David Long

According to the military records of David Long, he was born ca. 1844 in Dekalb County, Alabama. He served in the Company C of the First Alabama-Tennessee Vidette Cavalry.  He was a nephew of Alfred Long, Captain of the Company C.  He was the son of Captain Long’s brother, James.  Below is information that makes reference to him:

No  9059 James Long
3 miles from of Valley Head Dekalb Co. Ala

Deposition taken November 18, 1876

 Witnessess:
James Land
Joseph Smith
Jonathan Lewis
Lewis Morgan
Alfred Long
David Long

Deposition of James Long

My name is James Long, age 60 years, and lived within 3 miles of Valley Head, Alabama.  I am a farmer and merchant.  I was born in Marion County, Tn, but have lived in Dekalb County, Al the last 42 years(would have lived here since @ 1835).

I advised my son, David, to go into my brother Alfred Long’s Vidette Cavalry.  I kept him out of the Confederate Army.  I gave him a horse and some money.   After he was mustered out(June 1864), he came to the Whitesides Depot on the Military Railroad Between Nashville and Chattanooga.  He worked for the Railroad until the surrender.

 When Federal Army left here, I had to leave my house and lie out in the woods to avoid the Rebels.  I aided Union Soldiers until first of March 1864.  I left home and went to the Union Lines and stayed till the War was over.  The following men were Union Men and they knew my views- Washington D. Crow, Alexander Hawkins……

 I also took my son Alfred through the Union lines with me.  He was not old enough to conscript.

 I had one brother, Captain Alfred Long, and one son, David in my brother’s Company.

 When McCook Army came to Valley Head, Gen Johnson and Jeff C. Davis Divisions camped on my farm and protected my house and household property.  Gen. Johnson gave me a paper to show troops that I was loyal. He also furnished a guard for my house.  This paper, with some others,  I gave to Mr. Wm. B. Taylor and he lost them .  After I got to the Union line I was fully protected.

 Elijah Boland, Wm Koger, Joseph Smith, Henry H. Smith, and Wm Lea are good Union men.  I was threatened by the Homeguard under Mountraville(?) Davenport and Reuben Price. I was forced to hide out to avoid them.  I kept in the woods.

 To question # 36:

 I had one nephew and he went from Arkansas and I knew nothing about him(this nephew was apparently a Confederate sympathizer).

 I took the oath at Lebanon.  I voted for the Union Delegates.

 Deposition of Lewis Morgan

 My name is Lewis Morgan and I am 45 years old(born @ 1831?),   I am not related to the claimant.  I knew the Claimant for at least 30 years(since 1846?).   I lived about 3 miles of him all this time.

 I saw him when I was in the service.  He was getting cord wood for the railroad between Stevenson and Chattanooga about Whitesides , Tn.  I was a soldier in his brother’s Company.

 Deposition of Joseph Smith

 My name is Joseph Smith and I’m 36 years old(born in 1840?).   I’m not related to Claimant.  I live in Dade County, GA and am a farmer.  I have known him about 20  years(since 1856?).  During the War I lived 1 ½ miles of him in 1863.  I cultivated land belonging to Captain Long.

 Deposition of Alfred Long

 I am 29  years old.    I am a Merchant(?) and live near Valley Head.  I am a son of the Claimant….

My father followed the Union Army to Lookout Mtn to get his mule back.  They had the mule in a Wagon and would not let him have him back.

 Deposition of David Long

 I am David Long and a son of the Claimant.  I am 31 years old………

(no more useful information except on property taken)

 John W. Ramsay

Spec. Commissioner

 SCOUT FROM LOOKOUT VALLEY TO DEER HEAD COVE, GA.-

 Report of Captain George W. Wooly, One hundred and second

Illinois Infantry

 Hdqrs.   One Hundred and Second Ill. Vol Infantry

Lookout Valley, Tenn., March 31, 1864

        Sir:  In accordance with our order I proceeded with 13 men, on the night of the 29^th, to Trenton, which I reached at daylight of the 30^th, where I remained until 7 o’clock and then moved to the Easley farm, but having no reliable information of the movements of the enemy I procured a guide of the name of Long(possibly David Long, a nephew of Captain Alfred Long of the First Vidette, Company C?) and ascended the mountain at that point by what is known as the State road.  I then followed the crest of the mountain to a point opposite Trenton, where I descended by a path known as the Seaton or Silton Gap, without seeing any enemy.  I learned from a resident of the mountain by the name of McKaig that there were on Sunday last about 20 or 30 rebel soldiers on the mountain at that point, and last heard from they were proceeding toward a gap know as Campbell’s Gap on the other side of the mountain.  I could discover no trace of an enemy, either by sign or camp or track of horses since the rain.

      While at Long’s house in the valley, some 4 or 5 miles above Trenton, I discovered a flag on the Raccoon Mountain at a point, I should judge, about 7 miles above Trenton.   Having no glass my view was very indistinct, but should think it was used for signal purposes: and while on the Lookout Mountain on Sunday wished to ascertain from McKaig the disposition of the Federal forces at Wauhatchie: also wished to know if there were Federal forces stationed at Whiteside’s, and also stated that picking up deserters was not his present business.  He asked McKaig if he(McKaig) thought he could get to Bridgeport, and rather inferred that he was ordered to that place  I observed the Lookout Valley from different points on Lookout Mountain, but could discover no movements of the enemy therein.

 GEO. W. WOOLY,

Capt, Commanding Scout.

 Benjamin Harrison,

Col Comdg. 2st Brig., 1^st Div., Eleventh Army Corps

O.R. Series 1, Volume XXXII, Part 1, Page 652

 The following information was taken  from Dyer’s Compendium:

 ….The first mention of the First Alabama-Tennessee Vidette in the “Official Records” was in a report by Colonel E.M. McCook, Commanding at Larkinsville, Alabama on August 26, 1863.  He stated that there was a report that four companies of Union men had be formed at Sand Hill(Sand Mountain?), Alabama, and were waiting the crossing of the Federal Army to join it….On December 29, 1863, Major General D. S. Stanley, Commanding 1^st Division IV Army Corps, Department of the Cumberland, made mention of two companies, 1^st Alabama Mounted, under Captains Allen and Long(Alfred).  He stated that Captain Allen with about 100 men, made a scout down Wills Valley to within eight miles of Lebanon, Georgia(Alabama?).  On January 9^th, 1864, Captain Long’s Company, Alabama Rangers(Comp C,?) made a scout to Deer Head Cove, Alabama…..

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