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From: "TTR Online Archive" <>
Subject: [8TH-TEXAS-CAVALRY] Blackburn's account of the stockade fight
Date: Sat, 25 Jan 2003 14:53:25 -0700


Reminiscences of the Terry Rangers, part 1
by J. K. P. Blackburn
Southwestern Historical Quarterly
Vol. 22, 1918, p38-77

Our next encounter with the enemy was in Warren County, Tennessee, near
Morrison's depot where the enemy had constructed a stockade and left about
three companies of infantry to protect a railroad bridge across the river
from destruction by the Confederates. The stockade was built of logs twelve
or fifteen inches in diameter and twelve feet long, set on end in trenches
two feet deep, close touching each other with portholes cut between the logs
about as high as a man's head, to shoot through. These logs were thoroughly
tamped in place and a small door left in one side for passing in and out
with a screen of like make just on the inside so one going in would pass in
the door and turn to left or right to get inside of the stockade. I have
been thus particular in describing this fort or stockade so the reader may
more easily understand why we were so easily and completely defeated by this
small contingent of defenders when we attacked that fort. When within
one-quarter or one-half mile of the place Colonel Forrest formed the brigade
into single line, ordered us to dismount and then rode in front of each
regiment giving instructions about the charge he intended to make. When in
front of our regiment he said, "I don't want but one-half of this command
for this engagement"--that his scouts reported that only three or four
companies were up there and that they had their dinner already cooked, and
he wanted us to kill them and then eat their dinner. Company F had thirty
men in line, so the first fifteen were ordered to step two paces to the
front, and the captain told me to take charge of them, so we maneuvered for
some time to get a suitable place to charge from, but could not get nearer
than two hundred or two hundred and fifty yards without being exposed to
full view of the enemy from the start to the finish, so we were ordered to
charge at least two hundred yards through an open field upon that fort. Of
course the enemy were inside and had nothing to do but shoot us down from
the start. After approaching near enough for some of our men to make telling
shots at those portholes we were driven back in much disorder to the timber,
back of the field from whence we started. Our loss was estimated at 180
killed and wounded. Company F's loss was one killed and five wounded. The
enemy's loss was 20 killed whom we shot in the head through those portholes.
James Petty [James Pettus] of my company was killed within ten feet of the
door of that stockade. These details of the enemy's dead and the place where
Petty fell we have learned from our surgeon who was left to care for the
wounded at that place.

Troy Groves
Online Archive for Terry's Texas Rangers
http://www.TerrysTexasRangers.org

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