4 Eyes & Ears
Buell, a very effective officer of high integrity who pline and render it efficient.” was especially concerned that his soldiers conduct But within a few days of the court- martial, themselves with honor, stepped in and relieved President Lincoln reinstated Turchin and promoted Turchin of command, insisting on his court-mar- him to the rank of Brigadier General. A few months tial. later Lincoln would make a similar promotion. In Most of the information in the previous November Lincoln promoted Col. John McNeil, one paragraphs was taken from the courtmartial proceedings of August 1862. Brigadier General James A. Garfield, a SCV Camp #723 future President of the United States, P. O. Box 782 presided over the court-martial. Lebanon, TN, 37087 Turchin and one of his regimental commanders, Col. Gazlay, were found guilty and dismissed from the Army. Charges against several other officers were dropped on proof they were only acting on Turchin’s orders. General Buell approved and signed the verdict. The proceedings of Turchin’s court-martial received considerable national attention and became the focus of a debate on the prosecution and conduct of the war. The Chicago newspapers bitterly condemned Buell for Turchin’s dismissal and court-martial. Their howl for harsh policies including devastation and plundering by Union armies was picked up by many other papers. of the senior officers responsible for the October The Radical Republicans in Congress were espe- 1862 Palmyra Massacre in Missouri, to Brigadier cially pushing for a General. It was obvimore vigorous and ous that Total War punishing war policy. policy had many ad Turchin’s vocates in Washingwife, evidently a very ton. formidable woman in Brigadier Genmany regards, pereral Turchin and sonally went to see his wife returned Lincoln and persuadto their home in ed him that not only Chicago to cheershould Turchin be ing crowds. He was reinstated but that presented a sword, he should also be and a band played promoted to Briga“Lo, the Conquering dier General: HearHero Comes.” On ing of this, General August 30, General Buell protested to Buell was informed Secretary of War that a large part of Stanton that: Athens, Alabama, “If as I hear, had been burned by the promotion of Union troops passColonel Turchin is ing through the contemplated I feel town. it is my duty to inform you that he is entirely unfit for it. I placed him in the command of a brigade, Source: The Un-Civil War By Mike Scruggs and now find it necessary to relieve him from it in Truths Your Teacher Never Told You consequence of his utter failure to enforce disci- Copyright 2007 by Universal Media, Inc.
EyEs & Ears The General Robert H. Hatton Camp # 723 Sons of Confederate Veterans
VOL. XXX No. I
www.hattoncamp723.org
“Everyone should do all in his power to collect and disseminate the truth, in the hope that it may find a place in history and descend to posterity. History is not the relation of campaigns and battles and generals or other individuals, but that which shows the principles for which the South contended and which justified her struggle for those principles.” ~ Robert E. Lee ~
JANUARY 2014
Come join us for this month’s meeting.
January 30th, 2014
Time: 7:00 p.m. Place: 212 S. Maple St., Lebanon, Tenn.
Our speakers this month is Vonda Dixon she is the current president of the Tennessee Society Order of Confederate Rose. She has been involved in the organization since 2006, being the first president of the Gainesboro Chapter. The Order of Confederate Rose will be her topic of discussion. Always a lover of history, she has taken archives and genealogy classes. She is former vice president of the Smith County Heritage Museum 2010-12. And has been the persona of Carthage founder’s wife Mrs. William (Sarah) Walton. She is currently a county employee in Smith County as the genealogist in the Smith County Library, Carthage as well as doing private research for people. She had the honor of documenting a small Confederate Cemetery in Huntersville, WV, and applied for the gravestones, honoring the memory of 20 Southern soldiers who died there. She has participated in many memorial services as well. She has done several school programs both in-class and at WBTS reenactments. She is a civilian re-enactor. If your wife or any female family members or friend has ever express and interest in being involved in a group that honors southern heritage and supports the S.C.V. this would be a meeting not to miss.
Eyes & Ears 3
2 Eyes & Ears
C o m m a n d e r ’s D i s p a t c h
Camp Officers Commander Barry L. Forkum Lt. Commander Reed Davis 2nd Lt. Commander Reed Working Adjutant / Treasurer Jeff Ford Chaplain Martin Frost Quartermaster Chad Mitchell Sergeant at Arms Brian Hudgens Color Sargeant Spence Morgan Web Officer Jesse Forkum Editor Barry L. Forkum The deadline for the next Eyes and Ears is Feb.. 15th. If you wish to submit something to me I would prefer it sent electronically. Please send it to my email address below. I can handle WORD, PDF, EXCEL and TXT. Sincerely, Barry L. Forkum bf@nashvilleretrospect.com
Compatriots, I hope this month’s newsletter finds you well, 2014 is here and it will be filled new activities for our camp. First I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity and privilege to serve this camp as Commander for the next two years, I am very honored. I hope I can make you proud to be apart of the Hatton camp and I will always strive to preserve the memories of our Confederate ancestors. Be sure to look at the new officers list, we have added a couple of names and positions and remove others. I have some very exciting news to share, the Lebanon U.D.C. Camp has sign over half ownership in the Robert Hatton monument. We really appreciate them making this decision, both camps have worked together for many years to protect, honor and maintain the Hatton monument and that will continue for many years to come. If you will notice on the opposite page, we have a new look to the calendar, plus we have added a few new things and set dates for others. We hope this will make it easier for you to keep up with our camps activities and give you time to make plans to be apart of them. I plan on discussing all of them at our meeting this month. As you may of may not know we have pledge to the Tennessee State Museum to raise money for the restoration of the 7th TN CSA flag, the estimate they gave us to restore this flag is 25k. Keeping this in mind we have added some additional ways to help raise money, but we need you to help make this happen. One event I am truly looking forward to is this years Confederate Memorial Day and cannon dedication. I want thank Graham Reed for his commitment in making the cannon, it has been a long road and to see the end coming is very exciting. We will be dedicating the cannon to Captain David Belcher, a member that pass away a couple years ago, he started this dream of making a cannon for the Hartsville Battlefield and his good friend Graham will help make that dream come true. Be sure when you see Graham to thank him. Another thing that is going to be new for 2014 is our web site, we have elected Jesse Forkum to be our Web Officer he will develop and maintain it for us, along with a Face Book page, they should be completed before this months meeting. Thank you once again for your support and confidence in me to lead this camp, I value you input and would love hear and discuss any ideas you may have on improving our camp. Respectfully yours, Barry L. Forkum Commander Gen. Robert H. Hatton Camp 723 Sons of Confederate Veterans
2014 Camp Calendar JANUARY Camp Meeting, Thursday night the 30th
FEBRUARY Camp Meeting, Thursday night the 27th
MARCH Camp Meeting, Thursday night the 27th Hartsville Battlefield clean up, 29th
APRIL Camp Meeting, Thursday night the 24th
MAY Camp Meeting, Thursday night the 29th Hartsville Battlefield cannon installation, TBA
JUNE Confederate Memorial Day, at the Hartsville Battlefield along with cannon dedictaiton, Saturday the 7th Forrest Homecoming, Saturday the 21st Camp Meeting, Thursday night the 26th
JULY Camp Meeting, Thursday night the 31st
AUGUST Wilson County Fair, 15th - 23rd Camp Meeting, Thursday night the 28th
SEPTEMBER Camp Meeting, Thursday night the 25th
OCTOBER Camp Turkey shoot, TBA Camp Meeting, Thursday night the 30th
NOVEMBER Camp Turkey shoot, TBA
DECEMBER Christmas Party, Tuesday night the 9th
Truths your teacher never told you In the middle of April 1862, the 18th Ohio under Turchin’s command occupied Athens, Alabama, a prosperous town of about 1200 population. On May 1, however, they were driven out by a combined regular and partisan Confederate cavalry force of only 112 men and retreated back to Huntsville. The Confederate cavalry was greeted with cheers and waving handkerchiefs by the citizens in the streets. Reports indicate that some Athens civilians may have fired on the Union troops from their homes as they left. The Confederate forces, however, quickly pulled out of town. The next morning Turchin marched into Athens unopposed with at least three regiments of his brigade. The townspeople, including the ladies, turned their backs to him as he rode into town. Turchin was furious with this gesture of impertinence and told his troops he would close his eyes for a few hours while they took their pleasure in looting the town and terrorizing its citizens. He then left them to their depredations for the rest of the day. At least some of Turchin’s troops stayed a few weeks. Later testimony indicated that numerous homes, offices, and stores were pillaged. Money, jewelry, dishware, silver, watches, clothes, shoes, medical supplies, medical instruments, and anything else of value were stolen. Furniture, carpets, artwork, and fixtures were destroyed. Books and especially bibles were viciously de-stroyed. Numerous testimonies indicated that the soldiers’ language to women was rude, insulting, threatening, and vulgar. One white woman, the pregnant wife of a Confederate cavalryman, was singled out and gang-raped, shortly thereafter dying from a miscarriage. Several black servant girls were raped, and several more had to fend off attempted rapes. The commander made his headquarters in the home of a prominent citizen and refused to let his sick daughter receive any medical treatment. She subsequently died. Shots were fired into homes and terror reigned. Some of the troops billeted themselves in the slave quarters on a nearby plantation for weeks, debauching the females. They roamed with the males over the surrounding country, plundering and pillaging. Some Union officers of integrity among Turchin’s troops, however, reported this to his Division Commander, Major General O. M. Mitchell. Mitchell immediately rebuked Turchin and notified General Buell and Secretary of War Stanton. After some delay on the part of Stanton, General continued on pg 4
Eyes & Ears 3
2 Eyes & Ears
C o m m a n d e r ’s D i s p a t c h
Camp Officers Commander Barry L. Forkum Lt. Commander Reed Davis 2nd Lt. Commander Reed Working Adjutant / Treasurer Jeff Ford Chaplain Martin Frost Quartermaster Chad Mitchell Sergeant at Arms Brian Hudgens Color Sargeant Spence Morgan Web Officer Jesse Forkum Editor Barry L. Forkum The deadline for the next Eyes and Ears is Feb.. 15th. If you wish to submit something to me I would prefer it sent electronically. Please send it to my email address below. I can handle WORD, PDF, EXCEL and TXT. Sincerely, Barry L. Forkum bf@nashvilleretrospect.com
Compatriots, I hope this month’s newsletter finds you well, 2014 is here and it will be filled new activities for our camp. First I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity and privilege to serve this camp as Commander for the next two years, I am very honored. I hope I can make you proud to be apart of the Hatton camp and I will always strive to preserve the memories of our Confederate ancestors. Be sure to look at the new officers list, we have added a couple of names and positions and remove others. I have some very exciting news to share, the Lebanon U.D.C. Camp has sign over half ownership in the Robert Hatton monument. We really appreciate them making this decision, both camps have worked together for many years to protect, honor and maintain the Hatton monument and that will continue for many years to come. If you will notice on the opposite page, we have a new look to the calendar, plus we have added a few new things and set dates for others. We hope this will make it easier for you to keep up with our camps activities and give you time to make plans to be apart of them. I plan on discussing all of them at our meeting this month. As you may of may not know we have pledge to the Tennessee State Museum to raise money for the restoration of the 7th TN CSA flag, the estimate they gave us to restore this flag is 25k. Keeping this in mind we have added some additional ways to help raise money, but we need you to help make this happen. One event I am truly looking forward to is this years Confederate Memorial Day and cannon dedication. I want thank Graham Reed for his commitment in making the cannon, it has been a long road and to see the end coming is very exciting. We will be dedicating the cannon to Captain David Belcher, a member that pass away a couple years ago, he started this dream of making a cannon for the Hartsville Battlefield and his good friend Graham will help make that dream come true. Be sure when you see Graham to thank him. Another thing that is going to be new for 2014 is our web site, we have elected Jesse Forkum to be our Web Officer he will develop and maintain it for us, along with a Face Book page, they should be completed before this months meeting. Thank you once again for your support and confidence in me to lead this camp, I value you input and would love hear and discuss any ideas you may have on improving our camp. Respectfully yours, Barry L. Forkum Commander Gen. Robert H. Hatton Camp 723 Sons of Confederate Veterans
2014 Camp Calendar JANUARY Camp Meeting, Thursday night the 30th
FEBRUARY Camp Meeting, Thursday night the 27th
MARCH Camp Meeting, Thursday night the 27th Hartsville Battlefield clean up, 29th
APRIL Camp Meeting, Thursday night the 24th
MAY Camp Meeting, Thursday night the 29th Hartsville Battlefield cannon installation, TBA
JUNE Confederate Memorial Day, at the Hartsville Battlefield along with cannon dedictaiton, Saturday the 7th Forrest Homecoming, Saturday the 21st Camp Meeting, Thursday night the 26th
JULY Camp Meeting, Thursday night the 31st
AUGUST Wilson County Fair, 15th - 23rd Camp Meeting, Thursday night the 28th
SEPTEMBER Camp Meeting, Thursday night the 25th
OCTOBER Camp Turkey shoot, TBA Camp Meeting, Thursday night the 30th
NOVEMBER Camp Turkey shoot, TBA
DECEMBER Christmas Party, Tuesday night the 9th
Truths your teacher never told you In the middle of April 1862, the 18th Ohio under Turchin’s command occupied Athens, Alabama, a prosperous town of about 1200 population. On May 1, however, they were driven out by a combined regular and partisan Confederate cavalry force of only 112 men and retreated back to Huntsville. The Confederate cavalry was greeted with cheers and waving handkerchiefs by the citizens in the streets. Reports indicate that some Athens civilians may have fired on the Union troops from their homes as they left. The Confederate forces, however, quickly pulled out of town. The next morning Turchin marched into Athens unopposed with at least three regiments of his brigade. The townspeople, including the ladies, turned their backs to him as he rode into town. Turchin was furious with this gesture of impertinence and told his troops he would close his eyes for a few hours while they took their pleasure in looting the town and terrorizing its citizens. He then left them to their depredations for the rest of the day. At least some of Turchin’s troops stayed a few weeks. Later testimony indicated that numerous homes, offices, and stores were pillaged. Money, jewelry, dishware, silver, watches, clothes, shoes, medical supplies, medical instruments, and anything else of value were stolen. Furniture, carpets, artwork, and fixtures were destroyed. Books and especially bibles were viciously de-stroyed. Numerous testimonies indicated that the soldiers’ language to women was rude, insulting, threatening, and vulgar. One white woman, the pregnant wife of a Confederate cavalryman, was singled out and gang-raped, shortly thereafter dying from a miscarriage. Several black servant girls were raped, and several more had to fend off attempted rapes. The commander made his headquarters in the home of a prominent citizen and refused to let his sick daughter receive any medical treatment. She subsequently died. Shots were fired into homes and terror reigned. Some of the troops billeted themselves in the slave quarters on a nearby plantation for weeks, debauching the females. They roamed with the males over the surrounding country, plundering and pillaging. Some Union officers of integrity among Turchin’s troops, however, reported this to his Division Commander, Major General O. M. Mitchell. Mitchell immediately rebuked Turchin and notified General Buell and Secretary of War Stanton. After some delay on the part of Stanton, General continued on pg 4
4 Eyes & Ears
Buell, a very effective officer of high integrity who pline and render it efficient.” was especially concerned that his soldiers conduct But within a few days of the court- martial, themselves with honor, stepped in and relieved President Lincoln reinstated Turchin and promoted Turchin of command, insisting on his court-mar- him to the rank of Brigadier General. A few months tial. later Lincoln would make a similar promotion. In Most of the information in the previous November Lincoln promoted Col. John McNeil, one paragraphs was taken from the courtmartial proceedings of August 1862. Brigadier General James A. Garfield, a SCV Camp #723 future President of the United States, P. O. Box 782 presided over the court-martial. Lebanon, TN, 37087 Turchin and one of his regimental commanders, Col. Gazlay, were found guilty and dismissed from the Army. Charges against several other officers were dropped on proof they were only acting on Turchin’s orders. General Buell approved and signed the verdict. The proceedings of Turchin’s court-martial received considerable national attention and became the focus of a debate on the prosecution and conduct of the war. The Chicago newspapers bitterly condemned Buell for Turchin’s dismissal and court-martial. Their howl for harsh policies including devastation and plundering by Union armies was picked up by many other papers. of the senior officers responsible for the October The Radical Republicans in Congress were espe- 1862 Palmyra Massacre in Missouri, to Brigadier cially pushing for a General. It was obvimore vigorous and ous that Total War punishing war policy. policy had many ad Turchin’s vocates in Washingwife, evidently a very ton. formidable woman in Brigadier Genmany regards, pereral Turchin and sonally went to see his wife returned Lincoln and persuadto their home in ed him that not only Chicago to cheershould Turchin be ing crowds. He was reinstated but that presented a sword, he should also be and a band played promoted to Briga“Lo, the Conquering dier General: HearHero Comes.” On ing of this, General August 30, General Buell protested to Buell was informed Secretary of War that a large part of Stanton that: Athens, Alabama, “If as I hear, had been burned by the promotion of Union troops passColonel Turchin is ing through the contemplated I feel town. it is my duty to inform you that he is entirely unfit for it. I placed him in the command of a brigade, Source: The Un-Civil War By Mike Scruggs and now find it necessary to relieve him from it in Truths Your Teacher Never Told You consequence of his utter failure to enforce disci- Copyright 2007 by Universal Media, Inc.
EyEs & Ears The General Robert H. Hatton Camp # 723 Sons of Confederate Veterans
VOL. XXX No. I
www.hattoncamp723.org
“Everyone should do all in his power to collect and disseminate the truth, in the hope that it may find a place in history and descend to posterity. History is not the relation of campaigns and battles and generals or other individuals, but that which shows the principles for which the South contended and which justified her struggle for those principles.” ~ Robert E. Lee ~
JANUARY 2014
Come join us for this month’s meeting.
January 30th, 2014
Time: 7:00 p.m. Place: 212 S. Maple St., Lebanon, Tenn.
Our speakers this month is Vonda Dixon she is the current president of the Tennessee Society Order of Confederate Rose. She has been involved in the organization since 2006, being the first president of the Gainesboro Chapter. The Order of Confederate Rose will be her topic of discussion. Always a lover of history, she has taken archives and genealogy classes. She is former vice president of the Smith County Heritage Museum 2010-12. And has been the persona of Carthage founder’s wife Mrs. William (Sarah) Walton. She is currently a county employee in Smith County as the genealogist in the Smith County Library, Carthage as well as doing private research for people. She had the honor of documenting a small Confederate Cemetery in Huntersville, WV, and applied for the gravestones, honoring the memory of 20 Southern soldiers who died there. She has participated in many memorial services as well. She has done several school programs both in-class and at WBTS reenactments. She is a civilian re-enactor. If your wife or any female family members or friend has ever express and interest in being involved in a group that honors southern heritage and supports the S.C.V. this would be a meeting not to miss.