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408 Series I Volume IV- Serial 4 - Operations in the South and West

Page 408(Official Records Volume 4)  


OPERATIONS IN KENTUCKY AND TENNESSEE. [Chap.XII.

readiness at Camps Boone and Trousdale, amounting to 5,000 men and a battery of artillery, I am directed by General Johnston to give you instructions and powers as follows, viz: You will, in order to cover the northern line occupied by the Confederate Army in this department and threatened by the Army of the United States, concentrate your command without delay at Bowling Green, Ky., and secure and hold this important point in our line of defense. You are empowered to call on Colonel Stevenson, principal quartermaster, on Captain Shaaff, commissary, and on the senior ordnance officer in this city for the supplies you may require from the two former departments and the ordnance and ordnance stores from the last.

Secrecy in preparation and promptness in execution give the best if not the only promise of success, and the general is confident you will be wanting in neither.

Yours, & c.,

W. W. MACKALL, Assistant Adjutant-General.

NASHVILLE, TENN., September 15, 1861.

Gov. A. B. MOORE, Alabama:

SIR: The condition of the defenses of our northern frontier requires every possible assistance from the South. We have men in large numbers. We are deficient in arms. I understand that your excellency has a considerable number in your arsenal. I feel justified by the circumstances in making the strongest appeal to your excellency's patriotism to aid me in this respect. I shall beg to rely upon your excellency to furnish [us] as rapidly as possible at this point with every arm it may be in your power to provide. I mean small-arms for infantry and cavalry.

I view the matter of such urgent necessity that I send this letter by a special messenger, who will confer freely with you upon this subject.

I am, & c.,

A. S. JOHNSTON.

List of fortifications in the State of Tennessee, as far as reported to the Chief Engineer, September 15, 1861.

SEPTEMBER 15, 1861.

At Memphis: Two batteries, viz: Jefferson-street Battery, 6 32-pounders and barbettes for 3 more guns; Navy-yard Battery, 2 32 and 2 64-pounders.

At Fort Harrison, 6 miles above Memphis, there were 4 guns, which have been removed to Fort Pilow.

At Fort Wright, at Randolph, on Mississippi River, 65 miles above Memphis, there are 4 batteries, containing in all 18 32-pounders.

Fort Pillow, 80 miles above Memphis, on the Mississippi River, in progress of construction, at date of last information contained 12 32-pounders; was designed to be made much stronger.

At Fort Henry, on Tennessee River, there is a good inclosed work, with bastion fronts, mounting 6 32-pounders and 2 12-pounders, requiring about 1,000 men to man it.

B. R. JOHNSON, Colonel Engineers, Army of Tennessee.