Chronological History of the American Civil War

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Incidents: At the Battle Forrest fought and whipped the Yankees --- sent them flying back to Memphis. My ambulance driver --- a little old Negro man --- was standing outside in a safe place --- he hoped --- when Forrest saw him and immediately ordered him to bring out wounded soldiers. He started in and a cannon ball went through the back of the ambulance --- that settled him --- he put his whip to the mules --- said they ran away --- never stopped until he reached Aberdeen. The Yanks robbed all the houses in their march. I saw a very handsome silver sugar bowl hacked up by an axe, so it would go into the Yanks pocket. He dropped it in his haste to get away. While in Aberdeen we all used to make envelopes of wall paper. Glue them together using the plain side to write on. No coffee --- sweet potatoes and okra see for it. I stuck to milk for mine. The Hatch’s were so good to me. I can never forget them. We had hard times after we got to our home but I was so glad to get there they seemed a trifle. Provisions of any kind were exceedingly dear, but I had my husband home and was very happy. There was not a fence on the place nor any animals. One cow was left. My father gave me 2 sows and a cow or two. I soon had plenty of growing things around me. We had to but all of our corn from the North in bags --- very high in the prices --- but I had a splendid garden --- raised many chickens and turkeys. After my cows increased, I ran a dairy for a while until I moved to Bolivar, so I could educate my children. Then Knox Tate took our farm and cared for it for many years. 1 In the diary of John Houston Bills, her father: “June 19, 1862. My daughter Eva Polk, accompanied by Jerome Hill, gets off for Nashville to meet her unfortunate husband. I furnished her $200 good funds for expenses.” 2 Ibid. “August 30 th (Sun) 1863. My dear Eva Polk gets home after an absence of fourteen months.” 3 Ibid. “August 10, 1864. At 8 ½ PM Eva and Clara arrive at home to our great joy, having been absent 13 weeks, 2 days.” 4 Ibid. “May 11, 1865. The War is over. God be praised.” May 12, 1865. Col. M.T. Polk returns after an absence of four years in this unprofitable war, in which this country has lost. Everything is laid in ruins. He says all is lost. May 17, 1865. We go to LaGrange where Col. M.T. Polk is paroled as a prisoner of war.”