| From the Memphis Appeal |
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| November 27, 1862 |
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| Demopolis, Ala. |
| November 22, 1862 |
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| Editors Appeal: |
| In your issue of the 17th
inst. I find an article headed "An Inadmissible Proposition," in which,
I doubt not, you allude to me, as I have long been a resident of
Memphis, and have lately passed through the lines and have had
interviews with the commanding generals of both armies, upon the subject
of firing upon unarmed boats on the Mississippi river. If I am the
person alluded to, permit me to say, that the charge that I was the
bearer of a proposition from the Federal commander at Memphis to
Lieutenant General Pemberton, or any one else, is false. I was not the
bearer of any proposition from him to any one, nor have I ever, nor do I
now, advocate the "unobstructed navigation" of the Mississippi river by
the enemy's freighting and passenger boats. I went to Memphis to remove
my family from there, under General Sherman's order, that they should
leave the city. When there, I learned the cause of this order to be (as
he, General Sherman, claimed) the unjustifiable firing upon the steamer
Gladiator and others. Upon investigation of the facts, I was convinced
that the act was not justified by the laws of civilized warfare, and
that no correspondence had taken place between the commanding generals
of the two armies upon the subject. The position taken by the Federal
commander was that the act should be disavowed by our authorities, and
it was the duty of the citizens to see that this was done. I then
investigated the case, and found the following facts to be true in
relation in the case of the Gladiator: |
| The steamer Gladiator was put
in the ??? between Helena and Memphis at the earnest solicitation of the
planters living along the river between those points, stating to the
military authorities of the United States that they were really
suffering for supplies, and could not control or keep their slaves at
home unless they could furnish them with the ordinary necessities of
life. Upon this statement of facts, the military authorities agreed that
this boat should be put on the line for the accommodation of these
people, and not for military purposes, or to carry troops or munitions
of war. A short time previous to October 20th, the boar was hailed at
Bledsoe's Landing, about forty miles below Memphis, on the Arkansas
shore on her upward trip, at night. When she neared the shore, the
officer on duty asked what they wanted. The reply was "We want to ship
some cotton." The boat landed, and as her staging was shoved out a party
of men ran on board, led by Thos. Kennon, about twelve in number, who
commenced an indiscriminate firing into the cabin and other parts of
the boat, killing the engineer and one passenger, (a Mr. Babcock),
and wounding a number of others, and then setting fire to the boat in
five places. When the boat was backed out from shore the men ran
ashore, except five of them, who jumped overboard and swam ashore. Those
who went ashore before the boat backed out, took some five or six of the
passengers and crew prisoners, and carried them to Little Rock, where
they were paroled as prisoners of war. These facts I get from the
captain of the boat and many other citizens and passengers who I know
are Southern men at heart and in action. |
| I went to Jackson, Miss., and
laid the matter before Gen. Pemberton, and asked him the following
questions: |
| 1st. Do you approve this mode
of warfare, and sanction the firing on this boat, under the
circumstances here stated? |
| 2d. Do you approve the taking
and paroling of citizens, as prisoners of war, as here stated? |
| This was my action in the
matter. The main object of my visit to Gen. Pemberton was to get these
questions answered. |
| In the discussion of these
questions, the question of navigating the Mississippi river arose, and
was discussed, and I asked Gen. Pemberton whether any arrangement could
be made to let a single boat run between points, both of which were in
the Federal lines -- such boats to be restricted to carrying unarmed
citizens and limited supplies for families, living on the river who had
been cut off from their friends in the South, and had no means of
communicating with them. They are our friends, and must suffer if cut
off from us, and refused the right to purchase the necessities of life
from the enemy, the only party they can have access to. I would advocate
the navigation of the river to this extent, if it could be so arranged
that the boat should not be used for the purpose of transporting troops,
or provisions, or other munitions of war, but this was not the question
that I desired answered. It was not necessary for my purposes, and was
only discussed as a question connected with the one at issue. |
| I disapproved of the firing on
this boat under the circumstances. I believed it inhuman, barbarous and
uncivilized, and not justified by any rules of civilized warfare, and in
my judgment, should be promptly disavowed by our authorities. If not, it
certainly will result in an indiscriminate warfare upon all the unarmed
citizens sympathizing with the South who have been so unfortunate as to
be left within the enemy's lines; and I desired to know the fact, that I
might get mine out of their lines as soon as possible. |
| If we wage war upon
unarmed men, women and children -- murdering them without notice, as
related in this case -- certainly we cannot expect less from our
enemies; and the sooner the people understand this the better. I
undertake to say that I speak the sentiments of the true friends of the
Southern Confederacy, in and out of Memphis, when I say they do not
approve any such warfare, nor will the people sustain those who do. |
| What I have said and done I
have done on my own responsibility, as a citizen. I am willing for my
acts to go before the Southern people, and be contrasted with the
proprietors of the APPEAL, and let our fellow-citizens place "suspicion,
or brand with the infamy that justly belongs to the traitor who would
sell his country for its enemies gold," the party whose character most
deserves it. |
| Sam. Tate
{President, Memphis & Charleston RR} |
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