To explain why Tennessee had seceded,
the 13th Tennessee’s Scott and Angel wrote,
“The proclamation of Mr. Lincoln calling
out troops and his well-known anti-slavery
sentiments were used by the advocates of
secession to alarm the slave-holders of the
State, and many of those who were loyal to
the Government were driven into secession
by this false alarm. No sane man now
believes that Mr. Lincoln would have freed
the slaves had not the Southern people gone
into rebellion. He did it, at last, with much
hesitation, believing it the only means of
preserving the Union.”
East Tennessee’s William G. “Parson”
Bownlow, a fiery and controversial minis-
ter, opponent of secession, and editor of an
influential Whig newspaper, said there were
three essential traits of a true Unionist: an
“uncompromising devotion” to the Union,
an “unmitigated hostility” to the Confed-
eracy, and a willingness to risk life and
property “in defense of the Glorious Stars
and Stripes.” Brownlow, who called seces-
sionists “imps from Hell,” said that Union-
ists who had suffered at their hands were
“justified in shooting them down on sight.”
Some followed his advice.
One of the more significant of Ten-
nessee’s Union Army units was the 1st Reg-
iment of Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry. On
its battle flag were emblazoned Chicka-
mauga, Chattanooga, Knoxville, Atlanta,
Nashville, and Franklin. Organized out of
state, its first commander was a son of Lin-
coln’s second vice president and the only
senator from a Confederate state to remain
in the Senate, Andrew Johnson. Later,
Brownlow’s son led the 1st Tennessee.
Armed bands roamed over the country-
side, pilfering, robbing, and murdering
peaceful citizens, and martial law was
declared in East Tennessee. Provost mar-
shals and enrolling offices were appointed
in every town and county, and these were
composed usually of the bitterest and most
oppressive men in the Confederacy. Enlist-
ing in the Union Army was difficult because
the nearest Union camps were in Kentucky,
and the routes to the Bluegrass State were
well guarded. Capture meant sudden death
or long confinement in some loathsomeQ-Spr16 Southerner v Southerner *Ads_Layout 1 1/15/16 11:02 AM Page 15