Mosheim in Greene County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Pottertown Bridge Burners

Unionists Pay the Ultimate Price

Photographed by Don Morfe, July 30, 2013

1. Pottertown Bridge Burners Marker

Inscription. When Tennessee left the Union in June 1861, Greene County was a hotbed of divided loyalties. Several Unionists, who crafted multi-colored earthenware pottery which is still highly valued, were among the occupants of the nearby community named “Pottertown.” That autumn, celebrated antebellum potter Christopher Alexander Haun conspired with other residents to cripple the Confederate-controlled rail system by burning railroad bridges. The Rev. William Blount Carter, a local minister and Unionist, devised the plan. President Abraham Lincoln approved and promised Federal forces would protect the bridge burners’ families.

Capt. David Fry, Co. F, 2nd Tennessee Infantry (U.S.) came from Kentucky with orders to burn the bridges. With his help, Carter finalized the plan to burn all major railroad bridges in East Tennessee in one night. On November 8, 1861, local Unionists arrived at the home of Jacob Harmon, Jr, another local potter, and were sworn into Fry’s command.

About sixty men then went to the Lick Creek railroad bridge, where they captured Confederate pickets. After burning the bridge, they released the

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Confederates, a decision they soon regretted. Although the president had promised military protection, Confederates later captured several men associated with the bridge burning and hanged Haun, Henry Fry, Jacob Harmon Jr., Henry Harmon and Matt Hinshaw. Confederate President Jefferson Davis commuted Harrison Self’s sentence.

The Harmons are buried here in the family cemetery. Haun’s pottery kiln stood a few hundred feet up Pottertown Road to the right, and the Bridge-Burner Memorial marker and flagpole are on the left.

“I am very glad to hear of the action of the military authorities and hope to hear they have hung every bridge-burner at the end of the burned bridge.” —Confederated Secretary of War Judah P. Benjamin

(captions)
Jar made by Christopher A. Haun —Courtesy Donahue Bible Collection, Mohawk, Tenn.
Capt. David Fry (left) and Sgt. John McCoy —Courtesy Donahue Bible Collection, Mohawk, Tenn.
“Execution of Jacob Harmon and His Son, Henry,” from Parson Brownlow’s Book (1862)

Erected by Tennessee Civil War Trails.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed

Photographed by Don Morfe, July 30, 2013

2. Pottertown Bridge Burners Marker

Close up of the map in the lower left side of the marker

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 June 1861.

Location. 36° 12.033′ N, 83° 0.826′ W. Marker is in Mosheim, Tennessee, in Greene County. It can be reached from the intersection of Pottertown Road and Gravel Woods Road, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1270 Pottertown Road, Midway TN 37809, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in East Tennessee.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

the State of Franklin,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Bridge Burners Monument (about 300 feet

Photographed by Don Morfe, July 30, 2013

3. Pottertown Bridge Burners Marker

Distant photo showing the Harmon Family Cemetery in the background

away, measured in a direct line); Execution of the "Bridge-Burners" (approx. 0.6 miles away); Blue Springs Lutheran Congregation (approx. 3.2 miles away); Blue Springs Church and Cemetery (approx. 3.2 miles away); Battle of Blue Springs (approx. 4½ miles away); a different marker also named Battle of Blue Springs (approx. 4.6 miles away); Archie Campbell (approx. 5½ miles away); Bible Covered Bridge (approx. 5.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Mosheim.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Battles of Blue Springs (was approx. 4½ miles away but has been permanently removed).

Also see . . . Rivers and Rails-Remembering the Pottertown Bridge Burners (video). (Submitted on November 20, 2016, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee.)

Photographed by Tom Bosse, April 1, 2017

4. Pottertown Bridge Burners Marker

Bridge Burners Monument in Foreground.

Photographed by Don Morfe, July 30, 2013

5. Pottertown Bridge Burners Marker

Grave marker of Henry Harmon, buried in the Harmon Family Cemetery. He is mentioned in the text of the marker

Photographed by Don Morfe, July 30, 2013

6. Pottertown Bridge Burners Marker

Grave marker of Jacob Harmon buried in the Harmon Family Cemetery. He is mentioned in the text of the marker

Pottertown Bridge Burners Monument image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Tom Bosse, April 1, 2017

7. Pottertown Bridge Burners Monument

"In the hour of their country's peril, they were loyal and true." On the night of November 8th 1861, these five Union men along with others, who mostly remain unknown, carried out the orders of President Abraham Lincoln transmitted to general George H. Thomas and given to their leader Capt. David Fry, to burn the East Tennessee and Virginia Railroad bridge over nearby Lick Creek. All five men were summarily executed by Confederate authorities. The five executions left nearly twenty fatherless children.

Photographed by Tom Bosse, April 1, 2017

8. Pottertown Bridge Burners Monument

"In the hour of their country's peril, they were loyal and true." Jacob Harmon Pvt Co F 2 Tenn Vol Inf USA June 2, 1818 December 17, 1861 Hanged at Knoxville, Tennessee

Photographed by Tom Bosse, April 1, 2017

9. Pottertown Bridge Burners Monument

"In the hour of their country's peril, they were loyal and true." Henry Harmon Pvt Co F 2 Tenn Vol Inf USA September 3, 1839 December 17, 1861 Hanged at Knoxville, Tennessee

Photographed by Tom Bosse, April 1, 2017

10. Pottertown Bridge Burners Monument

"In the hour of their country's peril, they were loyal and true." Christopher A. Haun Pvt Co F 2 Tenn Vol Inf USA September 5, 1821 December 11, 1861 Hanged at Knoxville, Tennessee

Photographed by Tom Bosse, April 1, 2017

11. Pottertown Bridge Burners Monument

"In the hour of their country's peril, they were loyal and true." Henry Fry Pvt Co F 2 Tenn Vol Inf USA December 7, 1823 November 30, 1861 Hanged at Greeneville, Tennessee

Photographed by Tom Bosse, April 1, 2017

12. Pottertown Bridge Burners Monument

"In the hour of their country's peril, they were loyal and true." Jacob M. Hinshaw Pvt Co F 2 Tenn Vol Inf USA December 8, 1840 November 30, 1861 Hanged at Greeneville, Tennessee

Graves of Henry Harmon and Jacob Harmon image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Tom Bosse, April 1, 2017

13. Graves of Henry Harmon and Jacob Harmon

Credits. This page was last revised on July 19, 2017. It was originally submitted on October 21, 2013, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 3,547 times since then and 263 times this year. Last updated on March 17, 2015, by J. Makali Bruton of Washington, District of Columbia. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 21, 2013, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. 4. submitted on April 1, 2017, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. 5, 6. submitted on October 21, 2013, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. 7, 8, 9. submitted on July 9, 2017, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. 10, 11, 12. submitted on July 13, 2017, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. 13. submitted on July 18, 2017, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.