THEY FOUGHT BARE BREASTED

You may be a Civil War buff, but did you know about the battle that was fought in the buff?

By Roxy LentzPublished 3 years ago • 7 min read

From the book by W. R. Carter

The 1st Tennessee Cavalry Volunteers for the Union were on the Northern side of a raging Chattahoochee river, and the Rebels were camped out on the Southern side to protect Atlanta from General Sherman. They had all just survived a rowdy homemade 4th of July celebration where General E. F. Noyes lost a leg, and Sherman almost got hit himself, so they were in fine spirits for their next venture, and it was just around the corner. Meanwhile the two sides engaged in “trash talk”.

Yankee: “Hey Johnny, got any tobacco?”

Rebel: “Sure, Yank, come on over 'an git it!”

Yankee: “You come over ‘an git our coffee, ‘an we’ll take yer tobacco!”

For General Sherman to continue his march to the sea, the river must be crossed, but no one was going anywhere because the Chattahoochee at Cochran’s Ford, was impassable, it had been raining hard all that July 7, 1864, the river was swollen and the river bed covered with treacherous boulders. The Rebels had destroyed all the ferries, and Colonel Brownlow’s Cavalry had no safe way to cross the river. Yet, the orders to Colonel Dorr, from General E. M. McCook were to “Cross that river!”. Colonel Dorr gave the order to Colonel Brownlow and came back later in the day to assess the situation. The men were still on the North side of the river, the Rebs were still on their side, putting forth the occasional effort to shoot at one another. Colonel Dorr was furious, the obvious challenges didn’t matter, the Union Army had to get across that river. Someone determined that Cochran’s Ford was the place to cross, high raging water or not.

“Colonel Brownlow,” Dorr shouted, “if you and your men can’t follow orders, I’ll report to General Sherman and I’ll find some men who aren’t afraid of a little water!”

Colonel Brownlow was well known for his daring exploits, he was madder than a wet hen, and had to calm down before he found a way to tell his men what they had been ordered. They cussed and discussed what to do in this impossible situation, and tried to bet who’s confounded, hair brain idea it must have been, they had already tried to cross, and not even the horses were up to the task, but if there was a way to cross, Brownlow would find that way. The men who were in Colonel Brownlow’s Cavalry trusted him, because he never asked them to do what he wouldn’t do himself, however they got across that river, they knew Colonel Brownlow would be with them. Hell, he didn’t ask the horses to do what he wouldn’t!

Brownlow and his bushwhackers that year of 1864 had already captured a Rebel wagon train of supplies, the town of Acworth, Georgia, and just a month before, Brownlow had been captured by a troop from Texas, but was soon let go when he bribed them with a gold watch, finding his way back in the dark. Brownlow never sat back to give orders, he was always at the front with them in the fight.

Brownlow designated the nine best swimmers to walk a mile up the river to a secret place, and the rest of the men to keep the Rebels distracted, ramping up their shooting. The men quickly made a small raft, put their guns and ammunition on the raft, stripped down to skin, left their clothes behind, and started swimming across the river, pushing their raft in front of them. The water was rough, the boulders sharp, and Colonel Brownlow was right there with them, in the buff. When they got to the other side, they may have wished they could have brought at least their boots with them, because the thorns were tough on their tender feet.

“Cuss low” Brownlow told his men, as they made their stealthy way through the thick brush to where the Rebels were camped. By the time they had fought off the brambles, low branches, and mosquitoes feasting, a few Rebels weren’t going to hold them back. The men couldn’t help but joke as they made their perilous way to their surprise attack, “I’ll be durned if this ain’t baring our breasts to the foe, for a fact,” said one. “l reckon the rebs will climb them trees when they find out we’re a lot of East Tennessee bare hunters,” said another.

Then, they closed in on their prey, “Yeeee yipp, yippp, yippp!” They screamed as they ran up on the rear of the unsuspecting Johnnies, almost scaring the pants off them. The sergeant in command of them was a New York dentist, and had only been living in the South a short time, he had never seen an attack of this sort, and probably hoped he never would again, he didn’t know anyone would be bold enough to swim a river that high, in their birthday suits no less. He hadn’t heard of Brownlow, or he would have known that, yes, there are men that bold, and if he had known his father Parson Brownlow, he would have known where it all came from. Parson Brownlow had his own reputation to defend.

Twelve of the Rebels were captured. The last one was a freckle-faced kid who tried to hide behind a tree. When seen, however, he came forward and threw down his gun.

"Well, Yanks, I surrender," he said, "but it ain't fair. You ought to be ashamed to go charging around the country this way. If you'd been captured, we'd have hung you for spies because you ain't got any uniforms on."

The trash talking was over.

Rebel: “Hello Yank!”

Yankee: “What do you want Johnny?”

Rebel: “Can’t talk to ‘uns any more!”

Yankee: “How’s that?”

Rebel: “Orders to dry up.”

Yankee: “What for Johnny?”

Rebel: “Oh, Jim Brownlow, with his damn Tennessee Yanks, swam over upon the left last night, and stormed our rifle-pits naked, captured sixty of our boys, and made ‘em swim back with him. We ‘uns have got to keep you ‘uns on your side of the river now.”

There was no report if the Rebs had to swim back in the same condition as the Yankees.

The whole story was reported in Harper’s Weekly, August 13,1864, with an illustration by Theodore R. Davis.

General McCook was even pleased, and reported the venture to his superior.

July 9, 1864

GENERAL: I have the honor to report that a detachment under Colonel Dorr crossed the pontoon this afternoon, and scouted the country in front of General Schofield. They found the enemy's cavalry there in force. Brownlow performed one of his characteristic feats to-day. I had ordered a detachment to cross at Cochran's Ford. It was deep, and he took them over naked, nothing but guns, cartridge-boxes and hats. They drove the enemy out of their rifle-pits, captured a non-commissioned officer and 3 men, and the 2 boats on the other side. They would have got more, but the rebels had the advantage in running through the bushes with clothes on. It was certainly one of the funniest sights of the war, and a very successful raid for naked men to make. Everything is quiet along the line, and citizens on the other side say the enemy were totally unprepared for a crossing on this flank.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

E. M. McCOOK, Brigadier-General, Commanding Division.

[Brigadier General W. L. ELLIOTT, Chief of Cavalry.]

HEADQUARTERS FIRST CAVALRY DIVISION

Correspondence recorded in War of the Rebellion: Serial 073 Page 0761 Chapter L. Reports, ETC. Army of the Cumb’d (Cavalry). ehistory (osu.edu)