1865: Alpheus Martin Beebe to John Fletcher Driggs

This letter was written by Major Alpheus Martin Beebe (1832-1895) of the 29th Michigan—a regiment that was organized in October 1864. Alpheus had previously served as a Captain in Co. E, 14th Michigan Infantry, having resigned his commission on 27 July 1863.

Alpheus was the son of Alanson Rice Beebe (1791-1841) and Deborah Mansfield (1793-1837) of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Alpheus was married to Biansa M. Smith (1834-1895) about 1850 and was residing in Owosso, Shiawassee, Michigan, in 1860 where he was employed as a clerk.

Major Beebe’s letter relates the incident when the 29th Michigan marched to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, arriving there in the 27th of November, then moved out to Overall Creek, where they were engaged on the 7th. of December. On the 13th., they were sent out again, as an escort of a Railroad train to procure fuel for the locomotive, when they were attacked by a superior force near Winstead Church, where a severe engagement occurred. The Confederates were repulsed, but only after they had torn up the track. The Regiment relaid the track, and succeeded in saving the train, by pulling it into Murfreesboro by hand.

Beebe wrote the letter to Hon. John Fletcher Driggs who supervised the organization of the 29th Michigan. My hunch is that this letter was never actually mailed but was a first draft retained by Beebe. There are far too many editorial changes within it for the author to have sent it to a congressman without embarrassment.

[Note: This letter is from the personal collection of Jim Doncaster and is published by express consent.]

TRANSCRIPTION

Headquarters 29th Michigan Vol. Inf.
Andeson, Tennessee
February 27, 1865

Dear Sir, I have long hesitated to add to the annoyance inflicted upon you by correspondents who have no claim upon your time, among whom I must number myself. But I believe what might otherwise appear an unwarranted liberty on my part will be excusable in your eyes, because I am one of the 29th, for we all hope you take more than a usual interest in the regiment which is indebted to you for its existence.

You have received, I think, letters from others of the regiment since we arrived here and so have undoubtedly heard how bountifully nature has blessed and how thoroughly slavery has cursed this section of Tennessee and Alabama. In Anderson, the principal citizen here is said to own twenty-six thousand acres of land and a large amount of other property, and can neither read nor write. In all this section I have seen neither church or school house to indicate that the country is or ever has been inhabited by a civilized and progressive people. Children—and they are numerous and every shade of color from pure white to jet black—are growing up in rags, dirt, and ignorance. Such is the material out of which the “chivalry” of this section is manufactured. For full grown specimens of the “high bred southrons” you have only to visit one of the many windowless log huts on the mountain sides.

There you will find a [  ] copperhead individual clad in ragged butternut or perhaps discarded federal blue. He is a worthy champion of the theory that the southron race is much superior to that of the North, and father to the unfledged heroes and fair tobacco chewing, snuff dipping daughters of the South who crowd the single room of their dwelling. The mother is the sallow-faced lady who stands with snuff stick in hand and gazes upon you, tobacco juice oozing from the corners of her mouth, staring at you with that matronly grace and dignity which I am happy to say is peculiar to the South. If among the daughters there is one whose 18 summers have crowned with the graces of womanhood, you will be likely to find that she has already been promoted to the dignity of a mother, though she has never been given in marriage. If you should request this southern gentleman to sign the oath of allegiance to Uncle Samuel, he would with dignified grace and regretful sigh—make his mark. It is useless to say this is not a true picture. My experience in Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee is that a more favorable one would be exceptional. Cotton will be cultivated to a considerable extent here this season—principally by northern men and loyal East Tennesseans.

You have I suppose already had a general history of the regiment since it left Michigan and I think you need not be ashamed of it. I believe no regiment that has ever left the state has in the same length of time become more thoroughly acquainted with the duties and hardships and dangers of troops in the field. They have seen the elephant from every point of view and are not at all frightened at his proportions. They have already made for themselves a reputation for bravery and discipline that many regiments have failed to obtain after three years service. While I believe that the material of which the regiment is made is not excelled by that of any other, it is obvious that for its quickly won popularity it is largely indebted to the gallant “Little Colonel” who commands it. By his firm, just, and considerate course, and his thorough practical knowledge of all military duties he has, through the officers of his command, made soldiers of the citizens who some 4 months since with faltering voices bid to you “goodbye” as to their best friend, and turned their faces southward. His past high reputation as an “officer and a gentleman” he has fully sustained since his connection with this regiment. Perhaps the most important service the Regiment has had to perform was at Murfreesboro when the determined bravery of Col. [Thomas] M. Saylor and the fidelity with which his regiment stood by him saved the only locomotive and train at that post from captive by the enemy.

He would not yield—though the enemy largely outnumbered him and had a section of artillery placed so as to command the train at short range, and also the road at a point where they had torn it up for a considerable distance. With incredible quickness the Col. set men to repairing the road and arranged his small command for defense. The enemy thinking they had us fairly within their rails, sent up cheer after cheer of triumph. A well directed fire from our men soon dampened this ardor however. Our line of skirmishers with stubborn bravery kept the enemy at bay until the road was repaired, nobly sustaining Col. Saylor in his determination never to abandon the train. When the shell-battered, but not entirely disabled, locomotive began slowly to move forward with the train, the rebels with a yell of disappointed fury came down upon us, but were checked and foiled of their prey by the shower of bullets that greeted them. So under a fierce fore from the enemy, the train slowly moved forward, part of the regiment pushing the train while the rest fought the enemy. When 4 miles from town the locomotive have out entirely and from there there the invincible men of the 6th Dist. pushed the train to Murfreesboro without the aid of an ounce of steam. For this, the Colonel and the regiment were highly complimented by the general commanding.

Several prisoners who were taken afterwards asked with evident interest what regiment it was that defended that train. Our loss was but 17 in all—a remarkably small number considering the shower of shell and bullets we passed through. Adjutant Seymour upon this as ever other occasion was conspicuous for his unflinching devotion to his duties. A less determined and brace commander than Col. Saylor would have given up the train as our efforts to save it seemed almost hopeless at one time. The second day after this affair, we had our last fight and drove three times our number of Forrest’s Cavalry some 4 miles.

Since our arrival here, our duties have been light and agreeable. At the present time, a detachment of 120 men under Capt. [John S.] Hackett [of Co. I] are at McMinville looking into the personal affairs of the bushwhackers in that section. They are not expected to bring in any prisoners.

Lt. Col. Eddy, who reputation as a fighting man is firmly established and attested by many honorable scars, is now president of a Military Commission at Murfreesboro where he is in high favor. I feel his absence very much as he is proverbial for rich humor and rare social qualities. I see that the noble labors of Congress in the cause of freedom and justice are likely to be nullified by the action if Kentucky, Delaware, and New Jersey. But they cannot change the result in the end. The salvation of our Nation and the destruction of slavery are inseparable and both will be accomplished. The successes which have crowned the efforts of our Generals and their armies lead me to believe that our labors in southern fields are nearly ended. — A. M. Beebe