WM. A. Montgomery to Thomas J. Newsham, February 1, 1863

February 1, 1863.

Island No. 10, Tenn., February 1, 1863. Maj. THomAs J. NEWSHAM, Assistant Inspector-General, District of Columbus :

Mason: In compliance with your request, I have the honor to sub. mit the following statement in regard to the late spiking of guns, dismantling of batteries, and destruction of ammunition at this post:

On the morning of December 25 last, a messenger came to Major Jones, then in command here, with a written order from Brigadier-General [T. A.] Davies, commanding District of Columbus, to this effect :

Spike all your guns, destroy all the ammunition, burn all the carriages and woodwork belonging to the guns. Spike them all. Be quick.

This order was in a few words, written on a small piece of paper about 2 or 3 inches square. The man who brought it had come down in a skiff during the night. He stated that it was dangerous for a steamboat to run lower down than Hickman; that be had been carried to within a mile or two of that place, where a skiff was furnished him. He was under the influence of liquor, and appeared much excited, as if he had performed a perilous journey. He brought with him a bundle of rattail files, which he said the: general had sent to be used on our guns. At this time we had no notice of an enemy being nearer than Union City, and our position was perfectly impregnable to any attack. The order was so unaccountable, Major Jones could not believe it emanated from any Federal general, but was inclined to think it a ruse of the rebels to have us destroy our defenses. He accordingly put the man under arrest, and at once sent a messenger to Columbus with a dispatch, a copy of which you will find inclosed. In the afternoon of the same day the steamer O’Brien brought down another written order, more full than the first one, but in substance the same.*

Major Jones still hesitated to execute what appeared to him a most uncalled-tor destruction of property. Thus matters continued until the

evening of the 26th, when the messenger he had sent returned with verbal orders, confirming the previous ones, and urging immediate compliance. The major did not even yet feel warranted, from his knowledge of the circumstances, to obey. There was no attack threatened, and had there been, he felt confidence in his ability to successfully resist it. But the orders were so peremptory, he directed a portion of the dismounted guns to be spiked. Those in position he allowed to remain untouched, together with the ammunition.

On the morning of the 27th, Captain Julius Lovell, assistant adjutant. general on General Davies’ staff, brought still further orders, and under circumstances that they could not be disobeyed. The guns in battery were consequently dismounted and spiked, and a portion of the ammunition, about 600 rounds, destroyed. The gun carriages were not burned, and 300 rounds of powder were preserved.

The written orders I have alluded to are in possession of Maj. R. B. Jones, Thirty-fourth Indiana Infantry, who was relieved from command a Short time since, with orders, after a fifteen days’ leave of absence, to report to his regiment.

very respectfully, your obedient servant,

First Lieutenant Fifteenth Wisconsin Infantry, Post Adjutant.
[Inclosure No. 1.]