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Note: Early received his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA. He lived a short while in Macon, MS. He fought in the Civil War, serving in the 1st Mississippi Cavalry, Company G (Noxubee Cavalry) under the command of Capt., later Col., H. W. Foote. His regiment was on duty from August 1861 at Belmont, MO, when Grant began his first skirmish in the long campaign to take Vicksburg. Co. G was at Shiloh and helped charge a Union cannon battery, capturing every gun. Co. G unsuccessfully attacked another battery and on the second day covered the retreat to Corinth. They were the last to leave the field at Shiloh. The regiment was reorganized after the retreat of Beauregard to Tupelo. It is entirely possible that Co. G returned to Macon for refitting. The regiment was part of Chalmers' expedition in cutting the railroad in western Tennessee in June, 1862. They also took part in the Corinth campaign in October, 1862 when "Lt. Foote was particularly distinguished in checking the pursuit of the enemy". This was William H., son of H. W. Foote. He was in Co. G along with Pvt. E. C. Clements.
Evidently, Early was part of the troops that retreated in front of Sherman in February, 1864, from Meridian. His unit was sent to Mobile. From there, most were sent to Georgia and were part of S. D. Lee's command during the Atlanta Campaign. Somehow, Early and others were detached and remained on guard at Fort Morgan, where they surrendered on 23 August, 1864. After his escape in the winter of 1864-65, Early returned to active duty and was paroled at Citronelle, AL, 4 May 1865. He was paroled to Macon, MS.
This article is from �The Commercial Appeal�, Memphis, TN
October 23, 1898
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ESCAPE OF CONFEDERATES
W. H. Murphy of 440� Poplar Street, this city, addressed to the Commercial Appeal the
following narrative of the notable escape of two Confederate soldiers from Federal capture during the Civil War. The Confederates being residents of Mississippi and West Tennessee respectively, and their experiences subsequent to their escape having a Shelby County interest, the story of Mr. Murphy appears here particularly opportune. He writes:
Toward the end of 1864 two Confederate prisoners, Dr. Clements of Mississippi and R. G. Goodman of Tipton County, TN, made their escape from captivity in the following manner: They had been confined, with a goodly number of others at Castle William, in New York harbor. They were put into a box car, loaded with their fellow prisoners, and sent on their way to Elmira. While on their way thither these two determined men cut, with a broken-bladed pocket knife, a small hole through the side of the car, and jumped out, at night, while the train was in motion. They worked awhile as farm hands, and, getting a little money, made their way to New York City, where they found friends. They then went to Philadelphia, and with the assistance of friends there they made their way to Pittsburgh, from which place they made their way by boat to Cincinnati.
There they got on a gunboat, loaded with Federal soldiers, and made their way down to
Memphis. They were welcomed here and cared for by well known friends. They wanted to get out of the lines here and go to their respective homes, but how to do so was the question. The charm of money solved the problem.
These men, however, were penniless, but, finding a true friend in the wife of a well known steamboat captain, they got the needed funds. A Federal Lieutenant fell through the blandishments of gold, and for $75 conducted them safely through the picket lines. These two tireless wanderers then made their way to Dr. Battle in the northeast corner of Shelby County, and from there they separated.
Dr. Battle heard from their lips of his far-away boy, who was then a prisoner at Elmira, NY. The doctor loaned each of them a horse to ride home, and the writer of these lines, then a boy of 15, took one of these horses back to its kind-hearted owner.
�W.H.M.� This Article is from �The Covington Leader, Covington, TN
December 2, 1898
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THRILLING EXPERIENCE OF TWO SOLDIERS
A story of the dark days of �65 of interest to Tipton Countians
The following letter was written recently by Dr. E. C. Clements of Rolling Fork, MS, to Mr. W. H. Murphy of Memphis, in regard to a communication written by Mr. Murphy. The late Mr. R. G. Goodman of Covington was a conspicuous figure in the realistic drama.
Mr. W. H. Murphy
440� Poplar Street
Memphis, Tenn.
Seeing an article in the Commercial Appeal of October 23rd, I feel sure you allude to me as one of the parties -- doubly sure, as I recognize the name of a friend I love and would so much love to learn of
his whereabouts. I have not seen him since we separated about five miles south of Memphis early in January, 1865. We stayed the night before at the home of a good and kind friend named Wilkerson I think, one mile south of Nonconnah Creek, on Horn Lake road.
A brief history of our trials run about thus: We surrendered at the fall of Fort Morgan (Alabama) in the fall of 1864; were carried to New Orleans and imprisoned in a cotton shed. There were about 1800 prisoners there. Some of us were not satisfied and concluded we would break out, capture Gen. B. F. Butler, then in command, with all his troops. We had sent patients to the hospital to communicate with citizens to cooperate-operate with us, cut telegraph wires, at a given signal, furnish arms and pilot us. All things were arranged satisfactorily. One afternoon or two before we were to make a dash to overpower our guards, take their arms and cannon outside and them the city, an officer came into our prison, called us all up in line, called out about 400 names that he had gotten (I regret to say from a black sheep in our midst) and notified us to be ready for removal immediately and kept us under close guard only a few hours when we were put aboard the old steamer �Constitution�, I believe, and rushed us off to Governor�s Island, New York. We were eleven days on the trip. Upon reaching New York we were confined in Castle William. We remained here a month or two and were then put into emigrant cars and started west,
we understood, for Elmira --- at that time a death trap for prisoners. Let me here remark that my good friend and myself had determined we would make an escape the first opportunity and preparing for it had $20 each in gold sewed up in the lower seam of our pants leg. I had a common congress knife sewed up in the waistband of my pants. We were searched daily at Castle William and everything of value was taken from us that could be found.
December 4th in the afternoon we left for Elmira. We determined we would not go there. We must either cut the staple out of the side door and shove the door back or jump off the steps. We preferred the first plan. Now there were three or four guards and an officer in each end of the car. I broke one large blade of my knife in two and we went to work. Almost midnight, when, I guess, about 100 miles west of New York, near a little village called Hancock, we shoved the door back and out we went, the first one cautioning the other not to jump on him. When we struck the ground we were about fifty yards apart.
The first impulse was to strike out south for Virginia. We thought we would go to Harper�s Ferry. Going down the railroad embankment we saw what we supposed was water in the railroad ditch and came near stepping in to wade it. Pitching in a few pebbles we found it rather wide and a few moments reflection reminded us it was the Delaware River. We had it to cross, so we went back across the railroad and took to the mountains to find a cover and make a fire and await daylight. The snow was about a foot deep. The next day, seeing no opportunity of crossing, we struck out up the mountainside to find a place to cross. The next night we crossed the river at a mill and struck out south through sleet six inches deep and late that afternoon we met with a young fellow going our way, so we went along chatting and gaining information from him. We soon learned he was dodging a conscript officer. They had been after him. He took us home with him that night and the next morning hitched up his wagon and drove us several miles on our way. Getting down into the coal regions of Pennsylvania and being worn out and with severe colds we concluded to lay up and take a little medicine. I think it was the little town of Milldale. We did not know but that passes would be required of us if we tried the railroad, so we inquired and when we
started on our rail journey our small amount of money hidden away came in good play. We knew we could get as much as we wanted if we could get to Philadelphia.
Just here I well remark that we had a small satchel at Castle William in which we put some dried beef and cheese and crackers that a friend had sent us from Philadelphia, but left it in the kitchen with the cook to keep for us, knowing the rascally sergeant who searched us would take it if found in our barracks. We laid it away for this trip. We separated in traveling, one near each end of the car, so if one was suspected the other could make his escape. We reached Harrisburg and I went to Philadelphia, getting
there after night and in two hours had found a friend, got $300 and took the train back to Harrisburg, picking up my friend and we set out for St. Louis, passing through Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois while the fighting was going on about Nashville. There was great stir along the route but we reached St. Louis safely, with the expectation of meeting with some southern steamboat captains there, friends with whom we could safely go south, but found the Mississippi River frozen; consequently we went back east via the Illinois Central road and thence south to Cairo. There we were busy several days trying to get across the
Ohio River into western Kentucky, apprehending no trouble afterward, as we were familiar with the country. We could not steal, hire, buy, or borrow a boat to cross the river, being so closely watched, so we determined to take a steamboat there and get off at some wood yard, if not at Columbus, KY. Finding Columbus closely guarded we went on further, intending to get off at some landing. However, we went to Memphis and fully expected to be arrested there, but thought we could find a way out. I had the promise of a friend in Philadelphia to come immediately to our assistance if we needed help. Fortunately we
landed in Memphis on Sunday and on account of a fog on the river no guards met the boat, as was usual, to examine passengers. My friend Goodman went up to find some friends and I remained on the boat in pawn, as we were out of money and some friends had to take us off the boat. I am glad to tell how kind and good the captain of the boat was to us. He, I am satisfied, suspected something. I had several conversations with him; I told him we were out of money, but would pay when we reached Memphis. He regretted he could not land anywhere above Memphis. I an satisfied he thought he knew who we were and was willing to help us, although we did not feel exactly safe in telling him. The hearty shake of the hand when we left the boat indicated a friend.
I think the first friend we met there was Captain Dearing and then a Mr. Dent (I think a
son-in-law of Mrs. Minor). Later we found plenty of friends. We were shut up in Memphis thirteen days before we could get out. Out friends had a friend in the city who stood in with some of the Federal officers, and if they could be caught on duty as officers of the post we would be all right. We had waited so long and were impatient to get out. A Mrs. Minor, who owned a place out two or three miles, tried to get permission for her servant to drive her out but was refused. I was to be that black servant. She tried to get permission to carry some furniture out --- I would have gone in a wardrobe or bureau drawer --- but no. So we concluded we would go out to the cemetery, hide in a vault, and when the guard was drawn in at night along the streets we would kill one and get out. We had a gun and pistol and ammunition all ready -- one with the barrel down his pants leg, the other with the stock hidden in his clothing. We were nearly ready to start when to our delight and astonishment the friend drove up in a surrey in a great hurry, having just learned that his friend was on duty saying, "Get ready as soon as possible and we can get out." We did so and out friend armed us with a pass, a $50 bill each, and as we drove out, I think on the Horn
Lake road under the guns of Ft. Pickering, we encountered the captain, an Indiana man, on guard with a lot of Negroes. He walked up, putting his foot on the surrey, brought forth his book, "pretendingly" taking notes, when our friend slipped the money to him as the crowd of armed Negroes watched. When through he remarked, �Drive like h--l, the officer of the day is just outside.� We met them within one or two hundred yards, but passed without any trouble.
We were driven a mile or two further by our friend and when he left us he told us when we reached Nonconnah Creek to turn up it and about one hundred yards we would find signs of a small fire. We were to stop there and whistle low and a little boy would put us across the creek. The second whistle brought the boy out of a little cove at the south of a ravine with a dugout in which we crossed. We had been directed to go to the house a mile below the creek. I very much regret having forgotten the name of our good friend who was so faithful in getting us out of Memphis.
We crossed the creek hear where Gen. Grierson had crossed with his cavalry only a few days before on his southern raid, the effects of which I saw and felt below Grenada before I reached home.
Goodman and myself separated at Mr. Wilkerson�s house next morning, he going eastward to go around Memphis and I going south via Hernando, Senatobia, Grenada, crossing the I.C.R.R. and out by Koscuisko, Somerville and on to my home in Macon, Miss. I found friends all along the road ready to help and direct me. I footed it most of the way to Grenada. I have not seen or heard directly from my good old friend Goodman since we separated early in January, 1865, just below Memphis. I would like to know is he yet alive and where he lives. As well as I remember his home was at that time in Covington, Tenn. in Tipton County, I believe north of Memphis. After reaching home I reported to Gen. Maury, reentered the army and was paroled with his command soon after Gen. Lee surrendered. I am now over seventy years old, but not too old to shoot yet at the enemy should necessity call for me. I saw your article in the Memphis paper two or three weeks ago and a day or two afterwards wrote the above, intending to copy it and send it to you, but laid it aside and did not do so. I will send it as it is, and you can perhaps read a portion and guess at the balance -- too much trouble to copy. One little circumstance I will mention in addition to the above: while we were in Castle William on governor�s Island we were in the second story. Rations were scarce so we used to stand outside and watch for big fat rats that would steal out below to pick up crumbs and occasionally kill one with a lump of coal from above. They were fine eating and I speak from personal experience. I think as hard a fight as I ever saw was between two Memphis men, DeSaussure and another whose name I cannot now remember. It was as to the ownership of a rat thus killed. You will please excuse this scribble. It is for
your own information.
With kindest regards, Yours, etc. E. C. Clements Rolling Fork, Miss. After the war, Early moved to Rolling Fork, MS, and farmed. He was a Mason and was very active in the Methodist Episcopal Church South. He donated land to the town for a public burying ground, which is where he was buried after a long bout with cancer. He married first Julia Malinda Bugbee of Montgomery, AL. They moved to Macon, MS, where daughter Earline was born. When Julia died two years later, along with the unnamed infant, Early took Earline to Tuscaloosa and his brother, who had married Julia's sister. By the time Early remarried, Earline had become an integral part of that family and remained with them.
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