The following documents are transcriptions of transcriptions and as such will contain errors in spelling and context. However, every effort has been made to make these documents an accurate copy of their originating documents. Obvious errors in spelling have been retained although these may have been made by the original transcriber.
The contents are:
The Diary of Blooming Cruse Goodner from August 10th, 1864 - the Siege of Atlanta, to December 21st, 1865 – the retreat of the Confederate forces from Nashville.
BC's records of one line per day are a collection of nothing more than factual satements. The devasting losses of the Army of the Tennessee at Franklin on November 30th, 1864 appears in his diary as:
"30th We passed Spring Hill & charged the yankee breastworks at Franklin, Tenn."
Pension records of Blooming Cruse Goodner. (BC's original pension application to the state of Texas was filed July 15th, 1914.)
Obituary of Blooming Cruse Goodner, January, 1923.
Jim Willis
2240 Tarpley Road, No.72
Carrollton, TX 75006-2456
972-416-5188
FAX 972-418-0772
Jrwillisjr@aol.com
Bloomin Cruse (B. C.) Goodner's diary of the movements of the Confederate Army under General Hood from Atlanta, Georgia to Nashville, Tennessee and back to Columbia, Tennessee
Atlanta, Georgia
August 10th, 1864
We are held in reserve In Front line of battle today & had preaching, in camps today.
11th We had preaching today also.
12th We have moved to the left and building breastworks
13th We are still on the left wing and the enemy falling back.
14th We have moved back to where we were. To our reserve ditches & will have to go to the front tonight.
15th We are throwing up breastworks today.
16th We have moved back to the left.
17th I am on picket, all quiete in front.
18th We are still on the left.
19th We have moved more to the left.
20th We have just returned from scouting.
21st We are still on the left flank.
22nd I am on picket duty today.
23rd We have moved to the right.
24th We are still on the left flank.
25th We are still on the flank and not bothered much by the enemy. [Editors' note – This was B.C. Goodners 20th birthday.]
Aug 26 1864
26th It is reported that the enemy has fallen back across the Chatahoochie river.
27th Shirman is still in our front.
28th The enemy is moving to our left.
29th We have moved to our breastworks.
30th We have move 5 or 6 miles to the right to build breastworks.
31st We marched all night last night to Jonesburrow & back today
Sept 1st 1864 We are in the ditches near East Point Ga.
2d We evacuated Atlanta last night & marched all night.
3d We marched all day in the direction of Jones-burrough.
4th We are in line of battle near Lovejoy Station.
5th We are still in line of battle near Lovejoy.
6th It is thought the yanks are going back to Atlanta.
7th The enemy has fallen back beyond Jonesburrough no enemy in front today.
8th We are in camps once more near Lovejoy Station.
9th We are still in camps & had dress parade This evening.
10th We had preaching in camps today by Rev. Dewitt.
11th We are in camps eating beef and cornbread once more, but short rations.
12th We had company and battallion drill this Eve.
13th Still in camps in Lovejoy Station.
14th We had Division review & I received a letter from home today.
15th Still in camps and everything quiet.
16th We had Corps review today.
17th We are still in camps, but have orders to move at a moments notice.
18th We left Lovejoy Station.
19th We marched very hard and passed through Palmetto, Ga.
20th We are in camps near the Chatahooochee River today.
21st Still in camps resting.
22nd Still in camps and had dumplings for dinner today.
23rd We are still in camps.
24th We are in camps but not getting much to Eat.
25th In camps & drew our money today.
Sept. 26, 1864 President Davis reviewed us today.
27th Still in camps today.
28th We moved camps near Chatahoochie.
29th We crossed the Chatahoochie.
30th We marched in the direction of Maryetta & 16 miles from Marietta, Ga.
October 1, 1864 We are still16 miles from Marietta, G. throwing up Breastworks.
2d We marched today and camped 3 miles from lost mountain.
3d We charged Big Shanty & took 30 prisners.
4th We surrounded Acworth & took 150 prisners.
5th We marched in the direction of lost mountain & camped near there.
6th We marched very hard all day in the rain.
7th We marched in direction of Cave Springs & camped near Vanworth.
8th We marched today.
9th We passed through Cedar Town, & camped 8 miles form Ross, Ga.
10th We crossed the Coucy River.
11th We marched & camped near Dirt Town.
12th We struck the railroad at Resackah.
Oct 13th We are tareing up the Railroad above Resacca & captured 84 prisoners today.
14th We passed through Dungap.
15th We marched 18 miles in the direction of Summerfield, Ga.
16th We are camped near Summerfield.
17th We marched 4 or 5 miles today.
18th We passed through Gailesville, Ala.
19th We marched about 20 miles in the direction of Gadsden, Ala.
20th We passed Gadsden & camped this evening.
21st Are in camps near Gadsden.
22nd We marched and camped near Walnut Grove, Ala.
23rd We passed through Brooksville.
24th We marched 16 miles and camped.
25th We marched & camped near Summerville.
26th We are skirmishing at Decatur, Ala.
27th We are at Decatur skirmishing.
28th We are in line of battle at Decatur.
29th We marched & camped at Coartland, Ala.
30th We marched and camped at Leaton.
31st We marched to Tuscambia, Ala.
Nov. 1st I am on guard at Tuscambia, Ala.
2d I am still on guard at the cornfield at Mr. Armsteads.
3d I am still guarding the field.
Novem 4th, 1864 I am getting plenty to eat at the field.
5th I am still doing well guarding the field.
6th I am still getting plenty to eat Guarding & this is Sunday & on guard at Armsteads.
7th I still remain guarding near Tuscambia.
8th This is a very rainy day nothing but a blanket for shelter
9th I am still doing well at Armsteads.
10th This is a nice Sunshiny day.
11th I am still on guard near Tuscambia.
12th Still doing well at Armsteads.
13th There is some talk of moveing across the Tennessee River.
14th We moved to the river today.
15th We are fortifying the river.
16th This is Thanksgiving day.
17th We moved camps & General Buford our Old General that went to the cavalry came to see us.
18th We are working on breastworks.
19th We have orders to move at a moments warning.
20th We crossed the river at Florence.
21st We marched in the snow all day.
22nd We marched & its a very cold snowy day.
23rd We marched in the direction of Laranberg, Tenn.
24th We marched 12 miles today.
25th We marched 13 miles and camped near Henryville, Tenn.
26th We marched in the rain and camped near Mount Pleasant, Tenn.
27th We are at Columbia.
28th We marched into Columbia.
29th We are marching very hard trying to get to Nashville before the yanks.
30th We passed Spring Hill & charged the Yankee breastworks at Franklin, Tenn.
December 1st The yankees evacuated Franklin last night & we moved across the river.
2d We marched 15 miles and camped in front of Nashville, Tenn.
3d We are in line of battle at Nashville.
4th We are in our ditches at Nashville.
5th We are still behind our breastworks.
6th I am on picket duty today.
7th We had a mess of Turnips today.
8th We are in camps back in reserve of the front line of battle 7 had a mess of beef heels for dinner.
9th This is a very cold sleety day.
10th The sleet is an inch and a half deep and not even a shelter. This is soldiering.
11th This is still a very cold day & had breastworks to throw up last night.
12th I am out on picket and some skirmishing.
13th We are still in front of Nashville.
14th We are not doing much today I had my shoes mended and some skirmishing at the front.
15th We moved a little to the left this morning and some heavy skirmishing on the left.
16th We had very hard fighting evening & this morning.
17th We have fallen back to Spring Hill.
18th We have fallen back to Columbia.
19th We are in line of battle at Columbia.
20th We have fallen back 15 miles in the direction of Pulaski, Tenn.
21st A glad surprise all north of the Tennessee was fourloughed home and a few of Co.F was to go home. Balance of Co.F was captured at Nashville.
The following was amended to the diary:
January, 1865 After my furlow was out Myself & John Malone, Bob Strong, Nat Walls, Yancy Newman, Captain McGeehee, all mounted ourselves & went out a cross the Tennessee River & reported to General Roddy's Cavalry & we scouted for General Roddy until April 9th, 1865 & when General Lee surrendered we was ordered to report to Federal headquarters at Pond Springs & surrender which we did & was parolled on that day & given a pass to go through Guards at Decatur Ala. And was honorably Discharged from the Army. In the year April 9th 1865 at Pond Springs Alabama.
[Editors note: There were two Malones in Company F, one was a J.W.Malone. Forty-nine years later, when Goodner applied for a pension from the state of Texas, an affidavit was required from a third party witness who could support his claim of service in the Confederacy. This deposition was signed by J.W. Malone.]
B. C. Goodner's Pension Roll
Being 70 years old August 25th 1914
Paid by State per quarter Pension
Jan 27th 1915 I received my first payment $22.00
Mar 1st I received my second payment $22.00
Jue 1st I received my third payment $13.00
Aug 3rd Received for Abstract
J.B.Robisson $5.00
Sept 2nd 1915 Received Fourth Payment $14.25
Dec 2nd 1915 Received 5th Payment $15.00
Mar 4th 1916 Received 6th Payment $16.00
June 5 " Received 7th Payment $16.00
Sept 4th " Received 8th Payment $16.00
Dec 1st " Received 9th Payment $16.00
Total to date 169.25
Mar 1st 1917 Received 10th Payment $16.00
June 1st " Received 11th Payment $16.00
Sept 1st " Received 12th Payment $16.00
Dec 1st " Received my Pension $18.00
$66.00
Mar 1st 1918 Received my Pension $18.00
June 1st " Received my Pension $20.00
Sept 1st " Received my Pension $20.00
Dec 1st " Received my Pension $20.00
$80.00
Mar 1st 1919 Received my Pension $22.00
June 1st " Received my Pension $23.00
Sept 1st " Received my Pension $23.00
Dec 1st " Received my Pension $23.00
$91.00
Mar 1st 1920 Received my Pension $23.00
June 1st " Received my Pension $24.00
Sept 1st " Received my Pension $24.00
Dec 1st " Received my Pension $24.00
$94.00
(This completes the records of the pension payments kept by B.C. Goodner although he lived until January, 1923.)
From the newspaper in Quanah, Texas, January 20, 1923
"Comrade B.C. Goodner was born in Madison County, Alabama, on the 25th day of August, 1844, and volunteered in Company F, 27th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, in 1861, and was present and participated in almost all of the battles in which the Army of the Tennessee was engaged, and made a true and valiant soldier, and when the end came, April 9, 1865, he was parolled and returned to his childhood home, and December 20th, 1866, he was married near New Market, Alabama to Miss Lizzie Russey, who now survives him after a happy union of more than 56 years. To this union was born 9 children, six of whom survive him, and all were present on January 20, 1923, when his body was laid to rest by loving friends.
In 1872 he, with his family moved to Dallas County, Texas, and from there to Denton County and then to Clay County, Texas where he resided for more than 30 years, and i 1908 moved to Quanah where he continued to reside until the end.
He was a devoted lover of the Lost Cause, and soon after he came to Quanah he joined Camp Roes No. 661, UCV, and was at once elected a chaplain of the Camp, and was one of the truest members in the Camp, and was always present at our meetings, and there has been but few of its meetings since he has been Chaplain that was not opened with his soul stirring prayers, and on the evening of January 1923, he left us to join his comrades who had gone before to answer the roll call on high.
Brother Goodner was converted when 13 years of age, and joined the Cumberland Presbyterian Church of which he has been a true and devoted all of his life since then. He loved the church above everything else on earth, and there have been but few of its meetings since he became a member that he was not present, when it was possible. He was made a Ruling Elder in the church in 1881 which position he held to the end, ever true and faithful.
Brother Goodner was not riot as the world counts riches, but during his long and useful life, he laid up treasures in Heavan, which he is now enjoying, and which are worth more than all of the Gold of Ophis, or the wealth of this world.
While we will never see his loving face upon our streets again, still his influence will be realised and felt in the community in which he lived for years after his body will have mingled with Mother Earth. Such men as Brother Goodner can never die, their bodies may grow old and waste away, but that spirit which actuated their being, that ruled and controlled their life, that spirit that made him what he was can never, never die, but will live on in immortal youth during the ages of eternity, and defy the wreck of matter, the crash of worlds, and the lapse of time, and augment the deep and mighty thought, which shall at last overpower all others and lead the world to God.