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Compiled by the National Archivists before
the microfilming of the Civil War records. |
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Entries in blue are references
and my additions.
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Samuel Tate was born in Middle
Tennessee in 1817. He became a merchant in Somerville, Tenn. about
1840. He became Secretary and Treasurer of the Memphis & Charleston
RR at its formation in 1846. In the 1860 Census, he lived in
Memphis, with real estate worth $58,000 and personal estate worth
$90,500. Early in the war, after a time as a Volunteer Aide to
General Albert Sidney Johnston in Tennessee, he was sent South with
his road's rolling stock when Memphis was captured. He appears to
have traveled extensively and was accorded great respect among his
peers. He was made the Military Superintendent of the construction
of the unfinished portion of the Alabama & Mississippi Rivers RR,
west of Selma. He worked with Maj. Whitfield in the reconstruction
of several railroads in Mississippi in 1864. In later 1864, he
became President of the Shelby Iron Works, providing funds crucial
to remaining in business. |
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After the war, Tate took over
construction of the South & North Alabama RR. He was involved in the
foundation of Birmingham, Ala. as a city and was president of an
iron foundry there. He lived in various states and died in Memphis
on July 26, 1892, in the home of one of his sons. |
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Tate was married twice; his first
wife, Mary Augusta died in Niagara Falls, NY in 1864, age 38 years.
Two known children are Samuel and Thomas (future mayor of
Birmingham). |
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Tate always signed as "Sam Tate," short for Samuel. One source
claims a middle initial of "M" but I have not seen confirmation. |
| Tate, Samuel -- Col. &
Vol. A. D. C. |
| Johnston's (A. S.) Comd. |
| January 24, 1861 |
His position of
secession
|
| April 26, 1861 |
Attended first
Railroad Convention
|
| June 4, 1861 |
Called second
Railroad Convention
|
| July 4, 1861 |
From Memphis,
telegraphs comments regarding Virginia RR Convention
|
| August 15, 1861 |
Told to provide
transportation for a company
|
| September 3, 1861 |
Asked to provide
locomotives to move freight in eastern Tennessee
|
| September 23, 1861 |
Writes QMG about
issue with Maj. Stevenson
|
| Warns Gorgas of
funds needed in Memphis
|
| Sept. 26, 1861 |
Announced as Col. & Vol. A. D. C. to Gen.
A. S. Johnston, comdg. Western Dept.
|
| Memo. |
Was Supdt. of Memphis & Charleston R. R.
Sept. 23, 1861. Was afterward President of same.
Tate was Secretary and Treasurer when the RR
was formed and, before the war, became its President. I have seen
nothing to indicate he was ever its Superintendent. |
| October 4, 1861 |
Attended Chattanooga
Railroad Convention
|
| Before October 18,
1861 |
Published a card on
the lack of cars causing slow travel to New Orleans
|
| November 11, 1861 |
Recommends a man for
Memphis Provost Marshall
|
| September to
November, 1861 |
Involved in creating
a route and rate for shipping metal from New Orleans to Richmond
|
| January 22, 1862 |
Quoted as willing to
fire anyone who showed favoritism in shipping freight out of Memphis
|
| March 17, 1862 |
Can send RR shipments
if it does not interfere with troop movement
|
| Ranney recommends him
for position on Beauregard's staff
|
| April 4, 1862 |
Requested by QMG to
help ensure that coal shipments were expedited to Atlanta
|
| June 29, 1862 |
Ordered to move
Memphis & Charleston RR operations base to Meridian
|
| July 4, 1862 |
Assigned as Military
Superintendent to complete the construction of the Alabama &
Mississippi Rivers RR, from west of Selma to Meridian, by General
Bragg. Bought and seized iron at various places for the project.
|
OR Series 1, Vol. 17, Part 2, Page 637 |
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AL,
A&MR 7-12-62 |
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AL,
A&MR 7-12A-62 |
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NA, SWT 7-15-62 |
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NA, SWT 7-15A-62 |
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NA, RRB 7-18B-62 |
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NA,
RRB 7-26-62 |
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NA, WD 7-29-62 |
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NA, RRB 8-1-62 |
| NA, A&F
9-2-62 |
| NP, SMR
9-27-62 |
| NA, A&F
9-x-62 |
| NA, M&S
12-3-62 |
| NA, A&F
1-21-63 |
| NA, A&F
2-3-63 |
| NA,
CM&G 2-10-63 |
| NA, A&F
3-13-63 |
| NA, A&F 3-30-63 |
| NA, A&F
4-13-63 |
| NA, A&F 5-15-63 |
| NA, A&F
6-1-63 |
| NA, A&F
6-2-63 |
|
| July 29, 1862 |
Appointed Military
Superintendent of RRs from Mobile to Chattanooga to aid the movement
of Bragg's army
|
| November 22, 1862 |
Wrote Appeal about trip through
the lines, seeing both commanding generals
|
| December 4, 1862 |
Was addressed as working on a RR
in Alabama
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| January 20, 1863 |
Pemberton asks for Tate'
services
|
| April 10, 1863 |
Asks Memphis & Charleston RR
accounts be audited
|
| May 11, 1863 |
Was contacted about a borrowed
locomotive
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| May 20, 1863 |
QMG writes regarding hide
contract
|
| June 23, 1863 |
QMG writes regarding rent of a
locomotive
|
| July, 1863 |
Safely removes Memphis &
Charleston RR & Decatur & Nashville RR rolling stock
|
| September 3, 1863 |
Sims was trying to find Tate
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| October 5, 1863 |
QMG promises to write in detail
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| October 6, 1863 |
QMG lets Tate know he wants to
commission Tate and have him run the RR Bureau west of Atlanta.
Wants Tate to come to Richmond. Tate refuses the job, but offers
assistance to Peters who will do the job.
|
| November 6, 1863 |
Informed that Lawton was in
Macon
|
| November 30, 1863 |
Was reconstructing the RR to
Demopolis and building the Tombigbee River Bridge. Held in high
opinion by Meriwether.
|
| Asks QMG to keep Whitfield in RR
service as Tate will need him
|
| December 8, 1863 |
Makes recommendation to QMG for
assignment of Whitfield to Peters
|
| December 12, 1863 |
QMG asks him to ensure the new
freight system is used
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| January 12, 1864 |
QMG asks what powers he wants
|
| January 15, 1864 |
Is told Peters is waiting for
orders before going west
|
| January 27, 1864 |
Told to resolve trouble with
Mississippi Central RR
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| February 20, 1864 |
Requested to find laborers
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| March 1, 1864 |
Told of surviving cars
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| March 3, 1864 |
Reports on RR repairs
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| April 26, 1864 |
Told to see Goodman at Canton
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| May 2, 1864 |
Asks for 20 additional hands to
complete repairs of Mississippi & Tennessee RR
|
| May 4, 1864 |
Reports on repairs north of
Jackson
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| Ordered to finish repairs on two
RRs
|
| May 5, 1864 |
His name put forward by members
of Forrest's command as candidate for Congress
|
| October 3, 1864 |
From Demopolis, withdraws his
request for permission to import cargo of supplies
|
| November 7, 1864 |
Leased 12 cars to Nitre & Mining
Bureau
|
| January 26, 1865 |
Was expected in Selma that
night; was working with Peters
|
| January 31, 1865 |
Writes Peters from Demopolis
regarding coal cars for Shelby Iron Works
|
| March 20, 1865 |
Provides cars to Peters for
Shelby Iron Works
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| May 24, 1865 |
Requested Pardon
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