ECS-Page 3 of Letter Evan C. Shivers, Co. A 39th Regt. Miss. Inf. to Pheraba Shivers [November 1864]
[This letter was written after the battle of Altoona Pass and after the actions at Resaca, Dalton, Tunnel Hill and after fighting at Decatur, AL; sometime after Nov. 20th when Stewart’s Corps entered Tennessee.-Ron Skellie]
[The following was written in ink on scraps of paper torn from a ledger. Evidently there were 2 missing scraps because the following is numbered No. 3-Paul Shivers. Unfortunately we only have a transcription and cannot locate the original letters, so there couls be transcription errors-Ron Skellie]
“…of the fight we left the railroad and continued our flank mg… and we struck the railroad at resac_ and we taken up the road tarmd (?) it all up and capturing ever place up to Turner hill… captured Dalton. Then retreated back in the direction of Blue mountain I myself didant go any further up than Resac I give out. And I didant catch up untell the second days mach from Dalton in the direction of Blue Main-[Could possibly be Blue Pond-RJS] and that was the 15 (?) and I left them After I left them they come in 20 miles of Blue mountain and then they struck for Ten they are now some where in Tenn. [after 20th of Nov.RJS] George was in fine health he was in the fight at Altonna he got back the second day after A W Berry and lane Stephen Dampier G W H J (?)Newson they are all Right nothing more at present I remain your sun E C Shivers”
Miss. Board
Location for Blue Mountain 39th Miss.
By:Mitchell Sanders
Date: Friday, 20 March 2009, 10:49 pm
In Response To: Re: Location for Blue Mountain 39th Miss. (Ron Skellie)
BLUE MOUNTAIN, Ala., the present terminus of the Alabama & Tennessee River Rail-Road, is a very small village, principally noted from its being a centre for stage lines, and proposed railroads, one of which is now being built through from Rome, Ga., by the Confederate Government.
ROME & BLUE MOUNTAIN ROAD.
C. H. SMITH, Secretary.
This road is now in course of construction by the Confederate Government, and is intended to extend from Rome, Georgia, to Blue Mountain, Alabama, where it will form junction with the Alabama & Tennessee River rail-road, making a most desirable cut-off, in pressing cases, for the transportation of troops and stores for army purposes.
Source:
http://docsouth.unc.edu/imls/swayze/swayze.html
A map of the Alabama & Tennessee Railroad and additional info can be found by exploring this web site.
http://www.csa-railroads.com/
Miss. Board
By:Alan Pitts
Date: Friday, 20 March 2009, 8:12 am
In Response To: Location for Blue Mountain 39th Miss. (Ron Skellie)
The map location for this point today is the city of Anniston AL. During the 1860s the railroad line leading northeast from Selma, Montevallo and Talladega came to an end at Blue Mountain.
Alabama message Board
George Martin
Date: Thursday, 19 March 2009, 7:54 pm
In Response To: Blue mountain? (Ron Skellie)
Blue Mountain, in Alabama, is shown on Plate 76-1 of the OR Atlas. It is approximately mid-way between Talladega & Jacksonville approximately 2 miles to the East of the Atlanta RR.
George Martin
By:Henry Drake
Date: Thursday, 19 March 2009, 6:44 pm
In Response To: Blue mountain? (Ron Skellie)
I think Blue Mountain was the terminus of the Alabama & Tennessee Rivers railroad, but it doesn't appear that the Army marched that far south. Here's how I think the Army moved:
October 18: Stewart's, Cheatham's, and Lee's corps of the Army of Tennessee marched on the Gaylesville road from Alpine, Georgia into Alabama, and camped at Little River. Sherman marched in pursuit.
October 19: the Army crossed the river and marched through Blue Pond on the Gadsden road and 9 miles beyond to where the roads to Gadsden from Centre and Blue Pond intersect at Simms', at the falls of Yellow creek in the neighborhood of Will's valley, within 14 miles of Gadsden. Wheeler's cavalry, performing rear-guard duty, was engaged at Little river and Blue Pond. Sherman's pursuit of Hood ended today, and the Federal army encamped at Gaylesville.
October 20: Gen. Stewart's corps, which marched at 3am in the advance, marched to Gadsden and camped at Black creek. Gen. Cheatham's corps marched at sunrise and followed Stewart's and encamped on the Coosa river at Gadsden. Gen. Lee's corps encamped opposite Kay's Ferry on the Gadsden road. Beauregard met with Hood in Gadsden this night to plan the advance into Tennessee. Wheeler was engaged at Yellow creek and Leesburg.
October 21: Beauregard reviewed the troops at Gadsden and Army was resupplied.
October 22: the Army marched north for Guntersville.