Hancock's diary

Front matter

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A vO

Preface

As I wrote, during the war, merely for my own future reference, not then expecting to ever have my Diary published in book form, I omitted many, many items which should have been mentioned; therefore, soon after I began to rewrite the work for publication, I had five hundred letters printed for distribution among my comrades, and besides I have sent out hundreds of manuscrij^t letters to let my comrades know what I was doing and what I wanted them to do. I regret to say that my Diary is not what I wish it to be, from the fact that so few oi my comrades gave the desired and asked-for aid. I hope that they will not complain of omissions which they should have furnished.

I have endeavored to give a sketch of the movements of the different commands (whether regiment, brigade, division, corps, or army) with which the First Battalion and Second Tennessee Cavalry moved — from General Zollicoffer's first campaign into Kentucky in Se|)tember and October, 1861, to the last campaign of General Forrest into Central Alabama in March and April, 1865.

I highly appreciate the following

INDORSEMENT.

* ' To Our Comrades of the Second Tennessee Cavalry, and OtJurs :

"We have examined with great interest the manuscript pages of our Brother Hancock's work. It is fraught with a peculiar originality, and is a consecutive story in his own way of stirring scenes of the war that will pass as a panorama before the minds of all who participated in them. Of course there are many things omitted; but whose fault is it? Our brother appealed to the old soldiers, by circulars and vi Preface.

otherwise, for such information and help as they could furnish, though he received but few responses.

"Now, let all take this work and read it; as time advances interest will increase in Confederate history; they can easily jot down and preserve for future publications such omissions or inaccuracies as they think have been made;* but the present author deserves a world of credit for perseverance against the lethargy of his comrades, and the work is remarkably correct.

C. R. Barteau, Colonel.

George F. Hager,

Lieutenant Company G.

J. D. McLiN, Company C,

Editor Weekly American, Nashville."

I am under many obligations to General Thomas Jordan and J. T. Pryor, the writers of "Forrest's Campaigns," for much valuable information in reference to the movements and actions of ' ' Forrest's Cavalry," which 1 could not noui obtain from any other source, and also to Dr. George F. Hager, of Nashville, for taking valuable time from his own business to attend to the portrait department for me — in fact, he has given me more aid and encouragement than any other one of my comrades; and Colonel Barteau stands next. I now return thanks to all who have aided me.

Colonel H. M. Ashby's Regiment, which was composed of H. M. Branner's and George McLelland's East Tennessee Battalions, is officially recorded in the Confederate Archives (now at Washington, D. C. ) as the Second Tennessee Cavalry, while Colonel Barteau's Regiment, through carelessness of his superior officers, in the field or at the War Department, was not officially recognized at Richmond until February, 1865, and it was then numbered the To/^/z/y-second Tennessee Cavalry.f Though, as Barteau's Regiment has ever been

' Hope my comrades will heed this suggestion. — R. R. H.

tSce foot note, page 197; and also sketch of Rev. S. C. Talley, Appendix A.

Preface. vii

known, since its organization, June 12th, 1S62, as the ^r^;/^ Tennessee, and as it is so recognized in "Forrest's Campaigns" and "Military Annals of Tennessee," I have used that number throughout this work when speaking of Barteau's Regiment.

I regret that it was not convenient for me to correct the "proofsheets," since I find the following typographical errors: Widlard should be Wiliard (roll of Allison's Company) ; F. W. Hearn should be F. W. Horn (page 51); Haskins should be Hoskins (page 73); headquarters ^\o\!i\^ be quarters (page loi); Captain j5^«^(? should be Bolide (page 175); Wilder' s Regiment should be Wilson's (page 328); port should he fort (foot note, page 357); list of wounded should be list o{ prisoners (foot note, page 364); George Leave should be George Love (page 2>^2>)'j ^ phrase or part of sentence is set off by a period, Dec. Sth, 1863, and March 19th, 1864; JVard s\\o\\\6. be ?f^r^ (pages 590 and 591).

R. R. H.

Auburn, Tennessee, September loth, 1887.