February 2021 Civil War News 11 Disgrace and Betrayal in by Joseph F. Wilson cavalrymen suffered 22 killed New Jersey Cavalry. On a wintry December morn- and 101 wounded while attacking Of the 500 prisoners, 253 were ing, General Benjamin Grierson the fortified Rebels. Most of the former Union soldiers who be- led 3,500 cavalry troopers out 123 Union casualties came from trayed the north by taking the of Memphis into Mississippi fighting at the stockade. Southern oath of allegiance to to destroy the Mobile and In the stockade, the 10th gain release from Andersonville Railroad and cut the Confederate Infantry, numbering Prison. The turncoats pleaded supply line. over 500 Confederate troops, their case claiming they joined Confederate officials immedi- commanded by Lt. the Confederate Army only to ately detected the movement and Michael Burke, readied for escape death from disease and patched together a force of 1,500 Grierson’s assault. Sometimes starvation at Andersonville. The men under Brig. General Samuel called “Burke’s Battalion,” the traitors also claimed that they Gholson to oppose Grierson. The 10th Tennessee fought valiantly joined the Rebels hoping to des- two sides clashed on Dec. 28, inflicting heavy casualties in the ert to the Union lines at the first 1864, near the railroad’s Egypt brisk fight. opportunity. Troopers in the 2nd Station. The Second New Jersey Cavalry New Jersey weren’t buying it. One notable aspect of the bat- was given the task of taking the Many lost friends, either killed tle featured the Confederates us- fort. The Jersey boys suffered or maimed for life by the former ing artillery mounted on railcars. dearly that day, losing 19 killed Union POWs. Besides the artillery on the flat and 71 wounded before final- The former Andersonville pris- cars, the Southerners made good ly taking the position. Surrender oners, having been captured a use of the railroad embankment only came after Burke’s men ran second time, were marched north Roadside marker for Battle Egypt Station. and a stockade built to defend out of ammunition. Up to that to confinement in Alton Prison in the station. Although the bat- point, the Southerners punished . Union guards at the pris- claimed that the men could have Station formed Co. C and D of tle is considered a draw, Union the 2nd New Jersey. The attack on eyed the disloyal men with a fired their muskets high so as to the 5th U.S. Regiment. casualties far outnumbered the of the 2nd New Jersey account- particular hate much greater than not cause any harm to the attack- Nearly all the Andersonville Confederate losses. ed for nearly all Union casual- their disdain for Southern sol- ing Union troops. But the fighting prisoners frowned on men The small battle had large im- ties that day. The Confederate diers. What to do with the men at the stockade was fierce as the who passed out of the gates at plications for how the South had position was formidable, but the still had to be resolved. Sure Union casualties suggested the the stockade to save their own responded with unsavory meth- Jersey boys took the stockade and death seemed to be the proper former Northerners fought hard skin. Most chose “Death before ods to resupply their army. Young 500 10th Tennessee soldiers as course of action. until their ammunition ran out. Dishonor” as they held their boys and old men were now be- prisoners. Such soldiers came to be known Only then did they lay down their heads high and swore to stay loy- ing included in the Confederate News circulating through camp as galvanized Confederates. arms. al to the stars and stripes even in Army. There was another more regarding the prisoners infuriat- Confederate prisoners who joined The 253 former Yankees drew the face of death. disturbing aspect of the fighting ed the Union men. Not long af- the were galvanized the ire of Northerners. All fa- Approximately 250 Union sol- that sent shock waves throughout ter the Union guards ushered the Yankees. Thousands of soldiers vored a firing squad or the hang- diers were executed for desertion the North. captured Confederates behind the on both sides changed their al- man’s noose; but one Union during the Civil War, a small num- The formidable position of lines, a courier hurried to General legiance to escape the dreadful general argued on their behalf. ber compared to the actual num- the Rebels resulted in only two Grierson to inform him of the un- conditions in prisons in the North General Grenville Dodge, com- ber of desertions. Deserters stood killed and five wounded among usual development. What General and South. In the North, the gal- mander on the western frontier, before a firing squad in a suppos- the Confederate ranks, but the Grierson soon discovered had the vanized Yankees drew assign- desperately needed men to pro- edly honorable way for a soldier 500 men defending the fort even- commander bristling with anger, ments guarding forts out west tect forts and telegraph lines. The to suffer punishment. Only those tually surrendered. Grierson’s especially the men of the 2nd or fighting Indians. Many Union general argued the men could committing murder suffered the soldiers in southern prisons who be put to good use on the fron- indignity of a hanging. enlisted to escape the prison tier. Meanwhile, Indian attacks The former Union men of camps north dug trenches around mounted on settlements and Burke’s Confederate Battalion, Richmond to avoid firing on their outposts. the 10th Tennessee, betrayed the countrymen. General Dodge pressed hard Union cause they swore to up- Most prisoners who changed for the men. Fortune smiled on hold by joining the rebel army sides did so with the understand- the former Andersonville prison- and killing and maiming New ing they would not be called upon ers who took the Southern oath Jersey soldiers at Egypt Station. to fire on their fellow country- and pulled the trigger on oth- Desertion is one thing, shooting men. Apparently, the Union men er Union soldiers. Dodge even- their former peers is another. in the 10th Tennessee felt no such tually had his way. None faced Many Union soldiers felt the sentiment. They fired on the 2nd a firing squad. All 253 former deserters should have been hung New Jersey with deadly accuracy. Union men of the 10th Tennessee at the end of a rope until dead! The former Union prisoners of joined with Burke’s Battalion had no problem enlisted from northern prisons leveling their muskets on fellow to form new regiments. The 1st Joseph F. Wilson is a member of troops in the Union Army. In fact, U.S. Volunteer Infantry was cre- the General Meade Society and the the potential retaliatory threat of ated along with the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, writer and producer of the docu- execution, made their defense 5th, and 6th Regiments of sol- mentary, “Civil War Prisons – An even stouter. diers largely comprised of for- American Tragedy,” now available Any argument claiming an in- mer Confederate prisoners. The on Amazon pay-per-view. Joef21@ tention by the traitors to run for Northerners captured at Egypt aol.com. the Union lines at the first chance fell on deaf ears. General William Hoffman, Commissioner of Prisoners, wanted to charge them Publishers: with desertion and hang them. Send your book(s) for review to: Few would have argued against it. Hoffman asserted that being Civil War News in such a forward position af- 520 Folly Road, Suite 25 PMB 379 forded the men an easy escape to Charleston, SC 29412 General Benjamin Grierson. rejoin the Union. Others rightly

February 2021 Civil War News 11