History Of Greene County
by H.B. Crowley in 1906
5th Installment
GEN . CROWLEY DEVOTES ANOTHER CHAPTER OF HIS
HISTORY TO THE EXCITING EVENTS OF 1868
More about the Ku-Klux Days in Greene County - Depredations of Clayton's Militia and Armed Resistance Led by Gen. Benjamin E. Crowley.
Depredations of Clayton's Militia
The detail under Kitchens had found the militia in a gin-yard at the place of old man Wiley's and when the fight began the militia retired into the gin, and Kitchens withdrew from a fight and did not offer him an equal chance. Before we reached the scene of conflict, the firing ceased and Kitchens detail soon come up with one dead and three badly wounded The man killed in this fight was John Tyler , and James H. Wilcockson and Bud Gramling were seriously hurt. Wilcockson has the ball in his leg to this day.
Our company then fell back to the farm of James Woods and camped in his old gin house for the night, keeping out pickets all night, the writer serving on picket duty himself. The command remained on the county line for two days . In the encounter at Wiley's Mill it said that the militia lost three men and several wounded , but of this we never could learn of a certainity. They fell back to Jonesboro and spent their fury on the defenless people there by tearing down every log cabin in the place, there being several such houses there then and the logs were used to erect fortifications against th writer and his men, who had no intention of invading any other country, but acting soley in defense of their constitutional rights and to protect their homes and fire-sides. The company commanded by the writer was composed of one hundred men who served in the confederate army and they had the ight making of soldiers. After matters had stood this way for several days the commanding officer at Jonesboro released Judge W.H. Cate and Levy W. Loftis, from prison and sent them up to confer with me with a view to my surrender.
My command was posted at that time at the Dr Wm. F.J. Clement's farm on Big Creek where Lawrence Newbery now resides. This farm was before that the old Homestead of Obediah Rhea and Mrs. Clement a daughter had inherited the place . Old man Rhea had been a soldier in the war of 1812 and was with General Jackson at the famous battle of New Orleans.
When Judge Cate and Loftis neared our camp they were captured by the pickets and brought to my headquarters as prisoners of war.The pickets and brought to my headquaters as prisoners of war.The pickets had orders to let no one approach the camp from the south.
Judge Cate and Loftis soon made known their business that they had been commissioned by the commander of the state's at Jonesboro to come to us and confer about terms of surrender.We told the Judge to get upon a large stump nearby and tell the command what the message was that he and his friend Loftis had to communicate to us , that we were their friends and knew them to be true southern men. They were further told that the proposition for us to surrender was a serious matter with us as it probally meant nothing less than the death of every man in the command and that they being equally interested with myself in all that affected the company they should part what ever proposition they had to submit . The writer confesses that this was the most serious situation he has ever called upon to confront although he had been through four years of the Civil War acting in every capacity from private in the ranks to that of Captain of cavalry when it was my only duty to obey orders but here I had no one to look to for orders but was expected to act in a matter on a moment's notice that involved the surrender of my command the disbandment of the army and probaly the death of every man in it. Besides the eyes of the country were upon us and brave anxious hearts at home were praying for our sucess . The oldest and most substantial citizens in this section of the state were befriending us and furnishings us with supplies and no army ever went out in defense of country with a more loyal people at their back. Among my counselors were such men as Samuel Willcockson who had two sons in the company, and his brother , J.P. Willcockson , was my first lieutenant . Wiley Hutchens had two sons in the command besides he was my uncle and James S. Tennisin and C.C. Grayson father of John A. and A.D. Grayson and they were safe prudent and wise counselors .
Judge Cate submitted his message which was unconditional surrender. As commander , I made reply: "My men are freemen and can do as they see proper but as to me I can not and never will surrender as long as a man stands by me . If the men desire to do so I will disband them, and then flee the state and go I know not where." So, the matter was left to a vote of the command and to a man , they voted to stay with me as long a I lived and those that now live have kept the resolve to this day .
The commissioners were told that they were law-abiding citizens and desired nothing but the fair and impartial enforcement of the law. Judge Cate then asked me to write out such a statement or proposition as I desired to make known to the commander at Jonesboro and he would bear it to him.
This I did and it was as nearly as I can recall it as following: Headquarters, Greene County Guards,
December 2, 1868.
To the Commanding Officer , State
Militia , Jonesboro.
Dear Sir: I am in receipt of your message delivered by Messers Cate and Loftis in which you demand the surrender of myself and men. This I decline to do under present conditions , but if it is your object and purpose to secure peace and order by a fair enforcement of the civil and criminal laws of the state , I will furnish you one hundred as good men as can be found in the state for that purpose. But life and property must be protected and the armed invasion of this section must cease and soldiers must not be quartered among the people in time of peace.
Hostilities will be suspended until you make reply to this communication which is borne to you by two respected and reliable citizens who are authorized to act for me in the matter.
Very respectfully
B. H. Crowley,
Commanding.
This letter was submitted to the men in the command and all endorsed the sentiments it contained, and on the following day my commissioners returned accompanied this time by Capt. Thos. D. Culberhouse and one Mr. Greene Nipper, Capt. Culberhouse was a well known to the writer and to most of the company, having been a Captain in the Confederate army and it was like meeting a friend and comrade. We were then camped at the old Crowley farm where Walcott now is, and we requested Capt. Culberhouse to get up on the stile-block at the front gate of the yard and tell us what message he had to deliver from militia. He began by saying that he was no speaker, but was reassured when we told him that we were friends and would gather close around him and hear , in a hear-to-heart fashion what he might have to say. He said in substance that he had heard of our communication to the commander of the militia and the proposition it contained and stated that our friends at Jonesboro were using their influence to bring about the results we desired. "Now let us meet on halfway ground , and settle the trouble where it is, before more blood is spilled, and the country devastated." The judge made a strong plea for a compromise , but assured us that if the fight went on that he could be with us and march and fight and die as one of Crowley's men . The visiting men were quartered at the hom of Samuel Willcockson for the night, and on the following day I sent Messrs. Willcockson and Tennison back with them as my commissioners to continue the negotiations. The commanding officer at Jonesboro made inquiry of these men if they knew this fellow Crowley, and if he would keep his promise and remain quiet and law - abiding if we agreed upon terms of peace. He was told that the commander and all his men belonged to the best families in Greene County, and that they were law-abiding citizens , who loved peace and would fight for it. Thereupon he consulted with his subordinates and soon after informed my representatives that our terms were accepted.
In meantime we were carrying on negotiations with Cap. Nath Bowling and he had advised me to fall back if necessary in the vicinity of Gainesville, and he would re-enforce me with some of his old command from Missouri. Judge Mack and Dr. Wyse were active supporters of our troops and advised to settle the trouble amicably if it could be accomplished honorably and without surrounding our sacred rights.
The idea of being in open rebellion against the military authority of the state, even if it was being tyrannically employed was not a pleasing situation to contemplate . Had there ever been the least excuse for placing the state under the martial law, the writer an the good men that followed him, would not have lifted a hand against the constituted authorities of the land. The Crowleys for many generations have been true and staunch friends of the state and have advised obedience to law and respect for the rulers of the country at many times.
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