Winchester in Franklin County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Winchester's Civil War Sites

County Seceded before the State

Photographed By Don Morfe, April 24, 2014

1. Winchester's Civil War Sites Marker

Inscription.

Winchester's Civil War Sites. County Seceded before the State. When Tennessee failed to secede from the Union on February 9, 1861, Franklin County residents met here at the courthouse. They listened to attorney Peter Turney’s forceful speech offering resolutions in favor of secession and reportedly adopted them unanimously. Turney raised a company in Winchester and recruited companies from surrounding communities to form the 1st Tennessee Infantry, which he offered to the Confederate government before April 9. The regiment assembled here at Mary Sharp College, elected Turney colonel on April 27, and soon marched to Decherd to board a train for Virginia, and it subsequently fought in that state and at Gettysburg. On June 8, Tennessee followed Franklin County’s lead and left the Union, the last state to do so., During the war, the Oehmig house was used as a hospital for soldier with contagious diseases and called The Pest House. When the Union army occupied Winchester in 1863, several dwellings were seized for officers' quarters. The Federals used The Home Journal newspaper office on the Public Square, vacated by William J. Slatter who moved his presses to Georgia to publish The Army Bulletin. Confederate officers’ dwellings that survive today include Col. Tazewell Waller Newman’s house and the boyhood home of Gen. Alexander Peter Stewart., Winchester City Cemetery is the final resting place of Confederate Cols. Peter Turney and Albert Smith Marks, both also governors of Tennessee. Other veterans buried there include 100 Confederates and a few Federals. Soldiers who died in local houses after the Battles of Stones River and Chattanooga were buried in the city cemetery adjacent to John Wiley Templeton Confederate Memorial Cemetery., (captions) , (lower left) Mary Sharp College - Courtesy Library of Congress , (upper center) Peter Turney; Albert Smith Marks Courtesy Tennessee Department of State , (upper right) Franklin County Courthouse by Gustavus A. Perry (US) Courtesy Mike Lougee . This historical marker was erected by Tennessee Civil War Trails. It is in Winchester in Franklin County Tennessee

When Tennessee failed to secede from the Union on February 9, 1861, Franklin County residents met here at the courthouse. They listened to attorney Peter Turney’s forceful speech offering resolutions in favor of secession and reportedly adopted them unanimously. Turney raised a company in Winchester and recruited companies from surrounding communities to form the 1st Tennessee Infantry, which he offered to the Confederate government before April 9. The regiment assembled here at Mary Sharp College, elected Turney colonel on April 27, and soon marched to Decherd to board a train for Virginia, and it subsequently fought in that state and at Gettysburg. On June 8, Tennessee followed Franklin County’s lead and left the Union—the last state to do so.

During the war, the Oehmig house was used as a hospital for soldier with contagious diseases and called The Pest House. When the Union army occupied Winchester in 1863, several dwellings were seized for officers' quarters. The Federals used The Home Journal newspaper office on the Public Square, vacated by William J. Slatter who moved his presses to Georgia to publish The
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Army Bulletin. Confederate officers’ dwellings that survive today include Col. Tazewell Waller Newman’s house and the boyhood home of Gen. Alexander Peter Stewart.

Winchester City Cemetery is the final resting place of Confederate Cols. Peter Turney and Albert Smith Marks, both also governors of Tennessee. Other veterans buried there include 100 Confederates and a few Federals. Soldiers who died in local houses after the Battles of Stones River and Chattanooga were buried in the city cemetery adjacent to John Wiley Templeton Confederate Memorial Cemetery.

(captions)
(lower left) Mary Sharp College - Courtesy Library of Congress
(upper center) Peter Turney; Albert Smith Marks Courtesy Tennessee Department of State
(upper right) Franklin County Courthouse by Gustavus A. Perry (US) Courtesy Mike Lougee

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 February 1946.

Location. 35° 11.145′ N, 86° 6.786′ W. Marker is in Winchester, Tennessee, in Franklin County. Marker is at the intersection of 1st Avenue NW and South High Street, on the left when

Close up of map shown on the marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Don Morfe, April 24, 2014

2. Close up of map shown on the marker

traveling west on 1st Avenue NW. The marker is located on the grounds of the Winchester City Hall, the former site of Franklin County Courthouse. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 7 South High Street, Winchester TN 37398, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Built 1914 (a few steps from this marker); Built 1903 (a few steps from this marker); Trinity Episcopal Church / Winchester City Hall (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named Built 1903 (within shouting distance of this marker); Built 1911 (within shouting distance of this marker); Built 1906 (within shouting distance of this marker); Built 1920 (within shouting distance of this marker); Built 1900 (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Winchester.

Photographed By Don Morfe, April 24, 2014

3. Winchester's Civil War Sites Marker

Winchester City Hall image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Don Morfe, April 24, 2014

4. Winchester City Hall

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on July 10, 2014, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 1,279 times since then and 136 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on July 10, 2014, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.