Civil War-era Memories

From The Memphis Daily Appeal

“Civil War-Era Memories” features excerpts from The Memphis Daily Appeal of 150 years ago. The Appeal is publishing from Atlanta. Perspective from our staff is in italics.

The Daily Appeal issues from July 7-12, 1863 (Vol. XIV, No. 124-129) are missing and unavailable on microfilm. In the Tullahoma Campaign (June 24 — July 3) the Union Army of the Cumberland drove the Confederates from Middle Tennessee and threatened Chattanooga. The Battle of Gettysburg was fought July 1-3 and Vicksburg fell on July 4. the announcement that Vicksburg had fallen. We have reasons to believe such a result was anticipated by the authorities at Richmond days before it was announced. The repeated calls of Gen. Johnston for help in the way of men, munitions and supplies, were disregarded ... Of the occupation of the South bank of the Tennessee river by Gen. Bragg’s army, our weekly readers have been advised. The speculations of newspaper correspondents upon so important a movement, by which the whole of Middle Tennessee is abandoned to the enemy, and the safety of East Tennessee endangered, will not satisfy the public mind. 12,000. The Federal loss in killed and wounded in the late battles is stated at 15,000. (It is now estimated that one-third of the total forces at Gettysburg were casualties; between 46,000 and 51,000 were killed, wounded, taken prisoner or missing. More than 7,500 were fatalities; over half of this number were Confederate dead.)

Magnificent Present to General Forrest — The citizens of Atlanta, says the Intelligencer, appreciating his talents, the energy and indomitable courage of Gen. Forrest, and particularly his noble efforts to prevent the enemy from reaching Georgia, have purchased for him a fine horse at a cost of two thousand dollars, and have presented it to him, and have had made a fine saddle, bridle and halter, at a cost of twelve hundred dollars more.