19 January 1862, Kentucky, War Between the States

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What Was Found in the Deserted Camp

Report from the 1st Michigan Engineers & Mechanics

   On the morning of the 20th, soon after day-light, several of the regiments were moved forward toward the breastworks, and a cannon ball or two fired over into them; but no answer was made—all was quiet. The regiments moved steadily on and into their fortifications, it being ascertained that there was no-one to oppose them. The enemy having crossed the river during the night, or early in the morning, the rout was complete. It seems as though there was a perfect panic among them, their tents having been left standing and their blankets, clothes, cooking utensils, letters, papers, etc., all left behind.—Here was all, or nearly all of their wagons, some twelve or fifteen hundred horses and mules, harness, saddles, sabres, guns; in fact everything. It was a complete stampede, and by far the most disastrous defeat the Southern Confederacy has yet met with. Ten pieces of cannon, with caissons, are also here. To all appearances, they seem to have completely lost their senses, having only one object in view, and that was to run somewhere and hide themselves.

   I give you a copy of two or three of the documents found in the camp. The following was found on a table in one of the cabins:

"Col. Spears: We fought you bravely and desperately, but misguidedly. We have been here under pressing circumstances but do not feel that we are whipped. We will yet succeed, and—"

   Here the circumstances became so pressing that the writer did not wait to finish the epistle. Col. Spears supposes the writer to be Maj. John W. Bridgman of the Tennessee Cavalry.

   The following was written on a piece of brown paper, with a pencil:

"Jan. 19th, 1861. [sic] Fishing Creek. The great battle at Fishing Creek took place. Our loss was great. Supposed to be eight hundred killed and wounded and a great many taken prisoners. We will try them again at our breastworks if they come to us."

   At the bottom of the paper, upside down, is a name I cannot make out, and then "Polasky."

   Here is another paper, which is evidently the results of a council of war, held before this force came across on the north side of the Cumberland:

"The result of your crossing the river now, will be that you will be repulsed and lose all the artillery taken over.  Dec. 4th, ’61. Estill.

"Another ‘Wild Cat’ disaster is all we can look forward to.  Fulkerson."

"We will cross over and find that the enemy has retired to a place that we will not deem advisable to attack, and then we will return to this encampment.  Loring."

   Estill is a Colonel from Middle Tennessee. Fulkerson is a Major, and one of the big heads of the secession party in Tennessee.

Courtesy Mark Hoffman  --  see Mark's info on the 1st Michigan Engineers & Mechanics at Mill Springs

NOTES:

Col. Spears -- probably Lt.Col. James G. Spears, 1st Tennessee Infantry USA

Maj. John W. Bridgman -- Maj. John M. Bridgman, Branner’s 4th Tennessee Cavalry Battalion CSA

Estill -- possibly Capt. Thomas L. Estill, CS Corps of Engineers, or W. W. Estill of Nashville

Fulkerson -- Maj. Abraham Fulkerson, 19th Tennessee Infantry CSA

Loring -- possibly Gen. William Loring, CSA