which left Sycamore Shoals on the Watauga river on the 26th of September 1780, on their way to King's Mountain, stopped for their mid day lunch. On the morning of the nth they moved back to Elizabethton and went into camp in the Sugar Hollow, a short distance west of town. Here was a collection of 1,500 men many of them had brought their horses with them from home and all had to be fed. There was no means of subsistance, except such as could be furnished by the people in the vicinity, many of whom were too poor to furnish anything, however willing they might be. Those who were able freely opened their doors to them without complaint and did everything in their power to entertain those who were engaged in what they called "The Little Rebellion against The Big Rebellion." Many of the citizens gave up their keys to their smoke houses and cribs to John K Miller who was acting quartermaster and commissary of this organization.

On the 12th of November, three days after the bridge was burned, Elijah Simerly who had been sheriff of the county and was a prominent Union man and an officer in this organization, was sent down the country to see if any tidings could be learned of Sherman's army which was still daily expected. Mr Simerly returned but brought no encouraging news as nothing could be heard regarding the advance of the Federal army.

In the meantime the most exaggerated reports were sent to the Confederate authorities concerning the movements of the Unionists by the rebel citizens many of whom were greatly alarmed and left their homes. In addition to the Confederate troops already in East Tennessee, Gen Leadbetter was sent there with 10,000 troops to repair the bridges, guard the railroads, disperse the Union men, and mete out punishment to those engaged in the bridge burning, and the rebellion or who in any way sympathized with or aided the Union cause. Gen Thomas who had left Camp Dick Robinson, Ky with his army had moved as far as London, 55 miles distant from the former place, where he received orders from Gen Sherman to return, thus leaving the bridge burners those who had engaged in the rebellion and in fact all the Union people to the mercy of the Confederate authorities who were now bitterly hostile to them.(Source: History of the Thirteenth Regiment, Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry, U. S. A, Samuel W. Scott, Samuel P Angel, P. W. Ziegler, 1903, p. 81-84)

1864

During the summer and fall of 1864, not less than one hundred dwelling houses were burned belonging to the Union people of Carter and Johnson Counties, and the most of them were occupied by the families of men who were serving as soldiers in the Federal army at the time their houses were burned, who had not seen their homes for a number of months. Old Bill Parker was at the head of all this dreadful mischief. The lower part of Carter and Johnson Counties were thronged with women and children who had been driven away from their homes and all their property destroyed by this old miscreant, Many of these poor women made their way through the lines as they had been rendered perfectly destitute by the destruction of their houses and all their household property, while many others wandered about the country enduring all the privations and intense suffering which starvation and nakedness could impose, without a home to go to and indeed these poor women were afraid to go near their old places of abode for they seemed to be in as great a dread of Parker, as if he had been a ravenous tiger that had been let loose in the country for the purpose of destroying men women and children. They had not a bed to lie down on, for everything which they could call their own had been destroyed when they were driven away from their homes, and their houses burned to ashes. They would often say, while the tears were streaming from their eyes,"If Bill Parker was away, we could go back to our friends. His end was now drawing near, in fact it now amounted to an absurdity for the Union men in the country to think about permitting him to live any longer than could possibly be avoided, for there was not a day passed but what some poor Union man was killed, by himself or some of his men. He was now frequently heard to boast that he had killed twelve old Union men himself, and said that he would kill twelve more if he could find them. He called himself "Brave Bill Parker." But no real and genuine bravery ever took up its abode in the black heart of this despicable wretch. He was nothing more than a base and cowardly assassin, who at all times shrank back from danger when he thought that his own personal safety was in jeopardy. (Sourec:Thrilling adventures of Daniel Ellis, the great Union guide of east Tennessee, Daniel Ellis, pp. 299-300

 

 

 

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