Hoyt Cagle
James Edmunds Saunders
Mon Jul 2 17:53:52 2001


Hey Lloyd:
I previously came to the same conclusion as Mr. Allardice. In the Official Record (Series 1, Vol 16, Part 1, page 801) speaking of the battle of "Murfreesborough" you find the following:

"The attack was made at daybreak on the morning of the 13th instant by the Second Cavalry Brigade, C. S. Army, Brig. Gen. N. B. Forrest, over 3,000 strong, consisting of one Texas regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Walker; the First and Second Georgia Regiments, Colonels Lawton and Hood; one Alabama regiment, Colonel Saunders, and one Tennessee regiment, Colonel Lawton[?]."

Also on page 811 of the same:

"My aide, Colonel Saunders, rendered me efficient aid until he was severely wounded by a ball from the court-house." (Forrest is speaking.)

There are also many other references in the OR of Saunders writing to the Sec of War and to various generals concerning the situation in North Alabama.

Saunders and Forrest were personal friends, and Forrest last visited at Rocky Hill only a few weeks before his death. By the way, Saunders did build Rocky Hill ca 1858. Larry Brown of Decatur is at present writing a book on Col. Saunders and Rocky Hill. If you wish to contact him, let me know. I had the honor to perform a little research for him recently.

Interestingly enough, Col. Saunders father, the Rev. Turner Saunders, (1782-1853) also had a somewhat tenuous connection to the Civil War. He was the first president of the board at La Grange College (later La Grange Military Academy), burnt in 1863. Turner Saunders ca 1826 home is still standing near Town Creek and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Hoyt Cagle