1864 Civil War Confederate 53rd Tennessee Recon Report after Battle of Okolona
An interesting 1864 letter written in the wake of the Battle of Okolona in Mississippi during the Meridian Campaign. It was written to Confederate General Daniel Ruggles by Colonel Tigmal J. Morton (also seen as Tignal) of the 53rd Tennessee Infantry. Morton had been wounded at Glendale in 1862 as a captain in the 56th Virginia and was later removed from the rolls, presumably from an absence related to his wound.
In any event, he was commissioned colonel of the 53rd Tennessee in August 1863. In February 1864 this regiment was one of several outfits that were quickly hurried to northern Mississippi to meet the threat of General William T. Shermans advancing Army of the Tennessee. One of the Union columns under General William Sooy Smith was stopped by General Nathan Bedford Forrests troops at Okolona on February 22.
General Ruggles, commanding the 1st Military District of Mississippi from Columbus, had ordered Morton to take his command and Rices Battery from Aberdeen to Cotton Gin Port on the Tombigbee River, with instructions to resist any attempt by the enemy to cross. On February 25, Morton sent this message to Ruggles at his headquarters in Columbus, Mississippi. I have scouted all roads leading north & east from this point, have all ferries guarded, & no enemy have been heard of except a band of tories up above Smithville & they have left that section of country since defeat of enemy. No reliable news from west side of river. & will hold them till leave.Rogers with section of artillery reached here yesterday about 10 oclock a. The letter is docketed on the reverse along with the integral address section to General Ruggles. It was written on a lined sheet of blue paper cut to about 7 3/4 x 7.
Very good condition with light toning and foxing. Please see my other items for more interesting Civil War letters, documents, and images.
The item "1864 Civil War Confederate 53rd Tennessee Recon Report after Battle of Okolona" is in sale since Tuesday, June 18, 2019. This item is in the category "Collectibles\Militaria\Civil War (1861-65)\Original Period Items\Documents". The seller is "iron-horse-sales" and is located in Champaign, Illinois.
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