John Adams: Where No Sorrows Come

       

Charles McDougall (father-in-law of John Adams)

       I know I've already written at least one blog on Confederate Brigadier General John Adams. He happens to be one of my favorite Confederate generals. I recently bought a book at Carnton Plantation in Franklin, Tennessee entitled Where No Sorrows Come: The Life and Death of Confederate Brigadier General John Adams by Bryan Lane. This book is a must have. I finished it in two days, despite having a severe migraine on the last day during the last one hundred pages. The book is well researched and well written. My hat is off to Mr. Lane. This blog consists of a letter quoted in Mr. Lane's book from John Adams's father-in-law (who happened to be strongly pro-Union) to John Adams's sister. The letter is extremely touching. 

       "We are a thousand times obliged for your last favor. The sad detail of my dear son's (John Adams, his actual son-in-law) fate with its sorrows had much of comfort. Long before I dreamed of any nearer situation between John and myself we were mess mates on an Indian campaign, and on which begun our friendship.

       Our relation of father and son were those of very tender and strong attachment - in him was all a father could wish - We loved him as we did our own children who all loved him as their own dear brother, and in all our intercourse as with every member of my family, not a word or look or thought to mar our happiness.

       He loved Georgie as he did his life, even more, and not a wish had she but it was always anticipated. At one time Georgie was suddenly very ill. I despaired of her life and I thought it advisable to tell him. When I did so he fell as if shot in overpowering grief - and when the crisis was past and announced, his joy knew no bounds - the happiest man I ever saw.

       He was fun, without guile, chivalrous, affectionate and all that relatives or friends could wish him. He leaves in his example a rich legacy to his children - God bless them. 

       How much we have desired to see you all and mix our griefs and tears with yours, to unburden our hearts as cannot be done by writing. Tell my darling daughter that she and her dear ones are never out of our thoughts - that although she has kind and loving friends, who will do everything for her, yet her fathers home is where she ought and must come to. What little of life which is left to her parents will be devoted to her and the children, and we pray our Heavenly Father that we may live for their sakes. 

       Please mention to Georgie to notify me that she will come and when, so that I can prepare. Her mother and myself will meet her wherever she may indicate. Early information will govern the time I shall her rent her a house which now are hard to procure. 

       And now dear sister of my beloved son (now in Heaven) accept from us our deep and sincere condolence and we pray God to sustain you in your affliction and that we may all meet where no sorrows come."

       C. McDougall

Only known photograph of John and Georgiana Adams together

The Myth of the Six Dead Generals

The Myth of the Six Dead Generals

My buddy Seab Hunter and I in behind the Carnton Plantation. The bodies of the generals were laid out on the lower back porch to the right.

The bodies of the generals were laid out on the far end of this photo.

I often hear about the six Confederate generals that were killed at Franklin. When people hear that I'm a Civil War historian and especially that I've written a book about the Battle of Franklin, they tend to tell about the bodies of the six Confederate generals that were laid out on the back porch of the Carnton Mansion. I'm not the type person to correct people, so I usually just listen politely.

In truth, there were only four generals brought to Carnton the morning after the battle. Major General Patrick Cleburne and Brigadier General John Adams were brought back in the same wagon. Brigadier General Otho Strahl and Brigadier General Hiram B. Granbury were also brought to Carnton. Brigadier General John C. Carter was mortally wounded, gut shot to be exact and lingered for about a week at the Harrison Home south of Winstead Hill. Brigadier General States Rights Gist was mortally wounded, shot in a leg and the chest and died during the night at a field hospital. He would be buried in the yard of a resident named William White the next day.

So how did the legend of six Confederate generals being laid out on the back porch of the Carnton Plantation get started. Usually, when a legend begins, it is based on some fact. That is the same in this case. As the bodies were brought in, they were laid out on the lower back porch of the Carnton plantation. Strahl, Adams, Cleburne, and Granbury were placed gently on the porch. So how could four bodies be mistaken for six generals?

There were two more officers laid out on the porch with the generals. Lieutenant Colonel Robert B. Young of the 10^th Texas was found near his commander Brigadier General Hiram B. Granbury and also brought there. He lay on the porch next to his commander. Lieutenant John Marsh, one of Brigadier General Otho F. Strahl's staff officers was carried back to Carnton with his commander and placed on the porch. So we know there were six bodies placed side by side on the back porch at Carnton and there is where the rumors began.

Me at the grave of Colonel Robert B. Young, one of the bodies who lay with the generals at Carnton. Cleburne, Strahl, and Granbury would have been buried beside him here until removed to their homes. Lieutenant John Marsh still rests here beside Young.

Somewhere down the line, knowing there were six generals killed during the Battle of Franklin and hearing veterans talk about seeing the six bodies laid out on the back porch, people jumped to the conclusion that all six were generals rested there momentarily that morning.

People enjoy telling this story because it makes for a much more interesting tale. It has just become one more myth produced from that war. The truth doesn't take anything away from the heroism that occurred on that field of battle. Below are the pictures of the generals killed at Franklin and the officers laid out beside the generals at Carnton.

Brigadier General John C. Carter died a week later at the Harrison home.

Brigadier General States Rights Gist was buried at William White's house.

Major General Patrick R. Cleburne was carried to Carnton.

Brigadier General Hiram B. Granbury placed on the back porch at Carnton.

Brigadier General John Adams was brought to Carnton.

Brigadier General Otho F. Strahl was brought to Carnton.

Lieutenant John Marsh, aide to Strahl was brought back to Carnton. I have yet to find a photograph of Lieutenant Colonel Robert Young who was also laid out on the back porch with his commander General Granbury.

Skeletons of the Civil War by Debra Glass and Heath Mathews

A Great Book

       Last month, I had the opportunity to sit beside Debra Glass and Heath Mathews and sell books at the worlds largest Civil War show in Nashville, Tennessee. It was the first time I had met Heath in person. I'd talked to him on the phone a few times. Heath turned out to be a great guy. It didn't take me long to learn that Heath is the type person who is committed to saving as much of our historic battle grounds as possible. Sometimes, he feels like he's fighting a losing battle. 

       After the show on Sunday, we took the grand tour of Franklin and had a blast. I finally visited the graves of the Carter family and witnessed the spot where Hardin Figures, the fifteen year old boy, climbed a tree and watched the battle. He also showed where the house stood where Brigadier General States Rights Gist had died. Debra doesn't like General Gist very much because he came out so violently against Cleburne's proclamation to free the slaves and make soldiers out of them. While that is true of the man, he was fine commander and probably deserved a shot at division command. Besides, you have to love his name. 

       Heath and I then walked the ground where my ancestor Private Mack Keenum charged the osage orange abatis on the far right under General Thomas Moore Scott. We located what we think is the approximate position of General Adams death. Walked behind the Franklin Chamber of Commerce and found the position where a sign once stood marking the death site of General Strahl. 

       We passed through Franklin again a couple of weeks ago and again looked Heath up. Again, we did some more touring of the field of Franklin. I may be working with my publisher soon to do a documentary on the affair at Spring Hill and plan on asking Heath for help. If you haven't read the book Skeletons of the Civil War, you need to buy a copy soon. Even if your not into ghost stories, there is a lot of history in the book. 

The Mysterious James Deshler Photograph

Brigadier General James Deshler

       Above is a photograph of Brigadier General James Deshler that appears in all Civil War books that furnish a picture of the man. It shows heavy signs of being retouched, which means an artist took the photograph and painted over the picture covering up any blemishes and most likely painting on the officer's coat. Ironically, he wears the coat of a Confederate brigadier general which is exactly what his rank was at the time of his death. He was only a brigadier for a couple of months before being killed at the Battle of Chickamauga and probably never had his image taken in that particular uniform. This is actually a quite common occurrence for the time. 

Two photos of Brigadier General John Adams

       In the photo of General John Adams above on the left is an original photo of the man without retouching. The photograph on the right is the same man but the picture has been heavily retouched by an artist. The artist did an excellent job of making Adams eyes clearer, skin extremely smooth and his mustache is about five times as thick. The coat he has painted on the man is obviously not a coat at all. Notice how perfect the collar is, how smooth the coat lies across his chest and shoulders. 

James Deshler Mystery Photo

       A few months ago, a friend of mine, Historian Richard Sheridan provided me with a copy of the above photograph that he obtained from some of Deshler's living relatives. This picture has given me a headache attempting to figure out what it is. In the original, the coat looks real, it doesn't appear to be retouched. The above photo doesn't do the original much justice. The next problem is the fact that he is wearing a coat that would be worn by a major general or above because the buttons are grouped in three's. If you notice his face shows heavy signs of being retouched and most troubling of all, his head seems a little off centered with his neck. The mystery remains about the history of this photograph. Did he borrow a senior officers coat to have his photograph taken? Did an artist paint Deshler's face over another general officers so the family would have a uniformed picture of their lost loved one? There's a very good possibility that we will never know.

The gallant charge of Brigadier General John Adams

Confederate Brigadier General John Adams

       John Adams was born in Nashville, Tennessee on July 1, 1825. Adams entered West Point and graduated in 25th in the class of 1846. He fought in the Mexican War and was cited for gallantry at the Battle of Santa Cruz de Rosalea. He would spend the remainder of his career in the United States army fighting Indians out west. 

       When the Civil War began, Adams would receive a commission of colonel in the cavalry and remain at that rank for the first two years of the war. One embarrassing incident occurred at Sweeden's Cove, Tennessee, where his command was surprised by Federal forces and he would lose over a hundred men. Despite the mishap, General Joseph E. Johnston would recommend Adams for promotion to brigadier general. He would receive that promotion by May, 1863 and took command of Lloyd Tilghman's Mississippi brigade after that officer's death at the Battle of Champions Hill. 

       He would spend the remainder of his life in command of this brigade. He saw action at Jackson, Mississippi during the Vicksburg Campaign. After the surrender of Vicksburg, his brigade would be transferred to Georgia, where they fought throughout the Atlanta Campaign. 

John Adams early in the war

        Adams would be in lead the brigade when Hood's army invaded Tennessee in the fall of 1864. At the Battle of Franklin, Adams was wounded in the arm early in the fight. His staff insisted he leave the field for medical attention. Adams refused, saying, "I am going to see my men through."

       Once his brigade neared the breastworks, they came upon and impenetrable abatis of Osage Orange trees the Federal soldiers had chopped down in front of their works. Adams brigade came to a sudden halt and he understood for them to stay in this position meant certain death. He rode his horse west until he came to a gap in the abatis and directed his men to charge through. Leading by example, he turned his horse through the gap and charged the Federal breastworks alone. The Federal troops could hardly believe their eyes. 

John Adams gallant charge at Franklin

       Colonel Scott Stewart of the 65th Illinois Infantry yelled for his men to hold their fire because he thought John Adams was too brave an officer to die this way. At that moment, Adams rode his horse upon the breastworks and attempted to snatch the regimental battle flag from the flag bearers hands. The color guard opened fire at once. Adams and his horse both collapsed in a heap, the horse landing on the leg of the general. 

       When the firing had died down, the Federal soldiers climbed onto the works and pulled the general from beneath the horse. He had been hit by nine bullets, but was still alive. They made him a pillow of the cotton from the old gin house and gave him water. At this point, the Federal soldiers apologized for shooting such a brave man. Adams replied, "It is the fate of a soldier to die for his country." He died a few minutes later and after dark, the Federal soldiers placed his body back among his men on the other side of the works. 

       The next morning, his body was placed in a wagon beside the body of Major General Patrick Cleburne and carried back to the rear porch of the Carnton Plantation. His body was then carried to Pulaski, Tennessee where it rests today beside his wife in Maplewood Cemetery.

The grave of John Adams in Pulaski, Tennessee

       Like a lot of incidents that occur during the fog of war, Adams death would become controversial after the war. One soldier in the 65th Illinois reported that Federal troops found Adams in front of the earthworks, but the man was already dead. He stated the body was brought inside the Federal lines and placed near the cotton gin which caused many to believe the general had actually penetrated the Union lines. 

       Federal General Jacob Cox stated that Adams and his horse were shot outside the breastworks. He claimed Adams horse charged ahead after being hit and died on top of the works. Adams, he reported, was shot through the legs and attempted to crawl away when he was shot to pieces. He originally stated that Adams was never brought inside the works, but later changed his story. Cox was in the vicinity, but in all likelihood he never witnessed the death of Adams personally and was only repeating a story he had heard.

       Colonel Casement, commander of the brigade that Adams charged, claimed in 1891 that he was the man who spoke with Adams. He said that Adams was conscious and uncomplaining and only desired to be placed back among friends. 

       Tom Gore, a soldier in the 15th Mississippi Infantry said he saw Adams horse staggering after being hit by nine bullets. This account was soon accepted as false due to the fact that Adams cousin and adjutant, Captain Thomas Gibson stated that Adams horse named "Old Charlie" tended to squat close to the ground when under fire. With all the heavy firing at Franklin, it is almost certain that Adams horse did the same here, causing Gore and others to think the animal had been hit.

       Most historians today believe that Adams was hit on the enemy parapet and taken prisoner only to die within Federal lines. Most believe he was then returned to the Confederate side of the works after dark before the Federals retreated to Nashville. Whichever story is true, one thing is certain, Adams was one of the bravest officers in the Confederate army and few have led such a gallant charge in any war.