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I came across this 3/29/1864 letter below from Col. Hurst to B.H. Grierson concerning Hurst’s own accusations of atrocities being committed by the other side, specifically Nathan Bedford Forrest. I want to come back to this letter for other reasons later, but wanted to post a quick thought on one particular sentence in the letter.

“I love my country and am too proud of her flag to ever disgrace it by that mode of warfare that Tennesseans must and will adopt if such outrages are not suppressed.” - Col. Fielding Hurst 3/29/1864

Fielding Hurst looks to go out of his way to deny that he would participate in similar atrocities. It’s an odd sort of statement; I am too proud to do it, but we will if they don’t stop (in the future).

This statement is pretty amazing considering what Hurst’s men were already accused of during the year of 1864 alone. The following are from the W. Clay Crook article in which he dramatically states “1864 reads like a roll call of the damned.”

• January 1,1864 a deformed and helpless cripple named Ree Doroughty - just 16-years-old was arrested and brutally murdered.
• February 5,1864 Pvt. Martin of the 21st was shot to death, and burial denied for four days.
• February 7,1864 Held Jackson, TN hostage under the threat of burning the town over $5,139.25.
• February 12,1864 Collected $5,139.25 then burned the city anyway.
• March 8,1864 Pvt. Alex Vale of Co. H., Newsome’s 18th, was arrested and shot in Madison County.
• March 9,1864 Lt. J.W. Dodds, CSA, Captured and brutally murdered.

So, is Fielding lying with his “I’m too proud” statement? There are only a few options. Telling the truth, lying, and being clueless are the three that come to mind. We know that both sides had trouble controlling their men in West TN and Northern MS. Could Fielding Hurst still believe in what he says in this March of 1864 letter or is he just laying the groundwork for justifying the use of this particular “mode of warfare” himself?

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Filed under: B.H. Grierson, Civil War, Civil War in Tennessee, Guerilla Warfare, Burning of Jackson, That Demon Called Hurst, Nathan Bedford Forrest, Official Record, Col. Fielding Hurst

Col. Hurst in the Official Record of the War:

March 29,1864 - Col. Hurst complaining out Forrest atrocities.

• White’s Station, May 29, 1864

Brig. Gen. B.H. Grierson,
Memphis, Tenn.

Dear Sir:  Allow me to trouble you with some facts of great interest to me and my friends, and to which I desire to call your serious attention:  Within the last two weeks and since I had a conversation with you  a band of rebels, calling themselves Forrest’s men, have arrested and carried from their homes four of our best, most peaceable, and quiet citizens, and brutally murdered them in cold blood without the slightest provocation-Mr. B.A. Crawford, age fifty years, and William Bowlin, age fifty-five years of Weakley County, Tenn.; John C. Huddleston, age fifty-two years, and William Hurst, age eighteen years, the latter of McNairy County, Tenn.  These victims of this murderous band were the friends and relatives of the families of soldiers now in the U.S. service, who were at home endeavoring, by labor and economy, to make a support for and, to some extent, alleviate the distressed condition of the wives and children, widows and orphans of Union soldiers.  I have presented these cases as mere specimens of the various outrages to which loyal men and their wives and children are daily subject; and to ask of you, in the name of our friends, and in the name of the blood of our murdered relatives, in the name of honor and patriotism, and, lastly in the name of high Heaven, to assist us in giving our friends and country some aid, some assistance to protect and save life and the shedding of innocent and defenseless blood by thieves and murderers.  The plan that I would suggest and ask for your adoption is to remove my regiment to some point on the Tennessee River where they can obtain their supplies from Paducah and give us authority to arrest the fathers, brothers, and sons of these murderers, and hold them in prison as hostages for the safety of and good treatment of our citizen friends.  We think this may be done without injury to the service.  We know we cannot bring to life our murdered friends, but we hope in this to prevent a repetition of such crimes upon friends as dear to us and whose veins are filled with blood from the fountains of our own hearts.  Since writing the above a friend has laid on my table an account of three more horrible murders in Gibson County, one a very old man, under the following circumstances:  A party of Forrest’s men went to the residence of Francis Crawford, who, from age and infirmity, was unable to walk; they said to the old man they understood he was a damned old Union, and he must go with the to Forrest’s headquarters.  They then placed him on a wagon and started off.  After they were gone some half hour some of the party returned and informed the lady that if she would give them $200 they would release her husband.  The old lady set about and by borrowing raised the sum demanded, which they pocketed, the cursed and abused her; said they had her money and would kill the damned old tory besides.  In about three days after the body of the old man was found dead and horribly mangled near his home.  This old man has two sons in my regiment.   I love my country and am too proud of her flag to ever disgrace it by that mode of warfare that Tennesseans must and will adopt if such outrages are not suppressed.  Hoping you will give this your serious attention and le us hear from you soon.

I remain, your obedient servant,
Fielding Hurst
Colonel Sixth Tennessee Cavalry

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Filed under: Civil War, Civil War in Tennessee, B.H. Grierson, Guerilla Warfare, Nathan Bedford Forrest, Official Record, Col. Fielding Hurst

(Hurst Mansion shrouded in ghostly fog. Tennessee Hauntings )

I am not a ghost hunter, but seem to have an appreciation of Purdy in common with ghost hunters. Even I was impressed with the ghostly fog, assuming Cheech and Chong were not standing just out of frame.

Tennessee Hauntings has some great, new, current pictures (at night) … (day time pics) … of the “Hurst Mansion” and apparently got the tour from the new owner.

• Vandals are making refurbishment difficult.
• Do not visit the Hurst property or you are very likely to be shot and killed!
• Questions will be asked after the fact, but you will be dead.
• No Trespassing.

It is great to see someone finally taking care of the last 19th century structure standing in McNairy County.

I do not know the new owners, but I heard rumor that he was considering moving the house. Having seen the house, I would say the chances of moving it and having anything other than a scrapheap of old wood and bricks, are slim to none.

At one point, there was talk of turning the house into a museum and I think the county even got a grant from the Transportation Department.  That deal fell apart.

It is amazing to think of all of the history that this structure has seen. The Purdy Courthouse was right next door and soldiers from both sides marched past the home along what was then a main route. Nathan Bedford Forrest forbid his men from torching the house. Ab Hurst, a slave, described hearing the guns of Shiloh from the front porch. Simply amazing, I am glad to see an effort being made to save this historic property.

If I owned this property, I would take up donations. I am sure some Civil War buffs or Col. Hurst relatives would make a donation to the cause.

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Filed under: Ghost Hunters, Haunted, Civil War in Tennessee, Ghosts, Ghost of Fielding Hurst, Purdy, Col. Fielding Hurst, Hurst Mansion, TN

The title of this post sounds like a bad Harry Potter novel. I just love running across posts like the following. It just goes to show how whacked out some of the stories about Col. Hurst have become in the time since his passing. Lots of these stories involve Fielding being murdered in the Hurst Mansion. This one from the shadowlands.com is especially entertaining, the bloodspot from hell. (Fielding died broke in M. Gilead of old age. He has already sold the Purdy property and had not lived there in some time at the time of his death. Boring, but true.)

Old Purdy Cemetery

Purdy, TN. Old Purdy Cemetery

Purdy is a small community in McNairy County, in the southern part of West Tn. It’s is located between Selmer and Adamsville. I have been to, and taken pictures of the cemetery. The oldest grave there is around the 1840s. I have also been there at night, several nights, with my grandmother. Once we talked to one of her good friends that grew up in Purdy. People say you can go there at night and hear sounds of old Confederate soliders. Also, many people have witnessed the ghosts of slaves that were forced to bury the dead. Many locals don’t go there, because they are affraid of the cemetery. However, everytime I go back to visit, I make sure I go to the cemetery. The original iron fences are still there, and the grave markers are still standing. Most of them anyway. To get to the cemetery you have to go down an old dirt road, which is about a mile long. I have heard things there. Sounds like little children playing. Once my grandfather’s friend saw a man, woman, and child riding in a horse pulled wagon. They had on old cloths that looked to be from the 1800s. He was clearing some trees from the road when he saw them. All of his machines went dead, and they didn’t start working again till the wagon was out of sight. There is also a house across from the cemetery that is believed to be haunted. It’s said that a Union general living there when the Union army came into Tn. He was also said to be a evil man. One night after the battle of Shiolh, he was shot by Confederate supporter at the top of the stairs on the second floor. People say that his blood has stained the floor in the spot he died in, and everytime someone cleans it up, it comes back a few days later. If your every in McNairy County, ask someone where Purdy is. I don’t know what the name of all the roads to get there is, but it’s not that hard of a place to find.

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Filed under: Ghost Hunters, Ghosts, Haunted, Civil War, Civil War in Tennessee, Ghost of Fielding Hurst, That Demon Called Hurst, TN, Purdy, Col. Fielding Hurst, Hurst Mansion, Hurst Nation

From the FIGUERS FAMILY PAPERS (.pdf), I would love to read the actual memoir letter itself containing the mention of Col. Hurst, but can’t find it. If you have it, send it or a link to me please. Also, Cheairs’ Rippavilla mansion has held up a little better than Fielding’s “mansion”. It was a tad nicer too.

The memoir, 1861-1865, of Cheairs details events from February 1861 through his war experiences and his return home to Maury County after the war. A major himself, Cheairs often was in a unique position to observe personally the actions and comments of his military superiors and enemies. At times, he quoted conversations at length, giving rare insight into both the reasoning and personalities of the men involved. It was Cheairs who was ordered by Colonel John C. Brown to deliver the surrender message of General S. B. Buckner to General Grant at Fort Donelson, and it was he who escorted Grant to Buckner’s headquarters. In Fort Warren Prison, Cheairs was selected “caterer” for the captured Confederate officers, who were very well treated by prison officials. Exchanged in 1862, Cheairs joined Nathan Bedford Forest and Joseph E. Johnston, with the duty of buying cattle and supplies for the army. Captured by Fielding Hurst on one of these expeditions, Cheair obtained reprieve from the death penalty by appealing to Hurst as a Mason.

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Filed under: Civil War in Tennessee, Civil War, Col. Fielding Hurst