Tennessee Blue
by Henry Piarrot
In the fall of 1861, The State of Tennessee held a
special election to determine if a convention would be needed to decide to remain with, or cede from the US. The citizens overwhelmingly chose to continue in the Union by almost 65,000 votes. However, when Abraham Lincoln later called for 75,000 volunteers to put down the rebellion that ignited in South Carolina, Tennessee changed her mind.Still, a strong Union sentiment endured, particularly in East Tennessee.
Here, the mountain communities were unwilling to fight for the preservation a plantation system that had no positive effect on their lives. Consequently, the regiments formed here sided with Lincoln. Additionally, the Middle and West Tennesseans who opposed secession were also seen as traitors by their Confederate brothers and sisters. Nearly 450 of these men became the 7th TN Volunteer
Cavalry USA.
In March of 1864, the entire regiment was captured at Union City by a detachment of Forrest’s cavalry. Ironically, the 7th TN Cavalry USA, were in the hands of the 7th TN Cavalry CSA. A large number on both sides knew each other and by way of war, many had developed a great animosity for the other. Without question, for the captured Tennesseans their humiliation will be complete. Tricked into surrender just as reinforcements were about to rescue them, the event marked the second time “that Devil Forrest” had bested them. The first case, happened two years earlier, but they were quickly paroled as part of a prisoner exchange. That would not take place this time, as the Lincoln administration had since terminated the practice.
Fatefully, these Tennessee Yankees were destined for the soon to be infamous Andersonville Prison in Georgia.Forrest gave his captives almost nothing to eat as he marched them to Mobile, Alabama. Along the way, he noticed that some of the prisoners were buying food from locals and he soon learned that they had received back pay just before surrendering. Passing a tiny courthouse, he ordered his men to use the facility to confiscate all their possessions. Without hats, blankets or boots, the unfortunates continued their long journey through the Deep South.
After their best opposition, Andersonville’s original 20 residents failed to stop the military prison from being built near their homes and “Camp Sumter,” the facility’s actual name, opened for business barely three months before the 7th USA was delivered. Upon departing the flea infested freight cars that carried them from the Gulf Coast, the now sick and weakened regiment officially arrived at Hell on April 21,1864.Southern Unionist prisoners who maintained their convictions were especially resented by their guards. They viewed Northern soldiers to be prisoners of war, but Southerners in blue were treated as traitors. By the time the war ended one year later, due to mistreatment, exposure and neglect, two thirds of the young Tennesseans deposited at Andersonville were dead. As a result, the warden, Major
Henry Wirtz became the only person ever to be executed in the US for war crimes.
Some years later, one of Forrest’s men was called to minister a Baptist Church in Carroll County until an Andersonville survivor protested. Admonished by his congregation for failing to forgive the now repentant preacher, the man replied, “The Lord was just crucified; he never had to go to Andersonville Prison!”
Henry Piarrot is a hotel manager in Sevier County. Please send all story recommendations to henry@lifeisvoluntary.ws