Civil War-era Memories

From The Memphis Daily Appeal

In recognition of the Civil War Sesquicentennial, “Civil War-Era Memories” features excerpts from The Memphis Daily Appeal of 150 years ago. Perspective from our staff is in italics.

(After fleeing Jackson, Miss. on May 14, 1863, the Memphis Daily Appeal began publishing from offices in Atlanta on June 6.) cided upon.

The Appeal printing material was principally saved by removal. Our regular issue was made, as usual, on the morning of the day the Federals entered the city, but through the energy of our attaches and the aid of a number of people, everything essential to the publication of the paper was brought off. We flatter ourselves our “evacuation” was a masterly one — as it was accomplished without loss, notwithstanding a number of shots that were fired across the Pearl River at our rear guard by the disappointed Yankees.

Letter from Richmond / Special Correspondence of the Memphis Appeal — The indomitable energy manifested by you, Messrs. Editors, in maintaining the publication of the APPEAL in the face of all the difficulties and discouragements which have beset you since your departure from Memphis has called forth the admi- ration of your brethren of the press here, and must satisfy the Southern public that your paper is an institution, exempt from the ordinary mutations of time and circumstance ... From Memphis to Grenada, and from Grenada to Jackson, and last of all from Jackson to Atlanta, your migrations have been unexampled in the American history of newspaperdom. In vain shall the enemy endeavor to suppress a press like yours. Compiled by Rosemary Nelms and Jan Smith, The Commercial Appeal News Library