The Civil War in Southern Cheatham County - February 1863, The Charlotte Turnpike

- The Civil War in Southern Cheatham County -

by DJ Hutcherson

"Another Mule Story"

This post describes an incident that took place on the Charlotte Turnpike in the Dog Creek / Shacklett area in Southern Cheatham County during the middle of the Civil War, February of 1863. It involves a little Civil War humor, at least in the eyes of the war veteran who tells the story.

The article pictured below appeared in the January 12, 1899 National Tribune in Washington D.C. In it, a former Union officer tells of an incident that had occurred 36 years earlier in February of 1863, in which a few sneaky Union soldiers belonging to the 1st Missouri Engineer regiment managed to get the better of some local Cheatham County citizens who were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The soldiers were part of a wagon train consisting of 1,200 men and 43 wagons, pulled by 6 mules each (that's a total of 258 mules) who were marching west out of Nashville on the Charlotte Pike. Once they reached the Harpeth, where the Turnpike forded the river at the mouth of Dog Creek, the regiment was forced to temporarily halt their march, due to the water being too cold to cross the river, and there being no bridge over the river at the time.

While a small detail of men went to work building a foot bridge across the Harpeth, the rest of the men in the wagon train were said to have been stretched out for quite a distance on the Charlotte Pike along Dog Creek.

It was during the time that the men were waiting for the footbridge to be completed so that they could cross the river, that a group of local citizens passed by the stopped regiment, driving a team of 30 to 40 mules eastward along the Pike in the direction of Nashville.

As the locals were trying to make their way along the crowded road beside Dog Creek, they inevitably lost track of some of their own mules among the long line of the 250 + mules in the wagon train. This provided the opportunity for a few of the men of the 1st Missouri Engineers to relieve some of the boredom that must have been building up during what must have been a long wait, at the expense of the locals.

The article below details the rest of the story of how this unexpected stop resulted in the regiment coming out ahead by one mule, with the local's citizens losing one.

Article from The Nation Tribune, Washington D.C., January 12, 1899

To view this post on my Southern Cheatham County History Facebook page, please visit www.facebook.com/shacklettcommunityhistory

More information of the 1st Regiment, Missouri Engineers -

The 1st Missouri Engineer Regiment played a significant role in Tennessee during the Civil War, particularly in engineering and construction tasks. Initially formed by consolidating Bissell's Engineer Regiment of the West and the 25th Missouri Infantry in February 1864. The regiment was involved in rebuilding the Nashville & Western Railroad, building blockhouses, and repairing and protecting roads. They also participated in the Atlanta Campaign and Sherman's March to the Sea. 

Here's a more detailed breakdown:

Consolidation - The regiment was created by merging Bissell's Engineer Regiment of the West (which had strong ties to Tennessee through its work on railroads and fortifications) and the 25th Missouri Infantry. 

Engineering Focus - The regiment was primarily an engineering unit, tasked with building and repairing infrastructure vital to the Union war effort. 

Tennessee Operations - They were heavily involved in Tennessee, particularly in the Nashville area, where they rebuilt the Nashville & Western Railroad and constructed fortifications. 

Johnsonville Supply Depot - Details from the 1st Missouri Engineers were sent to the Tennessee River to establish and support the Johnsonville Supply Depot, which played a key role in supplying Sherman's Atlanta Campaign.

 

Sherman's March to the Sea - The regiment's engineering skills were crucial in Sherman's campaign, including building roads, repairing railroads, and constructing pontoon bridges. 

Legacy - The 1st Missouri Engineers' work in Tennessee and elsewhere highlighted the vital role of engineering in the Civil War, facilitating troop movements, supply lines, and strategic fortifications. 

For more on the Regiment, visit the following website - https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-battle-units-detail.htm?battleUnitCode=UMO0001RE