Person:Peter Atherton (6)

Peter Atherton Jr.

• WILL REST TOGETHER

Remains of Peter Atherton Sr., the Father, and Peter Atherton Jr., the Son

The remains of Mr. Peter Atherton, who died November 26, 1844, were disinterred last week and removed to a more desirable location in the Protestant cemetery in New Haven, Ky. He was the father of Mr. J. M. Atherton, of this city. The New Haven Echo contains an account of the removal of the remains of Mr. Atherton has a son, also named Peter Atherton, who was killed in Alabama during the war, to the same cemetery.

• The Echo says

“Mr. Atherton joined the Southern Army in September, 1861. He left here with Capt. Jack Allen and was a member of Morgan’s old squadron. During a skirmish in Northern Alabama in 1862, Mr. Atherton was wounded in the knee. The wound was not considered necessarily a fatal one, and Mr. Atherton pluckily held to his post. He was afterward taken to Huntsville, Ala., where he died. His remains were buried there. Last Sunday Mr. George Radcliff left here to exhume them, and bring them to be buried beside those of his father and mother in the cemetery here.

• A noteworthy incident in connection with his death is the recognition of Mr. Peter Atherton’s horse, a bald-faced roan that he was in the habit of riding here and on which he went forth to battle for Southern chivalry.

In 1863 when Bragg’s army passed through this place a Southern soldier was astride the little roan. Peter’s horse was recognized by Messrs. J. W. Dawson and J. D. Boles. They told the soldier. He immediately went to Peter’s mother, then Mrs. Capt. Key by a second marriage, whose homestead was then where Mr. Jesse Dawson now resides. She purchased the little roan. Mrs. Key, too, has joined the silent majority and her remains rest in the same cemetery, which will receive those of her valiant son, who will be buried beside those of his mother this week.”

(The above clipping from an unidentified newspaper was received from Cornelia Atherton Serpell with the words Peter Atherton written on it in ink in Cornelia Anderson Atherton's handwriting, and the date 1891 or 1897 more recently written on it in ball-point pen. – Information from Allan Atherton, 1997)

• Evacuation of the City Nashville, Tennessee - February 17 - 26, 1862

With the approaching advance of Federal forces into middle Tennessee, GEN Albert Sidney Johnston, commander of the Western Department (No. 2), ordered the evacuation of Nashville. As most Confederate forces then moved southward out of the city, Morgan’s cavalry was ordered to police the streets of the capital, where they were joined in this mission by COL Nathan Bedford Forrest’s 3rd Tennessee Cavalry. For seven days, Morgan's and Forrest's men helped to quell disturbances and restore order in the beleaguered and panicked city. However, with Federal forces quickly moving in, it became necessary for them to also evacuate Nashville on February 23.

During this time, John Hunt Morgan’s Squadron was placed under the command of BRIG-GEN John C. Breckinridge, a Kentuckian and former U.S. Vice President. The Squadron established headquarters at LaVergne, 15 miles south of Nashville, and it was from there during a night attack on February 26 that the first man of Company A was killed in action. PVT Peter Atherton was shot from his horse during a raid into Nashville against the packet steamer "Minnetonka" on the Cumberland River.

• A short time before he left La Vergne, Captain John Hunt Morgan selected fifteen men for an expedition to Nashville. Avoiding the high roads, he made his way through the woods to the Lebanon pike, which he struck only a mile from the city.

The vicinity of the city favored rather than endangered him, and he rode down into the streets without attracting hostile observation. A patrol of twenty or thirty cavalry, were making the round of the streets, and he rode in the rear of this party. After reconnoitering for a short time, he determined on his plan of operations. He sent all but five or six of his men out into the thickets, a short distance from the city, and, with those whom he kept, he made his way, dismounted and leading the horses along the river bank, until he came near the reservoir, about opposite to which, and a little out in the river, a steamboat was anchored. This boat was one which was in the employ of the Federal Government. It was Captain John Hunt Morgan's desire to set her on fire, and let her drift down into the midst of a number of other transports, which lay a few hundred yards below, and were crowded with troops, hoping she might fire them also. Three gallant young fellows volunteered to do the work, and boarded the boat in an old canoe, which was found, bottom upward, on the shore. They fired her, but could not cut her adrift, as she was made fast at stem and stern, with chain cables, and thus the best part of the plan was frustrated. The work was done in full view and notice of the troops on the other transports, and the engineer and workmen, on board of the boat, were brought to the shore. The names of the young men, or rather boys, who did this, were Warfield, Garrett and Buckner—the latter was soon afterward killed at Shiloh. The canoe was so unmanageable that its crew came near falling into the hands of the enemy—but accident favored them at the most perilous moment. A long line of panel fence had drifted out into the river, one end still being attached to the bank. When their paddles failed them in the swift current, they fortunately came in reach of this, and they were enabled to pull in by it to the shore. As soon as the land was gained, all remounted their horses, watched for a while the rising flames and the consternation of the fleet, and then, with three cheers for Morgan, rode rapidly to rejoin their comrades.

Cavalry was sent in pursuit, but was left far behind. Captain John Hunt Morgan went straight across the country to the Murfreesboro' pike. As he gained it he encountered a small body of Federal cavalry, attacked and drove it into town. He lost only one man, but he was a capital soldier, Peter Atherton by name.

Peter Atherton belonged to Company A, Lexington Rifles

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Peter M. Atherton, in Find A Grave.