Linden in Perry County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Razing the Courthouse

Phelp's Raid

Photographed by Don Morfe, April 22, 2014

1. Razing the Courthouse Marker

Inscription.

Razing the Courthouse. Phelp's Raid. To control shipping and military traffic along the Tennessee River, Union forces moved into this region in 1862. Naval gunboats sought to cut vital Confederate supply links to West Tennessee and the Deep South. Confederate cavalry detachments challenged the Union presence by harassing, plundering, capturing soldiers, and gathering recruits and conscripts. In the spring of 1863, a Confederate force was posted in and around the Perry County Courthouse., On May 12, 1863, U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Seth L. Phelps landed in Decaturville to support Lt. Col. William K. M. Breckenridge, who commanded the 6th Tennessee Cavalry, a regiment composed of Tennessee Unionists. Phelps used his gunboats to ferry 55 of Breckenridge’s men and horses across the river. They attacked the Confederate force at the courthouse around daybreak. Phelps reported that the Federals “completely surprised the place. The rebel pickets fired upon (Breckenridge’s force) and dispersed.” Breckenridge’s men killed three Confederates, captured Col. Frierson and 46 of his men, and then burned the courthouse as well as the Confederate arms and supplies. They returned to the gunboats with captured Confederate officers, soldiers, and conscripts who were sent to the Union prison in Cairo, Illinois., Phelps later praised Breckinridge’s Tennesseans as “perfectly familiar with the people and country, and are admirably calculated for this kind of service, while the colonel himself is just the man.”, (sidebar) , The wooden Perry County Courthouse constructed in 1848 stood where the present courthouse stands. Tennessee county courts were the hub of local activities related to business and government. Linden, established in 1847, was no exception, everything in town centered on the courthouse square. With the destruction of the courthouse, some of the official records were lost. The image you see here is of the courthouse that was constructed in 1868., (captions) , (left) Lt. Cmdr. Seth L. Phelps, ca. 1885 Courtesy Wikipedia , (lower left) Gunboats commanded by Lt. Cmdr. Seth L. Phelps: USS Conestoga, Lexington, and Tyler Courtesy U.S. Naval Historical Center , (upper right) Perry County Courthouse completed 1868 - Courtesy Perry Co. Historical Society

To control shipping and military traffic along the Tennessee River, Union forces moved into this region in 1862. Naval gunboats sought to cut vital Confederate supply links to West Tennessee and the Deep South. Confederate cavalry detachments challenged the Union presence by harassing, plundering, capturing soldiers, and gathering recruits and conscripts. In the spring of 1863, a Confederate force was posted in and around the Perry County Courthouse.

On May 12, 1863, U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Seth L. Phelps landed in Decaturville to support Lt. Col. William K. M. Breckenridge, who commanded the 6th Tennessee Cavalry, a regiment composed of Tennessee Unionists. Phelps used his gunboats to ferry 55 of Breckenridge’s men and horses across the river. They attacked the Confederate force at the courthouse around daybreak. Phelps reported that the Federals “completely surprised the place. The rebel pickets fired upon (Breckenridge’s force) and dispersed.” Breckenridge’s men killed three Confederates, captured Col. Frierson and 46 of his men, and then burned the courthouse as well as the Confederate arms and supplies. They returned to the gunboats with captured Confederate officers, soldiers, and conscripts who were sent to the Union prison in Cairo, Illinois.

Phelps later praised Breckinridge’s Tennesseans as “perfectly

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familiar with the people and country, and are admirably calculated for this kind of service, while the colonel himself is just the man.”

(sidebar)
The wooden Perry County Courthouse constructed in 1848 stood where the present courthouse stands. Tennessee county courts were the hub of local activities related to business and government. Linden, established in 1847, was no exception—everything in town centered on the courthouse square. With the destruction of the courthouse, some of the official records were lost. The image you see here is of the courthouse that was constructed in 1868.

(captions)
(left) Lt. Cmdr. Seth L. Phelps, ca. 1885 Courtesy Wikipedia
(lower left) Gunboats commanded by Lt. Cmdr. Seth L. Phelps: USS Conestoga, Lexington, and Tyler Courtesy U.S. Naval Historical Center
(upper right) Perry County Courthouse completed 1868 - Courtesy Perry Co. Historical Society

Erected by Tennessee Civil War Trails.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Tennessee Civil War Trails series list. A significant historical month for this entry is May 2012.

Location. 35° 37.014′ N, 87° 50.25′ W. Marker is in Linden

Photographed by Don Morfe, April 22, 2014

2. Razing the Courthouse Marker

, Tennessee, in Perry County. It is at the intersection of East Main Street (U.S. 412) and North Poplar Street, on the right when traveling west on East Main Street. The marker is on the grounds of the Perry County Courthouse. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 121 East Main Street, Linden TN 37096, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Middle Tennessee

and in the Highland Rim.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 11 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Hufstedler Grave House (approx. 4.1 miles away); Cedar Grove Iron Works (approx. 4.8 miles away); Cedar Grove Iron Furnace (approx. 8 miles away); a different marker also named Cedar Grove Iron Furnace (approx. 8 miles away); James Dickson House (approx. 8½ miles away); Lewis County / Perry County (approx. 10.1 miles away); Amphibious Attack on Linden (approx. 10.4 miles away); Tennessee River (approx. 10½ miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Linden.

Courthouse-April is Child Abuse Prevention Month image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Don Morfe, April 22, 2014

3. Courthouse-April is Child Abuse Prevention Month

World War I Veterans Memorial-Courthouse Lawn image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Don Morfe, April 22, 2014

4. World War I Veterans Memorial-Courthouse Lawn

World War II Veterans Memorial-Courthouse Lawn image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Don Morfe, April 22, 2014

5. World War II Veterans Memorial-Courthouse Lawn

Historical Reenactment-Capture and Burning of the Courthouse image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Don Morfe, April 22, 2014

6. Historical Reenactment-Capture and Burning of the Courthouse

Banner-Civil War Comes to Linden image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Don Morfe, April 22, 2014

7. Banner-Civil War Comes to Linden

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on July 3, 2014, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 1,140 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on July 3, 2014, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.