The Henegar House was an important Civil War headquarters for both North and South. Gens. William T. Sherman and O.O. Howard, USA, and Gens. Marcus J. Wright and Simon Bolivar Buckner, CSA, stayed here.
The Henegar House was an important Civil War headquarters for both North and South. Gens. William T. Sherman and O.O. Howard, USA and Gens. Marcus J. Wright and Simon Bolivar Buckner, CSA stayed here.
On November, 30, 1863, a conference was held in the parlor of the home between Gen. Sherman, Charles A. Dana, assistant secretary of war, and Brig. Gen. James H. Wilson, chief engineer of the Army of the Cumberland. Dana delivered an order from Gen. Ulysses Grant to Sherman to take command of the forces being sent to relieve Gen. Ambrose Burnside, who was under siege at Knoxville.
This home, like many others, was divided in loyalties. Henry Benton Henegar was a Unionist, while his wife, Margaret Lea Henegar, was for the South. When Confederates occupied Charleston, Benton Henegar left, but Margaret Henegar stayed, no matter which army occupied the town. She later stated that “she never met with anything but courteous treatment from either side.”
According to tradition, Gen. Sherman’s stay he advised Benton Henegar to take the family North for safety. The next morning, on the back porch of the house, Margaret Henegar told Gen. Sherman: “We have braved the dangers and endured the hardships of the war so far, why should we leave now?” His reply was “Madam, when I get through with the Southland a bird can’t live here!”
The two-story Federal-style house dates to c. 1849 and was built where Gen. Winfield Scott's headquarters were located as part of Fort Cass during the Trail of Tears. In the same year Henry Benton Henegar married Margaret Lea, daughter of Tennessee Representative (served 1833 to 1837) and Tennessee Secretary of State (1837-1839) Luke Lea.
The house was completed in 1852 upon Benton Henegar's return from Missouri where he and his wife were living with Luke Lea during his service as Indian Superintendent (1850-1851).
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Key Facts
- Served as headquarters for both Union and Confederate generals
- Home of divided loyalties: Henry Benton Henegar was a Unionist while his wife, Margaret Lea Henegar, was a Confederate supporter.
