Individual Details
Asa Watts
(Nov 1831 - Jan 1904)
In November 1861, Confederate authorities in Arkansas learned About an anti-war, perhaps pro-Union, secret organization, located primarily in the north central counties of the state.
THE ARKANSAS PEACE SOCIETY OF 1861
From Russell P. Baker, Archivist
In the mountain counties of North Arkansas in the fall of 1861 secret organizations were formed for self protection and apparently to resist Confederate authority. Total membership in the organizations was estimated at 1700 and was concentrated in Searcy, Marion, Carroll, Izard, Fulton, and Van Buren counties. In these counties and perhaps in several others, the local units of the Arkansas Peace Society were quickly suppressed by extra-legal citizens' committees acting with the county militia units and with justice of the peace courts. Many of the arrested members were forced into Confederate service either by local citizens' committees or by the state military board at Little Rock. Some were tried for treason in Confederate circuit and acquitted. Many of those forced into Confederate service deserted and joined the Federal army.
Only a part of the records relating to the Peace Society survived, but they are sufficient to show the scope and nature of the organization. Surviving documents contain the names of 240 members and suspected members. Of these 181 were located in the United States census manuscript schedules, 1860. An analysis of that record revealed that of the 181, 115 were born in Tennessee, 13 in North Carolina, and 11 in Arkansas. The leadership of the movement was also predominantly Southern-born. Six preachers among the leaders seem to have been especially influential. The brotherhood was indigenous, composed of mountaineers who had no intention of going to war on either side and who wanted to be left alone. There could of course be no neutrality, and the members were forced to take sides.
From: Arkansas Historical Quarterly (Spring, 1958) page 83
MEMBERS OF THE PEACE SOCIETY 1861
Adams, Green Berry - Adams, Joseph - Adams, Spencer - Addison, Mayfield - Arter, Carroll -
Arter, Joseph L. - Bailey, J. F. - Baker, B. A. - Baker, David C. - Baker, James A. - Ball, Gehuger
Ball, James W. - Barnes, James Jackson - Barnes, W. F. - Barnett, David - Bartlet, William
Bishop, Lindsay - Black, Simeon B. - Blasingame, Anderson - Bradshaw, Henry - Bradshaw, John H.
Bradshaw, William - Brantley, B. F. - Branum, Solomon - Bratton, William Milican - Brewer, Aaron V. B.
Brewer, Jonas - Brewer, Lewis S. - Brown, John - Brown, George - Brown, John - Brown, Solomon I.
Brown, William - Broyles, James F. - Carithers, John M. - Cash, Levi C. - Castleberry, John R.
Castleberry, Washington Cahal - Cates, William A. J. - Chambers, Jeff - Chambers, W. R. -
Christy, James F. Homer - Christy, John - Christy, Joseph C. - Clark, Lewis - Conley, Beverly L.
Cook, Henry - Copeland, Alexander N. - Copeland, James B. - Copeland, William - Cummins, Joseph
Curl, John W. - Curl, Samuel M. - Curry, Anderson - Curry, David - Curry, James E. - Davis, H. M.
Davis, William - Denton, Chris - Dickerson, E. - Downey, Patrick L. - Duck, Timothy Arthur -
Dugger, Jasper- Dugger, Thomas M. - Dugger, William M. - Ezell, Isiah - Ezell, John - Faught, Thomas J.
Faught, William C. - Fisher, William Thomas - Forehand, Jonathan - Forehand, Thomas - Foster, James B.
Gadberry, Wm. - Garner, Sr. Parrish - Garrison, _____ - Gary, B. H. - Gerner, Parish - Gilbreth, John
Grinder, Robert - Grinder, Samuel - Guthrey, Thomas - Harley, John - Harness, John W. - Harness, John
Harness, W. H. - Harris, John - Harris, Thomas - Harris, Wm. - Hatley, J. R. - Hatley, J. W. - Haynes, Wm.
Hays, George M. - Hays, Wm. - Hensley, F. H. - Hensley, P.M. - Henson, F. H. - Hoffs, John
Holly, Absolem - Holley, Alex - Holley, Reuben C. - Hollis, James M. - Holmes, John - Hooten, Geroge
Jamison, D. - Jeffery, Wm. - Jenkins, John H. - Johnson,Robert - Jones, Stephen - Kamey, Thomas
Kesner, W. A. - Kilburn Carroll - Kirkham, John W. - Kuykendall, Francis - Ladamon, R. C. - Laive, Jo
Lee, Robert - Long, George - Love, A. J. - Luttrell, James - Lynn, W. G. - Maness, Claiborine
Marshall, William H. - McBee, Alexander - McBee, James H. - McDaniel, John W. - McDaniel, William F.
McEntire, John A. - McInturn, Thomas W. - McLane, S. Allan - McMillan, E. L. - McNair, James Claiborn
Melton, Thomas - Moody, Jonathan - Morris, John Wortman - Morris, John, Jr. - Morris, John, Sr.
Morris, William - Null, John R. - Osborn, Eli L. - Packet, W. J. - Palmer, Benjamin F. - Parks, Daniel J.
Parks, Theophilus (Dink) - Parsley, A. A.- Parsley, Abraham J. - Parsley, J. B. - Passmore, Benjamin J.
Passmore, Joel Henry - Pearce, William - Phillips, Luther P. - Pierce, Austin - Potter, William F.
Price, Charles William - Price, Lindsay - Price, William - Ramsey, Smith - Reeves, Asa - Reeves, Jarrett
Reeves, Joshua - Reeves, Peter - Richardson, James C. - Richardson, Joshua - Ridings, James C.
Rose, M. - Ruff, David Crocket - Sanders, John L. - Satterfield, A. J. - Satterfield, John R.
Satterfield, Nathaniel - Satterfield, P. M. - Scott, William Franklin - Seaton, Nicholas - Shipman, Matthew
Shirley, Wm. - Singleferry, Wm. C. - Slay, Benjamin F. - Slay, Thomas J. - Smith, Abner H. - Smith, Claiborn
Smith, G. W. - Smith, Gilmore - Smith, John - Snellgrove, Gasaway - Stobaugh, Ananias - Stobaugh, Edmond
Strickland, John Anderson - Strickland, Paris - Strickland, Samuel Smith - Strother, Wm.
Sutterfield, Ananias J. - Sutterfield, Nathanial - Sutterfield, Peter Moore - Sutton, Logan - Tackett, W. J.
Taylor, Benjamin Franklin - Taylor, Hezikiah - Terry, Morgan M. - Thompson, James Patrick
Thompson, Samuel - Thompson, Thomas - Thompson, William J. - Tilley, James - Tinkle, Mike
Tinkle, Robert - Treadwell, John S. - Treat, James William - Treat, John B. - Treep, James
Treese, Benjamin - Treese, Daniel - Treese, William - Tucker, John Allen - Tucker, John Middleton
Turney, Bowman - Turney, Pleasant B. R. - Turney, Presley - Turney, Si (Josiah S.) - Tyler, Peter A.
Wallace, J. W. - Wallis, James - Ware, J. J. - Watts, Asa - Watts, Benjamin G. - Watts, Samuel
Webb, John - Wells, Wm. C. - Whitmire, Henry J. - Whitmire, J. J. - Wiley, Wallis - William Jasper
Wilson, John - Winn, Wm. M. - Woodrum, Vinsom M. - Woodworth, Nathan F. - Wortman, Christopher M.
Wortman, Franklin - Wortman, John - Wren, Shadrich J. - Yeary, Wm. H. - Younger, Alexander
Younger, Thomas
There were members from other counties as well. These included: Marion, Newton, Carroll, Polk, Prairie, Pulaski, Izard, Fulton and Van Buren. A special thanks to Barbara Couser for contributing the information from the Arkansas Family Historian, Volume 21, Number 1, March 1983 - Publ. by Arkansas Genealogical Society.
The Anniversary of Shiloh Last Week
Recalls the War Career of an Arkansan
By Virginia Bromley Smith
Source: Arkansas Gazette, Sunday, April 9, 1961
The Civil War spared no one, actually; whether he lived North or South, or whether he was rich or poor, in some way it touched his life. This is the story of one of the latter, a small farmer in Arkansas whose sentiments were for the union: but, who fought for a time with the Confederacy.
His name was John Wortman Morris, and when war came in 1861; he and his wife Eliza Campbell Morris, and their two young children, were living on a farm in the flatwoods in the of Ozarks. He had just brought a crop when the war clouds descended over the nation. John Wortman Morris. Was affiliated with an organization known as the Peace and Constitutional
As its name implies, it Society also Known as Jayhawker was perilous antislavery Guerrillas in and around Arkansas Missouri and Kansas Before During The Civil War (a: Plunderer pirate b: Fictitious Bird Of Kansas), and in the fury of the times it was considered perilous to be a member. A point which did not it ether the pro Union residents of several Arkansas counties. It proved to be perilous too. (Two men betrayed the members of the Society) a number of there names reported, to the state militia. Seventy-six of these men were arrested and imprisoned at Burrowsville, then the Searcy county seat.
They accused of stealing and "Jayhawking" and although promised a trial, they were not ever to receive one. Morris connection with this peace organization was not generally known, and upon hearing of the arrest of these men, he and a brother-in-law, Beverly Condley, rode into the county seat to check the report. They had just hitched their horses and turned away when two double-barreled shotguns where leveled at them. They were taken before an officer under Col Sam Leslie and questioned; then taken to the courthouse and imprisoned with the other 76 men Two weeks later, they were chained, two-by-two, with an ordinary log chain and marched to Little Rock.
Morris was chained two his nephew, W C Castleberry, his two brothers in law, Condley and John Castleberry.
THE FOLLOWING are the names of the chained gang as Morris remembered them: William Harness. J. W. Harness. R. C. Ladyman. Cauaway Shelgrove. James Foster. William Bartlet. Jeff Chambers. Alleck Copland. James Copland. Benjamin Passmore McMillan. J. J. Whitmore. John Hatly. Jim Hatly. John S. Treadwell. Frank Kuykendall. Pete Sutterfield. Mathis Shipman. William Hays M. Bratton. S. B. Black. Allan McClan. C. M. Wortman. Frank Wortman. W. F. McDaniel. Jonathan Forehand. Pall Garner. H. Bradshaw. William Bradshaw. Asa Watts. Ben Watts. Sam Watts. B. R. Turney. Boman Turney, Ben Treece, Dan Treece, William Treece. John Threet. James Treep. Joel Passmore. Walsh Lynn. Louis Clark. William David. William Morris. John Morris Sr. John Morris Jr. Thomas Fisher. Thomas McInturf. William Kesner. William Harris. Anderson Blasinggame William Thompson. William Potter. Johathan Moody, William Marshall, J J Barnes, J L Sanders, John Wilson, Robert Johnson. W. Wallace. Ramsay. William Cates. Steve Jones. David Barnett. N. Sutterfield. Annias Sutterfield. John Sutterfield.
"Several Men where suffering from measles and were left behind in There jail. The odd man carried his chain thrown over his shoulder. The march was a tiresome one, and many men wept like children. On reaching Little Rock, they went to the Statehouse where they where given a lectureby Gov Henry M Rector He too accused them of robbing, jayhawking and treason. They where offered a choice between volunteering for the Confederate Army and going to jail to await trial for treason. The governor assured them the trial would result in conviction and hanging. All but two of the helpless prisoners volunteered; and these two, oddly enough, where released unexpectedly from prison within a few months. The chains were removed from these forced volunteers and a captain and three lieutenants appointed over them before they left the hall. Four days later the men left for Memphis, remaining there two weeks. Then they were ordered to Bell Station, 25 miles north of Bowling Green KY. They had been assigned to a regiment commanded by Marmaduke and were now on active duty. (Morris attempted an escape one night in January when Marmaduke marched with a detachment of 600 men to surprise Federal soldiers who had crossed the Green River. He and one or two of his comrades had planned to drop by the way one by one so as not to be missed) and Morris hurried in a direct line for the Federal camp Near Cave City. To the captain who vehemently charged, he was take prisoner gain and forced to account for being away from his unit at so late and hour. Then charging him with attempting to desert. Morris strongly denied this accusation, maintaining that he could not help falling out and he took the wrong road and was in search of his command.
The Lieutenant accused him of being one of the Arkansas jayhawkers sent out by General Hindman and stated that none of Dawsons compamy their captain as they marched to Little Rock should never return to Arkansas. The captain intervened at this point, in his behalf, and next morning he returned to his unit. Morris regiment fell back to Murfreesboro TN, where he became ill and within a few hours had a hemorrhage of the lungs. Later, Morris took pneumonia and sent to a hospital, remaining there for three weeks a lieutenant sent to get every man who could walk a mile; Morris was the only one able to do so. Henry Bradshaw, one of the chained gang died there. When Morris reached Corinth MS, the officers, JJ Dawson, First Lt Morgan Terry, Second Lt Bradshaw and Third Lt Totten had resigned. The 10 men, who remained, of the original 77, were without a commander; so, they where placed under Captain Newton. Morris then served with his regiment at the battle of Pittsburgh Landing or Shiloh. On the morning of April 6, 1862, when they were eating their breakfast, a neighbor of Morris, Boman Turney, cut a piece of meat form his weeks ration and said, Here, John, take this piece of meat, you may need it, I wont. Morris told him he had as much as he needed and to keep it. No, I wont need it, and to please him Morris took the meat and dropped it into his haversack Two hours later, the battle had begun however Turney fell dead; shot from behind Morris always thought he was warned of his death. They had risen from the breakfast table and formed a line of battle when Captain Newton said, Boys, we are going to have a hell of a fight, and I have no confidence in these men sent out here from Arkansas. If they try to get to the Federals, shoot them. If they try to fall back, shoot them. If they try to run, shoot them down. Thus knowing the Confederates were to shoot should they run, the 10 men went into battle, a few hours later two where killed, and 5 wounded. They had orders to lie down in the fence corners until they were ready to fight. The Federals began dropping cannon balls over where they were and one struck the man lying next to Morris right side, and then struck his foot. He then taken to a makeshift hospital nearby, but his wound received no attention until the next day. Hundreds and hundreds of wounded lay on the ground, as it drizzled all night. Morris wrapped a blanked closely around him and sat on a low stump with his foot in a little stream of water. The cries, moans (illegible here) of the wounded mingled all night, some begging for water. Next morning, half or more were dead. A doctor came after a time and began examining their wounds, cutting off limbs until there was a wagonload. Morris, who was lying in a fence corner, had no thought of his foot being taken off, so when the doctor examined it by giving it two or three twists, he said, I guess this foot will get well. The thought of having his foot removed frightened him half to death. The pleas no prayers were of any avail when the doctor thought best to amputate. The wounded men were driven toward Corinth MS. The rain had made the roads nearly impassable, and the mules mired in mud. All the crippled men who could walk at all supported each other and made their way slowly toward Corinth where they stayed two or three days the numbers of sick and wounded were so great that virtually no care could be given to them. A new captain put Charge over them. Morris and three others where given a furlough. Morris, not having a cent when discharged, sold his boots for $1.50 in Confederate money, and $2.50 in gold, which he changed for Confederate money.
Harris had some money, but both not enough for transportation home. Morris, using two forked sticks for crutches, along with the others started for home. They were given a free ride from Corinth to Memphis, where they took the boat and before landing were asked to pay a $5 fare Morris said, We havent that much in the crowd. The man repeated this to the captain and upon his return to the men said the captain would not charge them anything for someday he might be as needy. Morris, after landing, sold two quilts that had served him all these months. His wife had sent them to him, after he was Arrested. Now with the two dollars in confederate money they brought, he now had $10. The river was out of its banks next morning and the valleys covered. They waded in water up to their chins and landed at Grand Glaze, then had to push through swamps. Lets watch for calves and if we see any we will ask for milk, Morris said as they finally reached higher ground. Soon they found a few calves in a lot and Morris hobbled up to the door. Before he could ask for milk, the woman asked what she could do for them. They wanted only milk, buttermilk and corn- bread for not a bite of either had they tasted since leaving home in November. Moreover, it was now April. They could hardly wait until they were out of sight to enjoy this luxury. That night they came to a woman churning by the door. She said, The soldiers have eaten me out of house and home. We will pay you, they said. They all say that, she added. Yes, but we will pay you now. Well, you can stay, but I only have bread and milk. That is all we want, the hungry men told her. As the soldiers neared home, they met with friends and relatives who helped them in many ways. Toward the end of the long, slow journey, Morris was then given a horse to ride. To use his expression, I knocked the dust out of that road and reached home before sundown. His family had not heard of him since he was chained and started for Little Rock and they did not know if he was dead or alive. It is the reunion was a happy one. Home was very dear to Morris now after so much suffering and hardship. After been forced having to serve in the rebel army, neither reason, or justice demanded that he again imperil his life for men who did not regard his own. Nevertheless, he was embittered most of all for being forced to fight against his convictions. He, and friends, later went to Springfield and enlisted in the Union Army.
Morris then appointed to First Lieutenant of the 1st Regiment of Arkansas (illegible) and saw action in Arkansas and Missouri.
Source: Arkansas Gazette, Sunday, April 9, 1961
THE ARKANSAS PEACE SOCIETY OF 1861
From Russell P. Baker, Archivist
In the mountain counties of North Arkansas in the fall of 1861 secret organizations were formed for self protection and apparently to resist Confederate authority. Total membership in the organizations was estimated at 1700 and was concentrated in Searcy, Marion, Carroll, Izard, Fulton, and Van Buren counties. In these counties and perhaps in several others, the local units of the Arkansas Peace Society were quickly suppressed by extra-legal citizens' committees acting with the county militia units and with justice of the peace courts. Many of the arrested members were forced into Confederate service either by local citizens' committees or by the state military board at Little Rock. Some were tried for treason in Confederate circuit and acquitted. Many of those forced into Confederate service deserted and joined the Federal army.
Only a part of the records relating to the Peace Society survived, but they are sufficient to show the scope and nature of the organization. Surviving documents contain the names of 240 members and suspected members. Of these 181 were located in the United States census manuscript schedules, 1860. An analysis of that record revealed that of the 181, 115 were born in Tennessee, 13 in North Carolina, and 11 in Arkansas. The leadership of the movement was also predominantly Southern-born. Six preachers among the leaders seem to have been especially influential. The brotherhood was indigenous, composed of mountaineers who had no intention of going to war on either side and who wanted to be left alone. There could of course be no neutrality, and the members were forced to take sides.
From: Arkansas Historical Quarterly (Spring, 1958) page 83
MEMBERS OF THE PEACE SOCIETY 1861
Adams, Green Berry - Adams, Joseph - Adams, Spencer - Addison, Mayfield - Arter, Carroll -
Arter, Joseph L. - Bailey, J. F. - Baker, B. A. - Baker, David C. - Baker, James A. - Ball, Gehuger
Ball, James W. - Barnes, James Jackson - Barnes, W. F. - Barnett, David - Bartlet, William
Bishop, Lindsay - Black, Simeon B. - Blasingame, Anderson - Bradshaw, Henry - Bradshaw, John H.
Bradshaw, William - Brantley, B. F. - Branum, Solomon - Bratton, William Milican - Brewer, Aaron V. B.
Brewer, Jonas - Brewer, Lewis S. - Brown, John - Brown, George - Brown, John - Brown, Solomon I.
Brown, William - Broyles, James F. - Carithers, John M. - Cash, Levi C. - Castleberry, John R.
Castleberry, Washington Cahal - Cates, William A. J. - Chambers, Jeff - Chambers, W. R. -
Christy, James F. Homer - Christy, John - Christy, Joseph C. - Clark, Lewis - Conley, Beverly L.
Cook, Henry - Copeland, Alexander N. - Copeland, James B. - Copeland, William - Cummins, Joseph
Curl, John W. - Curl, Samuel M. - Curry, Anderson - Curry, David - Curry, James E. - Davis, H. M.
Davis, William - Denton, Chris - Dickerson, E. - Downey, Patrick L. - Duck, Timothy Arthur -
Dugger, Jasper- Dugger, Thomas M. - Dugger, William M. - Ezell, Isiah - Ezell, John - Faught, Thomas J.
Faught, William C. - Fisher, William Thomas - Forehand, Jonathan - Forehand, Thomas - Foster, James B.
Gadberry, Wm. - Garner, Sr. Parrish - Garrison, _____ - Gary, B. H. - Gerner, Parish - Gilbreth, John
Grinder, Robert - Grinder, Samuel - Guthrey, Thomas - Harley, John - Harness, John W. - Harness, John
Harness, W. H. - Harris, John - Harris, Thomas - Harris, Wm. - Hatley, J. R. - Hatley, J. W. - Haynes, Wm.
Hays, George M. - Hays, Wm. - Hensley, F. H. - Hensley, P.M. - Henson, F. H. - Hoffs, John
Holly, Absolem - Holley, Alex - Holley, Reuben C. - Hollis, James M. - Holmes, John - Hooten, Geroge
Jamison, D. - Jeffery, Wm. - Jenkins, John H. - Johnson,Robert - Jones, Stephen - Kamey, Thomas
Kesner, W. A. - Kilburn Carroll - Kirkham, John W. - Kuykendall, Francis - Ladamon, R. C. - Laive, Jo
Lee, Robert - Long, George - Love, A. J. - Luttrell, James - Lynn, W. G. - Maness, Claiborine
Marshall, William H. - McBee, Alexander - McBee, James H. - McDaniel, John W. - McDaniel, William F.
McEntire, John A. - McInturn, Thomas W. - McLane, S. Allan - McMillan, E. L. - McNair, James Claiborn
Melton, Thomas - Moody, Jonathan - Morris, John Wortman - Morris, John, Jr. - Morris, John, Sr.
Morris, William - Null, John R. - Osborn, Eli L. - Packet, W. J. - Palmer, Benjamin F. - Parks, Daniel J.
Parks, Theophilus (Dink) - Parsley, A. A.- Parsley, Abraham J. - Parsley, J. B. - Passmore, Benjamin J.
Passmore, Joel Henry - Pearce, William - Phillips, Luther P. - Pierce, Austin - Potter, William F.
Price, Charles William - Price, Lindsay - Price, William - Ramsey, Smith - Reeves, Asa - Reeves, Jarrett
Reeves, Joshua - Reeves, Peter - Richardson, James C. - Richardson, Joshua - Ridings, James C.
Rose, M. - Ruff, David Crocket - Sanders, John L. - Satterfield, A. J. - Satterfield, John R.
Satterfield, Nathaniel - Satterfield, P. M. - Scott, William Franklin - Seaton, Nicholas - Shipman, Matthew
Shirley, Wm. - Singleferry, Wm. C. - Slay, Benjamin F. - Slay, Thomas J. - Smith, Abner H. - Smith, Claiborn
Smith, G. W. - Smith, Gilmore - Smith, John - Snellgrove, Gasaway - Stobaugh, Ananias - Stobaugh, Edmond
Strickland, John Anderson - Strickland, Paris - Strickland, Samuel Smith - Strother, Wm.
Sutterfield, Ananias J. - Sutterfield, Nathanial - Sutterfield, Peter Moore - Sutton, Logan - Tackett, W. J.
Taylor, Benjamin Franklin - Taylor, Hezikiah - Terry, Morgan M. - Thompson, James Patrick
Thompson, Samuel - Thompson, Thomas - Thompson, William J. - Tilley, James - Tinkle, Mike
Tinkle, Robert - Treadwell, John S. - Treat, James William - Treat, John B. - Treep, James
Treese, Benjamin - Treese, Daniel - Treese, William - Tucker, John Allen - Tucker, John Middleton
Turney, Bowman - Turney, Pleasant B. R. - Turney, Presley - Turney, Si (Josiah S.) - Tyler, Peter A.
Wallace, J. W. - Wallis, James - Ware, J. J. - Watts, Asa - Watts, Benjamin G. - Watts, Samuel
Webb, John - Wells, Wm. C. - Whitmire, Henry J. - Whitmire, J. J. - Wiley, Wallis - William Jasper
Wilson, John - Winn, Wm. M. - Woodrum, Vinsom M. - Woodworth, Nathan F. - Wortman, Christopher M.
Wortman, Franklin - Wortman, John - Wren, Shadrich J. - Yeary, Wm. H. - Younger, Alexander
Younger, Thomas
There were members from other counties as well. These included: Marion, Newton, Carroll, Polk, Prairie, Pulaski, Izard, Fulton and Van Buren. A special thanks to Barbara Couser for contributing the information from the Arkansas Family Historian, Volume 21, Number 1, March 1983 - Publ. by Arkansas Genealogical Society.
The Anniversary of Shiloh Last Week
Recalls the War Career of an Arkansan
By Virginia Bromley Smith
Source: Arkansas Gazette, Sunday, April 9, 1961
The Civil War spared no one, actually; whether he lived North or South, or whether he was rich or poor, in some way it touched his life. This is the story of one of the latter, a small farmer in Arkansas whose sentiments were for the union: but, who fought for a time with the Confederacy.
His name was John Wortman Morris, and when war came in 1861; he and his wife Eliza Campbell Morris, and their two young children, were living on a farm in the flatwoods in the of Ozarks. He had just brought a crop when the war clouds descended over the nation. John Wortman Morris. Was affiliated with an organization known as the Peace and Constitutional
As its name implies, it Society also Known as Jayhawker was perilous antislavery Guerrillas in and around Arkansas Missouri and Kansas Before During The Civil War (a: Plunderer pirate b: Fictitious Bird Of Kansas), and in the fury of the times it was considered perilous to be a member. A point which did not it ether the pro Union residents of several Arkansas counties. It proved to be perilous too. (Two men betrayed the members of the Society) a number of there names reported, to the state militia. Seventy-six of these men were arrested and imprisoned at Burrowsville, then the Searcy county seat.
They accused of stealing and "Jayhawking" and although promised a trial, they were not ever to receive one. Morris connection with this peace organization was not generally known, and upon hearing of the arrest of these men, he and a brother-in-law, Beverly Condley, rode into the county seat to check the report. They had just hitched their horses and turned away when two double-barreled shotguns where leveled at them. They were taken before an officer under Col Sam Leslie and questioned; then taken to the courthouse and imprisoned with the other 76 men Two weeks later, they were chained, two-by-two, with an ordinary log chain and marched to Little Rock.
Morris was chained two his nephew, W C Castleberry, his two brothers in law, Condley and John Castleberry.
THE FOLLOWING are the names of the chained gang as Morris remembered them: William Harness. J. W. Harness. R. C. Ladyman. Cauaway Shelgrove. James Foster. William Bartlet. Jeff Chambers. Alleck Copland. James Copland. Benjamin Passmore McMillan. J. J. Whitmore. John Hatly. Jim Hatly. John S. Treadwell. Frank Kuykendall. Pete Sutterfield. Mathis Shipman. William Hays M. Bratton. S. B. Black. Allan McClan. C. M. Wortman. Frank Wortman. W. F. McDaniel. Jonathan Forehand. Pall Garner. H. Bradshaw. William Bradshaw. Asa Watts. Ben Watts. Sam Watts. B. R. Turney. Boman Turney, Ben Treece, Dan Treece, William Treece. John Threet. James Treep. Joel Passmore. Walsh Lynn. Louis Clark. William David. William Morris. John Morris Sr. John Morris Jr. Thomas Fisher. Thomas McInturf. William Kesner. William Harris. Anderson Blasinggame William Thompson. William Potter. Johathan Moody, William Marshall, J J Barnes, J L Sanders, John Wilson, Robert Johnson. W. Wallace. Ramsay. William Cates. Steve Jones. David Barnett. N. Sutterfield. Annias Sutterfield. John Sutterfield.
"Several Men where suffering from measles and were left behind in There jail. The odd man carried his chain thrown over his shoulder. The march was a tiresome one, and many men wept like children. On reaching Little Rock, they went to the Statehouse where they where given a lectureby Gov Henry M Rector He too accused them of robbing, jayhawking and treason. They where offered a choice between volunteering for the Confederate Army and going to jail to await trial for treason. The governor assured them the trial would result in conviction and hanging. All but two of the helpless prisoners volunteered; and these two, oddly enough, where released unexpectedly from prison within a few months. The chains were removed from these forced volunteers and a captain and three lieutenants appointed over them before they left the hall. Four days later the men left for Memphis, remaining there two weeks. Then they were ordered to Bell Station, 25 miles north of Bowling Green KY. They had been assigned to a regiment commanded by Marmaduke and were now on active duty. (Morris attempted an escape one night in January when Marmaduke marched with a detachment of 600 men to surprise Federal soldiers who had crossed the Green River. He and one or two of his comrades had planned to drop by the way one by one so as not to be missed) and Morris hurried in a direct line for the Federal camp Near Cave City. To the captain who vehemently charged, he was take prisoner gain and forced to account for being away from his unit at so late and hour. Then charging him with attempting to desert. Morris strongly denied this accusation, maintaining that he could not help falling out and he took the wrong road and was in search of his command.
The Lieutenant accused him of being one of the Arkansas jayhawkers sent out by General Hindman and stated that none of Dawsons compamy their captain as they marched to Little Rock should never return to Arkansas. The captain intervened at this point, in his behalf, and next morning he returned to his unit. Morris regiment fell back to Murfreesboro TN, where he became ill and within a few hours had a hemorrhage of the lungs. Later, Morris took pneumonia and sent to a hospital, remaining there for three weeks a lieutenant sent to get every man who could walk a mile; Morris was the only one able to do so. Henry Bradshaw, one of the chained gang died there. When Morris reached Corinth MS, the officers, JJ Dawson, First Lt Morgan Terry, Second Lt Bradshaw and Third Lt Totten had resigned. The 10 men, who remained, of the original 77, were without a commander; so, they where placed under Captain Newton. Morris then served with his regiment at the battle of Pittsburgh Landing or Shiloh. On the morning of April 6, 1862, when they were eating their breakfast, a neighbor of Morris, Boman Turney, cut a piece of meat form his weeks ration and said, Here, John, take this piece of meat, you may need it, I wont. Morris told him he had as much as he needed and to keep it. No, I wont need it, and to please him Morris took the meat and dropped it into his haversack Two hours later, the battle had begun however Turney fell dead; shot from behind Morris always thought he was warned of his death. They had risen from the breakfast table and formed a line of battle when Captain Newton said, Boys, we are going to have a hell of a fight, and I have no confidence in these men sent out here from Arkansas. If they try to get to the Federals, shoot them. If they try to fall back, shoot them. If they try to run, shoot them down. Thus knowing the Confederates were to shoot should they run, the 10 men went into battle, a few hours later two where killed, and 5 wounded. They had orders to lie down in the fence corners until they were ready to fight. The Federals began dropping cannon balls over where they were and one struck the man lying next to Morris right side, and then struck his foot. He then taken to a makeshift hospital nearby, but his wound received no attention until the next day. Hundreds and hundreds of wounded lay on the ground, as it drizzled all night. Morris wrapped a blanked closely around him and sat on a low stump with his foot in a little stream of water. The cries, moans (illegible here) of the wounded mingled all night, some begging for water. Next morning, half or more were dead. A doctor came after a time and began examining their wounds, cutting off limbs until there was a wagonload. Morris, who was lying in a fence corner, had no thought of his foot being taken off, so when the doctor examined it by giving it two or three twists, he said, I guess this foot will get well. The thought of having his foot removed frightened him half to death. The pleas no prayers were of any avail when the doctor thought best to amputate. The wounded men were driven toward Corinth MS. The rain had made the roads nearly impassable, and the mules mired in mud. All the crippled men who could walk at all supported each other and made their way slowly toward Corinth where they stayed two or three days the numbers of sick and wounded were so great that virtually no care could be given to them. A new captain put Charge over them. Morris and three others where given a furlough. Morris, not having a cent when discharged, sold his boots for $1.50 in Confederate money, and $2.50 in gold, which he changed for Confederate money.
Harris had some money, but both not enough for transportation home. Morris, using two forked sticks for crutches, along with the others started for home. They were given a free ride from Corinth to Memphis, where they took the boat and before landing were asked to pay a $5 fare Morris said, We havent that much in the crowd. The man repeated this to the captain and upon his return to the men said the captain would not charge them anything for someday he might be as needy. Morris, after landing, sold two quilts that had served him all these months. His wife had sent them to him, after he was Arrested. Now with the two dollars in confederate money they brought, he now had $10. The river was out of its banks next morning and the valleys covered. They waded in water up to their chins and landed at Grand Glaze, then had to push through swamps. Lets watch for calves and if we see any we will ask for milk, Morris said as they finally reached higher ground. Soon they found a few calves in a lot and Morris hobbled up to the door. Before he could ask for milk, the woman asked what she could do for them. They wanted only milk, buttermilk and corn- bread for not a bite of either had they tasted since leaving home in November. Moreover, it was now April. They could hardly wait until they were out of sight to enjoy this luxury. That night they came to a woman churning by the door. She said, The soldiers have eaten me out of house and home. We will pay you, they said. They all say that, she added. Yes, but we will pay you now. Well, you can stay, but I only have bread and milk. That is all we want, the hungry men told her. As the soldiers neared home, they met with friends and relatives who helped them in many ways. Toward the end of the long, slow journey, Morris was then given a horse to ride. To use his expression, I knocked the dust out of that road and reached home before sundown. His family had not heard of him since he was chained and started for Little Rock and they did not know if he was dead or alive. It is the reunion was a happy one. Home was very dear to Morris now after so much suffering and hardship. After been forced having to serve in the rebel army, neither reason, or justice demanded that he again imperil his life for men who did not regard his own. Nevertheless, he was embittered most of all for being forced to fight against his convictions. He, and friends, later went to Springfield and enlisted in the Union Army.
Morris then appointed to First Lieutenant of the 1st Regiment of Arkansas (illegible) and saw action in Arkansas and Missouri.
Source: Arkansas Gazette, Sunday, April 9, 1961
Events
| Birth | Nov 1831 | Wayne County, Tennessee | |||
| Marriage | 1851 | Searcy County, Arkansas - Elizabeth Duck | |||
| Military | Bet 1861 and 1865 | Civil war veteran | |||
| Death | Jan 1904 | Leslie, Searcy County, Arkansas | |||
| Burial | Watts Cemetery, Leslie, Searcy County, Arkanasas |
Families
| Spouse | Elizabeth Duck (1822 - 1896) |
| Child | Benjamin Arthur "Art" Watts (1853 - 1932) |
| Child | Osborn Boyd Watts (1855 - ) |
| Child | John Robert Watts (1857 - 1945) |
| Child | Eliza A. Watts (1860 - ) |
| Father | John Watts (1799 - 1865) |
| Mother | Jencie (1815 - 1840) |
| Sibling | Benjamin Garfield Watts (1833 - 1910) |