Tennessee, Macon County, Westmoreland
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The Epperson Springs Hotel, built by local businessmen so that residents and visitors could enjoy bathing and soaking in a mineral springs, stood here. Most of the state’s early resorts grew up around mineral springs; physicians often touted the value of “taking the waters,” or hydrotherapy, to their patients. The springs resorts were as well known for their social life as for their alleged cures.
Because of its prominent location near the Kentucky line, the resort became an enlistment center and a Confederate training camp in the autumn of 1861. It was known as Camp Jim Davis after the proprietor of the hotel. Companies B, C, D, and E, 7th Cavalry Battalion (later designated 22nd Barteau's Tennessee Cavalry Regiment), and Company E, 9th Tennessee Cavalry)were organized
Federal forces controlled the area by the middle of the war but faced constant harassment from both regular and irregular Confederate units. Early in May 1863, for example, a detachment of the 11th Kentucky Infantry (US) passed Epperson Springs as it pursued what commanders called a Confederate gang. Col. S. Pallance Love reported: "That whole country is infested with the thieving party. They have nearly devastated that country, and stolen nearly all the good horses from the citizens."
Union units likely formed here were Companies E and F, 1st Tennessee Mounted Infantry, and Companies A and D, 8th Tennessee Infantry, all of which included Macon County men.
The Epperson Springs Hotel burned to the ground in 1926.
(captions)
Epperson Springs - Courtesy Randy East, Macon County Historian
Guerrillas stealing horses, Harper's Weekly, Dec. 24, 1864
Idyllic postwar view of a Confederate camp Courtesy of Library of Congress
(War, US Civil) Includes location, directions, 3 photos, GPS coordinates, map.
The Epperson Springs Hotel, built by local businessmen so that residents and visitors could enjoy bathing and soaking in a mineral springs, stood here. Most of the state’s early resorts grew up around mineral springs; physicians often touted the value of “taking the waters,” or hydrotherapy, to their patients. The springs resorts were as well known for their social life as for their alleged cures.Because of its prominent location near the Kentucky line, the resort became an enlistment center and a Confederate training camp in the autumn of 1861. It was known as Camp Jim Davis after the proprietor of the hotel. Companies B, C, D, and E, 7th Cavalry Battalion (later designated 22nd Barteau's Tennessee Cavalry Regiment), and Company E, 9th Tennessee Cavalry)were organized
Federal forces controlled the area by the middle of the war but faced constant harassment from both regular and irregular Confederate units. Early in May 1863, for example, a detachment of the 11th Kentucky Infantry (US) passed Epperson Springs as it pursued what commanders called a Confederate gang. Col. S. Pallance Love reported: "That whole country is infested with the thieving party. They have nearly devastated that country, and stolen nearly all the good horses from the citizens."
Union units likely formed here were Companies E and F, 1st Tennessee Mounted Infantry, and Companies A and D, 8th Tennessee Infantry, all of which included Macon County men.
The Epperson Springs Hotel burned to the ground in 1926.
(captions)
Epperson Springs - Courtesy Randy East, Macon County Historian
Guerrillas stealing horses, Harper's Weekly, Dec. 24, 1864
Idyllic postwar view of a Confederate camp Courtesy of Library of Congress
(War, US Civil) Includes location, directions, 3 photos, GPS coordinates, map.