1st Alabama Cavalry CONFEDERATE CIVIL WAR DIARY - Yankees Attack Middleton, TN
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:205585 |
CIVIL WAR LETTER
These Civil War diary pages were written by William (“Willie”) Taylor Presley (1830-1895), the son of John and Margaret Jane (Daniel) Presley, in South Carolina in 1830. He was one of twelve children, including Calvin (1806-1892), Evan (1809-1875), Vincent (1812-1872), Emily Tazzi (Presley) Marable (1814-1894), John (1813-), Sarah (Presley) Adams (1816-), Augustus (1820-), Juliette (1827-), George Whitt (1836-1900), Charlotte R. (Presley) Wilkinson (1839-19...16), and Newton A. (1842-1862).William Presley married Henrietta A. Ward (1831-1891) in Montgomery County, Alabama on December 19, 1852 and the couple had eight children: Augustus (“Gus”) (about 1853-), George Lafayette (“Fate”) (about 1855-), Columbus Lum (1857-), Antoinette Nettie (about 1859-), Maggie (1864-1891), Newton Walter (1869-1948), William Robert Bob (1871-1943), and Randolph. One of Henrietta’s sisters, Narcissa Ward, also lived with the family for some time.William Presley enlisted in Co. D of the 1st Alabama Cavalry on June 30, 1862 and was later promoted to Lieutenant in Co. A of the same unit. He was paroled on May 17, 1865 and returned to his family. They later moved to Titus County, Texas, where William Presley died in 1896.NOTE - We were able to acquire a hand full of letters and these diary pages. The image or the hospital document shown are not offered as part of this lot.Willie Presley, ca. 1890TRANSCRIPTION
[diary entries]Things of interest taking place [beginning 5 March 1863]Clouded up in the evening [of the 5th].The morning of the 6th was cold, cloudy, and windy and threatening rain. All quiet in camp till about 2 o’clock when Capt. [Washington T.] Lary came over from headquarters and ordered us to mount in quick time. We were soon all mounted, the regiment formed, and away we went to find the Yanks which was not hard to do for they fired on our pickets in a few minutes after we left camp. They drove our cavalry back and come into Middleton and burned a school house, masonic hall, a store house, and shod shop and blacksmith shop after which they fell back. Only 2 men killed on our side and very few wounded. ¹ It rained all the evening and is still sprinkling while I write which is about 8 o’clock P. M.The morning of the 7th, we again had orders to mount and prepare to meet the enemy but it was a failure for they had entirely gone. Our scouts went out about five miles but could find nothing of the Yanks. We returned to camp. All quiet during the day. I received a letter after I got back to camp from [sister] Narcissa. All well at home. The letter [was] dated 25th of February. At night we had a very hard rain.On the 8th I swapped horses with A. V. Johnson. All quiet in camp at this time eleven o’clock A. M. on the 8th. About 12 o’clock noon, Capt. Lary come over to camp and ordered the company to fall in on foot with our guns to shoot them off which was promptly done. All quiet through the day.The morning of the 9th was a beautiful morning. Eph Goree, T. A. Davis, and Kirkland sent on picket at 6 o’clock A. M. and K. L. Ward, W. S. Pettis, and Augustus Smith sent to shop to have horses shod. Received two letters from home.On the 10th, all passed off quiet through the day as could be expected considering it rained from morning till night and nearly all night.The sun rose clear on the 11th and was a pretty day. Wrote a letter to Henrie and sent home twenty dollars.On the 12th, J. B. Hall’s wife come up and brought a man to take his place. In the evening I was sent off on picket. During the day our scouts run into the enemy scouts and captured three privates and lost three from the 8th Confederate [Cavalry].On the 13th while I was on picket, J. B. Hall came out to see me & tell me goodbye. I sent one hundred and seventy-five dollars to Henrie [by him].On the 14th, after being relieved from picket, I and Haygood went outside of the lines and got our breakfast and some eggs and pies and when we got to camp, the regiment was all off on scout. They came in about 3 o’clock with two Yankee deserters. Received a letter from Whit from Arkansas. All quiet on the lines. The weather warm and clear for the season.Capt. Washington Lary was admitted into St. Mary’s Hospital at Dalton, GA, on 21 March. The complaint reads: “Vulnus Sclopeticum” which is the Lain term for “gunshot wound.”On the 15th the sun rose clear but in the evening it clouded up and threatened rain, but on the 16th it was a beautiful spring day. On the 17th I wrote a letter home to Henrie and sent her two song ballads. [See letter below] In the evening I was detailed to act as courier for Col. [John S.] Prather. Between twelve and one o’clock on the morning of the 18th [March], I was sent with a dispatch to General Martin on the Shelbyville and Murfreesboro Pike. Got back to headquarters about four o’clock A. M. Capt. W. T. Lary was officer of the day and while out riding the picket line was shot at and wounded in the hand by a citizen who was in company with and acting guide for four Yankees who were scouting and was supposed to be trying to cut off our pickets. In the evening about four o’clock, Capt. Lary left for camps. At night there was a scout sent out from our regiment and were fired at by the Yankee pickets. No one hurt.On the 19th there came to our pickets 5 Yankee deserters. On the 20th all quiet except the boys who were in a great glee raffling off horses. I won a fine young mare valued at three hundred dollars. Received two letters from Henrie. About 8 o’clock P. M. orders came for all the effective men in camp to be ready to march at 12 o’clock P. M. At 12 we started and went in the direction of Murfreesboro and at daylight [on 21 March 1863] drove the Yankee pickets in and about sunrise a right pretty little fight commenced lasting about 1½ hours. Only one hurt on our side which was one of the 8th Confederate [Cavalry] wounded in the leg. Got back to camp about 2 o’clock P. M. on the 21st and was detailed as courier for Major [David T.] Blakey but was sent by Maj. Blakey to Col. [John S.] Prather’s Headquarters to act as courier for him.On the 22nd was detailed as regular courier to report to Sergt. Atwater. Three from the 1st Alabama [Cavalry] and two from the 8th Confederate [Cavalry] and the Sgt. in command was from the 8th Confederate making six men detailed as regular couriers. We came out and established a post about halfway between S. W. Martin’s and General [John Austin] Wharton‘s Headquarters sent by me a dispatch to Col. Prather in the evening and while at Col. Prather’s Headquarters, I swapped horses with Capt. Elmore. ² Got $25.00 boots.On the 23rd was sent to General Wharton’s with a dispatch. On the 24th, hauled with two horse wagon 10 bushels corn from [ ]. Rained in the evening and at night. On the 25th, carried a dispatch to General Wharton. Hard rain at night also on the 27th and also the 28th. On the morning of the 29th, ate breakfast at Mrs. [ ‘s] and got [illegible]. Turned cold in the evening. Wrote a letter to Henrie. Carried dispatch to General Wharton. On the 30th carried a dispatch to General Martin and one to Geneal Wharton. Snowed and sleeted in the evening. Cleared off at night and the sun rose clear on the 31st and was a beautiful spring morning. In the evening I carried a dispatch to General Wharton. It turned cold towards night and snowed some little and made threats for bad weather.¹ A Union after action report of the skirmish at Middleton, Tennessee, reads as follows: “I have the honor to report that we met the enemy, about 600 strong, composed of the Eight Confederate and First and Second Alabama, about 3 miles north of Middleton, and drove them 2 miles beyond, meeting with considerable resistance at two or three points. Casualties of the enemy, as near as can be ascertained, were 5 killed and several wounded—number not known. Our loss, none killed, 5 wounded. Not deeming the position a good one, Col. Jones fell back about 1 mile north of Middleton on the Shelbyville dirt road, and went into camp for the night where he was joined by a squadron of the Fourth Regular Cavalry.” — Brig. Gen. R. W. Johnson² A letter that Presley wrote to his wife on 4 June 1863 informs us that the horse was named “Stonewall.” Presley wrote: “he is a beautiful dapple Grey and is as fine as Split Silk holds his head up and can beat almost any of them traveling. I can get Four hundred dollars for him just as easy as take it. I have him in a fine clover field when I am not using him and when I take him out to carry a dispatch he is in for a play the first thing he knows me as far as he can see me, and is always in for a play with me.”TERMS$3.00 postage in the United States. We accept Paypal. Postage combined for multiple purchases. Please wait for me to send the invoice, otherwise will pay a much higher postage rate!For International buyers: We are now using eBay's Global Shipping Program. We had too many packages sent via the post office go missing. So we believe this program will be safer for us - and for you.We're members of the American Philatelic Society, the U.S. Philatelic Classics Society, the Confederate Stamp Alliance and the Illinois Postal History Society.We only sell genuine, original letters (no copies or reproductions). Some of our letters have been transcribed and nicely presented for future genealogists and history buffs on the Spared & Shared blog. We've been selling on eBay since 2001. BID WITH CONFIDENCE.
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These Civil War diary pages were written by William (“Willie”) Taylor Presley (1830-1895), the son of John and Margaret Jane (Daniel) Presley, in South Carolina in 1830. He was one of twelve children, including Calvin (1806-1892), Evan (1809-1875), Vincent (1812-1872), Emily Tazzi (Presley) Marable (1814-1894), John (1813-), Sarah (Presley) Adams (1816-), Augustus (1820-), Juliette (1827-), George Whitt (1836-1900), Charlotte R. (Presley) Wilkinson (1839-19...16), and Newton A. (1842-1862).William Presley married Henrietta A. Ward (1831-1891) in Montgomery County, Alabama on December 19, 1852 and the couple had eight children: Augustus (“Gus”) (about 1853-), George Lafayette (“Fate”) (about 1855-), Columbus Lum (1857-), Antoinette Nettie (about 1859-), Maggie (1864-1891), Newton Walter (1869-1948), William Robert Bob (1871-1943), and Randolph. One of Henrietta’s sisters, Narcissa Ward, also lived with the family for some time.William Presley enlisted in Co. D of the 1st Alabama Cavalry on June 30, 1862 and was later promoted to Lieutenant in Co. A of the same unit. He was paroled on May 17, 1865 and returned to his family. They later moved to Titus County, Texas, where William Presley died in 1896.NOTE - We were able to acquire a hand full of letters and these diary pages. The image or the hospital document shown are not offered as part of this lot.Willie Presley, ca. 1890TRANSCRIPTION
[diary entries]Things of interest taking place [beginning 5 March 1863]Clouded up in the evening [of the 5th].The morning of the 6th was cold, cloudy, and windy and threatening rain. All quiet in camp till about 2 o’clock when Capt. [Washington T.] Lary came over from headquarters and ordered us to mount in quick time. We were soon all mounted, the regiment formed, and away we went to find the Yanks which was not hard to do for they fired on our pickets in a few minutes after we left camp. They drove our cavalry back and come into Middleton and burned a school house, masonic hall, a store house, and shod shop and blacksmith shop after which they fell back. Only 2 men killed on our side and very few wounded. ¹ It rained all the evening and is still sprinkling while I write which is about 8 o’clock P. M.The morning of the 7th, we again had orders to mount and prepare to meet the enemy but it was a failure for they had entirely gone. Our scouts went out about five miles but could find nothing of the Yanks. We returned to camp. All quiet during the day. I received a letter after I got back to camp from [sister] Narcissa. All well at home. The letter [was] dated 25th of February. At night we had a very hard rain.On the 8th I swapped horses with A. V. Johnson. All quiet in camp at this time eleven o’clock A. M. on the 8th. About 12 o’clock noon, Capt. Lary come over to camp and ordered the company to fall in on foot with our guns to shoot them off which was promptly done. All quiet through the day.The morning of the 9th was a beautiful morning. Eph Goree, T. A. Davis, and Kirkland sent on picket at 6 o’clock A. M. and K. L. Ward, W. S. Pettis, and Augustus Smith sent to shop to have horses shod. Received two letters from home.On the 10th, all passed off quiet through the day as could be expected considering it rained from morning till night and nearly all night.The sun rose clear on the 11th and was a pretty day. Wrote a letter to Henrie and sent home twenty dollars.On the 12th, J. B. Hall’s wife come up and brought a man to take his place. In the evening I was sent off on picket. During the day our scouts run into the enemy scouts and captured three privates and lost three from the 8th Confederate [Cavalry].On the 13th while I was on picket, J. B. Hall came out to see me & tell me goodbye. I sent one hundred and seventy-five dollars to Henrie [by him].On the 14th, after being relieved from picket, I and Haygood went outside of the lines and got our breakfast and some eggs and pies and when we got to camp, the regiment was all off on scout. They came in about 3 o’clock with two Yankee deserters. Received a letter from Whit from Arkansas. All quiet on the lines. The weather warm and clear for the season.Capt. Washington Lary was admitted into St. Mary’s Hospital at Dalton, GA, on 21 March. The complaint reads: “Vulnus Sclopeticum” which is the Lain term for “gunshot wound.”On the 15th the sun rose clear but in the evening it clouded up and threatened rain, but on the 16th it was a beautiful spring day. On the 17th I wrote a letter home to Henrie and sent her two song ballads. [See letter below] In the evening I was detailed to act as courier for Col. [John S.] Prather. Between twelve and one o’clock on the morning of the 18th [March], I was sent with a dispatch to General Martin on the Shelbyville and Murfreesboro Pike. Got back to headquarters about four o’clock A. M. Capt. W. T. Lary was officer of the day and while out riding the picket line was shot at and wounded in the hand by a citizen who was in company with and acting guide for four Yankees who were scouting and was supposed to be trying to cut off our pickets. In the evening about four o’clock, Capt. Lary left for camps. At night there was a scout sent out from our regiment and were fired at by the Yankee pickets. No one hurt.On the 19th there came to our pickets 5 Yankee deserters. On the 20th all quiet except the boys who were in a great glee raffling off horses. I won a fine young mare valued at three hundred dollars. Received two letters from Henrie. About 8 o’clock P. M. orders came for all the effective men in camp to be ready to march at 12 o’clock P. M. At 12 we started and went in the direction of Murfreesboro and at daylight [on 21 March 1863] drove the Yankee pickets in and about sunrise a right pretty little fight commenced lasting about 1½ hours. Only one hurt on our side which was one of the 8th Confederate [Cavalry] wounded in the leg. Got back to camp about 2 o’clock P. M. on the 21st and was detailed as courier for Major [David T.] Blakey but was sent by Maj. Blakey to Col. [John S.] Prather’s Headquarters to act as courier for him.On the 22nd was detailed as regular courier to report to Sergt. Atwater. Three from the 1st Alabama [Cavalry] and two from the 8th Confederate [Cavalry] and the Sgt. in command was from the 8th Confederate making six men detailed as regular couriers. We came out and established a post about halfway between S. W. Martin’s and General [John Austin] Wharton‘s Headquarters sent by me a dispatch to Col. Prather in the evening and while at Col. Prather’s Headquarters, I swapped horses with Capt. Elmore. ² Got $25.00 boots.On the 23rd was sent to General Wharton’s with a dispatch. On the 24th, hauled with two horse wagon 10 bushels corn from [ ]. Rained in the evening and at night. On the 25th, carried a dispatch to General Wharton. Hard rain at night also on the 27th and also the 28th. On the morning of the 29th, ate breakfast at Mrs. [ ‘s] and got [illegible]. Turned cold in the evening. Wrote a letter to Henrie. Carried dispatch to General Wharton. On the 30th carried a dispatch to General Martin and one to Geneal Wharton. Snowed and sleeted in the evening. Cleared off at night and the sun rose clear on the 31st and was a beautiful spring morning. In the evening I carried a dispatch to General Wharton. It turned cold towards night and snowed some little and made threats for bad weather.¹ A Union after action report of the skirmish at Middleton, Tennessee, reads as follows: “I have the honor to report that we met the enemy, about 600 strong, composed of the Eight Confederate and First and Second Alabama, about 3 miles north of Middleton, and drove them 2 miles beyond, meeting with considerable resistance at two or three points. Casualties of the enemy, as near as can be ascertained, were 5 killed and several wounded—number not known. Our loss, none killed, 5 wounded. Not deeming the position a good one, Col. Jones fell back about 1 mile north of Middleton on the Shelbyville dirt road, and went into camp for the night where he was joined by a squadron of the Fourth Regular Cavalry.” — Brig. Gen. R. W. Johnson² A letter that Presley wrote to his wife on 4 June 1863 informs us that the horse was named “Stonewall.” Presley wrote: “he is a beautiful dapple Grey and is as fine as Split Silk holds his head up and can beat almost any of them traveling. I can get Four hundred dollars for him just as easy as take it. I have him in a fine clover field when I am not using him and when I take him out to carry a dispatch he is in for a play the first thing he knows me as far as he can see me, and is always in for a play with me.”TERMS$3.00 postage in the United States. We accept Paypal. Postage combined for multiple purchases. Please wait for me to send the invoice, otherwise will pay a much higher postage rate!For International buyers: We are now using eBay's Global Shipping Program. We had too many packages sent via the post office go missing. So we believe this program will be safer for us - and for you.We're members of the American Philatelic Society, the U.S. Philatelic Classics Society, the Confederate Stamp Alliance and the Illinois Postal History Society.We only sell genuine, original letters (no copies or reproductions). Some of our letters have been transcribed and nicely presented for future genealogists and history buffs on the Spared & Shared blog. We've been selling on eBay since 2001. BID WITH CONFIDENCE.
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